YSL-640 vs. YSL-446
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2019 9:53 am
I'm a retiree looking to upgrade from my current F-horn. Is The Yamaha YSL-640 noticeably superior to the YSL-446 model?
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Re: YSL-640 vs. YSL-446
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2019 10:15 am
Not superior per se, they are rather different horns even on paper. 640 has an 8.5" bell that is quite thin. The 446 has a much heavier, 8" bell. I would suspect the leadpipe the put in the two of them are markedly different from one another as well. If you were looking for a classical horn, the 640 may well feel superior to the 446 to most players if I were to hazard a guess. I have a 646 at the moment that does work for commercial stuff, and it is similar spec wise to the 640, but I much prefer my 8" bell section (from the YSL356) for that type of playing.
Re: YSL-640 vs. YSL-446
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2019 3:03 pm
The current 446 has a 8.5" bell. My guess is that but for the nicer trim on the 640, the two horns are very similar. To be born in mind at this point is that the price is very similar as well, with the 640 only costing $200 more.
DIFFERENCE #1. The 446's trigger is a string pull, the 640 trigger linkage is mechanical. String works. Nearly all top horns use mechanical.
DIFFERENCE #2. The 446 has a gold brass bell. The 640 has yellow brass. (while the 446 has a yellow brass leadpipe and 640 has a gold brass pipe). On these horns, I like the yellow brass, it gives the horns a sound that has some zip and snap to it.
(but if I had to try tell whether it was yellow or gold by listening to a recording, it would be 50/50 guess)
DIFFERENCE #1. The 446's trigger is a string pull, the 640 trigger linkage is mechanical. String works. Nearly all top horns use mechanical.
DIFFERENCE #2. The 446 has a gold brass bell. The 640 has yellow brass. (while the 446 has a yellow brass leadpipe and 640 has a gold brass pipe). On these horns, I like the yellow brass, it gives the horns a sound that has some zip and snap to it.
(but if I had to try tell whether it was yellow or gold by listening to a recording, it would be 50/50 guess)
Re: YSL-640 vs. YSL-446
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2019 3:27 pm
Something to think about. I am a retiree. I also looked to upgrade horns.
1st upgrade was to a 630 (.525). Great horn. I love it.
2nd upgrade was to a 620 (.547). I wanted a trigger. My trombone advisers suggested making the jump to a .547. My concern with jumping to the large bore was that it might be more of an air hog (and there is never enough air). But, I had a generous trial period, so I decided to give the 620 a shot.
My concerns about the extra "air" a 620 (.547) would require didn't materialize. I really didn't notice much difference in the air required by either horn and I liked the extra "authority" the tone of the 620 offered.
(the 610/640 large bore Yamaha's are noted for being "easy to fill" (not being air hogs). They are "user friendly" horns that offer a full rich sound yet are still plenty nimble)
I still love my 630 (.525), and if not comparing the 620 (.547) and the 630 (.525) side by side, I would never feel I was losing anything with the .525. But, when I do play them side by side, I do notice that I get more sound and a richer sound from the 620 (low, high, and middle). And I still get plenty of snap and pizzazz with it.
(some of the really free blowing big boy large bores I tried sounded like a love sick cow when I played them (for which I do hold myself responsible)... they just were too mellow and blah. (I am starting to wonder if the "modern" trombone sound may be getting a too French hornish... what would Sousa say?)
If I weren't playing in community band and the trombone choir, I don't think I would have ever bothered with the large bore or the trigger, but in a band, both are nice.
(when not in a performance situation, triggers are a pain; the horn just isn't as comfortable. If I hadn't found out about the "Get-a-Grip", I don't know if I would have stuck with it. Trigger horns need some kind of "add-on" thing that will offer something you can hang on to. (different add-on grips will work with different horns. The "Get-a-Grip" works really well with the Yamaha 620/640 horns.
- Shortly after realizing how much I liked the 620, I figured maybe I should sell the .525 and replace it with a nice small bore. So I ordered a 681 (.508). And I love, love, love it. But, I have been unable to part with my .525 630. It's too nice a horn. So, I'm keeping it for when I play with the Shriner's band.
1st upgrade was to a 630 (.525). Great horn. I love it.
2nd upgrade was to a 620 (.547). I wanted a trigger. My trombone advisers suggested making the jump to a .547. My concern with jumping to the large bore was that it might be more of an air hog (and there is never enough air). But, I had a generous trial period, so I decided to give the 620 a shot.
My concerns about the extra "air" a 620 (.547) would require didn't materialize. I really didn't notice much difference in the air required by either horn and I liked the extra "authority" the tone of the 620 offered.
(the 610/640 large bore Yamaha's are noted for being "easy to fill" (not being air hogs). They are "user friendly" horns that offer a full rich sound yet are still plenty nimble)
I still love my 630 (.525), and if not comparing the 620 (.547) and the 630 (.525) side by side, I would never feel I was losing anything with the .525. But, when I do play them side by side, I do notice that I get more sound and a richer sound from the 620 (low, high, and middle). And I still get plenty of snap and pizzazz with it.
(some of the really free blowing big boy large bores I tried sounded like a love sick cow when I played them (for which I do hold myself responsible)... they just were too mellow and blah. (I am starting to wonder if the "modern" trombone sound may be getting a too French hornish... what would Sousa say?)
If I weren't playing in community band and the trombone choir, I don't think I would have ever bothered with the large bore or the trigger, but in a band, both are nice.
(when not in a performance situation, triggers are a pain; the horn just isn't as comfortable. If I hadn't found out about the "Get-a-Grip", I don't know if I would have stuck with it. Trigger horns need some kind of "add-on" thing that will offer something you can hang on to. (different add-on grips will work with different horns. The "Get-a-Grip" works really well with the Yamaha 620/640 horns.
- Shortly after realizing how much I liked the 620, I figured maybe I should sell the .525 and replace it with a nice small bore. So I ordered a 681 (.508). And I love, love, love it. But, I have been unable to part with my .525 630. It's too nice a horn. So, I'm keeping it for when I play with the Shriner's band.
Re: YSL-640 vs. YSL-446
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2019 3:35 pm
And I'm sure not trying to talk you out of the 640 (.525). There is a lot of sound in that horn. It comes with Yamaha's 48 mouthpiece, which is a wonderful mouthpiece. Personally, when I moved up a size to the Yamaha 51 C4, I did pick up a fuller richer bottom without noticing a loss on the high end. The 640 is a wonderful horn that will do whatever you ask it to do.
(the 48 is is similar to the Bach 6.5 and the 51C4 can be compared to the Bach 5G. I have all four and the comparisons are fair. While similar, in each case, I prefer the Yamaha pieces. To my ears, there is just a little more there there.)
(the 48 is is similar to the Bach 6.5 and the 51C4 can be compared to the Bach 5G. I have all four and the comparisons are fair. While similar, in each case, I prefer the Yamaha pieces. To my ears, there is just a little more there there.)
Re: YSL-640 vs. YSL-446
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2019 6:46 pm
[I missed the "F" part of your post. So, never mind my comments concerning the merits and demerits of 'F' horns. (you are well aware of them 
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