SaxyAcoustician said:
I owned the SC992 for a couple years. I now have a SC991S (silverplated).
Objectively speaking, NO DIFFERENCE in sound. I just like the look of silver.
Save the cash, go with the SC991.
Thanks, this sounds like good advice to me. I took it another step and went with an SC901 in like new condition that I just bought on ebay. It was either that or I was going to spring for a new SC992. I thought I'd try this SC901 I got at half the price of a new SC992, and $800 less than a new SC991.
It just came today, and I'm happy with it. It was nice to play a soprano for 3 hours without getting tired. I've been playing an immaculate 1928 Buescher TT in silverplate that has incredibly good intonation, but thought I'd check out the Yanis based on what people on sotw have been saying about them. After I played my TT 3 hours yesterday, my right hand thumb was sore. I'm thinking about permanently modifying the thumbrest to make it more usable. I've tried other modifications, but nothing seems to work.
Still, the SC901 is very nice, and I plan to keep it and the TT. I don't know what the big deal about the pinky table is, it doesn't bother me, but it sounds like it really bothers some people. I guess it depends on what you're used to. I had an Antiqua 590 with a modern pinky table, but found it too distracting as I'd be thinking about it while I was playing. It felt too big, and too much going on there. That's partly why I didn't go with an SC991.
The SC901 seems plenty dark to me. I'm saying that after playing the TT a lot lately. I also think I tend to like darker sounding horns having mostly been a tenor player, playing Chus and 10Ms. My tenor now is an SML Rev D.
I have really appreciated all the useful posts people have made. Special thanks to Dave Dolson for all his posts, and Saxy's post I have quoted here that put this decision to bed for me. I guess I'm in Club Yani now.