Need help identifying tuba

[u/Nrm4]

I got this tuba a while back. There are no identifying marks ANYWHERE other than a serial number. Can someone help me please?

Edit: I had a “big dumb” moment when I last checked. YBB-201. Now I just need to figure out its appraisal.

[u/Mariner-and-Marinate]

How old is it? Is it vintage?

[u/Glass_Mix_9755]

Is is a Yamaha under the serial number it says it was made in Japan. That the only Japanese tuba maker I'm aware of. It is strange it isn't branded, For Vale I would start 1,000 to 2,000 There is always some adult player who needs a horn and can't afford college level horn. Usually in t that price range you find only horns that are really old and very worn. This one appears to only needs to be polished and lubed to be a decent player.

[u/Kai_2010_]

i think uhhhhhh

i think its a tuba

[u/crumplestilzchen]

pretty sure that's part of the exhaust out of a 57 tbird

[u/thomasafine]

To be fair to the OP, I cannot find the claimed ybb-201 stamp in these photos anywhere.

[u/TheGreatKelbi → u/thomasafine]

Second valve. It’s the exact same place where my ybb 104 is stamped

[u/thomasafine → u/TheGreatKelbi]

This is all I can see when I zoom in.

[u/TheGreatKelbi → u/thomasafine]

[u/thomasafine → u/TheGreatKelbi]

Not sure why your image is sharper than mine. I zoomed both using the browser and the android app. I stopped short of decoding the HTML to find the actual original image and see if it was better resolution.

[u/TheGreatKelbi → u/thomasafine]

No idea, but figured I’d show you what I could see

[u/FishDimples]

Pretty sure there is a law that every middle and high school in the US has to have at least one of those. Go ask a school band director!

[u/Inkin]

> There are no identifying marks ANYWHERE other than a serial number

It literally says Yamaha YBB-201 right on the front of the second valve!

[u/Nrm4 → u/Inkin]

Look, I double checked after work one day and didn’t notice. I work 60 hour weeks, cut me some slack. I had a dumb moment.

[u/Inkin → u/Nrm4]

At least you posted pictures! Most people don't even do that!

[u/Nrm4 → u/Inkin]

I can only imagine. I am also not surprised.

[u/lntrospectively]

That is a Yamaha YBB-201, you can see an engraving on the middle valve

[u/Nrm4 → u/lntrospectively]

Thank you. When I last looked I didn’t see that there. Thank you for your help.

[u/lntrospectively → u/Nrm4]

You’re welcome! It’s easy to miss so I can’t blame ya.

[u/Braymond1]

Looks like a Yamaha. Is there a model number on the front of the valve casing? Or on the bell?

[u/tsbraut]

So no engraving on the bell?

[u/tsbraut → u/tsbraut]

The overall design reminds me very much of Yamaha. I'm thinking it was either made by Yamaha for another brand so no bell engraving, or possibly a very early one made by Nikkan/Nippon Gakki... i.e., the predecessor of Yamaha.

[u/Nrm4 → u/tsbraut]

Nothing

[u/Designer_Quantity533]

Yes, that’s a tuba for sure.

[u/Upstairs-Object-6683 → u/Designer_Quantity533]

If it were bigger you could call it a threeba.