Saxophones YAS-23, Yamaha Vito, differences?

[DavidUK]

Picked up one each of these recently (well, a pair of Vitos actually - GAS attack!). They play well and look identical apart from the Vito's dark golden colour. Necks are interchangeable too.

I'd go as far as to say they are the same horn. Does anyone disagree?

I'll try and post a pictorial mini review if I get some time. I may be imagining it but personally I prefer the YAS-23 to the 62 Mk1 I tried. One of those difficult to put down horns.....

Buffet 400 still wins though.

Also switched from Yamaha 4C MP to the Bari Esprit II and RJS filed 2M, until I get some new Marca Jazz reeds to compare. I think my last (too old) MJ 2 1/2 was holding back the MP's potential.

 

[Ads]

I'll try and post a pictorial mini review if I get some time. I may be imagining it but personally I prefer the YAS-23 to the 62 Mk1 I tried. One of those difficult to put down horns.....
.

I`m REALLY thinking now that 62 Mk1 you tried was a total dud .. the 62 Mk3 I have is still the best alround Alto I`ve played inlcuding Yanis, TJ Sig Customs etc . I`ve not played the Buffet 400 in Alto, the Tenor was very good though (about TJ Rev level)

 

[Colin the Bear]

I've been experimenting with the Bari esprit on clarinet and alto. I seem to get best results with american cut reeds(unfiled) as apposed to french cut(filed). I'm not sure of the length of the lay on the esprit but with it being an american outfit it's probably the longer american not the shorter french. I'm using rico orange box. My selmer mouthpieces prefer the french cut vandoren traditional blue.

 

[Ads]

I`ve been experimenting with the Esprit-II also on Alto . still struggling to get higher than the upper register D (1st Palm key) using Rico Orange 2.5 without busting a bloodvessel (softer reeds just choke) , but I`m a tenor player who`s only been playing Alto a couple of months , I`m still octaving on the low notes upto D unless I`m very careful too .. this is regardless of Horn BTW (I`m just as crap on a mates Yani A902) , Tenor is so much damn easier - LOL

 

[jonf]

Yamaha Vitos are basically YAS23s, although you might see some trivial differences between some 23s and Vitos, as there were a few refinements over the years. If memory serves me right some Vitos got improved side key linkages, which on the Yamaha branded ones didn't appear until the YAS25.

I've had several of each, and they're great, with the Vitos being fantastic value.

 

[daveysaxboy]

Same sax, different lacquer . Both great

 

[MMM]

According to some US posts, the only real difference was the build quality, with some techs actually going as far as saying that the Yamaha Vitos where the worst student saxes to work on (uneven toneholes, etc, the kind of stuff you don't see unless you take it apart), but hey it's just hearsay and batches may have changed/improved over their production run.
Cheers,
M.

 

[jonf]

According to some US posts, the only real difference was the build quality, with some techs actually going as far as saying that the Yamaha Vitos where the worst student saxes to work on (uneven toneholes, etc, the kind of stuff you don't see unless you take it apart), but hey it's just hearsay and batches may have changed/improved over their production run.
Cheers,
M.

According to my experience, based on actual ownership of several of each, there was no difference in the build quality at all, as you'd expect from saxes coming out of the same factory, made to the same spec by the same workers. Just another anti-oriental myth of the sort that poliferates on some forums. Quite how anyone could ever appraise a Yamaha built sax as being worse built than, say, a Selmer Bundy is beyond me.

 

[ellinas]

Hello everyone.

The "golden age" of Yamaha is the one from the point 0 up to "Purple Logo" era.
Which means any 21 or 23 will play a LOT better than any today's 275 or even 62ii or 62iii.
<personal opinion>

And why do I say that? Because Vitos kept being 21s long after 23 was introduced.
Vitos up to 1989 were 21s !
Relevant link : http://www.doctorsax.biz/Yamaha_Vito_History.htm

Yamaha Vitos are the same horn, and for those that seek a 21 a vito, it is an easier find.
Yamaha Vitos are cheaper too!!!!

I have a "golden era" Yamaha tenor 23 that has unbelievable sound. ( the one in my avatar photo ) And got it for pennies.
Steven Howard must have had a similar one.

