Saxophones Yamaha 475 soprano vs Trevor James the Horn soprano, has anyone tried both please?

[Tonehole]

I yield to you on your expertise and wealth of knowledge. 😎
My experience is limited to two personal saxophones and no expertise.

 

[the_eleven]

Regarding the one vs two piece neck question, I have an example of each: a Yany SW-020 and a recent Keilwerth SX90.

They could not be more different. While the two piece Yany has an easy and perfect intonation it feels almost too “locked” in which probably explains why classical players tend to like it. This may be the bore design but it feels “stiff” in the upper part if the bore.

The one piece Keilwerth has the redesigned bore that Benedikt Eppsheim and Dave Liebman came up with and there is no doubt in my mind, playing them side by side, that a one piece design has more resonance and tonal color.

 

[Stephen Howard]

I yield to you on your expertise and wealth of knowledge. 😎
My experience is limited to two personal saxophones and no expertise.

Well I wouldn't say that these issues should dissuade anyone from going for a sop with detachable crooks, but it's as well to be aware of them. And perhaps the big takeaway is to check that the crook(s) are a good snug fit before parting with your readies.

On the flip side...I see quite a few single-piece sops with pull-throughs stuck in them.

Swings 'n roundabouts.

 

[Nick Wyver]

I play (mostly) a Yanag 991. I find the 2 necks handy because it means I can fit them to 2 different mouthpieces where the shank sizes are different.

 

[Tonehole]

How would a SA 80 II stand up to a comparable Yani or Yami soprano?
Have a buddy who is shopping.

 

[Stephen Howard]

How would a SA 80 II stand up to a comparable Yani or Yami soprano?
Have a buddy who is shopping.

From a purely technical perspective I find that the build quality of Yani sops is top of the pile...with Yamaha very close behind.
That's quite a high benchmark.
Selmer are, I would say, the trailer in the pack. But they do make a good job of toneholes flatness.

The action on both the Yanis and Yamahas is superb. The Selmer is somewhat stodgy by comparision. Again, these are high benchmarks.

In playability terms it gets very subjective. Yanagisawa has a broad range of options - and I've always considered their horns to be a 'safe bet'. Yamahas have a bit more zip and zing. The Selmer is a solid performer but perhaps a little on the dull side.
That said, if I was going to buy a Selmer it would be the Series II rather than the III.

They're all very good instruments at the end of the day - and any of them would be a good choice if they fit the tone profile your friend is looking for. If that's not a concern then I'd say try a Yani first, then a Yamaha and then a Selmer.

 

[Mix O Lydian]

I tried to get on with my TJ soprano but it just didn't work out. Nothing against TJ saxes but for me it was not the right sound.

So... I found a second hand Yamaha 475 from a well known UK online music retailer. (Rhymes with "ear for music"). Excellent condition with a "it would be rude not to" price tag. I was hesitant because the photos showed the outside of the case was dirty and marked. But I went ahead because of the price (and their no quibble returns policy).

It arrived the next day (yesterday). As described this sax is in excellent condition, not a single mark on it, pads, corks look fresh, doesn't smell weird (a bonus). It's just like a brand new saxophone, considering the outside of the case was so dirty - as if it had been stored somewhere like a garage. The inside of the case was pristine. Anyway with a bit of cleaning, the case now looks fine.

It played beautifully straight out of the box. Maybe I'm more relaxed because I'm testing it at home. But it just felt easier to play than the one I tried in a shop a couple of months back

And I just love the way it sounds, so much more stable and rounded than my mad little TJ soprano. A quick enquiry through Yamaha, tells me this soprano was made in June 2014.

Anyway in the bag was a plastic 4C mouthpiece, a 6CM mouthpiece (which I already had anyway) and a Rovner Versa ligature. I currently use Rovner Dark. I'm not a ligature pedant, I only use Rovner because it has only one screw to faff around with.

So what's with this Versa and it's "flaps". Emperor's new clothes or no?