Yamaha YHR-872 French Horn

Model notes

What to Know

The Yamaha YHR-872 page covers Yamaha's current-production 872 Custom-series Kruspe double horn family. Current 872ND variants are F/Bb full doubles with nickel-silver body, detachable LL bell, four solid rotors, and string linkage, positioned above the YHR-672 as Yamaha's flagship modern Kruspe-style double.

The 872ND is best understood as a modern large-throat nickel-silver Kruspe horn rather than a direct Conn 8D copy. It is commonly compared with the redesigned Conn 8D and Yamaha 672: the 872ND keeps the warm, round Kruspe lineage but has its own more refined Yamaha feel, with an even, focused, and easy response across registers.

Design details matter on this model. The main tuning slide bore is 12.1 mm / .476 inch while the other slides are 12.0 mm / .472 inch, and Yamaha uses square main and F tuning-slide crooks for playing resistance. Compared with the YHR-672, the 872ND adds a second brace in the F tube, uses a one-piece machined mouthpiece receiver, and has a leadpipe concept based on the YHR-862 Custom horn.

The bell and body setup are central to the 872ND's identity. The nickel-silver body, extra-large detachable bell, lightweight bell flare, and unsoldered bell rim point it toward a broad orchestral sound with more openness and power than a smaller or more compact double. Players considering it should try it next to good Conn 8D-style horns, the YHR-672, and any Hoyer or Shires Kruspe-style alternatives on the same mouthpiece setup.

Suffixes and accessories should be checked carefully. Current variants include clear-lacquer and unlacquered versions, with case inclusion depending on suffix. The Yamaha screw-bell ring can also affect aftermarket bell compatibility, so buyers who like to swap bells should verify ring type before assuming a non-Yamaha flare will fit.