[Orbit]

Hi everyone! I have a Yamaha 875EX silver soprano, I've had it for about 3 years now. It's a two piece horn, and has both straight and curved original necks. Sounds and feels really great with my Vandoren V16 S7 mouthpiece, but I find that the curved neck plays notoriously out of tune (meaning some notes are flat and others sharp, not a mouthpiece position on the neck thing) vs the straight neck, which is spot on most of the time. The thing is that the curved neck is much MUCH more comfortable to play, at least for me, as it feels more like an alto and also it allows me to use a neck strap. I know most people don't even use neck straps with sopranos, but lately I've been playing it a lot and it's destroying my hands.

Anybody else had this issue? Is there a way to work the neck with a good repairman or am I just doomed to play the straight neck, at least with this horn?

Emma

 

[Dr G]

Is the difference related to notes A and above when the neck octave key is active?

 

[milandro]

When I had sopranos with replaceable necks I never noticed intonation issues but I did notice resistance (which may impact intonation if you force the notes) issues in favor of the straight, on the other hand I played the best curved bronze Yanagisawa copy ( and the original both in bronze and solid silver) and had only one ciurved ( but not fixed) neck and it was a joy to play! I'd much recommend trying one ( either original or copy)

Well there are Yamaha with fixed , curved neck that are absolutely spot on.

It is also possible (albeit of course, not cheap) to have a straight soprano bent at the neck.

I had and sold a beautiful 475 which was modified like this and it was one of the best tuned saxophones I have ever played.

this is a YSS 82 ZRB - Curved Neck

 

[Maddcow]

This is a bit weird....the straight neck often has more intonation issues (than the curved neck). I have a twin-neck Yanagisawa sop and the curved neck is definitely more in-tune than the straight. Are you able to try another curved neck on your sop?

 

[Orbit]

This is a bit weird....the straight neck often has more intonation issues (than the curved neck). I have a twin-neck Yanagisawa sop and the curved neck is definitely more in-tune than the straight. Are you able to try another curved neck on your sop?

I might try that, I have a friend with the exact same horn, but gold plated...

 

[Maddcow]

How does one edit posts here?

You can't, unfortunately, if someone has already read your post.

 

[Reet McVouty]

Emma, when you bought the YSS-875EX were you able to try the YSS-82ZR? I only ask because my 82ZR silver plate plays very much in tune and being one piece you never have to mess with a neck. I also understand your issue with using a neck strap because my old arthritic hands would be aching after a half hour if I didn't have the support. Your idea to try your friends neck is excellent, if your horn plays in tune then you know that for sure it's the neck and you can address it from there. Yamaha makes a lot of different necks for alto and tenor, but all I could find for the YSS-875 is the G2 neck. You should call Yamaha and tell them about your issue and see if they can give you some help.

 

[Dr G]

It is difficult to help troubleshoot the problem if you don’t respond to the questions. It may be related to your octave pip.

 

[Maddcow]

Wrong! Yes I can! If the site didn't want anyone editing their posts they wouldn't have added an edit button.

Well, that was a snippy response to someone trying to help you. In any case, I've made a mistake in this instance: I must have been thinking of the numerous other forums I'm on where posts can't be edited after they've been viewed by someone else. I guess I've learnt something today.

 

[Dr G]

And I thought the same thing from you when I asked the question. Saying no you can';t edit it after someone';s read it , sounded snarky to me too. I answered back in a 'matter of fact'; way becatse what you said didn';t make sense. Why would a site have a no editing policy where you can';t edit your spelling or grammar mistakes right after you';ve posted? Anyway I don';t wish to get off topic here on someone else's thread. It seems a bit inconsiderate for the OP';er.

... 'cause asking how to edit a post isn't off topic.

Meanwhile, I'm still wondering which notes are affected, and whether the octave pip is the correct diameter or clogged, or placed in the wrong location.

 

[Orbit]

Is the difference related to notes A and above when the neck octave key is active?

A and above are very sharp, in the first octave low D and below are flat, and also some inconsistency between some other notes but that's the main tendency

 

[Orbit]

I bought it second hand, and with little previous experience playing soprano. I always heard that sopranos are a bit harder to play in tune, so I thought I just needed to get to know the instrument, but now it is clear to me that my playing isn't the problem. Also I have a friend who plays a Keilwerth soprano and has the exact same issue...

 

[Orbit]

Is this a new thing? You say you';ve had it for 3 years and if I noticed this earlier when first bought I would have inquired about the warranty or taken it back. If you purchased it second hand perhaps you didn';t notice earlier.

