Tuba Tuesday: York, Monster, EE flat tuba, 3 piston, c.1904

[bisontuba]

This Tuba Tuesday the Museum features a York “monster” EEb tuba.  The designation EEb is used instead of Eb to denote a larger e-flat tuba, intended to be used in the range of the BBb tubas.  This is perhaps the definitive version of a monster EEb, which is an e-flat tuba sized to replicate breadth of sound usually found in a BBb tuba.
The York EEb monster is well thought of even today, and was said to be the bell/body basis of the popular G50 Getzen CC tuba.  This particular monster pre-dates the 1910 York patented hi/lo pitch “donut” slide, so this high pitch model makes due with a “W” tuning slide to achieve low pitch.  The W shape was to allow for the extra required length, while still keeping the tuning slide out of your lap while playing.




https://simonettitubacollection.com/ins ... -3-piston/

[tylerferris1213]

I love my York monster Eb! These things do play great. Being made in 1911, mine does have the patented high pitch/low pitch slide. Unfortunately, high pitch with the MTS pulled out all the way it too sharp and low pitch with the MTS pushed in all the way is too flat, so I had to use MTS extenders on the high pitch side to get it to modern pitch.

You're absolutely right about the CB-50/G-50 having identical proportions in the bell. I swapped out the factory bell on my CB-50 for a York bell and it improved the sound considerably! The monster bell and bottom bow are very popular for frankentuba projects as well.

[humBell]

I should play a York Eb (or EEb) more often.

I just remember getting bit early by the high pitch too high/low pitch too low thing when trying one a long while back (and i was still getting used to Eb fingerings in rehearsal settings), and have had enough other options to try that i didn't persist enough to solve the problem.

What i notice on this (as distinct from younger ones, and i guess there aren't so many older out there) is the unusually wide center section of the ferrules. I assume it is a purely cosmetic difference until someone tells me different, but kinda cool none-the-less.