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I know there are some wide ranging opinions about this, but I have re-affirmed my opinion.... I LOVE the OLD YBB 641's.... I just got a second horn with the serial number starting with 0000XX. It really does play (and more importantly) and sound like my old Alex 163 BBflat. The intonation is much better, but the sound is so much darker than the newer versions.. Maybe some of it is just that for some reason my playing style and that horn just mesh, but I'm glad to have found another.... With a PT48+, it really barks...

My high school was pretty smart about their tubas. They bought some big Conn top action 4 valve tubes and stuck them in those Wenger tuba tamers. Never had to worry about them getting destroyed, which is what kills so many instruments in school ownership.

Of course, I'd love to see Yamaha do some more BBb tuba development. They've pretty much got a Miraclone, a Briti-clone, and a front action something as their top level tubas.

bloke wrote:Some little elf told me that Yamaha (finally) is going to try again to make a desirable 4/4 C.
I have no reason to disbelieve the rumor.
My prediction is that they will sell some of them...

...to students of college-combo band directors/tuba teachers...(??)
explanation:
> band director: yama-yama-yama-yama-yama-yama...
> college tuba teacher: c-tuba-c-tuba-c-tuba-c-tuba-c-tuba...

Is this the one that was teased many years ago, as being a copy of the York CC from which the B&S PT-606 was copied?

Yay! Some 641 love! I have always gotten the impression that people don't like these horns, and maybe I just don't have enough experience with other horns..... But i have never had any problems with my 641, be those intonation or valve action, which was purchased new in 2009 i think? Is it just that i don't know what I'm missing?

bort wrote:

bloke wrote:Some little elf told me that Yamaha (finally) is going to try again to make a desirable 4/4 C.
I have no reason to disbelieve the rumor.
My prediction is that they will sell some of them...

...to students of college-combo band directors/tuba teachers...(??)
explanation:
> band director: yama-yama-yama-yama-yama-yama...
> college tuba teacher: c-tuba-c-tuba-c-tuba-c-tuba-c-tuba...

Is this the one that was teased many years ago, as being a copy of the York CC from which the B&S PT-606 was copied?

This was the thread I was referencing (see the last line of Jim's original post, over 14 years ago):
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6137" target="_blank

It's strange that I never liked a single new 641 that I ever tried, but I've played several well-used ones that I wouldn't have minded taking home.

GC wrote:It's strange that I never liked a single new 641 that I ever tried, but I've played several well-used ones that I wouldn't have minded taking home.

I guess they just need to play Meistersinger a few hundred times before they sound good.

And with my ‘discovery’ after all these years of the Perantucci 48+, I REALLY love this horn... I feel stupid for having poo-pooed the heavy wall mouthpieces for so long... love it...

bloke wrote:Some little elf told me that Yamaha (finally) is going to try again to make a desirable 4/4 C.
I have no reason to disbelieve the rumor.

How many YCB-822 copies has Yamaha been moving over the last decade? I had an early copy (something like #14) from around 1994. I'm sure they improved a few things, but the intonation was likely bugle related more than anything else. Simply not a great tubat considering the price. At least back then (1994) I had the excuse that it was cheaper than the German piston CC tubas and piston tuba in general were just starting to come back into vogue.

Unless they have some absolutely brilliant ideas, the 4/4 CC market for what is now a "premium" brand is a tight squeeze.