Re: Re: york copy clarification


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Posted by Scott Mendoker on February 27, 2001 at 22:53:04:

In Reply to: Re: york copy clarification posted by Bryan on February 27, 2001 at 22:00:56:

SEVERAL years ago, Yamaha's American R&D guy, Hans Mulhler (now in brass repair on his own here in New Jersey) and the Japan Tuba designer met with Gene Pokorny in Chicago. They took TONS of pictures, measurement.....even scraped some of the old solder to learn of its composition. And Gene played for them - which they recorded.

SEVERAL years later - after hearing nothing from Japan, Gene was contacted just before the CSO was to go on tour there. Yamaha met with him there along with 2 proto-types. Because they were hand-made - they were different from each other but ONE was extremely close to Gene's York - so much so that he played it on a CSO concert for them.

The valves are exceptionally big(wide) on the York and the tuba is very light (and weak from all the buffing) Nirschl couldn't copy the pistons (that was a couple of years ago - he may have, now) so he used his own. Floyd has done a terrific job and deserves a lot of credit for contacting Nirschl. The Nirschls are wonderful instruments - but they are not the York. According to Gene - the Yamaha is the closest thing - but it's STILL not the York.

Scott Mendoker


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