Posted by Here's the Secret on August 17, 1999 at 18:48:45:
In Reply to: Yamaha serial numbers posted by ronr on August 14, 1999 at 08:42:17:
There is no secret at all! Just forget about dating your horn through the serial numbers. Here is why.
1) each model has it's own run of serial #'s. That means there are many different instruments with a s/n of 000100, etc. But there will be only one YBB-621 with s/n 000100.
For example, I own the 8th YCB-861 ever made.
2) If the horn's (brass instrument) number begins with a 1 instead of 0, then it has the new nylon valve guides instead of the older metal guides. Or some other revision takes place, such as unibal linkage instead of the S shape linkage on a YBB-641.
Those of you with Yamaha CC's and F's will now be very suprised now to find out how few of your horn were made so far. And, a horn with a low s/n could have just sat in the warehouse for years before the dealer, then you, got it. Especially if there was always another boxed horn in front of it. It's not like they have to worry about rotating stock for shelf life. "So now you know the rest of the story."