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YAS-62: Genuine or Counterfeit?

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yamaha yas 62
17K views 51 replies 24 participants last post by  frozen fingers  
#1 · (Edited)
This is the sax I played in school. I haven’t used it much in a number of years and am now interested in selling it. In researching its potential value, it seems YAS-62s all have a floral engraving on the bell. This one does not. I’m no expert and am having trouble figuring out if it’s genuine or counterfeit and would love the thoughts of anyone who might know. Are there any YAS62 models that do not have the engraving? Is it counterfeit? Could it somehow be a YAS-62 body attached to a different model of bell?

Thanks so much for your help!


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#5 ·
That bell brace is more like it’s from a student model and the floral engraving is missing, the serial number on the body doesn’t look right either in addition to the missing F#. The J guard is missing the adjuster too. Even the front F is wrong.

Looks fugazi to me.
 
#6 ·
It looks as if it has a non-tilting pinky table and steel springs, but it has a stamped logo, which suggests a Mk1 model from just after the purple-logo period.

But:
  • the serial number looks much too high,
  • it appears not to have ribbed construction (note the side F key post),
  • there are no adjusting screws on the bell key guard,
  • the trouser guard is not decorated and its fastenings on the body are different from mine
  • as noted it has no high F# key,
  • as noted the neck brace is different,
  • and as noted it has no engraving on the bell.
All of which suggests that it is not a YAS-62.
I'm wondering if it might possibly be a YAS-32 with the wrong model name engraved on it.
 
#7 ·
Very much doubt that sax is legitimate. I have handled countless Yamaha Altos accross my bench. Your photo is the first time I have ever seen that parts configuration.

I question whither it's even part of the YAS-21/23 student configuration as well? I have examples of those in stock too. I have an early 32 in the stable too, and it's not that either.

The only thing I can think of is it it may have been made for a different market? But never seen or heard of it.
 
#13 ·
It certainly doesn’t look like any of my 62s, all of which just say:
YAMAHA
Y#S - 62
Serial Number

not “Made in Japan”

View attachment 129300
More recent Yamahas do have the country of manufacture under the serial number, and the information looks like it’s not stamped, at least not in the old way. I have no idea if the horn is genuine, but the model/serial/country markings look to me to be just like Yamaha uses.
 
#14 ·
Yep, but the hokey stick key guard implies an early 62, right? One that should have felt adjustment screws too.
The clincher for me though is the bell brace. The OP shows the bell brace used on a 61 series Yamaha and on more recent student horns.
As far as I’m aware, these were never used on a YAS-62.
 
#32 ·
Cannot be a 275 nor it is a, “ incorrectly marked” 275, although anyone can make mistakes the best quality control and final inspection in the business is almost certainly the one made by Yanagisawa & Yamaha , the final inspection would have certainly spotted it.

This was done, on purpose, by someon. I am sure that asking the Yamaha company would return the result that this is not kosher and that someone put a fraudulent serial number that most probably was never for a 62 in the first place.
 
#34 · (Edited)
This was done, on purpose, by someon. I am sure that asking the Yamaha company would return the result that this is not kosher and that someone put a fraudulent serial number that most probably was never for a 62 in the first place.
Fully agree. I cannot imagine that Yamaha would make the mistake of mis-labelling of model type. Per my understanding the student and pro models are different lines/workshops, so it is extremely rare for them to make this kind of mistake.

OP also mentioned that it was purchased around 2008, so it is almost impossible that it is a counterfeit horn as those fake horns have yet to flood into US market yet.
 
#37 ·
Thank you all for your responses and sharing your thoughts! I really appreciate it! I wasn’t expecting so many replies or so many differing opinions. It kind of seems like the general consensus is that it’s probably a genuine Yamaha that was either intentionally or unintentionally mislabeled. Still an interesting mystery, indeed.