Scooping out rotor core - What can possibly go wrong?
Posted: Sun May 12, 2024 12:40 am
I recently tried the Yamaha YBL-835 and like it, especially the larger sound and more open feeling. I don’t have or earn that much money to burn for a second new horn, though.
Seeing from the part list that the 835 only differs from my 830 in just a few aspects: gold brass tuning slide (which I have already), new leadpipe, bored-out no-step gooseneck (which should be very small difference), brass rotor caps, and scooped out rotor cores (the port is now U-shape instead of ʊ-shape), I have been toying with the idea about changing the rotor cores. However, Yamaha would not sell only the core, rather the full rotor assembly at almost $600 each. The potentially cheaper, but much more destructive way, is therefore cutting the rotor cores of the 830 into the desired shape.
I understand that there is no turning back, and if the result turns awry, I have to buy the rotor assemblies to fix it, sacrificing $1,200 plus labor cost.
Therefore I would like to ask: what can possibly go wrong with this modification? I understand that the response would change, probably drastically, but how about the intonation? And the change in the sound, would it be larger as I hope? Assuming that it is done by a competent tech, would there potentially be more friction/sticking problem? Overall, is it worth the risk? Or should I just do more OT and save up for the real deal?
Seeing from the part list that the 835 only differs from my 830 in just a few aspects: gold brass tuning slide (which I have already), new leadpipe, bored-out no-step gooseneck (which should be very small difference), brass rotor caps, and scooped out rotor cores (the port is now U-shape instead of ʊ-shape), I have been toying with the idea about changing the rotor cores. However, Yamaha would not sell only the core, rather the full rotor assembly at almost $600 each. The potentially cheaper, but much more destructive way, is therefore cutting the rotor cores of the 830 into the desired shape.
I understand that there is no turning back, and if the result turns awry, I have to buy the rotor assemblies to fix it, sacrificing $1,200 plus labor cost.
Therefore I would like to ask: what can possibly go wrong with this modification? I understand that the response would change, probably drastically, but how about the intonation? And the change in the sound, would it be larger as I hope? Assuming that it is done by a competent tech, would there potentially be more friction/sticking problem? Overall, is it worth the risk? Or should I just do more OT and save up for the real deal?