[BeepHonkBloop]

Hello,

I'm a tenor player but am working on playing Bari. I bought a cheap old beat up Bundy online and have been working on it and just about have it in playing condition. I was thinking I'd be happy with that, but I recently came across an opportunity to buy a YBS-52. It has a couple of small dents but otherwise seems to be in pretty good shape. I think I can get it for about $1500, which sounds like an amazing deal. Am I right to think, even if I need to get some work done on it (I don't think I will), it's still a remarkable deal?

 

[ROC]

The YBS52 is well regarded. That sounds like a great deal. If the horn is in 80%+ shape, I’d be going for it.

 

[Eulipion2]

For that price, if it's in any kind of decent shape you could buy it and sell at a nice profit if you don't like it.

 

[A Greene]

They sell new for $4,000 ish. Good deal.

 

[B Flat]

I’d probably get it and play it for a while until I was reminded how I’m not a fan of the Yamaha baritones, then sell it for a good profit.
Then probably regret selling it because it was actually a pretty darn good horn.
But that’s just the way I roll.

 

[Tenor Mattness]

Yes, it's a great deal. Buy it or tell me where I can buy it

 

[lydian]

They sell new for $4,000 ish. Good deal.

That's a used price. New ones are $5,600 most places.

 

[Grumps]

It's a student horn made for smaller hands. Make sure yours fit.

 

[saxyjare01]

I’d buy that right this instant!

 

[JoAnnPeeler]

It's a student horn made for smaller hands. Make sure yours fit.

It looks very much like the YBS-62 without the engraving. It's really professional kit, so I feel strange calling it a "student horn". How many students start out on baritone sax anyways? If the pads are still in good shape, then at $1500 it is a steal. If it needs an overhaul, then not so much. I used to play a YBS-52 and the key work does not feel small at all. That's why I switched to a Yany which doesn't feel so big for me.

 

[Grumps]

It's really professional kit, so I feel strange calling it a "student horn".

Didn't mean it as a slight, but they are marketed as "intermediate" horns. Like for high school age. That's why it didn't surprise me that my hands were too big for one. I do wear 4XL gloves though...

 

[lydian]

Even though I'm a big guy, I've never encountered a sax that was too small for me. I can't imagine any bari sax being too small. My piccolo is pretty darn small compared to sax, but I'm able to manage it. Similar story for my flute and clarinet. My bass sax is actually too big for my big hands, but I manage that as well thanks to a little creativity.

Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about the ergos of the YBS-52 unless you're Andre The Giant. In that case, maybe consider bass sax.

 

[cpfred]

I agree with the above comments. I am an alto player and wanted to play around with a bari. Found a 52 about a year ago that had just been serviced by a good shop, bought it for $3,000 and I love how it plays. I didn't want to spend huge money for a 62 or a Selmer since I didn't really know if I was going to enjoy it. The horn really plays well and I have been enjoying it.

 

[adamk]

Played a brand new 52 at a JC in 83.
It was a joy to play. They had an old Buescher bari with a mummified mouse stuck inside just below the neck, that didn't play.

 

[dirty]

If you don't buy it, I will.

Seriously. Get me in touch with the seller if you don't end up buying it because I'll pay today.

 

[saxoclese]

I recently did a search on Ebay of completed sales of YBS-52's because I might be selling one sometime in the future. The ads I looked at were from January to April. There were 12 sold and the prices ranged from $1700 (very poor condition) to $5000 (excellent condition).The average price was $3302. I also found some new YBS-52's still for sale at various music dealers for $5693. The model that followed the YBS-52 is the YBS-480. These sell new for $6279 at WWBW and Kessler and for $5980 at Heid Music.

 

[B Flat]

Didn't mean it as a slight, but they are marketed as "intermediate" horns. Like for high school age. That's why it didn't surprise me that my hands were too big for one. I do wear 4XL gloves though...

I also find this with the Yamahas in general.
Apart from the 61 which for me feels a little more well spread in the keywork.

 

[SuperAction80]

Didn't mean it as a slight, but they are marketed as "intermediate" horns. Like for high school age. That's why it didn't surprise me that my hands were too big for one. I do wear 4XL gloves though...

The odd thing is that the gigging sax pros who use the YBS- 62 usually own, or actually prefer the YBS-52. There's an advantage with the 52 having a solid bell in that there's no chance of leaks developing in the joints themselves. The trade-off is that the horn becomes more difficult to work on. I personally can't recall any notable ergonomic differences between the 52 and 62 baritones, but it's been quite a while since I've compared the 2. Yamaha ergonomics always feel a bit compact to me, but not really in a bad way. They're just different from other horns that I play.

Regarding finding a YBS-52 in the $1,500 price range, I would be absolutely shocked if the horn didn't require a total overhaul. Hey, if it doesn't, you found an AMAZING deal. If it does, you'll still have a great playing baritone if you're willing to throw another one to two grand into it. Providing you have an excellent tech in your area, you're still getting a pretty good deal.

I would still go over the pictures to make sure that nothing is damaged beyond repair, or missing. However, getting Yamaha parts is generally pretty easy for authorized dealers. I can't really think of a scenario in which the horn couldn't be salvaged. Maybe if the entire thing was run over by a dump truck, and that's still only a maybe! 🤣

 

[adamk]

Maybe sax parts are easy to get.
Last year I wanted to order a set of piano pedals for an upright. Called Yamaha and tried. They said the parts are in Japan and could take months to arrive.

 

[saxoclese]

Stephen Howard has written detailed reviews of both the YBS-32 (YBS-52 in the US) and the YBS-62.