And so it begins!! Welcome to round three of the Scholastic Brass Special. Stay tuned for more installments coming very soon! For further reading about Yamaha’s history, here’s a fun resource: usa.yamaha.com/products/contents/winds/50th/index.html#d968779
Thanks for raising two of these old Yamaha models, which still seem to be like an insider's tip. I have collected a little more differenciated understanding of the 3rd/4th digit in the numbering--but of course, this isn't safe information in any way. With the old 3-digit numbers, they just counted the model generation. When adding a 4th digit, that was just appending a 0 to the existing number. With new models in the 80s, as you stated, a 2 or 3 as 3rd digit indicates a M or ML bore while 4 was for L bore. When Renold Schilke got out of the Yamaha business and they shifted somewhat towards the successful Bach style, they started to use a 5 as 4th digit instead of the previous 0. But there are exceptions such as the YTR 3335 (which is much appreciated here in Germany and Austria) and I don't think that rule doesn't apply anymore for recent models.
@@SamuelPlaysBrass I have a Baritone Horn that is basically a Besson Prestige, $525 shipped. Good tone. I play Mellophone for marching band and a Mellophonium in Eb for a jazz improv group. Wanted to learn baritone horn and it seems to be a great horn all around
I own a Wessex tuba, but I don't think I would buy one of their trumpets. Trumpets are just so much cheaper and more available that I don't think it makes a lot of sense to get a cheap Chinese import.
@@seth094978 Precisely, and it REALLY shows when a trumpet isn’t manufactured up to standard. Even an awful tuba from the depths of the Leningrad factory in the 1970s can sound surprisingly good, but a trumpet made at that level of manufacturing is a lost cause.
@@SamuelPlaysBrass Yeah, and my "cheap" Chinese tuba still cost about $5000, with a discount because it was a demo horn! You can get an exceedingly good trumpet for that money!
Thanks Chris. Sounds like a nice horn. And unlike so many of Yamaha’s designs you’re able to have both silver plate and a gold brass bell on the 4330 if you want, rather than the lacquered version having a gold or red brass bell and the equivalent silver version having yellow brass. That’s one of my (small) gripes with Yamaha.
I didn’t notice it being “sharp” so much as being closer to tune than the traditionally very flat concert D partial on most trumpets. Granted, yes, the D running on the high end of the fence does seem to be a cornet thing. Many vintage cornets have that quality. Some Bach 184G cornets can get pretty ugly (genuinely 10-20 cents sharp) on that partial. I still don’t understand why that would be the case, but nonetheless it makes tuning across a cornet section with different instruments just that much more fun.
I firmly believe that Yamaha's quality has stayed consistent across the decades. Around the mid 90s they started working more closely with artists who had individual needs (hence my 732 and Bobby Shew 8310Z have slight tweaks despite being identical in spec - i.e. Shew model plays freer up high) which leads some to like the newer models more or less. But I think by 1972 Yamaha had hit a very good stride. Their model nomenclature cleaned up around 1982, but the whole time from '72 onward they were making really great horns. From that point on it was mostly just small tweaks to existing models. People just didn't realize how viable Yamahas were until recently.
Ah yes, that reminds me of yet another golden bargain with finding a cornet. It's a pity since I"m a trumpet player though. *Hit me up if you think you might be interested in a pristine King 602 from 1967 with all original goodies.
You can't talk about best bang for your buck without mentioning vintage. A pro level vintage instrument (in good working condition) will be better than a new student level instrument in a lot of cases.
@@benzo277 Yes, hence why I talked about older Yamaha instruments as opposed to newer ones and explicitly said in the intro that much of SBS would be vintage this year. I’m unsure if I’m misunderstanding here, but it seems you’re telling me to consider what is already the foundation of the special. I got each of these for under $300, shipped. Generally, no vintage pro instrument shows up for that price on a consistent basis-at least not one that is useable in most modern musical settings.
