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I have a york stencil usa line Eb serial # 24348. It need s a valve job but only tiny dings. Intonation is a bit squirrely on the low end. I do not have any bits, does it need them? also ANY info about this horn would be great.
Thanks Richie

I don't believe they need bits, but the receiver will be tiny. York serial numbers would put that horn around 1910, but I dont know if USA follows the same dates.

York-aholic the bell measures 19 1/2 inches so presuming it is a monster Eb.

I found out that a bass tbone mouthpiece works well. So is the age about 1910 or does usa line have different numbers

brassbow wrote:I found out that a bass tbone mouthpiece works well. So is the age about 1910 or does usa line have different numbers

Grand Rapids Band Instrument Co (U.S.A. line) instruments apparently went down the same lines as Yorks, but had their own number sequence. 24384 is not a York number- either made when GRBIC had their own numbers or after 1940 when Fischer owned the company and used some stencils.

Did ANY York uprights use bits? I had a Martin bell front that used a bit, but I thought the Martins were the only uprights (as opposed to sousaphones) designed to be used with a bit.

Tom Coffey wrote:Did ANY York uprights use bits? I had a Martin bell front that used a bit, but I thought the Martins were the only uprights (as opposed to sousaphones) designed to be used with a bit.

Not sure, but the model 91 (6/4 BBb) had a BIG receiver (maybe for bits?)

I have a detachable-bell BBb York (3-valve top-action) which came with a single tuning bit. You have to use the bit AND the original mouthpiece, which has a shank that is quite a bit larger than a Euro-shank. I'll try to post some photos of that set-up.

Great thread--I had no idea about the large shank mouthpieces OR that the big Conns and Yorks used bits, too. I have two York Ebs. One is the monster, and the other is the small Eb. Both have three top action valves, and both use the smaller (Dennis Wick size) mouthpiece shank.

YORK-aholic wrote:Paul, is the York you mentioned one of the 6/4? Those beasts originally came with a mouthpiece that had a huge shank, as you mentioned. My model 33 4/4 BBbs have a regular-small receiver...

Yes, mine would probably be considered a 6/4, with a .750 bore and a 24" (recording) bell. It's the only vintage horn I've ever bought that has all of the original parts. I have the hard cases, original mouthpiece and bit (not sure if there ever was a lyre for this thing). It's really impossible to play this horn without the bit and the stock mouthpiece fits it perfectly. And so I have to believe that the bit is original equipment.

Paul Scott wrote:

YORK-aholic wrote:Paul, is the York you mentioned one of the 6/4? Those beasts originally came with a mouthpiece that had a huge shank, as you mentioned. My model 33 4/4 BBbs have a regular-small receiver...

Yes, mine would probably be considered a 6/4, with a .750 bore and a 24" (recording) bell. It's the only vintage horn I've ever bought that has all of the original parts. I have the hard cases, original mouthpiece and bit (not sure if there ever was a lyre for this thing). It's really impossible to play this horn without the bit and the stock mouthpiece fits it perfectly. And so I have to believe that the bit is original equipment.

Hi Paul, what kind of bit is used for the York? Is it a unique design, or does it use a Conn/King type bit?

The York bit is unique. The bore is much larger and it is a bit longer than the usual Conn or King bits. The mouthpiece end of the bit has an interior diameter of .750" while the other end measures about .660" Here are some photos:

Shown here are Conn bits, King bits, and the York bit:


Here's the York Al-Tru mouthpiece in the York bit:


And this is a shot (albeit a poor one) of the York mouthpiece (on left) and a Mirafone standard shank mouthpiece looking down into the shanks. The focus is off but you can tell how much bigger the York shank is. You can insert the end of a Conn bit into the York mouthpiece shank.


Hopes this is helpful.

Be careful of the taper. I ran across an old York mouthpiece some years ago that had a different taper, and some idiot had tried to trim it to fit a standard taper receiver, effectively ruining it unless a person wanted to send it to have the shank turned down, sleeved, re-milled and re-plated.

Appreciated the pictures--very informative. I have never seen a bit like that.

That York bit is HUGE!