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A few weeks ago (the day Roger Stone was indicted, to be exact), I purchased a new TWO1 from Wichita Band. After a few weeks, these are my impressions:
Cosmetically, and of least importance to me, the lacquer on the TWO1 is very nice. The engraving is, however, relatively sparse and simple, compared to other saxes I have owned and currently own. This is totally irrelevant to me. I do find it interesting that the quality of the engraving is, at best, mediocre. The width and density of a line of engraving are likely to vary considerably, and it is evident where the engraver halted and restarted on in numerous places. I guess new engravers have to start somewhere, and at Yanagisawa that would currently be on the WOx line. This is nothing you could notice from any distance, and it has no effect on what the sax is designed to do, but I did notice it, so here it is. I suspect that other samples would be different in this regard.
As reported elsewhere, the strap ring is small. Notably smaller than the ring on any other sax I have owned. It is a mystery why this is, but a bit more care is necessary when hurried.
So much for the complaints. Everything else has been positive, starting with the case. This case is the best-fitting case I have ever owned. I have sold and shipped numerous saxes, and always take care to wrap the horn in bubble wrap and put extra padding around the bell and bow to assure that there is no movement in the case during shipping. There is no room for such packing in the TWO case. There is simply no movement of either the sax or the neck when they are in their appointed cavities in the case. To remove the sax, I have to lift it straight up, as the tight fit does not allow one to lift on the body tube or the bell alone. The sax seems to "snap" in and out of the case. It is also nice to have a case with latches, rather than a zipper.
The neck seemed to be a bit loose, in the sense that it slid more easily into the tenon than other saxes I have owned, but the neck screw tightens as normal, and there does not seem to be any real problem there.
The factory setup was excellent. The sax was unpacked and the shipping corks removed after I arrived at the shop, and I immediately test played it, and it played fine. As a snowstorm was starting and gaining strength, I did not ask them to look it over, and got out of Dodge (well, Wichita, but it's all Kansas). Three weeks later, I have not noticed any problems with the setup, but will be taking it back for a once-over later in the spring. The action is fast and precise, although it took a few sessions to get used to the keys, but that is generally true for any new sax.
The horn plays easily from top to bottom. Intonation is not a problem, either judging by ear or with a tuner. With my Vandoren Optimum TL4 or the supplied Yany 5 HR piece, the tone is warm and centered. However, even with these pieces it is no problem to add an edge when playing a rock lick. I have not yet spent much time looking for a jazz piece, but there its potential can be seen when I put a Metalite piece on it. There is a lot of power available here. I think that this sax is up to most anything you ask of it, with the right mouthpiece and reed.
All-in-all, I am completely satisfied with this sax. I probably won't be looking for another tenor for a while.
Cosmetically, and of least importance to me, the lacquer on the TWO1 is very nice. The engraving is, however, relatively sparse and simple, compared to other saxes I have owned and currently own. This is totally irrelevant to me. I do find it interesting that the quality of the engraving is, at best, mediocre. The width and density of a line of engraving are likely to vary considerably, and it is evident where the engraver halted and restarted on in numerous places. I guess new engravers have to start somewhere, and at Yanagisawa that would currently be on the WOx line. This is nothing you could notice from any distance, and it has no effect on what the sax is designed to do, but I did notice it, so here it is. I suspect that other samples would be different in this regard.
As reported elsewhere, the strap ring is small. Notably smaller than the ring on any other sax I have owned. It is a mystery why this is, but a bit more care is necessary when hurried.
So much for the complaints. Everything else has been positive, starting with the case. This case is the best-fitting case I have ever owned. I have sold and shipped numerous saxes, and always take care to wrap the horn in bubble wrap and put extra padding around the bell and bow to assure that there is no movement in the case during shipping. There is no room for such packing in the TWO case. There is simply no movement of either the sax or the neck when they are in their appointed cavities in the case. To remove the sax, I have to lift it straight up, as the tight fit does not allow one to lift on the body tube or the bell alone. The sax seems to "snap" in and out of the case. It is also nice to have a case with latches, rather than a zipper.
The neck seemed to be a bit loose, in the sense that it slid more easily into the tenon than other saxes I have owned, but the neck screw tightens as normal, and there does not seem to be any real problem there.
The factory setup was excellent. The sax was unpacked and the shipping corks removed after I arrived at the shop, and I immediately test played it, and it played fine. As a snowstorm was starting and gaining strength, I did not ask them to look it over, and got out of Dodge (well, Wichita, but it's all Kansas). Three weeks later, I have not noticed any problems with the setup, but will be taking it back for a once-over later in the spring. The action is fast and precise, although it took a few sessions to get used to the keys, but that is generally true for any new sax.
The horn plays easily from top to bottom. Intonation is not a problem, either judging by ear or with a tuner. With my Vandoren Optimum TL4 or the supplied Yany 5 HR piece, the tone is warm and centered. However, even with these pieces it is no problem to add an edge when playing a rock lick. I have not yet spent much time looking for a jazz piece, but there its potential can be seen when I put a Metalite piece on it. There is a lot of power available here. I think that this sax is up to most anything you ask of it, with the right mouthpiece and reed.
All-in-all, I am completely satisfied with this sax. I probably won't be looking for another tenor for a while.
