CC York Restoration by Lee Stofer

jimself · Post by **jimself** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 12:01 pm

For all you equipment geeks out there............,

I recently had my 1938 York CC restored by Lee Stofer in Atlanta and wanted to share some pictures of this instrument. Lee is such a fine artisan. He was very picky about everything and the result is a beautifully restored tuba. We put a small plaque (pedigree) on the back that recognizes it's original owner, George Boujie of the MGM Orchestra.

Before the restoration it use to look like this:

<img src="http://bassethoundmusic.com/Images/york-front.jpg">.

We chose satin silver for the finish. It now looks like:

<img src="http://bassethoundmusic.com/Images/york ... eaning.jpg">.

Years ago George put an extension on the 4th valve which added the lower notes and helped with intonation. It worked so well that we left it on and Lee actually improved it by adding a second extension--which makes it fully chromatic to the pedals.

<img src="http://bassethoundmusic.com/Images/york ... aValve.jpg">.

This is a special instrument. As a young man in Los Angeles, Roger Bobo knew what a great tuba this York was. The tuba has a great sound. It was the instrument that played all the MGM scores from 1938 into the '60s--like "Wizard of Oz" and George used it for all of the early Flintstones cartoons. Before Tommy Johnson, George Bouje was considered the best tuba soloist in the Hollywood Studios. After acquiring this from George in the early '90's, I used it on several studio calls including the many solos in the Walter Matthau film "Dennis the Menace".

Yamaha is using this instrument as model for developing a new 4/4 CC tuba.

Thanks,

Jim Self
www.bassethoundmusic.com

TexTuba · Post by **TexTuba** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 12:33 pm

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 1:29 pm

jimself wrote:For all you equipment geeks out there............,

Jim, do you have any problem with me putting these pictures on my web page? With attribution, of course.

Rick "who has just been updating a few things and sees a need for more Yorks" Denney

Tubaman485 · Post by **Tubaman485** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 4:28 pm

Its a work of art in my opinion.

Josh

Matt G · Post by **Matt G** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 4:58 pm

In the same vein as Rick, I would like to know if Mr. Self could post these pics on a site like http://www.imageshack.us in a larger format. These pics are fantastic, but a bit small. I would love t see some more of the detail the higher resolution photos would allow.

Cheers!

Billy M. · Post by **Billy M.** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 5:18 pm

jimself wrote:
Yamaha is using this instrument as model for developing a new 4/4 CC tuba.

Thanks,

Jim Self
www.bassethoundmusic.com

This news is exciting in and of itself. Jim, I am envious of such a fine horn.

Lee, you're the master!

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 10:05 pm

bloke wrote:Is the engraving pattern "censored"?

It looks fuzzy, but actually it's the reflection of the bush behind the instrument that is out of focus and giving that impression. We are accustomed to Photoshop tricks, but I don't think that's what is happening here.

Rick "experienced with PS" Denney

Uncle Buck · Post by **Uncle Buck** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 10:51 pm

Jim, I think there is someone on this site who has a fascinating CC 5-valve helicon he might want to trade for that horn . . .

Tubaman485 · Post by **Tubaman485** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 1:33 am

How much would you expect to pay on a restoration like that?

Josh

funkcicle · Post by **funkcicle** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 4:02 am

Tubaman485 wrote:How much would you expect to pay on a restoration like that?

Josh

EXACTLY what it's worth!

TonyZ · Post by **TonyZ** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 8:02 am

Bob LeBlanc has a CC of the same vintage, I believe. Jim Akins is using it with the Columbus Symphony. What a great sounding horn, as well. It's great to know that these gems are still floating around! Great restoration, Lee!!

Cameron Gates · Post by **Cameron Gates** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 9:49 am

That instrument looks very similar to the B&S PT-606. Is this the model B&S used to make the 606? Other than the 4th valve wrap and extensions.

Paul S · Post by **Paul S** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 10:23 am

Cameron Gates wrote:That instrument looks very similar to the B&S PT-606. Is this the model B&S used to make the 606? Other than the 4th valve wrap and extensions.

