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Has anyone done a side-by-side comparison of any of the recent, supposedly York-inspired, BBb horns out there?

Yamaha YBB-623

Eastman EBB622

Sierman B-Rex (Tanker 1030-1)

I'm tempted to include the new Conn CBB4114, although it's top-action whereas all the others are front-action. The Mack Brass (ZO) TU5000 is ostensibly York-inspired as well, but it's been out for several years.

Is the 623 supposed to be inspired by the taller 4/4 York?

bloke wrote: Mon Sep 07, 2026 1:58 pm Is the 623 supposed to be inspired by the taller 4/4 York?

Could be.

York Loyalist shows the model 712 as the only original 4/4 front-action 4v BBb:



That said, there was a B&M produced model that bears a slight* resemblance to some of the newer models:



*slight is doing a lot of work here, i.e. 4v, front-action and something approximating a .750 bore.

Wasn't the Yamaha based on Jim Self's custom 4/4 York?

Loosely, obviously.

hrender wrote: Mon Sep 07, 2026 12:15 pm Has anyone done a side-by-side comparison of any of the recent, supposedly York-inspired, BBb horns out there?

Yamaha YBB-623

Eastman EBB622

Sierman B-Rex (Tanker 1030-1)

I'm tempted to include the new Conn CBB4114, although it's top-action whereas all the others are front-action. The Mack Brass (ZO) TU5000 is ostensibly York-inspired as well, but it's been out for several years.

There's a Japanese YouTube channel that has lots of comparison videos, maybe they've done some or all of these. Tubassadors I think

Sousaswag wrote: Mon Sep 07, 2026 4:00 pm Wasn't the Yamaha based on Jim Self's custom 4/4 York?

Loosely, obviously.

I believe it started off as inspired by Jim Self’s 1938 York CC (4/4) formally owned by George Boujie. The Yamaha bell is about an inch bigger in diameter than the “tall bell” 700 series Yorks (692 CC and 712 BBb)

https://www.rickdenney.com/york.htm. <— scroll down to the 2nd tuba

hrender wrote: Mon Sep 07, 2026 12:15 pm Has anyone done a side-by-side comparison of any of the recent, supposedly York-inspired, BBb horns out there?

Yamaha YBB-623

Eastman EBB622

Sierman B-Rex (Tanker 1030-1)

I'm tempted to include the new Conn CBB4114, although it's top-action whereas all the others are front-action. The Mack Brass (ZO) TU5000 is ostensibly York-inspired as well, but it's been out for several years.

Secondary Main Tuning Slide
The YBB-623 and YCB-623 are the first tubas in the world to provide a Secondary main tuning slide. This provides a greater tuning range, and solves a number of common problems such as extending the main slide too far in summer temperatures causing it to fall, or the pitch being too low and out of adjustment range in the winter months. The Secondary main tuning slide can be adjusted while playing, and it is possible to make fine pitch adjustments when no valves are pressed.

Didn't the VMI 3301/2 piston tubas have that in the leadpipe? I couldn't find a close up pic, and this rate tuba players will be lauding their vintage Chinese MPs in a handful of years so none of this matters.

The VMI’s did… Were they easily movable? No…

Even more obvious, the HB-2P also had two.

I suppose they’re trying to say that the Yamaha doesn’t have a slide in the leadpipe and they’re the first tubas to have two in the main body.

With the computer programs available today, old models that sounded sweet and felt good to play through (but offered dubious tuning characteristics) can be adjusted to make it easier on the player to keep the tuning between the ditches, yet basically offer the same experience otherwise. I'm guessing that's what Yamaha did. (??)

off topic, but more about the newfangled computer programs for tuning tuba bugle tapers:
I have to believe that Miraphone used this technology when designing the huge hybrid model 98 BB-flat (a crossover between a German kaiser and an American six quarter). The thing sort of looks ridiculous, particularly with all the fourth valve slide tubing mounted on the front (much as with the new style King B flat), but most all of the tuning issues can be handled with the first valve slide - particularly if the player pulls it out far enough to play C with 1-3 (allowing for lengthening the fourth circuit enough to favor 2-4 B-natural). Probably boring, but someday I might make a little video running a chromatic scale on mine with a note of what is done mechanically to dial in every single pitch (which isn't much), the really nice thing being that all of the open pitches can be played open , and I found early on that I wasn't required to resort to any valve combinations which would be considered "alternates". Being a B-flat tuba with a well-tuned 2-4 B-natural, it really delivers the "Ride of the Valkyries" nicely, because all that cylindrical tubing on B-natural helps emphasize the accent on the downbeat, as well as that pitch actually being in tune.