Test report for YAS-82Z - Agree or not ?

[Tears June]

How much you recognize the following test report for the YAS-82Z ?



http://www.saxophones.co.uk/alto_sax_tests.htm

"I must admit that I was a bit apprehensive before trying this sax, thinking 'not another sax trying to emanate some of the great vintage saxes'. But wow! How wrong was I ! Immediately I found that the Custom Z was like playing a classic vintage Selmer but with all the innovations and advances of a modern saxophone. Very Mark VI ish. The tone is is fantastic! Rich and dark with a mellow jazzy edge. There was a real roundedness and fullness in its nature. It certainly has a refined antique quality to it. The action is outstanding; fast, well balanced and ergonomic. It gave immediate response, with the pearls nicely placed, as if my fingers were floating over it. With the option of an unlacquered finish, this is definitely one of my favourite saxes. One to woo your audience with! "



:cry:

[blow]

Yep, except I only have played a tenor so far. It's going to be my sax unless I get hold of a cheaper vintage Selmer (people in hell want ice water, too!)

[M Exner]

I did not think I would find a sax to take me away from my older model (painted logo) YAS-62. I've owned the Buffet, Mark VI and the Yamaha Custom through the years and yet the 62 was clearly my choice.

I also have a curved soprano Yani (a real gem) I've been playing for several years and thought I might try out the new heralded bronze A-992. And since the 82Z was also new I thought why not also give it a try but not really expecting anything significantly better from either sax.

Matthews Music sent them both to me (on a trial basis) and I soon realized there was something special about the Z.

Yes I agree. There is a distinctive vintage tone along with a slight jazzy edge to it. And yet it still has that crisp ergonomic key action of a modern sax I love.

It is beautifully engraved and if you know Yamaha, its annealed lacquer finish is unmatched by any.

When I pick up both my 62 and the Z, the Z is noticeably lighter which I think is said to contribute to its resonating quality. It works. I love it!

Even though I was under no obligation to purchase either sax, there was no turning back now. I quickly bought the Z and sent the Yani packing. Mike

[saxgroovez]

I wasn't to hip on the Z when I played it, but then I heard a sax player perform on it live, OH MY G..!!!! It was the sweetest thing I've ever heard!! I'm returning my custom and getting a Z!!

[psyguy]

Saxgroovez-

I own an 82Z with the revised G1 neck- no intonation problems. All I can say is that my mentor owns a vintage Mark VI and he sated that my 82Z plays like "butter".
To me this sax sounds amplified as it resonates so well!

Stu

[tarzenonsax]

I have heard so must about Custom Z, cant wait to get a try on it. Actually I have 3 horns in mind for my first tenor sax ... Selmer SAIII, Custom Z and 875. Sad to say my skill is terrible that i can't play a proper song to have a better feel of these horns.

Pls advice which one should I get.

[saxgroovez]

Honestly getting a horn is really up to your own ear. If you're unexperienced like I still kind of am then you really got play that same horn over and over again, and then sleep on it, then try another, and sleep on it, catch my drift, it then should just dawn on you. As far as the three horns you mentioned, I had a chance to try all of them out. I first tried out the custom 875 Tenor(older model) and really liked it. It had that sweet yamaha feel, a big sound, played perfectly in tune, it was very responsive, low notes were easier on it than any other horn I've ever tried. I then tried the Selmer SA80III tenor, that horn also kicked azz. It reminded me and was very similar in tone to the Yamaha custom, but totally lacked the sweet feel. To me both horns had many similarities, especially in sound. So I figured, Yamaha was 2995 and the selmer was 3700, I went with the Yamaha custom because they were similar in sound but the Yamaha key work is the best. So I had the 875 custom at home and played a gig with it. I wasn't happy. I then felt the custom 875 tenor gave me little control of it. I felt that the horn was controlling me, if that makes any sense. I really couldn't be me on it, I think it's because the horn is so centered, meaning, that it seems all customs play alike and you really can't do much with that factory installed sound it comes with, which is not by any means bad, just what i call "lack of tonal flexibility" is what I would say I got with the 875 Custom. That same week, I saw Average White Band in concert. The sax player played a sweet solo on a tune called a love of your own, I was totally knocked off my seat at hearing the sound he carried. I am very picky about sound, I have one of the best ears in the business, I can tell you what artist is playing without knowing the song, or I can almost guess what horn he's playing. When I heard this guy from AWB I could have guessed it was a very sweet Mark 6 tenor, but my ear told me it was too sweet for a 6 and also the color of the horn was not like the 6. All i can say is that, it was one of the best sax sounds i've ever heard. Later I hit the sax player up in the lobby during intermission, (Tower of Power was next), the cat's name is Freddy, and he told me that the tenor he was blowing was an 82 Z that Yamaha sent him to try out, I asked what he thought of it, and he said it was a great horn. He also said he was playing an otto link mouth piece customized by phil barone. So i guess what I'm getting at is that I think my experience proves correct that the 82 Z is more like a vintage horn like they've been trying to say, and I totally agree, but also like to add that it has that sweet vintage sound but also the new advances in sax technology. So you can't go wrong with the Z. Freddy also said all the Tower of Power guys were using the Zs also. I went back to grab the Z tenor, and my heart was content. I thought that the unlaquered Z tenor wooped all the rest, but went with the Laquered because I didn't want my horn to look to nasty to soon. After giving the Z a more in depth look and try out, i felt that the horn was extremely bright, but with the right mouthpiece can adjust the sound on it like Freddy did, the the response totally spanked all other Yamahas and Selmers, that i felt me and the horn became one, totally sensitive to my soulful style of playing, I think it's the best horn out there.....I hope this helps.

