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New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 3:17 pm
by matt g


Found this interesting. I’m guessing similar to the Nirschl 4/4?

Re: New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 3:30 pm
by bort2.0
Check it out at NAMM*

*Will not be available at ITEC :laugh:

Re: New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 3:45 pm
by cthuba
Is this another Besson 995/ Nirschl Clone?

Re: New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 3:49 pm
by bort2.0
cthuba wrote: Thu Apr 13, 2023 3:45 pm Is this another Besson 995/ Nirschl Clone?
I also question if the new B&S 795 CC is a Besson/Nirschl clone. It's been 10+ years since I've played a Besson/Nirschl, but I played the 795 yesterday and it reminded me of it.

Whether yes or no, this is a nice looking tuba, and I wonder if this will replace the 822? Or at least, give a 4/4 option with more colorful tuba sound, instead of the 822's "not everyone's favorite" sound.

Re: New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 3:51 pm
by UncleBeer
bort2.0 wrote: Thu Apr 13, 2023 3:30 pm Check it out at NAMM*

*Will not be available at ITEC :laugh:
Turn down Tindall for ITEC, that's what ya get. (I'm assuming a whole lot, but...)

Re: New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 4:10 pm
by matt g
bort2.0 wrote: Thu Apr 13, 2023 3:49 pm
cthuba wrote: Thu Apr 13, 2023 3:45 pm Is this another Besson 995/ Nirschl Clone?
I also question if the new B&S 795 CC is a Besson/Nirschl clone. It's been 10+ years since I've played a Besson/Nirschl, but I played the 795 yesterday and it reminded me of it.
Yes, the 795 is a third gen copy of the Nirschl 4/4.
Whether yes or no, this is a nice looking tuba, and I wonder if this will replace the 822? Or at least, give a 4/4 option with more colorful tuba sound, instead of the 822's "not everyone's favorite" sound.
What’s of interest is the numbering. The YCB-822 is a “custom” level Yamaha whereas this is a “professional” level Yamaha (6xx). They might keep the 822 around, but it would seem redundant, more so if this has a more characteristic sound.

Also implies this should cost less than the 822, but I guess that’s something that we will find out soon.

Re: New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 4:12 pm
by bort2.0
One other thought... I find the number 623 interesting... Aren't the other 62x tubas all 3/4 horns?

Re: New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 4:16 pm
by matt g
bort2.0 wrote: Thu Apr 13, 2023 4:12 pm One other thought... I find the number 623 interesting... Aren't the other 62x tubas all 3/4 horns?
Edited my response above. But the leading 6 designates the “level” of the horn. The YBB-641 is everyone’s favorite 4/4 rotary valve tuba, don’t forget!

ETA: and the YBB-321 is 4/4. I don’t think the other numbers mean all that much.

Re: New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 5:02 pm
by bort2.0
Good points, thanks!

My guess is that, as much as anything else, price could depend on in part or in whole... country of origin

Re: New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 7:02 pm
by Breavdah
Japan be like "Copying European designs with increased precision, yet utterly unsatisfying player feel and bizarre intonation? That's our job!"

Re: New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 7:53 pm
by YorkNumber3.0
.

Re: New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 8:06 pm
by tubaing
Looks like there's a BBb version too.

Re: New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 8:44 pm
by russiantuba
I have been told by another Yamaha artist that it is based on Jim Self's 1930s model York 4/4 CC tuba. I have played on an early 1920s York factory original 4/4 CC tuba (the same model Jacobs was willing to trade one of the CSO Yorks to Bob LeBlanc to use as his main horn). This horn is an amazing horn. If Yamaha kept the same concept design, it should be a great horn. I would say it will probably be close or an improved version of the PT 606 (GR 41?) based on this information.

Re: New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 8:46 pm
by bort2.0
His sound check video sounded as good as sound check videos can sound. I actually kind of hate those sorts of things, they really just sound like good tuba player playing a tuba.

But more notably, there wasn't any endless slide moving like you see with so many 6/4 tubas. Maybe that's still needed or whatever, but I liked seeing (or not seeing!) all of that.

Its hard to tell the bell profile of this too... The 822 has such a wide pancake to the bell, I think that's where it loses a lot of focus for me. I do like the 822 and how it plays. How it sounds... Not for me... But except for picky tuba players, nobody else really cares.

Final thought -- really glad to see NEW models of ANYTHING being developed. Keep it up!

Re: New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 8:50 pm
by bort2.0
russiantuba wrote: Thu Apr 13, 2023 8:44 pm I have been told by another Yamaha artist that it is based on Jim Self's 1930s model York 4/4 CC tuba. I have played on an early 1920s York factory original 4/4 CC tuba (the same model Jacobs was willing to trade one of the CSO Yorks to Bob LeBlanc to use as his main horn). This horn is an amazing horn. If Yamaha kept the same concept design, it should be a great horn. I would say it will probably be close or an improved version of the PT 606 (GR 41?) based on this information.
Interesting! My one complaint about the 606 was that the low range could really sound like "tuba being pushed too much" if you weren't careful. And it was a little work to be careful. Contrast that to other piston tubas where the idea of "blow as hard and direct as you want and it'll ask for more" takes over... And I prefer the latter.

Based on what James says... This Yamaha is probably quite a special tuba.

Re: New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 10:38 pm
by cjk
The instrument seemed to record well with what I presume to be a cell phone.

Has there ever been a YCB-622? I know there was a YFB-622.
The choice of model number seems strange.

Anyone know what the second tuning slide comment is all about?

Re: New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 10:51 pm
by bort2.0
cjk wrote: Thu Apr 13, 2023 10:38 pm The instrument seemed to record well with what I presume to be a cell phone.

Has there ever been a YCB-622? I know there was a YFB-622.
The choice of model number seems strange.

Anyone know what the second tuning slide comment is all about?
What was the 622?

Also curious about the tuning slide thing...

Re: New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 7:28 am
by cjk
bort2.0 wrote: Thu Apr 13, 2023 10:51 pm
cjk wrote: Thu Apr 13, 2023 10:38 pm The instrument seemed to record well with what I presume to be a cell phone.

Has there ever been a YCB-622? I know there was a YFB-622.
The choice of model number seems strange.

Anyone know what the second tuning slide comment is all about?
What was the 622?

Also curious about the tuning slide thing...

YFB-622 was one of the part numbers attached to the Roger Bobo custom version of the 621 F tuba. The other was YFB-821. Don't know why. I'd guess that the 8 series is more professional/nicer and somebody decided it should be apart of that series.
It gets called both numbers on this page:
http://wwwtemp.rogerbobo.com/instruments/f_tuba.shtml

Re: New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 7:41 am
by bort2.0
Wow, that's really interesting, thanks!

I sure wouldn't mind trying the larger Yamaha's some time. I've always been interested in the rotary 861, but they are very rare (at least in the US). The last one I remember seeing was a gem of a tuba that Lee Stofer had at his place.

I think back to my earliest days of starting tuba as a 14 year old, grabbing print brochures about tubas at a local music store. I distinctly remember having a brochure aboyt the Holton Phillips model and a Yamaha brochure featuring (not exclusively) the 861. As a kid with no money, that 861 eluded me and was the most interesting thing in the world. I moved on, sorta, but if one were available and I had the $, you know how that would go. :laugh:

Re: New tuba: YCB-623

Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 8:49 am
by cjk
If I look at the pictures closely, it looks like the second tuning slide might be upward facing.
I think I see a slide on the inner bow right after the main tuning slide which points up.
I think that could have interesting applications depending on the intonation issues that instrument has.