Cameron,

I had the same thoughts as you except that Bob Tucci had e-mailed me that one that he had owned was used for the 606-GR41. It was a 1937 York as opposed to this 1938. That lineage was Arnold Jacobs, Harold Mc Donald, Robert Tucci and currently Mike Johnson. According to Rick Denney's York pages, Mike had learned that 12 total of these were built. That York and this gorgeous one would be sisters to drool over. I love my GR-41 more each day but it is great to hear that Yamaha is developing on this York too! There are going to be some great horns out there to choose from if this happens.

Mike Johnson's 1937 York

Bravo to Lee for fantastic work and Thanks to Mr. Self for sharing photographs with us!

Cameron Gates · Post by **Cameron Gates** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 11:46 am

Paul S wrote:
Cameron Gates wrote:That instrument looks very similar to the B&S PT-606. Is this the model B&S used to make the 606? Other than the 4th valve wrap and extensions.
Cameron,

I had the same thoughts as you except that Bob Tucci had e-mailed me that one that he had owned was used for the 606-GR41. It was a 1937 York as opposed to this 1938. That lineage was Arnold Jacobs, Harold Mc Donald, Robert Tucci and currently Mike Johnson. According to Rick Denney's York pages, Mike had learned that 12 total of these were built. That York and this gorgeous one would be sisters to drool over. I love my GR-41 more each day but it is great to hear that Yamaha is developing on this York too! There are going to be some great horns out there to choose from if this happens.

Upon further review it does look like the bell on Self's has a bit more flare at the end than the 606. Also the curved branches do not look as wide. I would really like to play the original instrument that the 606 was copied from. That has to be a great instrument.

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 11:50 am

Paul S wrote:According to Rick Denney's York pages, Mike had learned that 12 total of these were built. That York and this gorgeous one would be sisters to drool over.

Jim has graciously given me permission to post these pictures on my web page. Currently, only this one and Mike Johnson's are shown. I have several pictures of old Yorks in my archives, but after seeing these, I realized this needed to be a gallery of instruments whose provenance was known. Your information from Bob Tucci has also been added to further document the provenance of Mike Johnson's tuba.

http://www.rickdenney.com/york.htm

Rick "who thinks a Yamaha based on Jim's York would be a fitting replacement for the 822 CC" Denney

Cameron Gates · Post by **Cameron Gates** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 11:54 am

TubaAS wrote:FWIW, Lee has another York original CC, similar to this one, but no 5th valve yet, and it had a detachable upright bell.

Andy, where does that fifth valve linkage go? Is it up by the valve and operated with the left hand? That horn looks soooo stinking cool. I want more pictures, and I want them now!!!!! Leave out no details. Tell Lee that he needs to do at least 100 of these a year and get them out to the shows so we can see his work. OMG I want to see that horn in person.

winston · Post by **winston** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 6:55 pm

Tom Holtz · Post by **Tom Holtz** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 7:55 pm

Cameron Gates wrote:That horn looks soooo stinking cool. I want more pictures, and I want them now!!!!! Leave out no details. Tell Lee that he needs to do at least 100 of these a year and get them out to the shows so we can see his work. OMG I want to see that horn in person.

(sigh) Ducks...

Lee, that's a really nice job. That's got to be seriously cool, bringing a horn like that back to beyond it's original glory.

Probably sounds O.K. too, I guess. '38 York... yeah, whatever. The licks on "The Flintstones" were all right. She's no Buescher helicon, but she'll do.

Joe Baker · Post by **Joe Baker** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 11:52 pm

Andy, I'm confused about the modifications to the 4th/5th valves. In the "before" pictures, it looks like there was a 5th valve in the leadpipe, with the valve tubing running up the bell. That tubing is missing in the "after" pictures. And in the earlier description, I think it was Mr. Self who said

Years ago George put an extension on the 4th valve which added the lower notes and helped with intonation. It worked so well that we left it on and Lee actually improved it by adding a second extension--which makes it fully chromatic to the pedals.

Was the "second extension" just a longer 5th valve, routed around the back of the horn instead of up the bell?

Thanks for any additional info.
___________________________________
Joe Baker, who digs that horn!

Steve Inman · Post by **Steve Inman** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 9:52 am

This restoration is such a work of art (and science) that it deserves to be bumped to the top again (IMO).

Nice job, Lee, Andy, platers, etc.

Cheers,

TubeNet

CC York Restoration by Lee Stofer

CC York Restoration by Lee Stofer

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