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Re: York Band Instrument catalog (circa 1931)
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 9:35 pm
by Doug Elliott
When I bought my Eb Monster in a pawn shop, there was a York bari sax there.
Re: York Band Instrument catalog (circa 1931)
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 9:41 pm
by bisontuba
Very nice!
Re: York Band Instrument catalog (circa 1931)
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 10:34 pm
by 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.
Re: York Band Instrument catalog (circa 1931)
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 11:00 pm
by SousaWarrior9
Thanks for sharing this

Re: York Band Instrument catalog (circa 1931)
Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2019 11:55 pm
by 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?
Re: York Band Instrument catalog (circa 1931)
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 1:17 am
by Doug Elliott
At least they got something right.
Re: York Band Instrument catalog (circa 1931)
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 8:31 pm
by 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.
Re: York Band Instrument catalog (circa 1931)
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 5:36 pm
by 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.