York 6/4 BBb tuba conversion

[roweenie1]

I'd like to put up some pictures of my recently converted (from 3-valve top action to 5-valve side action) 6/4 BBb York, but I can't seem to get them to post. (I think they may be too large). Can anyone help me figure out how to add them?

Thanks!

[windshieldbug]

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=28333&p=246254&hili ... ng#p246254

[roweenie1]

Thanks for the info, windshieldbug. The problem I am having is that the JPEG files are so large, that I can't get them uploaded to this site, or my Photobucket account.

I need advice on how to resize them - - -

Thanks again . . .

[The Big Ben]

Thanks for the info, windshieldbug. The problem I am having is that the JPEG files are so large, that I can't get them uploaded to this site, or my Photobucket account.

I need advice on how to resize them - - -

Thanks again . . .

Whatever program you used to get the pictures out of the camera and into the computer should have a function to shrink files for e-mailling and web posting. I have a Macintosh and use iPhoto and this function comes under the "Export" menus.

HTH

[roweenie1]

Well, let's hope I get it right . . . . .

This tuba was originally a 3-valve top-action "monster" BBb York, and has been converted to a 5-valve side-action instrument by Martin Wilk of Palmyra, Indiana.

It has been designed so that the leadpipe, valve nest, and Rotax 5th valve assembly are entirely removeable. Many of the bow-guards needed to be made custom, by hand. I preferred to keep it in BBb, and am glad I did.

It plays absoluteley wonderful - it puts out a lot of sound with minimal effort. Especially fine are the low E, F, and Gb - they slot perfectly, unlike so many other 6/4 horns.

I believe the pictures accurately show the quality and skill that Mr. Wilk puts into his work.

[Tubaing]

Beautiful!

[roweenie1]

I've been using it mostly in places where a large bass are appropriate - however, it is so responsive that I wouldn't hesitate to use it in a smaller group, such as a brass quintet.

[JHardisk]

Does anyone else see a similarity here? I looked at this York and thought... hmm? That sure does look like a Baer.. especially the valve section/setup.

In any case... it's a gorgeous tuba!

[JHardisk]

No doubt... I love my Baer!

I am suggesting that this particular York has almost the same setup as the Baer. Look at the pictures... the slides are nearly identical, positioning of the 5th valve, etc.. etc... Might this be a "York" model set up more like the Baer?

Am I just smoking crack? The pictorial comparison of the two look pretty darn similar...

I've never made the mistake of believing the Baer is a York. I'd not have bought it if it was!

[Lew]

So where did the valve section come from? I don't see any mention of that.

[roweenie1]

John, you are very observant. While I will not say that Mr. Wilk "copied" the Baer model tuba, I believe that it was certainly on his mind while he was building my horn. Actually, the only area that he had any leeway was the valve nest, since all the branches are of original York manufacture.

BTW, when I went to pick up the horn in Indiana (that is where Martin is located), I stopped by the Tubadome in Elkhart and played a few of the Baer model horns. They are phenomenal, well-designed instruments, especially the hand-made ones.

[roweenie1]

Lew, the valve section is made by Meinl Weston. Unfortunately, since they don't (to my knowledge) make any 6/4 piston horns in BBb, it needed to be tubed by Mr. Wilk, from scratch.

I might add that this horn plays as well as it looks!

[imperialbari]

Would I want this instrument? Be sure!

So no sour grapes only some questions about the strategies of the rebuild:

From where did the leadpipe come? Using the original one hardly would be possible, so were there considerations about bore progression in relation to the wanted response and tone colour?

Is the main tuning slide original?

The valve bore likely is that of 0.750" of the Yorkish CC’s, which appears to be working well. Very few piston tubas appear to have a larger bore through the first 3 valves unless they are freakish like the Conn 2X series. I just wonder why you didn’t use a “standard” CC valve block and pulled the slides from there, possibly with some inner and outer sleeves to keep the BBb extensions.

I very much would like to document this instrument in my brass galleries. Preferably with high resolution .jpg’s.

Klaus

[Bandmaster]

John, you are very observant. While I will not say that Mr. Wilk "copied" the Baer model tuba, I believe that it was certainly on his mind while he was building my horn. Actually, the only area that he had any leeway was the valve nest, since all the branches are of original York manufacture.

Did he cut the bell's rim down too? The big York's had 22" bells, this one looks more like 20". Didn't Rusk used to trim the bells on his BBb York conversions to CC?

[roweenie1]

Any specific technical information about the conversion would have to be answered by Mr. Wilk - I'm just a player, not a technician! However, I do know that he tried to keep as many original York parts as was practical.

The bell pictured is in fact a 20" Meinl Weston bell, not the original 22" York bell in cut-down form. We tried the horn with both bells, and we agreed that the MW bell gave the horn a slightly more focused sound, so we went with it. The original bell was in good shape, so the decision was purely one of sound preference, not necessity.

[roweenie1]

If anyone is interested in finding out more about this horn, or about Martin's work, his e-mail is -

martinanderinwilk@verizon.net" target="_blank

[Cameron Gates]

Any specific technical information about the conversion would have to be answered by Mr. Wilk - I'm just a player, not a technician! However, I do know that he tried to keep as many original York parts as was practical.

The bell pictured is in fact a 20" Meinl Weston bell, not the original 22" York bell in cut-down form. We tried the horn with both bells, and we agreed that the MW bell gave the horn a slightly more focused sound, so we went with it. The original bell was in good shape, so the decision was purely one of sound preference, not necessity.

Was the MW bell then engraved to make it look like a York?

[roweenie1]

Cameron, I wonder if you could be a little more specific with your question - - -

Did you mean to say, "was the MW bell then engraved to make the bell look like a York bell", or "was the MW bell then engraved to give the impression that this horn is a York"?

I believe that it would be obvious to most that York didn't furnish their BBb basses with detachable leadpipes, Valve sections and 5th valve assemblies in 1915. Although the most important part of any tuba (the branches and bottom bow) are completely original and unaltered on this horn, nobody is making the claim that it is an original York.

If you don't have an agenda, please forgive me. If you do, please try to be a little more clear - it leaves the impression that you don't have the courage of your convictions.

[Mike Finn]

I noticed that too, but just assumed that the photo was taken 'in progress' before the decision to use a new MW bell. In any case, I'll echo the prevailing sentiment of "Nice horn"!

[Rick Denney]

I noticed that too, but just assumed that the photo was taken 'in progress' before the decision to use a new MW bell. In any case, I'll echo the prevailing sentiment of "Nice horn"!

No, that's a 20" bell in the photo, not a 22" bell.

Bob Rusk, as I understand it (and as I have seen) usually trims the 22" bells of old Bb Yorks to 20". And, of course, the Holton bells were 20". I'm really accustomed to looking at a 20" bell on a BAT, heh, heh.

If the York bell was in this good condition, I can't imagine the need to replace it with a Meinl-Weston bell. I don't agree that the bottom bow and other outer branches have a more important effect on tone than the bell (though it may be true on any given instrument), and I think the shape of the York bell is part of what makes it work. The Holton and York bells emerged, I believe, from the same original thinking and perhaps even the same tooling (or same tooling design), and I think I remember that York made bells for Holton in the old days (or perhaps vice versa). If the Meinl-Weston bell was based on the Holton bell, and I believe it was, then it's probably close enough to make a great instrument.

But then I am curious about the engraving.

Rick "who would absolutely love an opportunity to compare this instrument with my Holton, side by side" Denney