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Saxophones My Awesome New Tenor - YTS 32

Tobes

Member
Messages
196
Locality
Bournemouth
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 recommend the YTS 32 to anyone with a budget under £1k, that’s wants a horn you can put through it’s paces and perform at a professional level.

Anyone else had a similar experience with the YTS 32?
 

kevgermany

ex Landrover Nut
Messages
21,372
Locality
Just north of Munich
Stephen Howard's going to be pleased to read this.

Good you're enjoying yourself and the sax. What mounthpiece are you using?
 

Taz

Busking Oracle
Messages
3,027
Locality
Rugby UK
I don't have any experience of the Yamaha range, but anyone who can write such a rave review must be onto a winner.
I hope you continue to enjoy your sax and your relationship with it!
 

Tobes

Member
Messages
196
Locality
Bournemouth
I use a customised ebonite mouthpiece - local guy made it for me for £160 - was worth every penny - I was using an otto link metal 7* before but sold that on ebay as the customised one was better - has a higher baffle so great up high, but still sounds has a full warm/rich sound in the lower register - better than any off-the-shelf mp I could find anyway, and I did try a few...
 

Tobes

Member
Messages
196
Locality
Bournemouth
Just saw a YTS 32 on ebay go for £450 - Typical! Not as good condition as mind though :)
 

ManEast

Member
Messages
202
Locality
Southsea .Portsmouth
Love 32's

The only thing Intermediate about a 32 is the fact it was given that label by its makers.
I had one for years...and blindley traded it in for a Yamaha 875 ex Custom that in comparison felt dead. It resulted in me putting a small BlueTak Baffle in my Otto Link to get some colour out of it. The 875 was so heavy that 2hours a day practice along with 6 nights a week on the bandstand resulted in chronic neck probs.

Along with its reliablity, I would class the 32 to be very much a Pro horn. More so than many horn's labeld as "Pro".
In fact, for me there aren't that many modern Tenor's that can hold a candle to your 32.

I have just found a mint YTS 21 for a friend of mine for £300. He has just had Griff re-pad it with a set of roo's ... Also one very,VERY, fine horn !
 
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O.C.V.

Member
Messages
113
Locality
North Lancs
I recently sold a YTS 32 to another forum member. My only reason for selling was that all my work now is on alto and I needed to buy a decent backup alto horn to my Aristocrat. I found that the YTS 32 was a superb instrument, responsive, excellent intonation, good ergos for someone with small hands. It was mellow when mellow was needed but was able shout with the best when pushed. I always used an Otto Link STM7 with Rico Royal 2 1/2 reeds and it was able to do far more than I could ask from it. Needless to say, I bought a YAS32 which I am delighted with. I heard from the member who purchased my YTS32 recently and he seems to regard it as highly as I did.
Congratulations on your purchase, tmuir.
Regards
O.C.V.
 

SaxyMalcolm

Member
Messages
77
Locality
Peebles, Scotland
I have a YTS 62II which is a great horn, very reliable and a great sound. I have also started using a custom made mpc, a Phil tone special with a .100 tip with Alexander superial 2 reeds, which has opened up the sound even more.
 

Two Voices

Senior Member
Messages
1,113
Locality
United Kingdom
Nice one! Nothing like finding a horn that you can get on with! I like the Yamaha range and never heard anyone run down a YTS 32!
 

Tobes

Member
Messages
196
Locality
Bournemouth
Thought I'd put a link to me playing the new YTS 32 - recorded this today - in my view not how you'd expect a YTS 32 to sound, as I wanted to go for quite an airy / breathy sound (maybe over done slightly!) If I use a different reed the sound can be completely different - i.e. very bright and cutting. All constructive feedback welcome - go easy on me though, not been playing that long:)

http://www.myspace.com/tobiemuirmusic/music/songs/east-of-the-sun-on-yts-32-mp3-82187272

http://www.myspace.com/tobiemuirmusic/music/songs/east-of-the-sun-on-yts-32-mp3-82187272

I should add that I was playing against a backing track and my recording equipment consists (currently) of laptop, Logic software and Samsung USB mic, placed 2 metres from where I was playing - I think a proper sax mic would pick up attack better though...I may buy one.
 
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ManEast

Member
Messages
202
Locality
Southsea .Portsmouth
32

Sounds sweet as ! who made your mouthpiece ?...works very well on that 32.
 

Pyrografix

Senile Member
Messages
1,005
Locality
Sunny Aberdeenshire
Just saw a YTS 32 on ebay go for £450 - Typical! Not as good condition as mind though :)

A quick tip..........

Once you've found a horn that you really like.....stop looking!
.....or you'll suffer from eternal GAS:):)!
 

kevgermany

ex Landrover Nut
Messages
21,372
Locality
Just north of Munich
Lovely tracks. You, the sax nd the mouthpiece are a very good fit!
 

Taz

Busking Oracle
Messages
3,027
Locality
Rugby UK
Very very nice! You've kept it nice and simple and it's worked very well indeed. For someone who's not been playing long, you've got a great sound!
 

Tobes

Member
Messages
196
Locality
Bournemouth
Hey thanks for the positive comments everyone - really encouraging! On a slightly different subject, concerning the actual recording, I was experimenting today with the mic placement and previously (with the recording above) had it way too far away (about 2 meters where I was playing as too sensitive up close). Anyway, I found a '-10 db' switch on the side of the mic (1/10 for observation!), which once activated means you can place it just centimetres away - this really picks up the attacks and higher frequencies much better - basically makes the sax sound a lot better still. The mic is flippin' awesome (it's only £40 check it out at:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samson-Mic-Clip-USB-Microphone/dp/B001R76D42/ref=pd_sim_computers_27)

- you can just plug the mic straight into the laptop and with the right software get (in my view) a really impressive sound - I just clipped the mic onto my music stand so that it was about 20 cm above bell of sax when playing - I think I'll start another thread about this under the appropriate heading...

...Few hrs later - Here's the results for anyone that's interested in getting a reasonable recording set-up without spending too much (apologies to the moderators as this now has absolutely nothing what-so-ever to do with the YTS 32 as playing Alto on - although this is Yamaha also :) )

http://www.myspace.com/tobiemuirmusic/music/songs/joyces-samba-demo-mp3-82207330
 
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