Re: Yamaha sousaphones


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Posted by Rob P-M on October 02, 2001 at 08:21:15:

In Reply to: Yamaha sousaphones posted by 127film on October 02, 2001 at 06:51:30:

I'll start by saying I'm not a Yamaha basher: I love my YFB621, it's a great little F tuba.

My impression of Yamaha sousaphones is limited to the one the local high school owns, and about a dozen I've played and/or hefted at Tuba Chrismas' in NYC over the years. Based on that admittedly limited experience, I find Yamaha sousaphones quite heavy (heavier than a Conn 20K). In my experience, intonation is not as good as typical Conns or Kings (1250s and 2350s), and they do not have the power of a Conn or a good King, that is they are more easily overblown.

Given the choice, if buying new sousaphones, I would not buy anything other than Conn 20Ks if the players are fairly strong, or King 2350s for smaller players. I have not been impressed with Besson sousaphones or the only miraphone I've seen. Given that the American sousaphones are all successful, proven designs essentially unchanged since about 1920 (with the exception of the Conn short action valves introduced in the mid-30s), I cannot fathom why anyone would seriously consider any alternative.

If you're buying modern used horns, older Conn 14Ks are a good compromise, similar .734" bore to the 20K, a little lighter and often with a 24" rather than 26" bell. They lack the short action valves, but most people don't care about that. The other choice would be King 1250s - this is the same horn as the 2350, just the older model designation. The design has not changed since the late 20's. Other good choices could be older Martins and Holtons (NOT Collegiate models), but both are as heavy as or heavier than a 20K. In much older horns, the Conn 38K was the predecessor to the 20K, same horn except standard stroke valves, 40K would be the (rare) 4 valve version.




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