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Video description
Dr. Wally reviews his pick for the best professional alto saxophone: the Yamaha 875EXii.
Saxophone Academy - Yamaha 875EX ii | The best pro saxophone?
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Video description
Dr. Wally reviews his pick for the best professional alto saxophone: the Yamaha 875EXii.
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2,120 Posts
Strange... he didn't notice the new front F key mechanism, which is now "Selmer style".
You can buy a Custom V1 neck and use on every Yamaha Pro horn.
If you come from a YAS-62, the older Custom G1 (on an old 82Z Mk I) might be a little too "large bore" to get the "Yamaha locked-in feeling": it indeed made the horn quite Selmer-ish, in terms of management.
But for those who came from a Selmer (Series III excluded), the old Custom G1 and Custom G3 were never sources of problems.
A thing to remind is that the Yamaha keywork feature shorter braces: everything is efficient and snappy.
But you can't alter the factory setup for the main LH and RH keys: if you alter keywork heights (for instance), you get weird result.
You have a tighter range where to find that "sweet spot" where everything will work great.
Selmers are definitely more manageable if you have special needs/different tastes.
You can buy a Custom V1 neck and use on every Yamaha Pro horn.
If you come from a YAS-62, the older Custom G1 (on an old 82Z Mk I) might be a little too "large bore" to get the "Yamaha locked-in feeling": it indeed made the horn quite Selmer-ish, in terms of management.
But for those who came from a Selmer (Series III excluded), the old Custom G1 and Custom G3 were never sources of problems.
A thing to remind is that the Yamaha keywork feature shorter braces: everything is efficient and snappy.
But you can't alter the factory setup for the main LH and RH keys: if you alter keywork heights (for instance), you get weird result.
You have a tighter range where to find that "sweet spot" where everything will work great.
Selmers are definitely more manageable if you have special needs/different tastes.
I generally like Dr. Wally's reviews, but I find it odd that he summarizes Yamaha's competition as Selmer plus "Chinese horns." He doesn't mention Yanagisawa in this review or his YAS-62 review, despite the fact that Yamy vs. Yany is obvious, head-on competition in terms of price range, quality, and country of origin. Perhaps his concern is that bringing Yanagisawa into the mix would prevent him from constantly touting Yamaha's edge in build quality?
Also, why Dr. Wally would test the Yamaha sax that the company pushes as its classical model, and that received design input from renowned classical players, without playing any classical excerpts is beyond me. Unlike the guys at sax.co.uk, he's more than capable of doing so expertly. How many pro jazz players go out and buy brand-new EXII altos?
Also, why Dr. Wally would test the Yamaha sax that the company pushes as its classical model, and that received design input from renowned classical players, without playing any classical excerpts is beyond me. Unlike the guys at sax.co.uk, he's more than capable of doing so expertly. How many pro jazz players go out and buy brand-new EXII altos?
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Alex Han plays a YAS-875EX since ever... and he's even more capable or Dr. Wally IMHO.
Probably none, since the differences are subtle (compared to the YAS-875EX Mk I).
The front high F system surely comes classical players inputs (... and it's Selmer-like)
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I watched the video before seeing this thread. I feel like a lot of it was just making it clear that that Yamaha was superior to random Chinese makers. Without muddying the waters with the 82Z and Yanagisawa offerings, he is just making the case for overall good value for that horn as well. It is weird to not suggest it as a used horn if someone can’t afford new.
As to Alex Han, he plays those Eastman horns. He endorses them and has for at least a year now and you can see him playing them in every video since.
As to Alex Han, he plays those Eastman horns. He endorses them and has for at least a year now and you can see him playing them in every video since.
Dr. Wally points out early that the marketing of saxes as "classical" or "jazz" is mostly... marketing. He is making the case for it because he personally has had good results, and we know he plays jazz with it. I think he's got a point, that if you're going to get a pro horn it's worth looking at, especially if you're already considering a Yamaha.
I think talking about the competition can go on forever. He doesn't mention Cannonball either... but it could go on a while if he went through every maker. He's obviously a fan of Yamaha, just like Jay Metcalf is 100% a Yanigasawa guy. I would just use my brain here.
I think talking about the competition can go on forever. He doesn't mention Cannonball either... but it could go on a while if he went through every maker. He's obviously a fan of Yamaha, just like Jay Metcalf is 100% a Yanigasawa guy. I would just use my brain here.
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We are talking about two different Alex Han's.
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It was not... there were (still are) significant differences among the the 875EX and the 82Z, in the bodies, in the bells... and new the two horns came with different necks.
A classical guy easily can favour a 875EX over a 82Z.
The average jazz guy... generally looks for a Mark VI... It's not a case why Yamaha reviewed its Custom G1 into the Custom V1 (V1 looks very much like... VI).
Classical guys don't care so much about marketing... but jazz guys...
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I love the EX - both alto and tenor, but I'm not a fan of the V1 on either. I think the horn really benefits from the C1 neck, which provides better intonation and a more even sound.
