Posted by Jay Bertolet on January 12, 2001 at 21:45:58:
In Reply to: Re: Re: It occurs to me posted by Rick Denney on January 12, 2001 at 19:05:22:
Amen to that! I've never read either of Bevan's books but it doesn't surprise me that somebody else is thinking this same idea. As you know, I've stated many times before in this forum that instrument design is, at best, a black art. There are almost no absolutes. Every time I think I've deduced a certain truth, some instrument comes along that disproves the theory. It just stands to reason that if you want to copy a specific instrument, the best place to start would be another instrument made by the same manufacturer. If the York company and their designers did have any real knowledge, they most probably stamped it out into brass tubing. This is the best place to start if you wish to understand why their horns work the way they do. Further, horns made from these York parts have the best chance of reaching that ideal instrument. At least until we conclusively understand why the famous York plays the way it does. But it still amazes me to this day that after all the "progress" we've seen in tuba design and manufacture, the most exclusive tubas produced today are copies of a 70 year old instrument. Which is the same situation with Strads and many other instrument manufacturers. In any event, the biggest crime would be to not pursue that knowledge (considering the demand for those tubas) or to not try and replicate the success of that one instrument. Quality art demands a committment to quality equipment as well.
My opinion for what it's worth...