Posted by Greg on May 15, 2001 at 01:44:31:
In Reply to: Need advice from tuba teachers posted by Mr T on May 14, 2001 at 16:22:29:
For the high school band, I have found nothing that can stand up, dollar for dollar, to the Yamahas. As far as intonation, ease of repair, and durability, you can't go wrong. Yes, they have their flaws, but so do my Hirsbrunner and B&S tubas. The YBB-641 rotary in my opinion is superior to the piston YBB-321, but then again, I prefer piston valves, and I do believe a piston horn is less likely to become unplayable in most situations.
Just as a disclaimer, I've tried all of the pro-line Yamahammers, and although I thought they played very well and were extremely consistant horn to horn, I don't think I would ever buy one. Just my personal preference, and if I were buying a BBb tuba, I probably wouldn't buy a Yamaha, but I wouldn't ever buy a minivan either, no matter how practical. So there...
Just my late night buck and a 1/2,
Greg