I don't like the lack of stack adjustment screws. The 82Z is a good horn with the C1, but I think the EX is much better.
I don't like the lack of stack adjustment screws. The 82Z is a good horn with the C1, but I think the EX is much better.
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This seems like a propaganda piece for Yamaha. Wally is either already a Yamaha endorser or wants to be.
I don't disagree with him about the build quality and general consistency of Yamaha but lumping all other East Asian horns into the category of "Chinese micro-brand" and suggesting the quality of all is basically the same I find disingenuous. Likewise, I don't know about the alto necks but I have an original 875 tenor with the M1 neck and it plays nothing like the V1 tenor for me.
I don't disagree with him about the build quality and general consistency of Yamaha but lumping all other East Asian horns into the category of "Chinese micro-brand" and suggesting the quality of all is basically the same I find disingenuous. Likewise, I don't know about the alto necks but I have an original 875 tenor with the M1 neck and it plays nothing like the V1 tenor for me.
Well, yeah, because there's only a handful of models that are "accepted" by the classical saxophone community and the decision has largely been made for you by the pedagogy. I'm not sure the jazz guys care that much more but there's certainly a great deal more marketing targeted at players interested in non-classical styles.
Where's all this marketing that's influenced most jazz guys (and gals) to buy the 50-100 year old horns that they do?
As a jazz guy myself, albeit an amateur one, I base 49% of my decisions on sound, 49% on price. The rest on ergos and quality. I can adapt to bad ergos, and live with lower quality. No matter how great the horn is, if I can't afford it, I'm not buying. And if the sound doesn't match the ideal I have in my head (unfortunately a MKVI sound in my case), I'm not buying. Yamaha doesn't have a MKVI sound, so the few Yamaha tenors I've had over the years (fantastic horns by the way) are no longer in my possession. Surprisingly (to me at least), Yanagisawa does have a MKVI sound. So I recently acquired one of those.
Did "marketing" influence that decision? I guess it did in a small way. I've been searching for a MKVI replacement for at least 30 years. The marketing (in this case, Youtube videos) at least made me aware that make/model existed. Without that, I'd never have known.
Since I've never, in my 50 years of playing, bought a new horn, all that marketing has been completely wasted on this jazz guy. As for marketing to those who do actually buy new horns, yes, the marketing usually goes, "this sounds exactly like a MKVI". It would be interesting to know how the MKVI marketing angle (this horn sounds like a MKVI) works on younger players whose idols don't play the MKVI. Seems like they'd have to come up with different marketing for the current generation.
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Dr. Wally's comment about the ball style side key joints can be easily corrected with a dab of the Music Medic Ultimax pivot and roller lubricant. It lasts for a long time and reapplying it takes just a few seconds. If the grease makes the mechanism feel a bit "sluggish", adding a drop of Ultimax key oil allows you to get the desired viscosity.
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Nope. Now Rolex, that's a brand I would love to get a deal with! Saxophones are a bit of fun that I don't take too seriously. I certainly don't care enough about a line in my bio to give a dishonest review to my students.
These goofy videos are my recommendations. Stuff I like.
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Well fair enough - my apologies for overstepping there.
Does Rolex have endorsers? In fact, does anyone actually wear a watch anymore?
Well, for alto I'd say the Conn 6M is the best professional saxophone; for tenor I'd probably pick the King Super 20; for baritone low Bb I'd pick the Conn 12M; probably Yamaha 62 for low A; and for soprano I'd have to punt.
No doubt that the top line Yamaha saxophone is going to be one hell of a horn. But "the best"? I'm not sure anyone can make that claim for any particular instrument.
No doubt that the top line Yamaha saxophone is going to be one hell of a horn. But "the best"? I'm not sure anyone can make that claim for any particular instrument.
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Does anybody really know what time it is?
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Since you chimed in here...would you address the subject of why you did not introduce Yanagisawa into your comparison ? That does seem like a mighty strange omission. Or how about some reputed Taiwanese horns ? Why no Buffet Senzo, as well ? (hardly appropriate to throw some of the contenders into a generic grouping of Chinese horns).....
It does appear you are putting this Yama up against only a limited number of other horns, and omitting some obvious contenders. That is a fair observation, methinks.
It'd seem to me if you are gonna title your vid "the best pro saxophone ?" it'd be a reasonable idea to put your candidate up against the other heavy-hitters.....rather than bypass them.....
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Completely fair question. I should clarify in future videos (If I ever have the time again): I only compare to equipment I'm VERY familiar with. As such, I'm limited to brands/models carried by my retailer friends, models I've owned, or have borrowed for an extensive period of time. I'm just a guy making videos in my spare time - can't really justify the shipping costs to bring in every model under the sun. I also tend to explore the brands my students most often ask about. As for the title, a bit of Youtube hyperbole, sure. But, in my opinion, it is the best.
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Thanks for the honest reply.
An interesting modus operandi, if you don't mind me saying so. Concluding a model is the best without having spent significant time on other top-shelf models...does leave you open to some valid criticism.
Nice playing, BTW.
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