York Band Instrument catalog (circa 1931)

[Doug Elliott]

When I bought my Eb Monster in a pawn shop, there was a York bari sax there.

[bisontuba]

Very nice!

[Walter Webb]

Great catalog! I learned a lot. One complaint: mellophones are not "awful, awful," especially not York models. They may be relatively useless these days, but they are a sweet thing, as good as other instruments could be.

[SousaWarrior9]

Thanks for sharing this

[Donn]

I've played a York tenor sax. It was OK. "Good" maybe. They aren't particularly sought after - like all the rest of their instruments other than the tubas, right?

[Doug Elliott]

At least they got something right.

[roweenie]

The (very few) 692s I've seen have a similar wrap to the model 712. I've seen that picture and am pretty convinced it was probably a custom job - the 5th valve appears to be factory (although I suppose anything is possible).

Either that, or its a model from a later catalog that hasn't been unearthed yet???

As to the weight, the 712 has a .750 bore (the largest York made), so I can't see that as making the difference.

[toobagrowl]

Since I seem to be one of the few on here who really like many of the old 'Monster' Eb tubas (particularly if they have at least 4 valves), those 4/4 York contrabass tubas intrigue me much more than the 6/4 York-a-phones so prevalent these days.
Maybe it's just me but that "1935 model" looks more like the basis of the PT-606 than does that detachable-bell "1937 model". But they all look nice and interesting, as does the 4/4 Holton 'Del Negro' model, and others. Those 4/4 York and Holton contrabass tubas look like they have very similar pretty-yet-very-colorful sonic characteristics to the 'Monster Eb' tubas, but perhaps with a bit more thickness and 'horsepower' in the lower register

One thing that kinda bugs me about many of the modern piston valvesets are that they are vertical in orientation. There are only a few who make the more ergonomic slanted/angled piston valvesets like the old American makes -- Yamaha comes to mind.