Posted by Joe S. on August 12, 2001 at 16:08:28:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Best Professional BBb Tuba posted by Rick Denney on August 09, 2001 at 11:29:25:
As frightening as it is to think of screwing around with something that performs so very well for you, SOMEDAY (probably not, but someday MAYBE) you might think of taking that York Master and (NOT !!! cutting it to CC) doing with it what King is considering doing to their detach-bell BBb.
As one who has spent time "screwing around with" a York Master, the overtone series on that model is not one easily disturbed by some shifting around of stuff. (Mine has stayed stable through BBb-BB-CC removal-of-stuff/changing-of-bells).)
If you ever luck into a 20" one-piece bell that sounds beautiful (old "tall 4/4 model" [to chop off shorter] Michigan York, etc.) that would fit into your bottom bow, the installation of that bell with the minor compensation of lengthening your mouthpipe and tuning slide (as with King's prototype BBb) might astonish you.
Joe "who sure looks forward to hopefully finishing by two CC projects this coming winter, and who has only recorded TWO of about 10 pieces (transcriptions) that he would like to because life marches on and there is very little time for personal indulgences when raising older kids" S.
P.S. Sorry to paint such a scary picture of possibly altering with what you view to be near-perfection. I played mine with the detach-bell quite a bit before changing it (while in BBb) and liked it very much also.