Yanagisawa Altos

[jambo]

As no-one answered my post on Yani Curved Sopranos, I decided to ask the same about the Altos... or just Yanis in gereral.

Sax.co.uk are very enthusiastic about them. Athought there was a comment saying the have "less tonal depth" to others.


What do you guys think?

 

[Bobby G]

I have a 10-year-old Yani tenor, it's great! I've also had a blow on a number of Yani alto's at Myatt's in Hitchin. Very smooth, intonation and sound are excellent, really easy to play. Unfortunately at the time my budget wouldn't quite run to it otherwise I may well have bought one.

As it happens I got my YAS-62 shortly after that so I am happy.

I played once with someone who had a curved Yani sop, it sounded really sweet and came recommended by the player.

Cheers, Bob

 

[robaldo]

Jambo wrote:
As no-one answered my post on Yani Curved Sopranos, I decided to ask the same about the Altos... or just Yanis in gereral.

What do you guys think?

Get one!

Best damn sax I ever played.

When our friend can tell us what "tonal depth" means, I'll listen to his opinion!
8|

 

[jonf]

I've got a Yani Tenor. It's a bronze one, a T992, and it has the best tone of any sax I've ever played. Lack of tonal depth? Not for me.

If you can manage it, pay a visit to sax.co.uk. They'll let you try as many saxes as you want in a practice room, so you can find out for yourself. They have an UNBELIEVABLE number of saxes, and you can try as many as you want, without pressure.

 

[Linky Lee]

Yanigasawas being a japanese modern instrument a generally bright like the modern Yamahas.

I find that the standard models are too thin for my liking (especially on tenor which I think should always be a bit dark and rich)
Though if you go and get one with a different material or a heavy laquer it can dampen some of this and I think they become very nice instruments and very versatile, they still have the brightness to cut through but have a slightly better tone overall.

I like the 902 series, and some of the silver models are great.

 

[lb]

I have the standard 901 tenor, and while the tone's perhaps on the 'bright' side for what I'd ideally like, the lightness of the action and of the instrument itself make it a delight to play. Good value, too, for the price. The setup and general build quality are supposed to be pretty high as well.

 

[tengu01]

I have tried the 992 alto and tenor. They are magnificent. There is something about the way they resonate under my hands that really makes them feel alive.

I don't know about any "lack of tonal depth". You really do have to try them out for yourself, but they are not to be sniffed at. After extensive tenor trials, I settled on the T992 as my favourite. I really liked the A992 as well, but when buying my new alto, there wasn't one available to try and there was a special offer going on a Selmer Series 3 that I just couldn't ignore.

.....so now I am trying to find ways to justify having both

 

[Rogerb]

FWIW (not much from such a newbie!) I got a better sound and feel from an A901, than from a whole heap of Borganis and even a Ref 54 Selmer (although that was nice, to & very pretty!).
The shop-owner reckons the 900 series play better than the more expensive ones.

 

[Dylan]

I have just bought myself a T-902 after MUCH research. I must have played just about every new horn available
I kept coming back to the Yani. The only other horns that came close were the Borganis and the P.Mauriat 66R.

These were the only horns that just felt right to me - ie having that indefinable something in the sound and feel. I'm not going to use any adjectives to describe the sound as it is so subjective. However I will say that the description "less tonal depth" is bemusing to say the least.

I'd say big, big sound but mellow with it - oh b*g*er - adjectives

The ergonomics on the Yanis also just suited me perfectly. The intonation was also spot on from the word go.

Have a go and see. At the very least you'll have loads of fun trying!!

 

[lee_]

I know this isn't gonna be any help to you, since you're looking at new horns, but I gig with an ancient Yani alto and I've never been able to find one better. It's an old A-4, probably from the late 60s. Excellent tone, not too bright, not too dark. Rips into scream with ease, and can purr like a kitten in the next breath. A heavy horn, too.

If I was to go for a new one, I'm sure the current Yani lineup would be at the top of my shopping list.

As I'm really a tenor player at heart (Buescher 400), I like horns that play fairly dark.

If I were you, I'd give the Yanis a blow and see if you like the tone and action. I believe you can be confident all the rest - build quality, resale value, service, etc - is already there.

 

[mfox]

i just don't like yanis..cold lumps of metal to me.. but thats just my taste..were all different.. go for whats suits

 

[Rogerb]

"..cold lumps of metal to me.."

Isn't that they *all* are? 🙂
(Understand your point, though I disagree!)

 

[Bobby G]

I suppose they are all cold lumps of metal, and it's irrational what you take against sometimes. Me, I was prejudiced for years against Yamaha guitars, nasty thin-sounding not-real things that I thought they were. Their saxophones are quite nice though 😉

Cheers, Bob

 

[tris]

Yani only make saxes.. and they are doing it right

 

[lee_]

Most of my music education was received during 6 years in Jr and Sr High School marching bands . . . in North Texas . . . very cold and windy during the last two thirds of football season. So I have long been at peace with the concept of the horn as a cold lump of metal.
:whistle:

Installing warmth into one isn't really that big an issue for me. Now magnetism - I'm still working on that.

 

[david_tannahill]

[No message]

 

[Linky Lee]

I doubt that the sax really did sound as good or as better as a TJ signature.

They are some seriously good professional horns and at a great price as well!

I like Yanigasawas but only really for Alto and Soprano. When you get into Tenor and Baritone territory you need something with that smoky, hot edge to it's tone. I find that Yanigasawas can't get that.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Linky_Lee wrote:

I like Yanigasawas but only really for Alto and Soprano. When you get into Tenor and Baritone territory you need something with that smoky, hot edge to it's tone. I find that Yanigasawas can't get that.

I'll agree with that. I got a yani baritone for the uni at southampton when i was teaching there, but it semed vey tame. The hanson SB8 I borrowed for while was great, so is my Martin Handcraft and a Conn I had for while. I also had a MKVI Bb bari that was completely pants.

 

[Bobby G]

Maybe it's only the newer ones, my '95 tenor sounds nice and fat if I want it to. I'm still tempted to try an oldie, though, I have a hankering for an old Buescher.

Cheers, Bob

 

[Linky Lee]

I think we all have a bit of a 'hankering' for a nice vintage horn.

That's why I'm really trying to get my Martin sorted out. Hopefully it will fulfill that vintage part of my heart... I mean sax collection.