And so it begins!! Welcome to round three of the Scholastic Brass Special. Stay tuned for more installments coming very soon! For further reading about Yamaha’s history, here’s a fun resource: usa.yamaha.com/products/contents/winds/50th/index.html#d968779
“My computer just died” is my new favorite excerpt
Oh yeah 😎 “blue screen of death” is a banger
Thanks for raising two of these old Yamaha models, which still seem to be like an insider's tip. I have collected a little more differenciated understanding of the 3rd/4th digit in the numbering--but of course, this isn't safe information in any way. With the old 3-digit numbers, they just counted the model generation. When adding a 4th digit, that was just appending a 0 to the existing number. With new models in the 80s, as you stated, a 2 or 3 as 3rd digit indicates a M or ML bore while 4 was for L bore. When Renold Schilke got out of the Yamaha business and they shifted somewhat towards the successful Bach style, they started to use a 5 as 4th digit instead of the previous 0. But there are exceptions such as the YTR 3335 (which is much appreciated here in Germany and Austria) and I don't think that rule doesn't apply anymore for recent models.
Thomann & Wessex have provided me with so many good horns 💪😎
I’ll admit, I’ve been tempted many a time by Thomann instruments!
@@SamuelPlaysBrass I have a Baritone Horn that is basically a Besson Prestige, $525 shipped. Good tone. I play Mellophone for marching band and a Mellophonium in Eb for a jazz improv group. Wanted to learn baritone horn and it seems to be a great horn all around
I own a Wessex tuba, but I don't think I would buy one of their trumpets. Trumpets are just so much cheaper and more available that I don't think it makes a lot of sense to get a cheap Chinese import.
@@seth094978 Precisely, and it REALLY shows when a trumpet isn’t manufactured up to standard. Even an awful tuba from the depths of the Leningrad factory in the 1970s can sound surprisingly good, but a trumpet made at that level of manufacturing is a lost cause.
@@SamuelPlaysBrass Yeah, and my "cheap" Chinese tuba still cost about $5000, with a discount because it was a demo horn! You can get an exceedingly good trumpet for that money!
Sam another great video. I recommend the Yamaha YCR-4330G Cornet. Professional quality at intermediate price.
Thanks Chris. Sounds like a nice horn. And unlike so many of Yamaha’s designs you’re able to have both silver plate and a gold brass bell on the 4330 if you want, rather than the lacquered version having a gold or red brass bell and the equivalent silver version having yellow brass. That’s one of my (small) gripes with Yamaha.
Love the sound of the cornet! Just really bugs me that the E (Concert D) on it is sharp at times. Is that common on most/all cornets?
I didn’t notice it being “sharp” so much as being closer to tune than the traditionally very flat concert D partial on most trumpets. Granted, yes, the D running on the high end of the fence does seem to be a cornet thing. Many vintage cornets have that quality. Some Bach 184G cornets can get pretty ugly (genuinely 10-20 cents sharp) on that partial. I still don’t understand why that would be the case, but nonetheless it makes tuning across a cornet section with different instruments just that much more fun.
Great video Samuel!😁👍
Thank you Peter!
@@SamuelPlaysBrass You're so welcome!
How good is Yamaha’s vintage quality? Like at what point did they go from a newer, alternative brand to a top tier brand for the American market?
I firmly believe that Yamaha's quality has stayed consistent across the decades. Around the mid 90s they started working more closely with artists who had individual needs (hence my 732 and Bobby Shew 8310Z have slight tweaks despite being identical in spec - i.e. Shew model plays freer up high) which leads some to like the newer models more or less. But I think by 1972 Yamaha had hit a very good stride. Their model nomenclature cleaned up around 1982, but the whole time from '72 onward they were making really great horns. From that point on it was mostly just small tweaks to existing models. People just didn't realize how viable Yamahas were until recently.
Ah yes, that reminds me of yet another golden bargain with finding a cornet. It's a pity since I"m a trumpet player though.
*Hit me up if you think you might be interested in a pristine King 602 from 1967 with all original goodies.
Hope you’re able to get that horn sold. I’m trying to move a couple cornets myself. They pile up quickly.
@@SamuelPlaysBrass Thanks for that chap. Same for you.
You can't talk about best bang for your buck without mentioning vintage. A pro level vintage instrument (in good working condition) will be better than a new student level instrument in a lot of cases.
@@benzo277 Yes, hence why I talked about older Yamaha instruments as opposed to newer ones and explicitly said in the intro that much of SBS would be vintage this year. I’m unsure if I’m misunderstanding here, but it seems you’re telling me to consider what is already the foundation of the special.
I got each of these for under $300, shipped. Generally, no vintage pro instrument shows up for that price on a consistent basis-at least not one that is useable in most modern musical settings.