Posted by Steve Bloom on September 06, 2000 at 23:34:13:
In Reply to: Re: York BAT posted by Mark in Ohio on September 06, 2000 at 22:37:44:
I hate to burst someone's bubble re: the musictrader website, but please be careful about York's serials. According to the website, my Eb tuba serial #35XXX was built in 1908. However, it is clearly marked "Patented July 12, 1910" on the "piggy" dual-loop tuning slide. Obviously, it was not made prior to this date. I suspect someone did a computer analysis of industry-wide production rates at that time (as I attempted to do using H.N. White, Conn, and others). Unfortunately, not all companies ramped up their production at the same rate. Sadly, as indicated, York did not keep good records and several of the companies suffered fires that destroyed their early records, including King, York, and Conn. Conn seems to have a better-preserved system compared to the other early makers.