joshwirt wrote:
Is $30K steep for a tuba? Maybe. But if your job is to play music at the highest level, it's a bargain compared to the fiddle players.
-Josh
Also let's remember that for players who truely make their living playing the tuba, a purchase of this type is tax-deductible, which helps offset the high price tag.
Robert I. Coulter
(who loves buying tools for work since they are tax deductible)
Getting write-offs isn't my problem. Generating INCOME IS a problem I can write-off every tool I buy, but that doesn't justify the cost. Only the utility of the tool justifies the cost. This isn't 'zactly apples to apples but one can draw somewhat of a comparison.
Dan Schultz
"The Village Tinker" http://www.thevillagetinker.com" target="_blank
Current 'stable'... Rudolf Meinl 5/4, Marzan (by Willson) euph, King 2341, Alphorn, and other strange stuff.
With regards to the Baer 6450 and Yamaha Prototype 4/4 "york", I didn't have a chance to try the Baer model, but I spent a few hours trying the Yamayork and the prototype 4/4. I thought the Yamayork played well, just as well as the Yorkbrunner up at Custom music, but not as well as the PT-7P or PT-6P.
I've been fortunate enough to play Jim Self's yamayork "Monica", and it was a dream to play. Much better than the ITEC horn, probably the best BAT I've ever played. I compared Monica to a Piston Neptune, and Monica was hands-down a far superior horn. Whatever Yamaha changed they should probably unchange, because Jim's horn plays great.
The yamaha prototype was definately the best "4/4" CC I've ever played. I think it was in many ways superior to the Yamayork. solid intonation, very easy to play, and it had a sound big enough to rival most 5/4 CC's. Yamaha supposedly based the prototype on Jim Self's 4/4 York that he had restored. There are, however, some noticable differences between the 4/4 york and this horn. The big difference is the bell section. The bell of the prototype doesn't taper out until the very end of the bell section, whereas Jim's york tapers more gradually. the prototype looked more cylindrical than conical, if that makes more sense. To my eyes, the prototype looked a great deal like the yorkmaster, at least in terms of the bell section.
This thread has me pondering the possible irony of the situation... some of us remember when Yamaha was best known for copying other manufacturer's designs and turning out dependable, but nothing-special horns, many of which are laying on the floors of band rooms across the US. Later, they started turning out some great instruments, and have earned the respect of my of us, myself included. Now that they've come up with a horn they think they can get 30K for, some other company (in a far-off land somewhere, no doubt) will copy them.....
Actually, from what I understand, Jim was given his yamayork by yamaha, that is, he didn't have to buy it. At the time, Yamaha made a few (3 or 4 I think) prototypes for the yamayork, and had several top players try them out. Jim is a yamaha artist, so I believe they just gave it to them. Guess back then they didn't figure it to be worth $30K. If I'm not mistaken, I think Norm Pearson got one of the other prototypes. Not sure who got the rest.
I can write-off every tool I buy, but that doesn't justify the cost. Only the utility of the tool justifies the cost. This isn't 'zactly apples to apples but one can draw somewhat of a comparison.