[tarzenonsax]

Hi thanks for your timely advice.

Z is my first choice also but it take 3 mths for it to import as my dealer do not have stock with them .. disappointed.

As most of them said, Z is very bright so is it going to sound good with my otto link 7 NY? and to my opinion when a horn is too bright the sound will become thin and breaking. Am I right to say that?

[jazzmasta123]

I agree with the statement YAMAHA 82Z IS A SWEET HORN. Mostly i think that the black and Gold ones do lack a bit of sound. Now if you go and try the Silver or Unlaquered one you will find it more BRIGHT and projected then the Gold or Black.
Reason = Heavy Laquer (spelled wrong) dampens sound.

Now the silver is lightly finished with a great sound and look . I recommend either the Silver or Unlaquered!

[j44breaker]

does anyone know how the z and the ex fare with classical music?

[M Exner]

I'm sure it would be fine. But that strikes a nerve with me.

I don't ascribe to the notion, as others have, that saxophones are to be chosen for a particular style of music i.e. jazz, classical and rock. No more than people can sing only one style of music and chosen for particular styles of music.

Playing classical and jazz is done effectively by the style and attitude of the player. Not so much wh`t particular sax he has at the moment. Lets give the player some credit.

Yes mouthpieces, reeds and ligatures have specialized effects and some are better suited for particalar music styles but in my opinion the player is the ultimate instrument not the sax.

Let me step down off my soapbox now. Sorry! :?

[j44breaker]

Exner, I totally agree with what you're saying.

Let me try to rephrase:

Is there anyone who has a Z or an EX, with prior experience with other older Yamaha's, that personally agree or disagree with the new Z and EX's classical sound?

I assume that both would work with classical, if you made it work.

But, everyone talks about how the Z has an edge and what not, but sometimes in legit (as also in jazz), you want all kinds of colors, not just an edge or just plain smooch. Plus, we can't forget the fact that the EX is more expensive--why? It has more improvements to the Z? Then why is Phil Woods playing on the Z and not the EX if it's got more "improvements"? There has to be a personal sound preference to why he chose the Z and not the EX if he's skipped out on "improvements" for sound.

The fact that everyone has the Z and raves about how it's a jazz/rock/fusion/etc. horn doesn't have me sold on how it'll play legit, or if one would prefer to play legit on the Z. I just want to know from someone who has it, whether one would prefer to have an EX by their side for classical playing.

[MBushaw]

I've found that Yamaha's all have a certain sound. It is consistant with a change in mouthpiece and player, and to me it is a dominant part of the total sound. (I find this true for Yanagisawa's too). True, the player / mouthpiece do color the sound, but the core Yamaha sound is pretty evident to me. I don't care for my sound on a Yamaha (bari, alto or sop), even though love their feel and ease of playing. There are other players who sound great on a Yamaha, I'm just not one of them.
The EX alto has the strong Yamaha core sound. The unlacquered Z alto does not. I liked how I sounded on the unlacquered Z. The lacquered Z sounded much more like a Yamaha, but if I hadn't just played the unlacquered one I would have been very happy with one. The EX has more expensive feeling keywork. anyone who has played a Y_S-23 and then played a Custom knows what I mean, the Custom's feel like fine machinery.
So if you get the tone you want on any other Yamaha, then chances are the EX will play like a dream for you. If you find that Yamaha's don't give you the sound you are after, and you can't afford that mint MkVI alto, try the Z, you might be very surprised.

[ehopper1]

Few weeks ago I tried a 82z alto.
It is a really good instrument. The sound seems to be similar to a vintage sax. But that´s the problem. It seems to be. I think that the instrument does not have the "soul" of a vintage alto like my King Super 20.
On the 82z alto I also had intonation problems with notes above A2.
I never have that problem with my King Super 20 (although most King saxes have lots of intonation problems).

[MB-913]

There is a small photo from teh below web site, Phil Woods is holding a unlacquered YAS (82 or 875EX ?)


http://stb139.co.jp/139/soundful/may/eve13.html

[Dirty Dave]

Looks like the same photo session as the pic on the cover of the WWBW catalogue, so I'd say 82Z.

[scottysax]

I got a UL custom Z about a year ago now and I've been playing it for jazz, classical, blues, rock... (school concerts and stuff mean I get the chance to try my hand at alot of styles) and I reckon its done me great. I passed my A-level playing classical on it so I'm pleased with its diversity i guess is the word. But like Exner sed its the player not the horn that makes the music.