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I'd love to see one of these in person sometime... Any YCB-861's in existence out there? Probably never many to begin with, but they stopped selling them in the US long ago (and maybe stopped making them altogether?), they are pretty rare.

I *think* that I might have tried one 15+ years ago at BBC. But no real recollection.

Thanks!

https://europe.yamaha.com/en/products/m ... index.html

http://www.baltimorebrass.net/index.php?cat=5

Yamaha still lists it as a model in production on their euro website.

Baltimore Brass is currently selling a YBB-641 that someone cut to CC.

Thanks! Didn't realize it was still in production, that's good to know.

Also, I saw that cut YBB-641. Seems scary; the 641 was never highly regarded in the first place, then cut it to CC... and then a different bell? "Good for beginners" as a description seems very honest, though.

I owned a very good example in university. I feel it is very different from which it copied. I wish I kept it.

If I remember correctly, and hopefully without nostalgia glasses. It was a great example of a larger 4/4 almost 5/4. I compared it to my friends PT6, the pt was bigger but only a little. I liked the large bore, and the horn was very free blowing. My example had too long of a 5th valve, so low register fingerings were different than most. Pitch was very manageable, and tone colour was like a Old Alex, but with thicker brass and Yamaha character tone if that makes any sense. Lots of people say Yamaha's are "vanilla" sounding or something, I would say it was a blank canvas.

It is also available to special order in Canada still, but the prices of "custom" series Yamaha stuff have got very expensive. If I recall correctly I could get a YCB861 or a 6/4 Baer for almost the same price.

Thanks! And wow... that's pretty expensive if it costs as much as a Baer. Then again, the Yamayork costs a lot more than the Baer, so I guess that doesn't sound so far off. I doubt I'd be trying to buy a new one, ever... but still, interesting to know.

I recall Lee Stofer had one come through his shop a few years ago, but I didn't get a chance to try it out. Otherwise, just a couple here or there. Availability and demand are dictating the low sales, although I'm not sure which is the cause and which is the effect.

Anyway, I've owned and tried so many of the 4/4 to 5/4 rotary CC tubas, I'm just looking again at "what's left" that I haven't tried before (or not recently)...

Northern Kentucky U had one or two, probably still do. I tried one out when we got it back in the very early 00's I think, even got to play it on a gig that included a performance of the Rutter Gloria. Terrific horn. I honestly thought it would line up pretty well against a PT-6. A guy showed up at our Tubachristmas a couple of years ago with a 661. Also very nice. Maybe they were just odd non-lemons, but I liked them both.