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Sax on the Web Forum Archive / Baritone Saxophone / selmer vs yani 991

andur74
User ID: 0067194 Mar 29th 5:28 AM
any suggest about this match?

anybody played yany 900? what about?

Fun Bun
User ID: 8416263 Mar 29th 7:03 AM
I depends on what you are looking for in a horn. I play a 992 bari. The reason I chose this was because I have a bad back and I needed a light wieght horn so that I wouldn't aggrevate my back too much. I liked the keyworking of the Yani. much better than the Selmer (the low a key is on the right side with the Yani. and on the left side on the Selmer. Therefore, it is easier to finger low A with the Yani.), plus the double arms on the low C, B, Bb, and A key really keeps the horn from leaking. It is freeblowing and has a lively sound.

To me the Selmer sounded dead. I guess that explains why so many Selmer S80 II players I have seen use such radical mouthpieces. With the Yani. I just don't have to work as hard.

BrianA
User ID: 1696934 Mar 29th 11:16 AM
I fully agree that the Yani 991 and 992 are some of the finest bari saxes made today both mechanically and soundwise and with the nicest ergonomic set up of all the current horns and most of the vintage bari saxes.

Noel
User ID: 8179663 Mar 29th 11:41 AM
I love Yani bari's. But I never hear anyone mention the guardala bari's. I tested out a couple of yani's, guardala's, and keilwerth's. I was kind of on a budget so the only bari's i was considering were the yani 901 and the guardala pro model. The guardala has a fatter sound, not too much heavier than the yani and has double arms just like the yani 991. So I went with the guardala and have not regretted it at all. Never needs repairs. The case it comes with kind of sucks though. But if the yani plays well for you then go with that.

Steve W.
User ID: 1125704 Mar 30th 4:53 AM
I have a 901 Yani and love it! I have a MK VI alto so I am prone to be pro Selmer. However the Yani 901 is a great value for the money and has great intonation. The 991-992 are even better I understand in their construction. Don't hesitate to purchase a Yani sax they are great. If I was in the market for a new alto or tenor, it would be a Yanigisawa.

Sherry
User ID: 0784604 Mar 30th 7:52 PM
I have a Yani 901 bari and I also am happy with it. I have tried a 992 and it was an excellent horn, but it didn't make me feel sorry that I have a 901. I would definitely consider the 991 or 992 though for the more durable construction.

I have tried a Selmer Series II Bari and liked the sound a great deal; however I did not find the key layout to be comfortable. I thought the sound had a bit more "cut" than the Yani does though. I got the 901 from Europe and it was a heck of a deal - although I've seen some from US dealers for just a few hundred $$$ more. Occassionally you can find a used Vito VSP bari used, those are basically the Yani 900 with different engraving.

manofsteel
User ID: 9084913 Apr 1st 2:29 PM
Hi Sherry,

There was a Yanigisawa made Vito on ebay not long ago. I didn't bid on it, and it never made it to the reserve, but I've been trying to find out what model Yani it stenciled.

Where did you find out that it was a 900? I've heard the 900s are/were nice horns and are certainly pro models, no?

Do you know if they stenciled any other models for Vito? This particular horn wasn't noted as a Vito VSP.

Lastly, how does one identify that the Vito was made by Yani? Is it engraved as such?

Thanks! BTW, did you ever get a lesson from Ira on Bari? I never knew he played bari but when I was at Manny's the other day, he mentioned that Ira just got his low A bari overhauled there.

MusicMan
User ID: 0464054 Apr 1st 2:52 PM
I play tested both the Yani 991 and Selmer SA80II before making my purchase. Logistically, I couldn't play them side by side (I had to travel quite a ways to get to either of them, unfortunately in opposite directions).

I went with the Selmer. I prefered the sound. The keywork was good, maybe not as nicely laid out as the Yani, but I don't think it was all that big a difference. I have fairly big hands and the Selmer feels good to me. The low A takes getting used to, but now that I've played it for a couple of months, I don't notice it.

For me, the sound was the thing and I felt the Selmer had a more complex warm sound than the Yani.

The Yani was a good horn and originally what I had planned to purchase.

andur74
User ID: 0603144 Apr 5th 5:16 AM
anybody played yany 900? who could tell me something about this horn?

Sherry
User ID: 1759784 Apr 5th 12:41 PM
I knew Ira played bari but when I was taking lessons from him I didn't have one.

If you look at the LeBlance brochure - LeBlanc owns Vito and Yanagisawa - you'll see that the Vito VSP and Yani 901 are virtually identical. I also have spoken to representatives of LeBlanc and it is no secret that Yani makes the Vito bari. As far as I can tell the difference between the Vito VSP and the Yani 901 is the engraving and a different thumb rest.