My tech who is the classic MK6 snobbist told me that he has stumbled upon early 23 yamahas and has found them brilliant, and a LOT better than their modern equivalents (2XX models).

I think it's a shame that many players quickly sold their beloved 80s student yamaha saxophone to get that "better" one at an early stage and didn't really spend the time to build their skills with these horns.

These horns have excellent tone, impeccable intonation, they are not just mouthpiece friendly ... ALL mouthpieces work well, they hold really well their regulation, all techs know how to fix them, parts are widely available, their lacquer quality is perfect etc etc etc ....

< By VITO please don't confuse Beaugnier VITOS (Excellent french sound, specials or duke are brighter, standards are darker - Better intonation than MK6,Couesnons or SMLs ) or Yanagisawa VITOS ( The VSP line is interesting especially the baris ) .... or Jupiter Vitos ( The reason why many people have connected VITO with entry level student saxes ) ... with Yammies. We're talking about Yamaha Vitos - made in Japan >

I may sound crazy but a good 23 is so much better than some Selmers without the bells n whistles of a pro horn ( and that includes the lower end MKVI , MKVII, - not all selmers are dream horns - ).
And so much cheaper of course.

Sometimes I feel that people on the "other" forums are really snob about "student" Yamahas because most of them are sellers of vintage horns and this information could impact their sales.

I love vintage saxophones for what they are what they do and the variation they offer. But with todays used price of Yamahas, a repadded 80s 23 at 400E is a steal.

stelios

 

[Ads]

Hello everyone.

The "golden age" of Yamaha is the one from the point 0 up to "Purple Logo" era.
Which means any 21 or 23 will play a LOT better than any today's 275 or even 62ii or 62iii.
<personal opinion>
stelios

I Know its a personal opionion but I also think it`s an Urban myth, the purple part of which is getting out of hand (especially regarding Purple logo 23s, 25s and 32s) . if Yamaha couldn`t make Pro saxes better than a late 70s / early 80s student model they`d have given up ages ago.

OK, I didn`t like the 275 tenor I tried much either but the Silver 62 I Tenor I just bought plays and sounds better than the post-purple Mk1 62 and the older 61 I tenors I`ve played (I preferred the 62 to the 61 to be honest) .

 

[DavidUK]

I Know its a personal opionion but I also think it`s an Urban myth, the purple part of which is getting out of hand (especially regarding Purple logo 23s, 25s and 32s) . if Yamaha couldn`t make Pro saxes better than a late 70s / early 80s student model they`d have given up ages ago.

OK, I didn`t like the 275 tenor I tried much either but the Silver 62 I Tenor I just bought plays and sounds better than the post-purple Mk1 62 and the older 61 I tenors I`ve played (I preferred the 62 to the 61 to be honest) .

Ah.... but have you tried a 23 or Yam Vito? I have both here and, like I said, found it difficult to put the 23 down. Not so with the 62 MkI, but to be fair that was in the seller's home!

Having said that, my newly overhauled Grassi 2000 Pro Tenor did eclipse my YTS-23 but the latter hadn't had the benefit of a Charlie Connolly £350 overhaul.

 

[Ads]

Yes in Tenor and it`s very good as is the 32 (which is kinda like 23 keywork on a 62 body but with its own bell) but no 62 as you`d expect - Sound wasn`t a great deal different but the handling of the 62s and 61s are, hence why they exist in the first place, Unlike the Zs and Customs which have bling designed in to the cost, the 62s are workhorse Pro horns with no more pretention than the 21/23/25 Student models or the 32/475 ....

If i`d thought there was anyhing in the least magic about the 23 (or 25 which gets ignored) over its Pro cousins I`d have saved a packet and got one, in fact I`d have got one instead of the BW when I was backup hunting ..

It`s unlikely a 23 or any other Yam would be in need of a £350 Connolly overhaul unless it had been driven over by a tractor - in fact very little of that amount would be setup (what makes the thing play well) or tone hole levelleing (which Yams won`t need unless involved in farm machinery again) anyway........ he took out a ding and checked setup / adjusted bits of the JP Curved Sop for £30 , a checkover of that 32 would likely cost less