I bought it second hand, and with little previous experience playing soprano. I always heard that sopranos are a bit harder to play in tune, so I thought I just needed to get to know the instrument, but now it is clear to me that my playing isn't the problem. Also I have a friend who plays a Keilwerth soprano and has the exact same issue...

 

[Orbit]

Emma, when you bought the YSS-875EX were you able to try the YSS-82ZR? I only ask because my 82ZR silver plate plays very much in tune and being one piece you never have to mess with a neck. I also understand your issue with using a neck strap because my old arthritic hands would be aching after a half hour if I didn't have the support. Your idea to try your friends neck is excellent, if your horn plays in tune then you know that for sure it's the neck and you can address it from there. Yamaha makes a lot of different necks for alto and tenor, but all I could find for the YSS-875 is the G2 neck. You should call Yamaha and tell them about your issue and see if they can give you some help.

I got it second hand, didn't get the chance to play test it against anything else... Might try to contact Yamaha though, sounds like a good idea!

 

[gtrbarbarian]

I have a yss-82zr, and it plays in tune in the full range on all of the mouthpieces I've owned (4c, JJ HR, Link 7*)...
I know that some sops really require the mouthpiece to be almost all the way on the cork in order to play in tune and not gargle on the low notes. My only beef with my yss is the notoriously sticky pads. I'm about to get mine overhauled just to replace the pads....

 

[Dr G]

I have a yss-82zr, and it plays in tune in the full range on all of the mouthpieces I've owned (4c, JJ HR, Link 7*)...
I know that some sops really require the mouthpiece to be almost all the way on the cork in order to play in tune and not gargle on the low notes. My only beef with my yss is the notoriously sticky pads. I'm about to get mine overhauled just to replace the pads....

Yes, on some sops, the cork is swallowed by the mouthpiece when it is in the correct position. The amount of cork showing is arbitrary - what matters is getting the horn in tune with itself.

If the mechanism is in good shape, then you only need a repad - not an overhaul.

 

[CliveMA]

I have a yss-82zr, and it plays in tune in the full range on all of the mouthpieces I've owned (4c, JJ HR, Link 7*)...
...
My only beef with my yss is the notoriously sticky pads.

+1 to both points.

When I first got my 82ZR, low Bb was very flat (50 cents) and octave C and above very sharp (50 cents) but, turns out, that was actually all me because the whole range is now beautifully in tune without effort. Turns out a Tenor embouchure doesn't work on Sop! Took me about 6 months practice to be in tune within plus or minus 5 cents and my embouchure is Sop fit.

 

[CliveMA]

My only beef with my yss is the notoriously sticky pads. I'm about to get mine overhauled just to replace the pads

You may not need a repad, just a thorough clean by removing and cleaning the offending key. On Sop, C#, Eb, alt F#, palm keys, side keys are all easy to clean as in the following video. This only takes a few minutes to identify whether a repad is really required.

 

[Alphorn]

I play a YSS-675 which is a prior model to the 875EX. It is almost effortless to play in tune with a bit of practice. I would consider myself as an intermediate player. I have tested the full set of available necks on the instrument: M1, M1R, F1 and F1R. I found no significant difference in intonation that could not be handled by only slight adjustments. Sound and feel are different betwenn those necks, though. I bought some of these necks second hand and the guy sold them off because he much preferred the G neck of the current 875EX. When I had a chance to test the G Iwas quite surprised that its intonation was much more difficult. Not an option at all for me. I attributed this to the G series being designed for the 875EX and it would not match my 675. If you have a chance test a non-G neck. However, my take from the testing and the conversation with the former owner of those necks is, it might be highly individual what fits.

Going out on a limb, could it be you are biting or firming your embouchure to much to achieve the upper register? Being flat down low and being sharp on high notes sounds like you might be. When tuning my saxophones I follw an advice from an article of an Yamaha artist posted on SOTW repeatedly. Tune low notes eg low B to be correct and adjust your embochoure and voicing of high notes to come in tune. Works for me.

Alphorn

 

[Henk]

As the guy being refered to by Alphorn, I can confirm all of the above. My experience too is that the curved neck on my 875exs has slightly less consistent intonation than the straight neck. It may be this particular neck though, and I’d consider intonation with the curved neck still very good. Any soprano is difficult to play in tune well, they all have their challenges. Even after 25 years on soprano I take out a tuner to double check intonation quite often and every time I find I need to work on some areas.