Big BBb 4v York

[Donn]

um...the point wasn't really that vague, but not worth much trouble either. The Kid Ory seems to be a non-sequiterial comment on the era of 1918, which is the date of the tuba in question. When bloke wrote "I went back" , well....

I admit to thinking the same thing upon reading. But I didn't post it. I'm learning.

I am your student.

[tbn.al]

Some folks wonder what bore an instrument is. Others just drag out one from their attic and measure it. It's the same question, just a different perspective on getting the answer.

[The Big Ben]

Is "York" the magic word?

This horn is up to $870 or so with a day and a half to go....

Stupid expensive? I guess that would depend on your point of view, I suppose...

[Lew]

Some folks wonder what bore an instrument is. Others just drag out one from their attic and measure it. It's the same question, just a different perspective on getting the answer.

Isn't the bore usually the one behind the instrument?

[Lew]

Is "York" the magic word?

This horn is up to $870 or so with a day and a half to go....

Stupid expensive? I guess that would depend on your point of view, I suppose...

Less than a thousand bucks for a 4 valve BBb tuba that although a little rough is supposedly playable doesn't seem that out of line to me. Most people today wouldn't want the top action valves, but if overhauled this would be a very nice playing horn.

[The Big Ben]

Is "York" the magic word?

This horn is up to $870 or so with a day and a half to go....

Stupid expensive? I guess that would depend on your point of view, I suppose...

Less than a thousand bucks for a 4 valve BBb tuba that although a little rough is supposedly playable doesn't seem that out of line to me. Most people today wouldn't want the top action valves, but if overhauled this would be a very nice playing horn.

I guess it depends on how much it needs to really be playable. With an instrument like a vintage tuba, $1K of repairs rolls up pretty fast. It's obvious that it needs mouthpipe work or replacement and there are a few nasty dents that might hinder play. Plus- what about the valves? $2k playable in your lap?

Personally, I like upright valves. I know that some see the fact that the bell will point the opposite direction as a frontloader horn a bad thing but I don't. Unless, of course, you are playing in a British BB where the frontloader guys would be the weirdos.

As a question to someone who knows: It looks pretty straight forward to hone the valve casings on a frontloader horn- just put the hone in from the front (or back). What is done on a toploader horn? Does the top bow need to come off in order to hone the valve casings?

Jeff "Wanting to know" Benedict

[Art Hovey]

The York under discussion is the same model that I started with, but in slightly better condition. The body and bell are virtually identical to the King 2341, but the valve set is a pea-shooter with too many tight turns. I sold the valve set from mine to someone who wanted to put 4 onto an Eb tuba, and I put a new Mirafone 1271 front-valve set onto my York body. (I re-routed the 4th valve tubing.) Then I discovered that I had the carcass of an old York Eb in my attic with exactly the same bell, but in better condition. So I swapped the bell:

The tuba plays a lot like the King 2341, but better. The Mirafone valve section is dual-bore and slightly larger than the King, which opens up the low register.

[J.c. Sherman]

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Cramming two posts into one...

Another friend of mine owns the same 4/4 York BBb frame cut to CC, and has a 52J 4+1 valveset (.687"/.750") mounted on it...He keeps his unbolted 52J body (nearly pristeen) in the closet.

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I did exactly the same thing. Had a three-valve York exactly like this and then (stupidly) cut it to CC and added the guts of a 52J Conn and let the original body rest in the basement. It wasn't stupid because of how it played - which was awesome, and sounded better - but because eventually were going to run out of good Yorks in their original configuration. The one I had, BTW, was a .687 bore, and I did save the valve section, along with a vintage Conn Monster Eb valve set. The Conn Eb is becoming a 5v FA, but being constructed in a way that alows it to be put back in the original configuration. Less guilt that way

J.c.S. (who thinks someone's gonna have a hell of a horn at the end of this auction!)

[The Big Ben]

Sold!

$897.00

Anyone here get it?

[Donn]

Can anyone tell me the name of a few chop shops.

Any geographical preference?

Is it practical to take a top load and change it to a front load.

No. It's certainly done, but it makes a lot more sense to just buy a King 2341.

anyon had any experience play these modified horns

I assume so, but by then they're so far into it, that they'll never admit anything.

does anyone know anything about a proto type st petersberg horn about 25 years old ?

Without discounting the possibility that this will ring a bell for someone, a little more detail might help. Was this prototype somehow related to the present topic?

[EdFirth]

I just wanted to weigh in on this aversion to top valves thing. In a quintet, brass ensemble, recording studio, any type of jazz band, or even a concert band where both facing bells compliment each other evening out the distribution of sound, right facing bells work fine. In American orchestra set ups, mabye not so well because you end up playing to the back wall. But I have played top loaders in all of these situations, including the Peoria Symphony and they work just fine. The way some of these posts sound we're only allowed to play five valved C tubas, at least 4/4 in size, picked for us by our teachers, preferrably with PT before the model number. Just get a horn that you sound great on and become a superior musician. The rest will take care of itself. You don't need to change horns every time you miss a note, or have a bad concert, or the guy next to you brings in the flavor of the month. Unless you are a collector/hobbyist. Which probably most of you don't consider yourselves to be. There, I feel better now. Ed

[The Big Ben]

I have one of each: 186 BBb and a Mira Perinet.

The 186 is bigger but I can 'play it in my lap'. It can kind of lie there while being played.

The Perinet is smaller but a toploader so I have to actually grip it and hold it in the right position. I don't have a strap for it but it might be easier to hold with one. This horn is for fun times- playing at the basketball game, taking to TubaChristmas, taking over to play tunes for the nephews. It doesn't have a big sound like the 186 but it plays and looks OK. And, if I hear of someone who needs a cheap, student model, starter type horn, I probably will sell it at a price they couldn't refuse just to get a kid playing.

A question:

Does the horn have to come apart at all to hone, plate and refurbish the valves? The honing devices I have seen would be impossible to use on a toploader without at least taking off the top bow. that would make the operation significantly more expensive than with a front loader.

[Donn]

I just wanted to weigh in on this aversion to top valves thing.

I will admit to a preference for front valves, for playing while standing. I can't exactly account for the difference, but the front valve tubas I have had in the didn't seem to present much of a problem there, including a large BBb rotary, while my Pan American Eb Giant Bass sure has despite its relatively light weight. If I could always play sitting down, I think I might prefer top action. For my most recent gig, I got fed up with trying to stand with the Eb and switched to the sousaphone ... which ironically worked out pretty well, except that the low ceiling forced me to sit, or actually kneel until someone rounded up a stool.

[EdFirth]

I borrowed one of these horns for awhile way back and it was GREAT in quintet. The problem is that they are all so old and full of poor repairs that it's hard to figure out what they are capable of. With no leaks, good alignment, and heavy oil you would be suprised at what comes out of the bell.York knew what they were doing.Ed