[Yellowhorn]

Yamaha USA says this:

This product is discontinued and may not be available at all dealer locations.

Model: YSS-62
Years: 1979-1991
Key: Bb
Auxiliary Keys: High F#
Engraving: Yes
Finish: Gold Lacquer
Keys: Gold Lacquer
Finger Buttons: Pearl
Current Model: YSS-475

And the Yamaha catalogue I have says that the YSS-475, which I own, is an intermediate horn.

But, I played a 62 sop yesterday, and it is far better than my 475 - in every sense of the word. Based on the different features (the 62 has single unit base, blue steel springs, engravings, more refined craftmanship, etc.), I think that the 62 is a pro horn, like a lot of posts on the Internet say.

So, is the 62 a pro or intermediate?

 

[Hurling Frootmig]

62 is a pro horn. There are a lot of guys who really love their 62 sopranos.

 

[jazzhart]

I bought my 62 soprano in 80 or 81 and it was the top soprano that Yamaha offered. It is a pro level horn. I don't know why the Yamaha site is now showing it as the intermediate level. I would have thought that the 475 replaced the 52 series horns. Go figure! I have yet to play a soprano for which I would let my 62 go. Just my opinion though! :|

 

[Dave Dolson]

A while back, the 62-series WAS Yamaha's top-o'-the-line model. Then, they came out with the Custom line and that relegated the 62 to second-line.

I can't speak to what qualities they downgraded, if at all, on the 62-series AFTER they introduced the Custom. Maybe they left the 62 alone and improved production qualities on the Customs.

I recall one local dealer at that time urging me to consider an upgrade fropm my 62 silver sop to a Custom because the new Custom had a solid tube whereas the 62 had a soldered tube. Could be. I didn't upgrade; rather I bought a different brand. DAVE

 

[SaxyAcoustician]

I recall one local dealer at that time urging me to consider an upgrade from my 62 silver sop to a Custom because the new Custom had a solid tube whereas the 62 had a soldered tube.

How do salespeople sleep at night? They give bogus reasons for you to buy something so that they can take your money. I can understand. They have rent/mortgage to pay.

The 62 was Yamaha's top-of-the-line for at least a decade. How much can actually be improved on a saxophone in this day in age? Manufacturers have to keep coming out with new models to sell horns. It's just the way the economy works.

Is the Custom a better horn than the 62? Absolutely not. It's merely different. And that's what's so great. We have more choices than ever. To me the 62 is still the best saxophone in Yamaha's lineup (when mated with the original 62 neck). No question.

 

[Dave Dolson]

SaxyAcoustician: So, are you asserting that the salesperson who told me that was incorrect? I don't know - I am not a fan of Yamahas and do not follow the details. Actually, the guy who told me that is a reputable salesperson at a store where I STILL trade. By the way, he didn't press me on it, he was merely telling me about what he believed to be upgraded production techniques.

I understand marketing and usually abhor those stragtegies, but seems to me that if a company brings out a "new" product while keeping the older product in the line-up, AND charges more for the new model, there must be SOMETHING new-and-improved about it. Am I gullible? Far from it - I just don't know about this. DAVE

 

[kage62]

Technically, the techniques used to build a custom are more advanced than those used to build a 62. Some believe this makes a better horn others (like SA) think not. For example, correct me if I am wrong but I believe the the Mark VIIs where made with more "advanced" techniques than the VI's but the majority of saxophonists consider the VI a better horn.
I have never tried a 62 so I can't give an opinion.

 

[SaxyAcoustician]

SaxyAcoustician: So, are you asserting that the salesperson who told me that was incorrect?

No, by no means did I say your salesperson was giving you incorrect information. The body tube could very well be "solid" and not "soldered". Could it make a difference in the playability of a horn? Possibly. But will it make the horn play better? Uh, not necessarily.

I understand marketing and usually abhor those stragtegies, but seems to me that if a company brings out a "new" product while keeping the older product in the line-up, AND charges more for the new model, there must be SOMETHING new-and-improved about it. Am I gullible? Far from it - I just don't know about this. DAVE

We're not dealing with high-tech products like computers (and anything that has computers onboard like cars and airplanes) where great strides are made with each generation of models. Has the basic design changed much since the Mark VI? Nope. The Custom 875 was supposed to be a major step up from the 62 when it was introduced. I played a Custom for 13 years because it was hyped as the best and I wanted the so-called best (I was young at the time), then I tried a 62II. The 62 to me was the better horn, no question. The 82Z is a 62 in disguise, a 62 with the Custom brass alloy and possibly a different bore diameter but I don't think so. The keywork is identical. So it's never a question of "better" when it comes to saxophones these days, at least in a technical sense. They're simply "different".

 

[Yellowhorn]

If the Z is an upgrade from the 62, then the 475 is a downgrade from it. Like Jazzhart, my understanding is that the 475 replaces the 52/32 (intermediate) series.

Marketing strategies, it is!

 

[Steve P]

The current 475 is made from the same tooling as the 62 series.

Steve P

 

[Guest]

Here is the model breakdown, yesterday and today .

475 = 23/ 52
575 = 34

While the tooling may be similar, the differences are small from model to model.
The 34 series was/is essentially a less expensive version of the 62.
Same could be said of the 23, 21 ...

The differences lay in cheaper neck and keywork in the 23 series.
Upgraded neck and keywork in 34 series without annealed bell and engraving.
Annealed bells in the 62 series, engraving ...

Here is a chart from Yamaha : http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/ContentDetail/PopUpText/0,,CNTID%253D15129%2526CTID%253D,00.html

Also : http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA...0%2526CNTYP%253DPRODUCT%2526HST%253DY,00.html

 

[Yellowhorn]

YSS 62 in Hands! ;-)

Thank you all for participating in this thread. I am pleased to share that I am now a happy owner of a minty (95% new) YSS 62!

As you can guess from my original post, I have traded my 475 for it - with some extra dough, of course!