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Yamaha YFH-631


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trumpetart
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 6:43 pm    Post subject: Yamaha YFH-631 Reply with quote

Can anyone here comment on the Yamaha YFH-631? My student is thinking of buying a used one. I'm skeptical because it doesn't have a trigger on the 3rd valve slide. When I google the model, the pictures all show a trigger. So is this an older incarnation of the model? Is it worth getting this and then having a trigger installed? Or would we be better off getting a new ACB doubler? I don't know the asking price, but let's assume it's about the same price as the ACB.
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Uberopa
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 9:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Yamaha 631 is an excellent horn. A trigger will run around fifty bucks installed. I had one put on my Couesnon.The ACB doubler is a 631 clone. Buy the real deal and retain the resale value while enjoying a classic horn.
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zaferis
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 2:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

yes, 631 an excellent choice, with or without trigger. A far better instrument than an ACB.

To be honest, a young player won't notice the lack of the trigger. Having had one, it's not difficult to reach down and pull the 3rd slide if you need to. And, as was previously stated, you can have a trigger installed - Have your repairman get the Yamaha trigger, in lieu of a generic or home made one.
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Hi-Note76
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 3:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The ACB was said to be a clone of the Yamaha. Now, they're saying it's a clone of the Couesnon.

These clones are only visual clones. To call them clones in terms of playing is a downright insult to Yamaha and Couesnon.

I wasted my money on shipping and restocking fees trying out an ACB and my opinion is such that I would not recommend it to anyone.

Terrible intonation. 4th line D was cringeworthingly flat, couldn't even lip it into tune. Response on the horn was terrible. You're supposed to play a horn, not fight with it. It was supposed to sound like a Cousenon. Ahem.....NOT.

It's supposed to be for doublers - people who don't play a lot of flugelhorn. And I would imagine that young and less experienced students would want an inexpensive horn. But those are the folks that can ill afford to have a horn that's difficult to play. When you get right down to it, no one should have to struggle with a horn that is difficult to play. Remember folks, you get what you pay for.
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giakara
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 4:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The old 631 and 731 Yamaha flugels are for many years now the choice of many pro guys around the world the reason is that they are built like a tank the sound is buttery and the most important the bore helps the player to change from trumpet to flugel and back without any problem.

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Fig
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 4:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I love the Yamaha 231 and 2310 flugelhorns. They are bargains with great workmanship and intonation. Let your student start there and some day they can upgrade if they want.
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cheiden
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 7:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I play a 731, same as the 631 but in silver. I don't have a 3rd trigger and have found that the horn plays best if I just pull the 3rd slide out a tiny bit and just leave it there. These are great instruments.
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plankowner110
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 27, 2019 12:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cheiden wrote:
I play a 731, same as the 631 but in silver. I don't have a 3rd trigger and have found that the horn plays best if I just pull the 3rd slide out a tiny bit and just leave it there. These are great instruments.


+1
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giakara
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 27, 2019 12:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Guys the 731 is exactly the same with 631 but is made in yellow brass in addition to the rose brass 631 and the 731 was only in silver and the 631 only in laquer if my memory serves me well.

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TrumpetMD
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 27, 2019 1:18 pm    Post subject: Re: Yamaha YFH-631 Reply with quote

A used 631 is a great way to go, if it's in good condition and reasonably priced. For me, I'd prefer the trigger. But this alone wouldn't necessarily be a deal-breaker.

Also, FWIW, I've tried the ACB flugel. It was the original version, not the current version. It had a Yamaha leadpipe, instead of the ACB leadpipe. I thought it was a nice horn, easy to play, and reasonably well in-tune.

Mike
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SterlingBell
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 28, 2019 4:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I bought my 631 at Giardinelli’s in NYC in 1976. At that time, there was no third valve trigger option and I had my local tech make one out of a French Horn paddle. Great horn.
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cheiden
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 29, 2019 10:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some time back the only Yamaha flugel that came stock with a trigger was the 6310Z, as I recall. This was when they offered distinct 631 vs 731 models. Nowadays there is no 731, just 631G (lacquer) and 631GS (silver).
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giakara
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 29, 2019 10:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Before 6310Z and the newer 631G (silver or laquer) Yamaha had the small bore 635T with trigger and the 731 and 631that did have trigger.

