Re: Re: Re: 1939 York Instrument Catalog


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Posted by Richard on June 30, 2001 at 11:02:45:

In Reply to: Re: Re: 1939 York Instrument Catalog posted by Will Traphagan on June 30, 2001 at 10:01:22:

Here's were we start overlapping with the "great horns I have owned" thread a short while back. My first tuba, which I purchased from Arnold Jacobs when I was a college freshman, was a 1920's vintage Alexander CC which Mr. Jacobs' predecessor George Hamburg had played with the CSO. It had string linkage (a continual nuisance) and deterioration of the bell rim (the great Carl Geyer offered to fix it, for a healthy fee, but I felt I could live with it for the time being.) Despite the horn's frail condition, it had a beautiful sound, and the cachet of it's prior ownership and use. It certainly was a damn great piece of equipment for a college freshman whom Mr. Jacobs characterized as of "intermediate ability doing quite nicely."

About a year later, Mr. Jacobs acquired a 30s vintage 4 piston valve King CC from a bass player who had used for subbing and 2nd tuba with the Minneapolis Symphony. I felt this instrument reflected the concepts I was forming more than the Alex, so I essentially traded it in for the King. I kept the King until Bill Kearney advertized the York in the International Musician. I sold the King to pay for the York, and have not looked back.

But I have often wondered what became of Mr. Hamburg's Alex. Mr. Jacobs told me shortly after he took it back from me that he had sold it to the Austin Symphony (Texas). I wonder if they still own it, and whether its tubist ever uses it. That's the question. Does anyone out there know?


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