[bobber]

I did do a search on this topic, did not find the answer, sorry if it is a repost.

My son is wanting to start sax. I have been playing my 62 tenor daily vs weekly lately. And frankly have not even looked into a new horn for years. My 62 is almost show room perfect, I take off my rings when i play, and if im not playing it, it is in the case. Cleaned EVERY time it is played.
For now my horn is a NO touch for him.

I started looking for a sax for him and just wanted to inquire on how much difference is there in the Japan Yamaha's and Yamaha's made else where.
I think a 23 or 475 would make him a great horn if i can find a solid one at a fair price.

My son is 10 years, old 4th grade i think he can pick up sax pretty well. He did the recorded thing in music. Now he is trying to learn new music way beyond the stuff they do on his little recorded. He is asking all the time if I would get him a Sax. If he really wants to learn why not let him start early. In my part of the world kids dont play brass until 6th grade.

If starting early is a bad idea let me know please
God bless
bob

 

[Chris Peryagh]

Starting early is much better than starting late, so starting sax at 10 is ideal and there's no time like the present - you don't have to put it off another 2 years just because they teach brass when they're in grade 6 (and saxes are woodwinds like recorders). Although recorder can be played to a very high level, right now it's probably not a very inspiring instrument as he'll feel everyone's playing one and the novelty of playing "London's Burning" week in, week out has worn off.

As Yamaha excercise stringent quality control measures compared to some other makers and they're a Japanese company (even though they have several factories around Asia outside Japan), they are producing instruments of a quality that isn't seen in homegrown instruments from the same country they're being made in. A YAS-275 will last your son all the way through the remainder of primary school and well into and maybe beyond high school, by which time he may have upgraded to a 62. As altos are lighter and smaller than tenor, they're the best for learning on - he can always move onto tenor later if he wants (or soprano or bari).

So I'd say get him started on sax now (or as soon as you can) instead of waiting - they might want him to play viola or tenor horn in grade 6, so get in there now!

 

[bobber]

Chris, i started at 40 years old playing sax. My Horn is a Yamaha 62 (japan), I love it.

My concern was is there any major difference is the US or Japan made sax. Thank you, it is great to know that the horns are all nice quality.

My goals are as follows
Buy my son a nice quality horn to learn sax basics at a fairly reasonable price. Cosmetics are not a huge issue, as long as the horn is in pristine playing order. Is the YAS 23 a compromise to learning sax basics? I can pick one up pretty cheap.

When he gets a year to year and half experience on the Sax,( skill and CARE) then move him up to a nicer horn for school. The horns we are considering at this point are 475, 575, 52 or maybe a 62(maybe if he merits it).

I am sorry to be so limited on my knowledge of Sax's. At the time I was looking for a sax. The research yield for me a Yamaha 62 would be the correct fit. I based my choice on the desire to have a quality horn I would never outgrow. My research end with the purchase of my sax.

Is this a bad path to follow?

 

[spike421]

The YAS 23, IM0, is a great student horn. I even know guys who use them professionally. It's light weight with reasonably modern keywork, perfect for a young student. If you buy used, you'll probably get your money back if your child decides it's (playing the sax) not for him. Regarding your other question about the comparitive quality of Japanese vs. other products. I worked for a large Japanese company (not in the Music field) for about four years, until 2007. I dealt with vendors from many Asian and European countries and of course the USA prior to that, for about 10 -12 years. Without going into a long digression on the merits of products from all of those countries, I found that the Japanese Companies and workers are the most concerened about their product quality and reputation. I found that the Japanese philosophy (which I become very familiar with) lends itself to the production of superior quality based on personal identification with the end product by both the company and it's employees. This doesn't mean that other Asian countries don't produce some fine products, but I would choose the Japanese made version, if I had a choice.

 

[hgiles]

Start them on a 23/275. Give them a chance to show you how much they respect the instrument, then when the time comes, go up to a 62 or 82. Don't even bother the with the 475 series, although their just fine. You'll just appreciate the difference much more going up to a 62 and it won't cost you much more.

Either that or a nice used Taiwan Pro horn to start on... I started my daughter on a Top CE Omega alto. She's now playing a 62IIS I found in a fire sale and I would have never done that if she didn't take exceptional care of her instrument.

 

[CHASAX]

This guy plays a YTS-23
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk/Reviews/Saxes/Alto/Alto_sax_reviews.htm

 

[Stephen Howard]

I worked on a newish Chinese-built YTS23 the other week - never seen one before (the client bought it on Hong Kong. We only seem to get the 275 series over here or the older 23s) and wasn't at all impressed by the build quality of the action.
I've never seen this kind of problem on a Yamaha before, and it's rather disappointing.
As such I wouldn't recommend them - and if I have the opportunity to get hold of the horn again I will be saying as much in a formal review.

Regards,

 

[milandro]

Stephen, are you sure that this 23 was a kosher Yamaha? I am asking because lately there have been reports of counterfeits and this could have been one. I have seen only 275 models made in China and Indonesia but I couldn't possibly make a technical assessment since I am not a technician.

 

[griff136]

I must admit I've never come across a chinese made 23 - although that doesnt mean to say there arent any. Like Milandro Ive only seen the 275 models and the S1 model and the allegro models which I am led to believe all hail from Indonesia.

I attended a Yahama Technicians Guild course where I learned amongst other things that Yamaha have their own engineering company that designs and builds all the requisite machinery needed to make their instruments and as such these machines are used in all Yamaha's factorys in aan and overseas.

 

[Stephen Howard]

Stephen, are you sure that this 23 was a kosher Yamaha? I am asking because lately there have been reports of counterfeits and this could have been one. I have seen only 275 models made in China and Indonesia but I couldn't possibly make a technical assessment since I am not a technician.

If it was a fake it was a remarkably good one (save for the action problem) - and as even pukka Chinese horns aren't stamped with the country of origin it makes little sense that a fake would be stamped 'Made in China'. If you'd gone to all the trouble of making the horn you might as well stamp it 'Made in Japan'...or simply not at all.

It came in the grey plastic case with the crappy catches...the type that give the appearance of the case being closed and locked when it isn't.

Once fixed it played as well as any 23.

Regards,

 

[bobber]

I just found my son a very nice YAS 23 (Japan), In the pics it appears to be somewhere between very good and mint condition. The pics are from all angles and very high resolution. I hope the horn is as nice as the pictures. I will post a follow up when it arrives.

BY the way

China made Yamaha YTS 23 TENOR or is it a fake.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yamaha-Tenor-Saxophone-YTS-23-YTS-23-Sax-/120833622005?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c223ebff5
I do not need another tenor but just stumbled across this one