Yamaha YFH-631 Flugelhorn

[plankowner110]

The 631G plays beautifully.
_________________
C. G. Conn 60B Super Connstellation
Getzen 800S Eterna cornet
Bach 5C (Jens Lindemann is right)
https://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26763

[BThompson]

i think the shew z plays just as good if not better,.,.,.just sold my 631,to buy a Z.,.,
_________________
Brian Thompson
harbordude@comcast.net

Horns: Yamaha 6310B, Schilke S42GP, MF ST307, Yamaha Z Flugelhorn
MF firebird,yamaha EM, MF ST307GP
MP: Marcinkiewicz Shew 1

[TrentAustin]

For me the Z felt too tight and the sound IMO is also not as interesting as my 631.

-T
_________________
http://austincustombrass.biz
http://trentaustinmusic.com
http://instagram.com/austincustombrass
This acct will be deactivated as of March 2021. email info@austincustombass.com

[Denny Schreffler]

Some not-totally-relevant thoughts and observations to an old thread about the Schiller line and about a cheap Chinese flgl.

Last year I played four Jim Laab Schiller herald trumpets and one pocket trumpet which I had for several days – each one seemed to be well built and was perfectly finished. The heralds played great and were consistent one to another. The pocket was a true winner and was praised by a few other pro players who had a chance to try it. Great value in those particular instruments.

After dropping in and out of playing a few times over distant and recent years, I needed a flglhrn a few months ago for a project that is not going to create much income so I started thinking – Cheap.

Looked at Trent’s site for his Doubler but he had none in stock for what seemed like several weeks. Looked at Schiller but also looked at importing a horn directly from China, which I did.

Don’t know if I got lucky but the horn – a direct rip-off of a Yamaha 631 (rose brass) – is built and finished very well. Ports on 2nd valve looked to be well aligned with a cursory inspection. Tone was OK, scale was odd but usable, but the sound would take an edge without too much effort – this was with a Curry 1FL which sounded great on a previous, long-gone, Blessing.

Since it looked so much like a 631, I took a chance and ordered a Yamaha leadpipe from Mouthpiece Express. It fit perfectly and made the horn a champ. The receiver on the Yamaha pipe let large Morse taper mpcs insert further than the stock pipe would allow and fit very snugly.

It doesn’t blow smoke and drip honey on its own but with a Flip Oakes Wild Thing 1¼, it’s very mellow and fluffy when asked or clear and present (without danger) if desired. Plays very well, and differently, with various mpcs. Schilke 16F4 gets it brighter without being edgy and would not get covered blowing solos in a big band or playing the head in a combo with other horns. CBK1 amps up the volume and enlarges the core without sacrificing mellowness – something that might be perfect in a British brass band.

$256 with a decent case, delivered to my door in six days. The Yamaha pipe was about $30 with shipping.

[It also responds exceedingly well to LeFreque tone enhancers but that’s a totally different subject]

Denny

[Dieter Z]

It's great to hear all these 'praise reports' about the 631.

I have to confess that I never played one, but that I have one of Trent Austin's earlier Doubler Flugel, which is based on the 631.

So, does the praise of the 631 also hold true to the ACB Doubler?
_________________
B & H Sovereign 928
Conn 80A
F. Besson Brevette Kanstul made
B&S Challenger II 3137 rl
Buescher 400 - 225 (WWII)
Benge 90C
Eastman 540 D/Eb
ACB Fluegelhorn
Selmer Picc
ACB mouthpieces for most of my playing

[trickg]

[Denny Schreffler]

Very cool!

Hadn’t thought about the valve springs (which are OK on my particular instrument) but I’ll get a set just to have around.

I haven’t had the time to think about a simple way – I’m a simple guy – to add weight to one or more of the bottom caps to see what that might do.

And I’ll mention, in more than passing this time, that the LefreQue tone enhancers made an immediate and dramatic improvement on the Chinese horn.

http://www.horntrader.com/28-lefreque-sound-bridge-for-wind-instruments

The 41mm that I got from Steve Dillard works great on the 631 clone but, since it spanned from the mpc to the leadpipe instead of from the mpc to the outer tube of the body, I bought a 76mm set from a flute dealer. It’s different but I haven’t spent any time trying to A-B the differences.

Here’s a copy of my text from a recent post to TPIN. It references some comments on TH that I saw while researching the things. Since then, I’ve learned that Jon Faddis uses or has used them.

“3. With a new flgl and with the two old Conns [cornets] ready for more serious playing, I ordered a LefreQue tone enhancer from Steve Dillard. These things are hugely popular with some top flute players. Steven Mead (euphonium) is a disciple, too. They’ve been discussed on TH, mostly naysayers claiming VooDoo but invoking charlatanism more than the Black Arts, but one top player who hangs out over there, Mike Sailors, uses one.

[ ... ] My wife, who has been listening to mpc and horn tweak comparisons for almost 50 years, immediately and assuredly preferred a Conn 80A with the LefreQue – “Much fuller sound.” Then I tried it on the flgl – played it with the tweak first, then without. Four notes into the “without” trial, her hand shot up to say, “Stop!” The difference was immediate and dramatic. Same thing – “fuller sound” … “richer.”

I heard and felt the same thing, AND, my one ear that suffers from loss, distortion, and constant ringing (I usually wear an earplug in it when I play but didn’t have one in) really got set off – buzzing and ringing like I’ve not heard before. I’d guess a lot more upper harmonic complexity but the audible experience seems to be well (maybe, better) balanced.

Do your own research on the LefreQue – I cannot explain how/why it works.”

Denny

[John Mohan]