New to Me Yamaha YBH-301M

[Arnbone Euph]

So my first marching gig was to happen on Sunday and I didn't have a marching euphonium (a week ago); I did get a harness for my Sterling Virtuoso that I would go with in a pinch, but just didn't like the idea. So I scanned eBay a week ago and saw a Yamaha YBH-301M marching baritone for a reasonable but-it-now price. It was at a music store in San Antonio (Musique) so I figured a one-week UPS journey would have it arrive at my doorstep the Friday before our performance, giving me a day to work with it. The horn was beat up in places but the music store had it chemically cleaned, oiled up, and ready to ship. They said it had good valve action, good compression and would be a good horn.

It arrived; didn't look too bad even with the cosmetic injuries. Played very well with occasional 3rd valve stickiness. But I did some oiling of the semi-cooperative valve, then took it to our performance, which was a 3 hour bus ride up to Graeagle in the mountains near Truckee. The temps were high for the area--in the 90s, so it had its uncomfortable moments. The horn performed perfectly for the two passes in the parade and the one hour concert in an adjacent park. I was definitely wiped by the end and relished (pun intended) the Bratwurst dawg that the Lions Club prepared for our entire Ophir Prison Marching Kazoo Band and Temperance Society Limited group.

We have another parade tomorrow (Novato) and a performance on Saturday (2nd Saturday Sacramento Art Walk).

It was a smart purchase. But now I have to build arm strength through dumb bell curls and pushups to be able to hold my horn upright for lengthy periods.

Not sorry at all that I sprung for this horn.

[notaverygoodname]

Maybe this is off-topic, but have you ever tried any other similar instruments to compare this with? I remember playing a King 1124 at MMEA as a highschooler and I was ready to tuck that thing under my shirt. I don't think Yamaha even had a Marching Baritone on display, so I didn't try it. Willson had a large shank Marching Euph, and that definitely wasn't my cup of tea. I keep thinking of picking up a Marching Baritone just so I can compare it to other stuff and see how it manages to not be terrible, but if I keep limiting myself to the 1124, I'll never find a bargain on one unless it's absolutely trashed.

Definitely off-topic, I did try the Yamaha Marching French Horn on display. Didn't even know Bb Horn could play so bad. The slotting was so awful, I'm not sure why they bothered putting valves on it. Wound up spending most of my time at the UMI booth. Those were the days.

[iMav]

I played one of these (see pics) in the USAF. Baritone bugle. Keyed in G. One piston valve, one rotary valve.

[Arnbone Euph]

I was baritone bugle section leader in 1964 of my US Navy recruit drum and bugle corps. I played one of those one-valve baritone bugles. Loved it. When I went to the audition by a Navy Musician there at the music school, he handed me the bugle, told me to play open on spaces and press the valve on lines. Then he put the usual marches on the stand in front of me and I was like being back in high school with a euphonium in my hands. I spent half my days in US Navy required classes and half the day running the baritone bugle section rehearsals. We play morning and evening colors, weekly basic training graduations and attend 8 parades outside the base during my boot camp tenure. Loved it. Wanted to be in a Navy fleet band but ended up in as a cryptologic technician, morse code specialist, and linguist x2 (Russian and Portuguese) during my 12 years. (Grew up in the Navy age 17 to 29). Loved it.

[miketeachesclass]

These are fun horns. I’ve got one I play in my old man marching band. It’s probably the most used model in DCI corps as well.

There are a couple weird intonation things on this model - in particular, the “C” one ledger line above the bass clef really needs to be played 1/3, since first valve alone is super flat without some serious face gymnastics.

Mike

So my first marching gig was to happen on Sunday and I didn't have a marching euphonium (a week ago); I did get a harness for my Sterling Virtuoso that I would go with in a pinch, but just didn't like the idea. So I scanned eBay a week ago and saw a Yamaha YBH-301M marching baritone for a reasonable but-it-now price. It was at a music store in San Antonio (Musique) so I figured a one-week UPS journey would have it arrive at my doorstep the Friday before our performance, giving me a day to work with it. The horn was beat up in places but the music store had it chemically cleaned, oiled up, and ready to ship. They said it had good valve action, good compression and would be a good horn.

It arrived; didn't look too bad even with the cosmetic injuries. Played very well with occasional 3rd valve stickiness. But I did some oiling of the semi-cooperative valve, then took it to our performance, which was a 3 hour bus ride up to Graeagle in the mountains near Truckee. The temps were high for the area--in the 90s, so it had its uncomfortable moments. The horn performed perfectly for the two passes in the parade and the one hour concert in an adjacent park. I was definitely wiped by the end and relished (pun intended) the Bratwurst dawg that the Lions Club prepared for our entire Ophir Prison Marching Kazoo Band and Temperance Society Limited group.

We have another parade tomorrow (Novato) and a performance on Saturday (2nd Saturday Sacramento Art Walk).

It was a smart purchase. But now I have to build arm strength through dumb bell curls and pushups to be able to hold my horn upright for lengthy periods.

Not sorry at all that I sprung for this horn.