TubaCoopa wrote:This is a really great picture from Mr. Rick Denney's website.
1241 on the left, 2341 on the right.
My York Master's feelings were hurt, but softly sympathetic encouragement brought him right back. He's a little sensitive, I'll admit, but then he has an inferiority complex of having the right last name, but is related to the Grand Rapids ancestors only by marriage.
Also, I've never seen a 2341 with nickel-silver outer slides, or that much angle on the valves, that short a bell, with a bell stack with such straight sides, or with a bottom bow as large. The bore is 3/4" on the YM, but that's hard to see in pictures.
The main visible difference between a 1241 and a 2341 is that the upper third valve branch has only one crook on the 2341 (which is like the YM), but the double loop (ala sousaphone) on the 1241. The 2341's upper first valve crook is a tuning slide, while it is fixed on the 1241. But it is my experience that the older 1241's seem likelier to have a warmer, sweeter response.
Bell-wise, the recording bell instrument is identical to the upright-bell instrument save for the shape of the bell. My recommendation is to buy one with an upright bell and then find a forward bell to go with it. Getting an upright bell is a lot more difficult and expensive.
Rick "whose YM is used to be compared to other tubas" Denney
(we really need a recording bell/sousaphone smilie).
I didn't look at the tubing. I only saw 3 round valve caps, and ***-U-MEd that it was the 2340. Now I realize the reason the 1241 & 2341 are different heights: it's a 1241 & a York Master!