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Don't forget the bass trombones in G which also featured an 8" bell and either a .480" or "large" .525" bore.

bloke wrote: ↑Fri Feb 23, 2024 11:23 am I feel odd and epically unqualified (never having been given an opportunity to participate in one, yet having listened to older vs. more recent recordings of fine ones) to be a critic of British-style brass band metamorphoses through the decades, but (just as I've scratched my head over the "because John Fletcher" use of 19-inch bells on the British brass band E-flats, I'm nearly as puzzled regarding expanding the size of English baritone horns towards the size of (fading out of use) American baritone horns. It just seems to me that the purpose of the different instruments of the same length is contrast, rather than one blurring into the next. The only trombone in the entire ensemble is a bass trombone, so (yes? no?) shouldn't the little baritones sound much more like tenor trombones than euphoniums?

anyway...enough rhetoric. SOMEDAY, I'm going to finish sticking it together.

This is strictly my opinion, but brass band baritones need to be able to produce a wider range of tone colors than any of the other instruments in the group. Most composers and arrangers use the baritones to reinforce the volume of other sections or to add a harmony to the top or bottom of another section. You need to blend with alto/tenor horns, euphoniums, flugelhorns, and trombones. The Yamaha 621 wants very much to produce one particular sound, while the larger bore baritones are much more flexible. Even as baritone’s bores get larger they still have way too much cylindrical tubing to sound like a euphonium.

To bring this back to the original intent of the thread, my first baritone was a Besson 757, three valve non-compensator. The difficulty of playing low (concert) C and B natural, led me to the short-lived Yammie 621. I replaced this with a Besson Imperial three-valve compensator, which was lovely but the valves were worn enough to produce some intonation issues. The York is not perfect but more than good enough, at least for now.

I hope you have fun with your 621. If you have one handy you might find a 5GS works better than a 6 1/2AL with it. I’ll start saving my pennies to have funds available when the Blokepiece baritone mouthpieces come out.

All I can do is read what people tell me and absorb, due to my lack of experience actually playing in such a group. Thank you.
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Almost completely off topic, I believe I would really enjoy playing through those Ewald four brass quintet sonatas (not really knowing a better way to classify them) with a really fine English-baritone player. I've played them all with a trombonist, and I've played one of them with a euphoniumist. I believe the English baritone would be a perfect instrument for that fourth part in those pieces.

Two cornets, or two trumpet players who can play really pretty and get a cornet type sound

I just don't know where to find that many really expert E-flat tenor horn players. There are a few in Nashville who are (of course) primarily horn players... (they had been part of that Mr Jack Daniels Silver Cornet Band)

The tuba should be a bass tuba, and preferably one without a huge bell throat or diameter.

You all talking reminded me. I also bought a Yamaha British style baritone last year. I'll add it to the list

I've been satisfied with my collection of three below.

Took me some time to curate them with some selling and trading but not a lot.

Since I'm just a noodler I think I'm done.

For now.

The louder movie sound tracks and rock concerts become (have they reached a peak?) the louder our loudest acoustical sounds need to be - in order to keep our waning audiences somewhat interested.

The Packer 379 and my the 5 valve amati CC were sold a few months ago

4 tubas Remain
York Eb
Miraphone Norwegian Star Eb
Cerveny 601Bbb
Eastman 534 BBb

I'd be open for offers for the york, I don't seem to have a place for it in the rotation, same with the cerveny. If I knew in the fall I was going to buy the Eastman, I probably wouldn't have bought the cerveny

As we all grow older, the shorter period of time several years seems to be. The only tuba here that I consider having been here for quite a number of years is my f tuba. Curiously, I find myself playing it less and less often in public, even though - hands down - it's my best instrument.

Tuesday when the quartet was here, I mentioned that Alex CC and how one can never have too many tubas, and the euph players found that hilariously funny. But the Tuba II player, who also plays an NStar everywhere, has six tubas. I only have FOUR and maybe I need to fix that. Still after the enlightenment with that Nirschl a while back, a more powerful CC is -- attractive. One that could do the BBb part in the brass band with sufficient power.

The tubas I play regularly number approximately four - Piggy for most stuff, Conn 36K sousaphone for outdoor stand-up gigs, King 2341 recording bell for outdoor sit-down gigs, and the Alex F for quintet and fiddling around with acrobatic stuff at home that I will probably never play in public (unless you want to hire me to play the Penderecki Capriccio at your next wedding). When the weird 5 valve Alex CC comes back from getting un-weirdified, it'll probably take the place of the Pig in some applications.

@Mary Ann

yeah, but come on: They're just baritone players.