Is the Yamaha YCR 231 really a student cornet?

[Eduardo90]

Hi everybody hope you all doing great. I have been wondering if the early yamaha cornet models such as the YCR231 are really student model instruments or just low budget instruments with some professional features that are intended for professional trumpet players who doesnt want or are not able to invest a lot of money on a cornet.I ask this because on most parts of the word at least nowadays even the kids start on trumpet and are not expected to start on cornet, also i might be wrong but i think that the feautures of those yamaha models may not be very friendly to a complete begginer, the first YCR231 model according to the 1968 yamaha catalog states that this model has a 0.465 bore with a 5 1/16 inch bell and by the way they dont say anywhere on the catalog that is a student instrument. thanks in advanced

[etc-etc]

In professional's hands, it will sound as a professional instrument (Varren Vache plays/has played a modified(?) student Yamaha cornet).

It will take more effort to achieve a similar result as, say, YCR-6330. The resistance, projection, brilliance, intonation, tonal color. slotting will be different. Different does not always mean worse, and does not always mean better.

[delano]

It is true that the 1968 Yamaha catalog as published by horn-u-copia lists the YCR 231 as a horn with a o.465 bore, indeed quite big. Maybe a heritage from the Nikkan CR231. But very soon, maybe something like a year later Yamaha changed the bore to the more typical 0.463 size, the regular large bore diameter of Yamaha in that period, later became that 0.462.

The numbering system was as follows:

1st Number - Range or Grade

The pre-1982 range of Yamaha Trumpets with three digit model numbers appear to have been marketed as such:

1xx : Standard / College

2xx : Standard / College

3xx : Standard / College

6xx : Professional

7xx : Professional

So the 231 was anyhow marketed as a student/college horn.
That does mean that these horns are produced as student horns but that will not necessarily mean that they play as student horns.
I owned a YCR 2310 first generation, quite the same horn as the late YCR231 with the 0.463 bore and IMO it was a little bit a big horn for a student. Big bell, big bore, big blow and big sound. Played excellent but was a bit demanding. But I'm not a teacher so...
In fact a very good horn for playing, mechanical maybe a little bit primitive.

[Andy Cooper]

As far as the bore size for students - in that time period, Olds student cornets and Reynolds Medalist models had a bore of .468, Conn student cornets had a bore of .485. ( The mouthpiece that came with the Conns was similar in diameter to a Bach 2 with a #25 throat.)

While King and Bundys had ML or M bores, The Yamahas were not out of line with the most of the US cornets of that time period. I started in the 3rd grade on a .485 bore Conn director and survived.

(Most student trumpets at the time had bores around .458 - .460. Yamaha student trumpets were .460 and had a Bach Strad level of resistance.)

I think the 3 digit Yamaha cornets (long models and short) are very very good and if my memory is correct, they can be upgraded with metal valve guides.

[p76]

Hi Eduardo,

In my experience yes, the 231 is a student cornet. They were made to withstand rougher treatment than the pro models, and as such they are what I'd call "monochrome" in their tone - they make a certain sound, and the player can't change that too much.

Which is not to say they are bad horns - far from it. Warren Vache does indeed play one, and I've played them many times. But, for what I do, I'd much rather a Xeno cornet, or an 8xxx series or even a 6xxx series. Much nicer to play, more expressive, more fluid....more everything.

The bore size is definitely not 0.468 - check this great resource out

https://www.yamahacollector.com/cornet

Cheers,
Roger
_________________
Bb - Selmer Radial, Yamaha YTR634, Kanstul 1001, Kanstul 700.
C - Yamaha 641.
Cornet - Olds Ambassador A6T, Besson 723, Olds Ambassador Long.
Flugel - Kanstul 1525
Mpc. - ACB 3CS, ACB 3ES, Curry 3BBC, Kanstul FB Flugel

[Thomson]