[dgnielson]

I have been looking all over the Internet for info on this sax and I can't quite find what I'm looking for.

My dad purchased this Yanagisawa Tenor Sax, brand new, from a music store in Orem, Utah in the summer of 1980. I played it for about a year and then only a few times since then.

On the bell is some engraving with "MADE BY YANAGISAWA" on it. At the bottom of the back side is the logo with "Japan" underneath and the serial number "77800182" underneath that.

Ironically, I just looked closer with a magnifying class and there are 2 serial numbers stamped there. The top and obvious one is the one just mentioned, and one underneath that looks like "67800194" which is very light, but still fairly legible.

Under several keys is the number "182" which matches the last 3 digits of the serial number. Other than that, I don't see any other engravings, such as a model number.

It is lacquered brass. The neck has the logo in red, both thumb rests are maroon plastic pieces, and there is a high F# key. Other than that, I'm not sure what more to describe.

For being 30+ years old, it is in great condition. The neck has a blemish that was there when it was purchased and some of the rods are worn--other than that--no dents or scratches.

I'm looking to sell it, so I'd like to find out what model it is and what it would be worth. Here is a link to some photos:

http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/6863237/1/Tenor Sax?h=dae742

Any info would be appreciated!

 

[captain blowhard]

I would guess it is a T-6. Does it have ribbed construction?

 

[MoonMind]

Yes, T-6, and in great condition as far as I can see. Great find! The miss-stamped serial is an interesting discovery, too - either they reused a body tube or this tube got a wrong number first. The information of the "wrong" serial means that it should have been produced earlier, but with a higher run number (last three digits)... Good horn indeed - where are you located?

M.

 

[Shirish]

I have the exact same sax, seems to be a no-name stencil, though definitely made by Yanagisawa. It has a serial number but no Yani logo. The action and sound are unmistakeable - I owned the corresponding S6 for a number of years, and that said "made by yanagisawa".
Alas, the neck is a yamaha neck, and I've been contemplating getting a contemporary Yani neck in the hope it'll improve further (already plays good with the YTS neck), but am not sure if it'd be a good fit. Does anyone know if the neck design would be similar to a modern Yani? I can't think of a way to find a vintage Yani neck.

 

[MoonMind]

Shirish: If it's indeed a T-6, you may well get lucky with a T-901 neck; not sure if a T-991 neck will work though, I never had those two side by side, so I can't tell you if they're the same. But my T-500 neck fits a T-900 (closest one I ever got to a 901) withouth issue, as well as a T-6; sound appeared to be slightly different though, but I never was able to test this in depth (i.e. using a good sound recorder in a suitable room).

However, please don't take my impressions as any kind of recommendation - if you can't try before you buy, I'd not take the risk if I were you.

M.

 

[Kelpie]

Your tech should be able to adjust it. When I bought my 92 bronze neck for my A901, I had to get it fit for the horn. You'd think that a Yani neck would have fit right on a Yani horn, but it didn't. It was loose.

 

[ManEast]

I have been looking all over the Internet for info on this sax and I can't quite find what I'm looking for.

My dad purchased this Yanagisawa Tenor Sax, brand new, from a music store in Orem, Utah in the summer of 1980. I played it for about a year and then only a few times since then.

On the bell is some engraving with "MADE BY YANAGISAWA" on it. At the bottom of the back side is the logo with "Japan" underneath and the serial number "77800182" underneath that.

Ironically, I just looked closer with a magnifying class and there are 2 serial numbers stamped there. The top and obvious one is the one just mentioned, and one underneath that looks like "67800194" which is very light, but still fairly legible.

Under several keys is the number "182" which matches the last 3 digits of the serial number. Other than that, I don't see any other engravings, such as a model number.

It is lacquered brass. The neck has the logo in red, both thumb rests are maroon plastic pieces, and there is a high F# key. Other than that, I'm not sure what more to describe.

For being 30+ years old, it is in great condition. The neck has a blemish that was there when it was purchased and some of the rods are worn--other than that--no dents or scratches.

I'm looking to sell it, so I'd like to find out what model it is and what it would be worth. Here is a link to some photos:

http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/6863237/1/Tenor Sax?h=dae742

Any info would be appreciated!

Hi,

That would make it a T500.

 

[MoonMind]

ManEast: Very early T-500, then, but possible (even probable), especially since I've just checked the pictures again, and the built of the high #F is indeed more or less a give-away. But some stuff (case, plug, open rods (no plastic guides)) make it look more like a T-6 to me. Sort of a transitional horn? Possibly even a reused or adapted T-6 tube with (early) T-500 keywork and added high #F (this would explain the overstamped serial number and most of the pecularities)? They did this a few times in those days, it appears. A closer look at the way the high #F is set up (placing of posts and rods, details of the tone hole) would help a lot.

Anyhow, great horn to own, especially if it's in decent condition.

M.

 

[ManEast]

Hi Ya.

The T500 came out in the tail end of 78 ... when they split the range in two ( T800 & T500.) This guy is bang on with it being brand new in 80. I think it was made in that same year. The T800 was replaced only two years later by the T880 (they just gave the T800 body an under slung octave arm )

 

[MoonMind]

Yes, I know it's not a T-800 (it misses key features like the double key arms, no doubt about that), but probably a T-500 - anyhow, I lean towards reading "778*" as July 78 (though the fourth digit is a "0"), which would make it a little older ("30+" in the original post). What interests me is that the horn shown in the first post at least looks a lot like a late T-6 (though I know from experience that the T-6 and T-500 are closely related) because some keywork changes seem not to be there yet - but then, there's the ominous high F#. This makes me think of a sort of crossover or transitional horn - not intentionally, but simply as a way of developing things. One would have to look very closely to see if the body changes (which where also minor) are already present, like the slightly different placement of the toneholes to accommodate the minimal simplifications (and later additions!) to the keywork. Later T-500 horns where a lot more like T-900 in that respect, not like the T-6. Still, when I had them (T-6, late T-500) side by side, the similarities far outnumbered the differences, but there were some, mostly due to the integration of the high #F but there's also a more prominent change: the design of the LH pinky table. I'm pretty sure that the one in the picture is still the one used on the T-6 (non-tilting). By the way, I'm still making up my mind about what I like better - easy reach or immediate key response (on the alto, the swiftness of the action on the A-6 is phenomenal!).

M.