I appreciate your awareness and sensitivity regarding the differences between the 667 and the 668. I grew up with an 8D, which I still play, but I also play a year 2014 YHR667D that I admire-- it is a good solo horn that responses to nuanced playing. I never knew the sound differences between the 667 and the 668 until you demonstrated the horns. Anyone know why Yamaha quit making the 667? They quit around 2015. I got a late 2014, one of the last ones. It has a great tone.
That's really awesome! Yeah these horns are really great, I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to play them on camera. I I think Yamaha discontinued the 667 because it was being replaced by the model 671 which is a current production true geyer horn. I've tried it and it is very good, but it's different since it's not a knopf, definitely a shame we had to lose the 667
They replaced the 667 with the 671, the 861s and 867s with 871,,,,, IMHO, Yamaha really dropped the ball... I played the 671, 871, & 869 back at IHS-47 back in Los Angeles. We had to sign a nondisclosure form stating we wouldn't reveal that Yamaha was replacing the 667s and 867/861s.. I liked them overall but the 667, 861, and 867 are all far better Horns. The 671 plays even easier and cleaner than the 871.... But please take this with a grain of salt as these are all only my opinions.
Hello, thanks for very fine review, I was a member of a youth orchestra back in early 80' in eastern Europe and I had some, leaky Alex 103 playing Beethoven 8th and famous "trio" in the 3rd movement. We played on regional festival, and it was great! Yamaha 668 resembles what I have in my mind as a horn sound. Now looking at retirement as a scientist, I bought about 15 y old Yamaha 322 single and I am getting my embouchure back! Your thoughts about that horn?
Very very cool! Glad to hear you're getting back on the horn! I have been very curious to try the Yamaha 322, but haven't had the opportunity yet. I currently own a Yamaha 314 (single f) which is fabulous, and knowing Yamaha's reputation for excellent quality control, I imagine the 322 is also a great horn. Would absolutely love to try it for myself though. Hopefully sometime one will turn up for me
I've listened to a number of different horns and in my view, these are nothing really to write home about. The Eastman has a gorgeous tone, but badly out of tune in utself. The Conn 8D , decent but dunno. The Vienna horns are awesome but impractical here in NA . I heard a Yamaha 567 once and it sounded like mud. Then I i played it and was surprised at the tone, so i knew it was my chops that made the difference. Still the Eastman was warmer. Then i heard that Lukas Horns and Felix Contesanu from Edmonton had a mod for this 567, a new lead pipe and stripped of all clear coat. Apparently it entirely changes the horn dramatically. They have sone 160 horns each. So i got a 567 cheap, paid the 1,100 for the work, and i can tell you it is a vastly different animal. In perfect tune throughout, warm, powerful, lots of subtle overtones, Hollywood sound. i recently heard King Eroica from 34 years ago and it was beautiful. When she played mine and hers,side by side, they were clearly some of the nicest sounding horns above all others. With good practice, the right mouthpiece, not even the other Yamaha horns, Alex, Conns or Holtons beat it. Very close to a Vienna horn sound.
Interesting, to each their own I suppose. I find these Yamahas to be very much to write home about in my opinion, but that's just me. They consistently beat out Conn. And Kings, while they are very good, are quirky in my experience, and Yamaha playability and evenness still wins in my book. That's just me though.
thanks for this video, really useful to hear the differences between the two horns. Loved your playing too!
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it!
Welcome back!
Thanks!
I appreciate your awareness and sensitivity regarding the differences between the 667 and the 668. I grew up with an 8D, which I still play, but I also play a year 2014 YHR667D that I admire-- it is a good solo horn that responses to nuanced playing. I never knew the sound differences between the 667 and the 668 until you demonstrated the horns.
Anyone know why Yamaha quit making the 667? They quit around 2015. I got a late 2014, one of the last ones. It has a great tone.
That's really awesome! Yeah these horns are really great, I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to play them on camera. I I think Yamaha discontinued the 667 because it was being replaced by the model 671 which is a current production true geyer horn. I've tried it and it is very good, but it's different since it's not a knopf, definitely a shame we had to lose the 667
They replaced the 667 with the 671, the 861s and 867s with 871,,,,, IMHO, Yamaha really dropped the ball... I played the 671, 871, & 869 back at IHS-47 back in Los Angeles. We had to sign a nondisclosure form stating we wouldn't reveal that Yamaha was replacing the 667s and 867/861s.. I liked them overall but the 667, 861, and 867 are all far better Horns. The 671 plays even easier and cleaner than the 871.... But please take this with a grain of salt as these are all only my opinions.
The 667 has a great bump
yeah for sure, poor thing's been abused😢
Playing finally starts at 6:02 in case you want to skip ahead :)
Good to see you Andrew! Don M
Thanks Don!
Hello, thanks for very fine review, I was a member of a youth orchestra back in early 80' in eastern Europe and I had some, leaky Alex 103 playing Beethoven 8th and famous "trio" in the 3rd movement. We played on regional festival, and it was great! Yamaha 668 resembles what I have in my mind as a horn sound. Now looking at retirement as a scientist, I bought about 15 y old Yamaha 322 single and I am getting my embouchure back! Your thoughts about that horn?
Very very cool! Glad to hear you're getting back on the horn! I have been very curious to try the Yamaha 322, but haven't had the opportunity yet. I currently own a Yamaha 314 (single f) which is fabulous, and knowing Yamaha's reputation for excellent quality control, I imagine the 322 is also a great horn. Would absolutely love to try it for myself though. Hopefully sometime one will turn up for me
I've listened to a number of different horns and in my view, these are nothing really to write home about. The Eastman has a gorgeous tone, but badly out of tune in utself. The Conn 8D , decent but dunno. The Vienna horns are awesome but impractical here in NA .
I heard a Yamaha 567 once and it sounded like mud. Then I i played it and was surprised at the tone, so i knew it was my chops that made the difference. Still the Eastman was warmer.
Then i heard that Lukas Horns and Felix Contesanu from Edmonton had a mod for this 567, a new lead pipe and stripped of all clear coat. Apparently it entirely changes the horn dramatically. They have sone 160 horns each. So i got a 567 cheap, paid the 1,100 for the work, and i can tell you it is a vastly different animal.
In perfect tune throughout, warm, powerful, lots of subtle overtones, Hollywood sound. i recently heard King Eroica from 34 years ago and it was beautiful. When she played mine and hers,side by side, they were clearly some of the nicest sounding horns above all others. With good practice, the right mouthpiece, not even the other Yamaha horns, Alex, Conns or Holtons beat it. Very close to a Vienna horn sound.
Interesting, to each their own I suppose. I find these Yamahas to be very much to write home about in my opinion, but that's just me. They consistently beat out Conn. And Kings, while they are very good, are quirky in my experience, and Yamaha playability and evenness still wins in my book. That's just me though.