The Tuba Exchange got one in and I have spent about an hour on the instrument using an Alliance DC2 mouthpiece, playing it and comparing it to the Besson 967.
First, it should be called the 642 Neo. That is on the case and is what is engraved on the bell. 642 only appears on the second valve. Yamaha is obviously branding it so.
It is a very good horn indeed. I liked it a lot. It sort of splits the difference in sound between the standard 642 and the Besson Sovereign -- but more to the Besson side than the old 642 side. It has that lively, buzzy resonance with a colorful sound field which is representative of the Besson and Besson clones. Nice harmonics. But it stays a little more to the strong core sound concept, which is the traditional American view of a proper euphonium sound, than does the Besson. The sound is a little less open than the Besson; the sound may be richer and more complex, though, than the Besson.
Intonation is the same old good 642 intonation and, FWIW, it has a much better high B natural (treble C#) than the Sovereign.
You can really tell this is a euphonium tweaked by and for brass banders.
I want to put some other mouthpieces in it and see how it plays, especially with the SM3U and the Heritage 3AL.
John
First, it should be called the 642 Neo. That is on the case and is what is engraved on the bell. 642 only appears on the second valve. Yamaha is obviously branding it so.
It is a very good horn indeed. I liked it a lot. It sort of splits the difference in sound between the standard 642 and the Besson Sovereign -- but more to the Besson side than the old 642 side. It has that lively, buzzy resonance with a colorful sound field which is representative of the Besson and Besson clones. Nice harmonics. But it stays a little more to the strong core sound concept, which is the traditional American view of a proper euphonium sound, than does the Besson. The sound is a little less open than the Besson; the sound may be richer and more complex, though, than the Besson.
Intonation is the same old good 642 intonation and, FWIW, it has a much better high B natural (treble C#) than the Sovereign.
You can really tell this is a euphonium tweaked by and for brass banders.
I want to put some other mouthpieces in it and see how it plays, especially with the SM3U and the Heritage 3AL.
John
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