Re: Question about the Yamaha YBB-641


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Posted by Aaron Eichelberger on May 17, 1999 at 10:19:49:

In Reply to: Question about the Yamaha YBB-641 posted by John Purdyn on May 16, 1999 at 07:49:05:

Well, I won't claim to be an expert, but I have played on a YBB-641 for about 6 years, so I can at least offer up my opinions.

Personally, I think it is a decent horn. Certainly not the best horn in the world, but it definitely gets the job done. It is (at least for me) fairly consistent in intonation and pitch quality across the whole range of the instrument, although it does have its own unique little quirks.

Specifically, on the 3 different 641s I've played, they've all had the same problem with teh intonation of the 1-2 combonation. Basically, I have long been in the practice of tuning my 3rd valve to be a perfect bottom-line G, and I instinctively play every G or D with the 3rd valve instead of 1&2, and that has seemed to work quite nicely. It may not be a problem common to all 641s, but it has been on the 3 I have played.

The only other thing I can say about it is that the larger bore (.812") has made it more difficult for me to get a good loud sound in the lower register. I am not a particularly amazing player in the lower register though, so this is probably more of my problem than it is the horn's problem.

All in all, I'd say if someone is giving you the horn at a good price (or for free), and you aren't planning to use it is your only horn for prefessional symphony playing, than go for it. It has served me well for 6 years, and probably will continue to do so for as many more as I need it to before I can afford my own horn. Hope this helps.

--Aaron


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