Yas-62

jambo · Nov 15, 2006

Ive been lookin at the Yamaha YAS-62 Alto's lately. It looks like a good model for me for the future as apparantly they have a pure tone (which i like).

Has anyone else got any oppinions on them?

Pete, am i right in thinking that you owned one?

Pete Thomas · Nov 15, 2006

I had one once, but it was stolen. You never know, you might find that one on ebay!!!

It was a good horn, but so long ago I don't remember much about it.

Bobby G · Nov 15, 2006

Oh cripes, Pete, I hope I haven't got your old YAS-62

I've had mine for about 6 months, and I believe it's from the 80's (the purple transfer logo on the bell gives its age away). It fits my smallish hands very well, the action is nice and smooth, intonation is very good top to bottom and I can get sounds I'm very happy with, overall it's a very easy blow. It works fine with any mouthpiece I put on it (I have about 5 or 6) but the Meyer is my favourite, although recently I've been dirtying it up some with my metal Brilhart.

Rumour, or expert opinion (I'm no expert btw) has it that the older ones are better than the current ones, although I haven't had the chance to compare.

If memory serves, there is a review of one on Steve Howard's excellent site. In fact, he owns one, so if it's good enough for him....

Cheers, Bob

Pete Thomas · Nov 15, 2006

Bob Green wrote:
Oh cripes, Pete, I hope I haven't got your old YAS-62

I've had mine for about 6 months, and I believe it's from the 80's (the purple transfer logo on the bell gives its age away). It fits my smallish hands very well, the action is nice and smooth, intonation is very good top to bottom and I can get sounds I'm very happy with,

Yes, that's mine. can I have it back please?

Jules · Nov 15, 2006

Bob Green wrote:

Rumour, or expert opinion (I'm no expert btw) has it that the older ones are better than the current ones, although I haven't had the chance to compare.

Isn't it the case that you can name more or less any sax that's been in production for a while and 'the word on the street' will be that the only good ones are the older ones?

8|

greg_strange · Nov 15, 2006

I have had mine for about 20 years.
When I bought mine it was Yamaha's top of the line alto.
Nowdays it is Yamaha's bottom of the line/basis pro horn with the Yamaha 82Z Custom and Yamaha 875 EX Custom being their top models. I think a lot of people are referring the original model as the Mark 1 and the new 62 series as the Mark 2(II) version.
They are an excellent horn, and a number of well-know people have played them in the past including Pete Thomas as mentioned above and Tom Scott, Dave Koz, Ernie Watts and Herb Geller.
I have an album called "Casino Lights Live at Montreaux" with a photograph of David Sanborn playing one in the early 80s.
Last week I was talking to a bloke who owns a '72 Selmer (Paris) Mark VI alto and he was commenting how good the 62 series Yamaha saxes are. Like with any horn have a blow before you purchase it - what might suit me might not suit you.

Bobby G · Nov 15, 2006

Pete Thomas wrote:

Bob Green wrote:
Oh cripes, Pete, I hope I haven't got your old YAS-62

I've had mine for about 6 months, and I believe it's from the 80's (the purple transfer logo on the bell gives its age away). It fits my smallish hands very well, the action is nice and smooth, intonation is very good top to bottom and I can get sounds I'm very happy with,

Read more…

Yes, that's mine. can I have it back please?

Ooh, umm... I think bearing in mind it's a one-time top-of-the-line pro horn, whoever theived yours probably shipped it well out of harm's way... maybe somewhere.... like New Zealand? Hang on, Greg's in NZ and has a 62, that's far more likely to be it.

Nachoman, you are quite right, the word is always that the older ones are better. Obviously true, since mine is an older one. I'm sure that the modern ones, even if they are 'only' basic pro horns, are fine.

Cheers, Bob

mfox · Nov 15, 2006

i just got a yamaha 82x custom unlaquered in the last few weeks.. i love it.. tried a whole heap of saxes out.. old and new.. went for this.. my advice is try as many as you can, and pick the best you can.. we all like different things..

Bobby G · Nov 15, 2006

You're right there, mfox, you should try as many as you can. If money had been less of an object I'd've tried what you have, probably also various Yani's, Selmer Refs etc - not to mention comparing modern vs vintage horns if possible - but fortunately the 62 came up, I tried it, liked it a lot and bought it. Aesthetically I like it too, its very unfussy-looking. A whole load of engraving isn't top of my list when choosing a horn, in fact I like 'em plain (I have a similar taste in guitars also).

Cheers, Bob

greg_strange · Nov 16, 2006

Crikey, Strewth Bob. You've stumbled across my scam - nicking saxes in the North Hemisphere and smuggling them to Southern Hemisphere.
Pete's alto playing very well, so is Mel Collin's tenor, but Kenny G's soprano making a funny sound...hang on there's some curly hair stuck in the bell of the horn.
You can always recognize me - I've got a patch over one eye, a sax in one hand and a parrot sitting ...or should that be sh***ing on my shoulder.

impulse · Nov 16, 2006

Damn I just bought a Yam 62 and I`m in Australia.

Bobby G · Nov 16, 2006

Looks like Pete's old 62 has been spawning.... and you've got Mel Collins's tenor there too Greg! A top player, I like him with King Crimson.

Cheers, Bob

jonf · Nov 16, 2006

[No message]

tengu01 · Nov 16, 2006

I've heard that they are really good pro horns. Tried, tested and true.

Not everyone likes them but then again, getting 10 sax players to agree on a sax (apart from the 6 who will slavishly disagree with anything that isn't a Selmer Mk6) will be difficult.

They don't sell for Selmer premiums but they're solid.

My advice is get out there and practice as many of them as possible. I was surprised by the results of playtesting as opposed to what I had read and was expecting. What fits in your hands and resonates well with you isn't something you can gauge from reading about it.

Good luck and let us know how it goes

🙂

jambo · Nov 16, 2006

Cheers Everyone.

Next year I intend to get a job to get money, then go and get a really awesome Alto and Curved Soprano.

At the mo im just looking at reviews and stuff on the net, to give me an idea of the different models and brands.

The problem is the battle between Vintage Saxes and Modern Saxes! I would never know what is better to get! lol