This has also been discussed by others on this board (somewhere) and on some other discussion sites.

cashsax
User ID: 9014973 Apr 7th 5:51 AM
..overall sounds pops out much easier on the Asian horn, and imho doesn't change much after that. The Selmer is much deeper in depth and tone.. they don't always play right out of the box,,takes a few months then you're glad you've got the beast I mean the BEST..

andur74 User ID: 0067194	Mar 29th 5:28 AM any suggest about this match? anybody played yany 900? what about?
Fun Bun User ID: 8416263	Mar 29th 7:03 AM I depends on what you are looking for in a horn. I play a 992 bari. The reason I chose this was because I have a bad back and I needed a light wieght horn so that I wouldn't aggrevate my back too much. I liked the keyworking of the Yani. much better than the Selmer (the low a key is on the right side with the Yani. and on the left side on the Selmer. Therefore, it is easier to finger low A with the Yani.), plus the double arms on the low C, B, Bb, and A key really keeps the horn from leaking. It is freeblowing and has a lively sound. To me the Selmer sounded dead. I guess that explains why so many Selmer S80 II players I have seen use such radical mouthpieces. With the Yani. I just don't have to work as hard.
BrianA User ID: 1696934	Mar 29th 11:16 AM I fully agree that the Yani 991 and 992 are some of the finest bari saxes made today both mechanically and soundwise and with the nicest ergonomic set up of all the current horns and most of the vintage bari saxes.
Noel User ID: 8179663	Mar 29th 11:41 AM I love Yani bari's. But I never hear anyone mention the guardala bari's. I tested out a couple of yani's, guardala's, and keilwerth's. I was kind of on a budget so the only bari's i was considering were the yani 901 and the guardala pro model. The guardala has a fatter sound, not too much heavier than the yani and has double arms just like the yani 991. So I went with the guardala and have not regretted it at all. Never needs repairs. The case it comes with kind of sucks though. But if the yani plays well for you then go with that.
Steve W. User ID: 1125704	Mar 30th 4:53 AM I have a 901 Yani and love it! I have a MK VI alto so I am prone to be pro Selmer. However the Yani 901 is a great value for the money and has great intonation. The 991-992 are even better I understand in their construction. Don't hesitate to purchase a Yani sax they are great. If I was in the market for a new alto or tenor, it would be a Yanigisawa.
Sherry User ID: 0784604	Mar 30th 7:52 PM I have a Yani 901 bari and I also am happy with it. I have tried a 992 and it was an excellent horn, but it didn't make me feel sorry that I have a 901. I would definitely consider the 991 or 992 though for the more durable construction. I have tried a Selmer Series II Bari and liked the sound a great deal; however I did not find the key layout to be comfortable. I thought the sound had a bit more "cut" than the Yani does though. I got the 901 from Europe and it was a heck of a deal - although I've seen some from US dealers for just a few hundred $$$ more. Occassionally you can find a used Vito VSP bari used, those are basically the Yani 900 with different engraving.
manofsteel User ID: 9084913	Apr 1st 2:29 PM Hi Sherry, There was a Yanigisawa made Vito on ebay not long ago. I didn't bid on it, and it never made it to the reserve, but I've been trying to find out what model Yani it stenciled. Where did you find out that it was a 900? I've heard the 900s are/were nice horns and are certainly pro models, no? Do you know if they stenciled any other models for Vito? This particular horn wasn't noted as a Vito VSP. Lastly, how does one identify that the Vito was made by Yani? Is it engraved as such? Thanks! BTW, did you ever get a lesson from Ira on Bari? I never knew he played bari but when I was at Manny's the other day, he mentioned that Ira just got his low A bari overhauled there.
MusicMan User ID: 0464054	Apr 1st 2:52 PM I play tested both the Yani 991 and Selmer SA80II before making my purchase. Logistically, I couldn't play them side by side (I had to travel quite a ways to get to either of them, unfortunately in opposite directions). I went with the Selmer. I prefered the sound. The keywork was good, maybe not as nicely laid out as the Yani, but I don't think it was all that big a difference. I have fairly big hands and the Selmer feels good to me. The low A takes getting used to, but now that I've played it for a couple of months, I don't notice it. For me, the sound was the thing and I felt the Selmer had a more complex warm sound than the Yani. The Yani was a good horn and originally what I had planned to purchase.
andur74 User ID: 0603144	Apr 5th 5:16 AM anybody played yany 900? who could tell me something about this horn?
Sherry User ID: 1759784	Apr 5th 12:41 PM I knew Ira played bari but when I was taking lessons from him I didn't have one. If you look at the LeBlance brochure - LeBlanc owns Vito and Yanagisawa - you'll see that the Vito VSP and Yani 901 are virtually identical. I also have spoken to representatives of LeBlanc and it is no secret that Yani makes the Vito bari. As far as I can tell the difference between the Vito VSP and the Yani 901 is the engraving and a different thumb rest. This has also been discussed by others on this board (somewhere) and on some other discussion sites.
cashsax User ID: 9014973	Apr 7th 5:51 AM ..overall sounds pops out much easier on the Asian horn, and imho doesn't change much after that. The Selmer is much deeper in depth and tone.. they don't always play right out of the box,,takes a few months then you're glad you've got the beast I mean the BEST..