TromboneChat

I was recently looking at a post from another member on his first bass. I’ve only been playing my YBL-322 for a few months now, and am really enjoying the instrument. I get a good tone and with some good practice, I’m starting to open up the lower end of the horn.

As seems to be the norm…I’m starting to look for those lower notes and am wanting a second valve which brings up a couple of questions…

How difficult/costly is it to add a second valve to a 322? It is mostly stock with an added mechanical linkage. In the terms of economics, is it worth doing? Also, am I better off just waiting to get a two valve horn…

I tend to get myself wrapped up in these type of projects with house stuff, cars and motorcycles…just wanting to get a few opinions from those who have been around these types of modifications before taking the plunge…

Are you specifically wanting a “slot-in” valve, like the in the other post, that replaces your F tuning slide, or a permanent conversion to 2-valve bass?

I honestly have zero experience with any two valve setup and wouldn’t know the drawbacks or advantages to either…

A slot in valve is one where you can remove the valve and only have one if you want. The advantage is that you can, well, only have one! One valve weighs less than two, although the balance might be better with the 2nd valve in a slot in since the weight is essentially as far back as you can put it. You also have one less valve to put air through. I don't personally think this is a big deal on modern valves, but not everyone shares my opinion.

If you make it a permanent valve, you might be able to make it inline. But that will require a lot of work. And it might also not be feasible because of the way your main valve tubing is shaped.

As far as difficulty... for an experienced tech, not so much. But it is definitely not stock. As far as economically being worth it... probably not. Certainly not if you wanted to get your money back on the conversion. I'd personally just hold off and get a 2 valve instrument, especially if inline was my goal. That said, I would say the 322 with an added valve like an instrument innovations rotor or something is invariably better than a budget import instrument.

But it's worth checking with a tech to see if they've done something recently and can get you a more concrete number. Indicating you're flexible may result in something not too bad. Other people do conversions on their bass too, sometimes resulting in complete valve sections being available... in which case you could buy a used valve section and "merely" have it swapped out by your tech. I put that in quotes because it still won't be cheap, but it may be cheaper than totally from scratch

Honestly? I'd just get a different horn with two valves.

A removable valve will be about $1500. Adding a valve permanently would probably be even more. A used 2 valve horn $1500-2300, depending on what you get. It's usually more economical to get an additional instrument. Work is expensive. You might find a used Yamaha 613 or something similar for under $2k that does what you want.

That other guy with the 322 got really lucky. You probably won't find a deal like that.

Well, I think I’ll cross that off the project list and save up for an independent two valve. Thanks much for the input, I really appreciate it!

I added a plug-in valve to a Conn 72H - a very similar horn to the Yamaha. I got a good deal on the second valve from a friend who had parts and had made them before. Then a good deal from a local repair guy, but eventually I ended up spending some more to get a really experienced repairman re-do the installation and adjust the linkage on the 2nd valve. It's such a long way from the lever to the valve, and it's not just updating an old linkage. Those valves can work really well, but they are tricky to install, and your local music store is unlikely to have someone that has learned how to do that.

My Conn works well, and it's a nice old classic horn.

Jim Scott

Whilst I generally agree with the 'just get a 2-valve' however I can speak from experience here.

I own a YBL321 (actually, 2 now, but the first since mid-90s). I always had trouble with the valve range on mine as it was really stuffy - the valve is really small. I happened upon an older Shires independent section and retrofitted that to my 321 - the horn is now really heavy but plays wonderfully with a huge sound - it's been my gigging bass for 15+ years after a few years on a Holton TR150 (that I still own.)

Decision-wise, I stumbled on the valve section at a time when it was cheap, the exchange rate (I'm in Australia) was ok and I did the work myself. Without access to a donor valve section, it'd most likely be cheaper to buy another used horn (as I did with the Holton).