My Awesome New Tenor - YTS 32

[rsfeltm]

Hi all,

Just thought I share my delight at recently getting a used Yamaha 32 (paid around £700). Very pleased and surprised with how good the sound it. I was drawn to Yamaha after I got a used YAS 62 mark I, about 5 months ago, which I have absolutely no regrets about - what a fantastic horn the YAS 62 is!

Obviously as you can expect with Yamaha, the YTS 32 action, intonation and reliability are all spot on (which is a massive plus compared with my previous tenor!) but I am particularly surprised at how good the sound is, considering this is really a student / intermediate sax. It’s very free blowing, plays as lound as you want, and with the right MP set-up and embouchure, can sound really rich and mellow also.

My ideal sax would probably be a P Mauriat 66R or Reference 54, but don't have the budget at present. To be fair though, the sound I’m getting with the 32 ain't that far off - maybe it lacks some of the complexity, broadness of the P Mauriat I tried, (way too subtle perhaps for the average listener to notice) but with a good MP set-up I’d

I bought a YTS 32 one year ago. It is an exceptional horn, in many ways in prefer it to my Mark 6 (132xxx). The YTS32 has a super even scale, plays loud, bright, with good projection. I just came back from Sam Ash and I compared it against all if their big horns. I don't think the yamaha 62 (brand new) was any better, nor was the custom 875ex or the custom zz. I know it sounds crazy, but the body of the YTS32 is just as good a machine, with just as good tone, action, and intonation. Both the 62 and both customs had much easier low register responsiveness, BUT when I put their necks on my YTS32 it was JUST AS GOOD! Low Bflat would subtone like butter with both a new 62neck or with the V1 neck on the custom. I was shocked by the results, but I'm being completely objective I have no motives. In essence, I think that the 62 and customs have nice flower engravings, cooler finishes and lacquers, but I do not objectively think they are any better instruments. The only difference was the 62 and customs both had better low notes, but again when I switched their necks to my horn it was just as good. I'm deciding whether or not to upgrade my neck, but the only thing holding me back is I don't think the fancy necks sound better anywhere except for the lower register. The standard yts32 neck is bright and "punchy" and I love it. Ps the mauriat 66rul did have a big fat sound I loved, but the key work is sloppy. The keys on the mauriats are not as well built as yamaha or yanagisawa. Perhaps w a great tech u could fix up a mauriat 66's keywork and have best of both worlds
Any thoughts?

 

[kevgermany]

Hi, welcome. I moved your posts here where they'll be better.

 

[old git]

Welcome to the caff©. Rsfeltm.

How do you pronounce that?

ENJOY!™

 

[Jeanette]

Hi

Welcome to Café Sax

Jx

 

[Jamesmac]

I bought a YTS 32 one year ago. It is an exceptional horn, in many ways in prefer it to my Mark 6 (132xxx). The YTS32 has a super even scale, plays loud, bright, with good projection. I just came back from Sam Ash and I compared it against all if their big horns. I don't think the yamaha 62 (brand new) was any better, nor was the custom 875ex or the custom zz. I know it sounds crazy, but the body of the YTS32 is just as good a machine, with just as good tone, action, and intonation. Both the 62 and both customs had much easier low register responsiveness, BUT when I put their necks on my YTS32 it was JUST AS GOOD! Low Bflat would subtone like butter with both a new 62neck or with the V1 neck on the custom. I was shocked by the results, but I'm being completely objective I have no motives. In essence, I think that the 62 and customs have nice flower engravings, cooler finishes and lacquers, but I do not objectively think they are any better instruments. The only difference was the 62 and customs both had better low notes, but again when I switched their necks to my horn it was just as good. I'm deciding whether or not to upgrade my neck, but the only thing holding me back is I don't think the fancy necks sound better anywhere except for the lower register. The standard yts32 neck is bright and "punchy" and I love it. Ps the mauriat 66rul did have a big fat sound I loved, but the key work is sloppy. The keys on the mauriats are not as well built as yamaha or yanagisawa. Perhaps w a great tech u could fix up a mauriat 66's keywork and have best of both worlds
Any thoughts?

Hi
Interesting but I found the opposite. I had a YTS 32 for a short time to upgrade from a Gear4Music Tenor that cost me £120 off eBay. But I found apart from the build quality the YTS was not much different, I even played it with a G1 neck, which made it marginally better. But it didn't make much sense having an £700/800 Tenor which was similar to the cheapo plus an expensive neck, so I sold it. I now play a 1948 10M. But to compare the 32, recently I play tested a new Silver 62 and there was no comparison with the 32. The 62 was superior in every way by a mile.

 

[secondhandsaxes]

mmmmmm...i have always thought the 32/52 yamaha's were a great sounding saxophone and the minor differences were in the neck and the bell engraving....
i found putting a pro neck on the 32 made it a cheap pro tenor....
but,i love them all the yamaha's....mind you,i also personally play a 10M for the last years....
cheers and enjoy...
philip

 

[Jamesmac]

mmmmmm...i have always thought the 32/52 yamaha's were a great sounding saxophone and the minor differences were in the neck and the bell engraving....
i found putting a pro neck on the 32 made it a cheap pro tenor....
but,i love them all the yamaha's....mind you,i also personally play a 10M for the last years....
cheers and enjoy...
philip

Yeah. The reason I bought the 32, I heard they had the same body as the 61/62. Perhaps I just got a bad one.

 

[secondhandsaxes]

yes,who knows....the only reason i could think of would be the pads leaking or some-such...
anyways,we blow 10M's,so thats all okay.....
cheers...philip