Posted by Joe S. on June 16, 1999 at 22:08:29:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Feedback on Yamaha Tubas posted by Maria on June 16, 1999 at 18:29:01:
Maria, I'm glad that you have a really great horn. That is waaaaaaay more important than my general impression of these Yamaha 100-series body "pro"-incarnations.
My MOST recent experience with those horns, however, is this: A local friend received his new Yamaha F this year with the pistons sticking from the factory. We lapped them until they felt perfect. Two months later, there was more corrosion residue built up which had "plated over" from the casings to the pistons, and they were sticking again. I, as a music store owner, find this to be a chronic problem with Yamaha's "stainless" pistons. He seems to like the instrument fine, but to me, the way that his Yamaha F feels and with the intonation it offers, if my F tuba was not available and his was, I would simply not play. Incidentally, by "centering" I was not just referring to intonation, I was also referring to "security" (missing or cracking the dad-blamed notes!).
I'm not bragging on me here at all>> - I'm bragging on the guys at B&S that made my F tuba fifteen or so years ago: It indeed does play "magically" (just about perfectly) in tune, and with a beautiful voice. All I have to do is play it and pay attention to my OWN many inconsistancies. No pushing nor shoving anywhere to make it behave. I'm extremely lucky, but if I hadn't been so lucky, I would still be looking. On the other hand, I have bought or built (and "relieved myself of") EIGHT different CC tubas since I was 18 years old (now 42), looking for the "magical" one that could be close to the equivalent of my B&S F. I'm excited about the one that I am building now, and have a lot of hope.
The "magical" 3/4-sized CC, in my opinion, is the Miraphone 184 (if not still made [?], plenty of them around). It has nice resistance which contributes to control, a nice clear tone, and excellent intonation.
Each of us just comments on our own experiences and observations. I am not the nemesis of Yamaha for Yamaha's sake. I am in the cheering section for the Yamaha tuba that YOU have, because you like it, it treats you well, and you play it well.
Incidentally, those of you who have the 3/4 Yamahas with the #5 (rotary) valve mounted in the mouthpipe tube might want to order a spare of the little "T" link that connects the thumb lever to the rotor. This broke at the silver-soldered joint on the same F that I referred to above after only a few months, and my friend was in a panic until I got back (from being closed on a Sunday) to fix it.