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Flugelman-GA
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 12:28 pm    Post subject: 731 serial no Reply with quote

Does anyone know of a serial number database for Yamaha flugels? I came across a bad link using Google. I have a 731 purchased in the early 1970's #002639 and was curious if I could find more history on the horn. I heard Schilke helped design it, but no confirmation. I didn't like the Yamaha mp that came with the horn (because it was too small) and asked Schilke to model one after my Bach 1.25C. Definite difference in the Yamaha and Schilke mp sounds. Yamaha has a better flugel sound, but Schilke plays much better and still has the flugel sound.
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plankowner110
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 29, 2019 1:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Yamaha 631 (lacquer) and 731 (silver) flugels are great doubler horns. I played a 731 for many, many years, and now I have a 631G (with trigger.) Those 631 and 731 Yamahas did not have triggers, so don't worry about it. They have been a standard choice by professionals for many years.

EDIT: John Mohan is absolutely correct in the next reply below this one. The fundamental difference between the 631 and the 731 is the bell metal. Trying to remember back 40 years or so, I saw so many players with lacquer on their 631 rose brass bell flugels while others preferred the brighter sound of the 731. Both Yamaha models were extremely popular back then.
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Last edited by plankowner110 on Sat Jun 29, 2019 9:17 pm; edited 2 times in total
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John Mohan
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 29, 2019 5:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

plankowner110 wrote:
The Yamaha 631 (lacquer) and 731 (silver) flugels are great doubler horns. I played a 731 for many, many years, and now I have a 631G (with trigger.) Those 631 and 731 Yamahas did not have triggers, so don't worry about it. They have been a standard choice by professionals for many years.


Note that though that is the way they are currently offered, both the 631 and the 731 have been offered in silver plate and lacquer historically. I bought my 631 new in silver plate in about 1977 (maybe 1978) from Schilke and a friend of mine bought his 731 in lacquer about six months later.

The difference between a 631 and a 731 is the bell material. The 631 has a rose brass bell and the 731 has a yellow brass bell.

After I moved back to the State I had a first valve trigger installed on my 631 and had it gold plated. Great horn - and the horn I've used continually the longest (more than 40 years!).

Cheers,

John Mohan
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Ed Kennedy
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 29, 2019 6:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yamaha makes a 3rd slide trigger kit that includes a replacement 3rd slide with the threaded nub for the lever mechanism. One solder joint for the trigger saddle and that's it. I think the kit is around $150 but installation time is minimal. Whoever got it for $50 was lucky.
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trumpet56
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 4:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

John Mohan wrote:
plankowner110 wrote:
The Yamaha 631 (lacquer) and 731 (silver) flugels are great doubler horns. I played a 731 for many, many years, and now I have a 631G (with trigger.) Those 631 and 731 Yamahas did not have triggers, so don't worry about it. They have been a standard choice by professionals for many years.


Note that though that is the way they are currently offered, both the 631 and the 731 have been offered in silver plate and lacquer historically. I bought my 631 new in silver plate in about 1977 (maybe 1978) from Schilke and a friend of mine bought his 731 in lacquer about six months later.

The difference between a 631 and a 731 is the bell material. The 631 has a rose brass bell and the 731 has a yellow brass bell.

After I moved back to the State I had a first valve trigger installed on my 631 and had it gold plated. Great horn - and the horn I've used continually the longest (more than 40 years!).

Cheers,

John Mohan

+1
I have had a 631 for about 30 years now and it still sounds darker than any other models and brands I have compared it with.
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giakara
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 4:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My 731 has four digit serial number and is made around 1972 or 73 , I have add a trigger and I never try to upgrade it becose it plays and behave perfect , smoky sound (specially with my Reeves 43HF) , the blow is even and very easy to quick change from Bb , those early Yamaha flugel are really good solid horns.

Regards
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Liberty Lips
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 7:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Did any of those early Yamaha flugelhorns suffer from the dreaded Yamalloy valves?
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