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A school I call on is asking me to find new cases for their three YBB-641 tubas. So far, I have been unable to find a source. Anyone know of a place to find universal or generic cases that might be compatible? Thanks.

I know that Taylor Music carries generic wooden cases. But the “universal” cases are not usually a good fit for big rotary valved tubas. You could call them and ask though. The school’s best bet for those horns would be the MTS 1209 molded case. They are sturdy, built to take school abuse, and have wheels. Taylor sells them for $555.

Thanks @DonO,
That's just what I needed and about $400 less than list price. I'll pass it along.

For a while now, the Meinl-Weston 25 copy, the JP379bb, has been shipped with a very sturdy molded latch case. It seems to me that's pretty close to the size and shape of a Yamaha YBB-641, but much sturdier. I don't know if it would require a little bit of carving on the inside to accommodate a Yamaha or not, but I just suspect that it's pretty darn close. The city with all the band instrument case factories in China was completely shut down for a while due to the virus, but it's reopened and they are catching up. JP doesn't have any spare cases right now, but I think they would hope to after the next couple of container loads come to the United States to the warehouse.

bloke wrote: ↑Thu Feb 23, 2023 4:35 pm For a while now, the Meinl-Weston 25 copy, the JP379bb, has been shipped with a very sturdy molded latch case. It seems to me that's pretty close to the size and shape of a Yamaha YBB-641, but much sturdier.

Thanks, Bloke. I will definitely look in to that, too.

IIRC, MTS cases are made in USA.

Jperry1466 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 23, 2023 6:07 pm

bloke wrote: ↑Thu Feb 23, 2023 4:35 pm For a while now, the Meinl-Weston 25 copy, the JP379bb, has been shipped with a very sturdy molded latch case. It seems to me that's pretty close to the size and shape of a Yamaha YBB-641, but much sturdier.

Thanks, Bloke. I will definitely look in to that, too.

I like my huge Jakob Winter (Miraphone 98) case, and it's superior to SKB/MTS, but - were the Winter case as sturdy as the JP molded cases (which some mistake for fiberglass) I doubt that I would be able to pick it up without great effort...but I can "just" handle the JP 3/4 - 4/4 - 5/4 molded cases.

It looks like my pricing on the JP379BB case would be more attractive than some posted prices - and would include shipping, but (as they aren't available right now), I guess it's sorta moot, yes?

bloke wrote: ↑Thu Feb 23, 2023 7:05 pm It looks like my pricing on the JP379BB case would be more attractive than some posted prices - and would include shipping, but (as they aren't available right now), I guess it's sorta moot, yes?

The MTS cases say 30-45 day wait time. My guess is that's probably shorter than the actual wait time.

You would think that there would be some cases available from schools where the actual tuba was long since destroyed.

Mark wrote: ↑Fri Feb 24, 2023 12:23 pm You would think that there would be some cases available from schools where the actual tuba was long since destroyed.

In my experience, most tubas use up cases - rather than the other way around. Those Yamaha reddish-brown bleach bottle thick plastic cases are sort of token cases, in my view.