Front action York BBb for sale, cheap.


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Posted by Matt Walters on September 18, 2002 at 18:42:53:

Hey Gang,
This is a horn that belongs to me, that's why I am posting it. Anal retentives can hit the back button and go on to another post. I picked this body up on Ebay. I was right that it was a York body without a bell, but it has had a hard life in a school system. There are patches all over the horn so this is not a good conversion horn. I tacked it back together and dropped a bell down the throat and it played well. Scott and Morris to name a few have played it with just a bell shoved down the stack. Sure enough, it has had a valve job in the past. So what to do with a beat up old york that plays great but is not a candidate for a restoration? Either part it out or solder on a generic bell and see if someone wants to give a nice old York an easy retirement. Here is a description.

1) York s/n 119xxx. This is a York and not a York Master. I know the difference and yes I realize that serial number is higher than in the Allied catalog. Someone is wrong and this time it isn't me.

2)Three front action pistons and yes, it has the large .750" bore tubing. All slides work and you can see it has had a valve job in the past.

3) 39" tall with a new, raw brass bell (no engraving). This was originally one of the tall ones but had a detachable bell. It's new bell has a 19" flair with a taper that looks very similar to an original York. I'm not telling where I got the bell from and it wasn't free.

4) Plays A=440 with the main tuning slide about 1/3 the way out. At least when I play it. Feels and blows like an all original York, so the bell was a good match.

5) Patches everywhere on the top, second and third branches and the brass is very thin. Bottom bow has higher copper content like low brass, and no cap, but could be overhauled to look like new. Original leadpipe is patched together.

6) Maybe 50% of the horn is still lacquered.

I'm asking only $1895 for it. Why settle for a pretty little peashooter with no personality when for the same kind if money, you can have an ugly 4/4 horn that sounds great. It needs a careful home where it can be nursed through another 10 years or more. Don't buy this horn if you want to beat it up and expect it to keep playing. Any new dent could spring a leak, but like an old house, it has it's charm. No deep dents but plenty of little ones throughout.

You can buy through me directly though I preferyou buy it through Dillon Music. Either way I will pay Steve Dillon his 10% commission on the sale. The store accepts MC and VISA. It's going on the sales floor tomorrow, and if it is still around in a few days, we'll get it posted to the used tuba site.

Could this be the last York tuba ever made or still in existance? Does anyone have one with a higher serial number? I don't know. Might go a little lower if I find just the right home for it. Matt



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