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[Rob Dorsey]

Just bought a York axe on eBay, mostly due to the price.  I know nothing of them. My research showed that they might be German but I'm guessing it is a student quality horn with a .400 - .480 bore. Any ideas. I play an 88H right now and have a King 3BSS on order (mid-May)

Rob Dorsey

[john sandhagen]

York was most famous for their tubas, but made a line of cornets, trumpets, trombones etc.  The Yorks I've seen have squared crooks like current Bachs...  I've not seen any larger bore instruments.

A German company is marketing some "York" instruments...I wanted to call them new yorks...but I believe that there is no connection between the old and the new.

[rodglu]

I believe that your York was manufactured in Grand Rapids, MI.

[jaws241]

There is a york that I believe is made by blessing

There is also the J. W. York & Sons made in Grand Rapids Mi.

There is a german company that made horns marked York Master

All three are decent horns, so you're pretty much good to go.

[Rob Dorsey]

Some follow-up on my York trombone. I've played an 88H since buying it new in college in 1965 (a demand by Dr. Neil Humsfeld at ETSU) and bought the york on a whim. It was on a no-reserve auction from a pawn shop in Columbus, OH and the starting price was $79. At the end of the auction, I got it for that.

When it arrived I was ready for the worst expecting a well used and abused student instrument suitable for hanging on the wall at a TGI Fridays. Well, it was none of that. Out of the very nice case came an almost new horn with NO dents and slick slides. The bore is .500 and it has an 8" bell. Another surprise was the horn's lightness. In all, given the excellent sound of this instrument, the slide quality and general fit and finish, I reckon it to be a professional horn of good quality.

I have a new King 3B SilverSonic on order for $$$$. Imagine how pissed I will be if, once it gets here, I like this $80 York better 

My teacher and mentor, trombonist Bill Gemmer, said after hearing me play the York to "put your 88H in its case and into the closet. This is a nicer horn."

Any similar experiences??

Best,
Rob Dorsey

[Dave Joyce]

My teacher and mentor, trombonist Bill Gemmer, said after hearing me play the York to "put your 88H in its case and into the closet. This is a nicer horn."

I'd be happy to take the 88H off your hands...

[Rob Dorsey]

Dave,

Thanks but I've had the 88H for 43 years. We've done a lot of gigs together and it would be like selling a good friend. But, in that uniquely American way, for a large enough offer I'd probably sell either 

But I'd like to put in a plug for York bones, an unknown resource for cheap.

Best,
Rob Dorsey

[MaestroHound]

I saw that listing on ebay and was tempted as well. I think they had two...

Could it be the "modern day" York which seems to be Brook Mays' house brand??

http://www.brookmays.com/prod_disp.aspx?itemnum=YTB1

[Rob Dorsey]

Hound,

It probably is a Brook Mays "York" and all of the research is for bupkis. But,it is a very nice instrument of about Conn quality. The slide is a bit scratchy but I reckon that it's not really broken in yet so I'll keep pouring the Ponds and water to it and see if it smooths out. The sound is like a brass 3B even with the smaller .500 bore. The most startling thing is the lightness of the horn. I haven't weighed it but it can't weigh 2 pounds. Tuning slide is absolutely smooth, finish is high quality, gee, what else can I say. Like I said, man am I gonna be pissed if I like it better when my brand new 3B Silversonic arrives!!

Rob Dorsey (My grandpa and Tommy's dad were cousins)

[MaestroHound]

Good to know. They seem to have more, now I am tempted again...

[Kendrickson]

Hello All!
I have been perusing this forum for some time, and I finally decided to join.  I too saw these York trombones on Ebay and thought they must be junk.  However, after reading this thread, I decided to purchase one.  I have an LA Olds Super (which I purchased a year ago on Ebay in MINT condition for $275- a steal), but it is just too nice for a practice horn.  I purchased this York to use as a practice horn/church use horn.  It was listed as used, but I believe that it was only out of the case once or twice.  It is literally in brand new condition.  It seems to play quite well, and I am thrilled with the purchase...a practically new horn for around $100.  I know there is at least one more on Ebay now.  Some of the ones sold were lightly used, while others like mine were as good as new.  They are all listed at $79 opening bid, with a buy-it-now option of $99 in case anyone is interested.  They are Brook Mays Yorks- mine had Brook Mays literature in the case.  I don't know where they are made or who makes them, but I would be curious to know.  I could find no internet information about them except this thread.   

Bebopman, whenever your new 3B arrives, or if it has already, please let us know how it compares.
Thanks,
Ken Stockton

[Rob Dorsey]

Congrats on getting the York. They are quite a surprise. I was talking to a horn guy in Texas about a different matter and brought up the Yorks. He reckons the Brook Mays later instruments are one of the better Taiwanese instruments. I've had mine for a couple of months now and it is an astounding horn for what it costs. 8" bell, .500 bore and all are rare in such an economical package and well worth the $475 BM wanted, much less the $80 we paid. Mine also was brand new.

When the 3B gets here I'll certainly report here, to this thread. As my teacher said, "Aren't you going to be p***ed if the 3B isn't as nice as the York?" My wife replied, "He's not the only one."

Best,
R Dorsey

[Rob Dorsey]

Ok, time to buckle up. 

Today I received my brand new, shiny, King Model 2103SS 3B with Sterling Silver bell. I played it awhile at the  music store and then brought it home, creamed the slide, stuck in the M21 and tooted away. My wife, not a horn player but possessed of a good ear and discerning nature - after all she married me - stood and listened as I played, jazz, ballads, scales and arpeggios with an eye toward drawing a comparison between it and the York which is the topic of this thread.

Fact, as we hear it, is that there is not enough difference between the tonal qualities of the $80, eBay, Taiwanese York and this $2,400, drop dead beautiful 3B to make one choose between them.

There I said it. I'm ready for the calls of, "somebody get a rope."

Actually, I'm not at all disappointed. I am, rather, re-impressed with the quality of this little York "student" horn. The 3B is an icon, and deservedly so. It does seem a bit more "open" - duh, it's a .508 vs a .500 bore - and is nicely in tune. Playing the partials for instance in 4th pos up from the G to the ^G requires little or no slide adjustments. But the York pretty much does that too. It seems louder than the York - or a bigger sound perhaps - and it, very subjectively, seems "easier" to play but then I was used to the 88H for many years so the larger bore is familiar. But these differences are small and that preception may change. Time will tell.

On the way back from the store, I told Robin, "You know, that little York is really all the trombone anyone needs."

Heretically Yours,
RD

"It's not the arrow, it's the Indian."