[patseguin]

I was in my local music shop and saw a brand new Silver Custom Z alto on the counter. I've never seen one in person before and gosh, what an awesome looking horn. I don't know if they sound different than the gold lacquered ones, but if I were collector I'd almost certianly pick up a silver one. The case looked a lot nicer than I remember with the regular Z I had for a while. Not sure if they redesigned it or what.

 

[Joe Jazz]

Are you speaking of the silver plated version? I am unaware of a "solid silver" Z......

 

[patseguin]

They called it "solid silver" but you must be right as I've never heard of a solid silver one either. Incredibly nice looking horn either way. If I recall correctly, silver plated horns tend to play more mellow?

 

[Joe Jazz]

Not in my experience. That topic has been debated long and hard around here over the years. I personally don't think any difference in sound would be noticeable by most if not all people. They are certainly beautiful saxes though!

 

[Saxplayer1]

The Yamaha Z would be silver plated. They don't make a solid silver. I've had two silver alto Z's over the last few years and feel there is a slight sound difference if you compare a lacquered version vs. a silver plated version back-to-back. However, the difference was subtle. On the tenor, the difference is more noticable. Not really sure why, other than they say the silver plated version is richer in sound. I recently played a lacquered version and a silver plated version back-to-back and my wife, who is not musically inclined immediately looked up (sitting reading her romance novels) and said wow! She noticed the silver plated tenor had a more robust sound. So did I. Both were set-up well. Perhaps the silver plating?, perhaps the difference in each specific horn's characteristic? Although Yamaha's are perhaps the more consistant horns made, there are still slight differences between horns of a same model from my experience. Gotta play a few and find "the one."

 

[Chris Peryagh]

Would be nice if Yamaha did offer different body materials as an option on their Custom series saxes - in bronze, nickel silver, Sterling silver and even solid copper considering the competition are all doing this.