I love Yamaha Saxes, even though all my horns are Selmers. As a private instructor, Yamaha is the brand I recommend to beginning students, and for all the points you mentioned: durability, build quality, sound, etc. I found one in a pawn shop a few years for one of my students for about $500USD. She purchased it and after some TLC in the repair shop it became a killer horn. Yes, there was a difference in sound between the 23 and the 62, with the 62 producing a fuller, richer tone to my ears. But still the 23 played great. I too have tried one of the $300 Amazon saxes, they look pretty, sound good but the ergonomics were just awkward and keyword not very fast. So to me a used Yamaha in good condition is better than a new Amazon Sax. This was a very informative video, thanks for putting it out there.
Not true about 62, it's awful sax for its money, Had one once, very long from pro sax as Yamaha claim. 21,23 are the best and with good vintage mpc ang good pads it sounds great ( not sure about 223 or new production).
A month ago I decided to get my first sax. I was looking at a few Chinese entry level horns around the 350€ mark. Following similar advice I started looking for a used yamaha and I found from an acquaintance a YAS-275 made in Japan in like new condition (apart of the ligature) for 500€. I watched a couple of tutorials and cleaned off the green rust/grime from the tone holes and pads. Took it to my teacher to check it out and he found it in perfect working condition. 10€ extra for a new cork and it’s in perfect working order. Although I intended to play tenor, I decided to learn on this one until a similarly used tenor hits the market near me. Not a lot of saxophones in Greece.
You are absolutely correct! I started with a Yas 23 , changed to a selmer ref 54 then 5 digit Mk6. Recently I changed back to the Yas 23 and there is absolutely nothing to complain about. Its lighter and better for my neck! As I don't play 8 hours a day a pro sax is no longer required. Don't listen to those who are obsessed with a brand. All saxes are good if they work. The cheap saxes may present problems due to soft metals. Cheers!
Hello Nigel, You just described my journey - my first alto was an old, well-used, well-priced (because it was well used) YAS-23. I used it for many years before gradually stepping up the YAS-32 & 62 model line as good, well-priced, used examples became available. The YAS-23 case was well used (looks like yours) and the horn had plenty of scratches in the usual spots. It did have a slight dent at the bottom of the bell. After a cosmetic wipe down and some pad & tone hole clean up it sealed top to bottom. After a final adjustment of a couple of key heights and oiling of the main pivot points, it played very well indeed! With a great sealing Meyer 6 mouthpiece and reed, I was receiving compliments on my sound in no time! They were surprised to learn it was a well-loved YAS-23. I experienced what I have heard from many great players like yourself, your sound is mostly defined from you and your mouthpiece/reed combination, with the horn having less of an influence, if it is in proper working condition. When I stepped up the Yamaha model line. I enjoyed the progressively smoother mechanisms, but the sound was primarily the same as on my YAS-23, with some minor improvement in tone quality (probably more to do with my playing progress). Yes, the YAS-23, 32 and 62 enjoy a similar lineage so I am not surprised they sound similar. I still have the YAS-23 has a low-cost backup. Every once in a while I pull it out and play it. I may miss the smoother mechanism of the pro horns, but that YAS-23 still sounds sweet. I completely agree with you, starting out on a used YAS-23 worked out well for myself decades ago. The horn didn't limit me and if I only had one alto, I could easily have continued playing the YAS-23 to the end of my playing days. Keep these videos coming. Thanks, Paul
I'm a player ('39 King Zephyr alto that belonged to my grandfather, and 104XXX Mark VI tenor), and my boys are both now band-student age. Bought my oldest a YAS-23 for $150 USD and $110 of servicing put it into great playing condition. Since he started playing (he's beginning year 4 of sax playing and now doing marching band, so the workhorse 23 is perfect), it's needed an upper stack repad which was another $150. All in all, I've still got him a great horn for not much investment (and spread out), and I'm not putting extra wear on my Zephyr. ;-) For my younger son, just beginning 6th grade band, I picked up a Japanese / Yamaha-made Vito for $40 USD I could tell right away was going to need more extensive work, but I still expect to get it in playing condition for $250 or less, unless it needs a complete overhaul (which I still might do, depending on price). And to preempt either of them switching to tenor, I just scored a YTS-52 for $500 USD, which played great right out of the case - not quite as rich as my Mark VI, but easier blowing in some ways. Even came with a nice Gator polyfoam case and a Bari brand .105 metal mouthpiece! I think I did alright. :-) The lady that sold it to me also made me an offer I couldn't refuse, and she threw in a Bundy Resonite clarinet, a Buescher Super 400 trumpet, and a cheap-o acoustic guitar for an additional $100! I think I'm going to end up making money on that used-instrument deal. :-)
p.s. for price comparison, when I went to my younger son's band parent's meeting, where the local music store comes and does the sales pitch for their rental program, to sum up: approx. $1900 total payoff to rent a pre-rented student model alto sax (about $53/mo), or about $2200 for a new alto ($61/mo)... about $1150 to buy a pre-rented horn outright, and about $1320 for a new horn (they tout a 40% discount, which of course is more like a 75% markup). I'm not even sure what make / model they give kids, but I bet it's not as good as a MIJ Yamaha or Vito! I get the service plan / insurance angle ("your kid WILL drop and damage their horn") as well as the month-to-month, quit-anytime benefit for some ("you don't know if they'll stick with it"), but MAN, what a racket. I always feel good about helping friends find good used horns for their kids, knowing that if junior doesn't stick with it, they've got something they can sell and get their money back out of it. In some cases, I've said, "if you decide to sell it, call me first! That's a darn good horn!" :-)
Wise advice! I have 4 tenors, P. Mauriat 66R, Conn 10M ('60s), Holton 421 ('40s) and a YTS-23. The Yamaha is the one I play the most, is the funniest and the most comfortable and even of the bunch.
Best-sounding YAS-23 test video I've heard yet! To me, the 23 sounded a little more "honky" than the YAS-62 but the difference was pretty minimal. I actually had a YAS-23 that I played for high school. I somehow managed to lose it to a troubled youth (let them borrow it and stopped paying good attention). I'm now shopping for an early Bundy (HA Selmer), but if I get tired of looking around I'll probably go for a YAS-23 in the right condition.
Thanks Sara. Both Bundy and YAS-23 are good options, plus there’s a lovely nostalgia about them too. I’m actually using my ‘23 a fair bit in the studio. It puts a smile on my face!
Great adviceNigel! Too many people buy those cheap knockoffs for their kids and they get broken so easily. A quality name brand whether new or used is always the way to go.
I just got a Yamaha Yas23 on FB market!😄 I drove about 3 hours to get it $350 She was a student and played it for all kinds of events. She even included some sheet music to start with. It's in great shape no dents no corrosion, just light scratches here and there nothing major and the case is better than the one in the video😄
Hey Nigel, it's me from West Yorks again. Alays wondered about the YAS23, sounds good to me. My story. I bought a second hand 10 year old chinese sax (£50) but knowing this particular supplier it came from had good reviews for their saxes. For me starting out it played fine (not that I would have known) but I could never get below bottom C. Thanks to yourself I found out it was the G# adjustment screw. Turned it, fixed it! Liking playing I started looking for a more well known and reliable sax brand and found a used 3 month old YAS480 on an auction site for £1200 but I offered £1000 and he accepted. Bearing in mind postage, flashy neck strap and sax stand the sax really cost about £900, so a bargin for a 3 month old YAS480, so I thought. It arrived and was pretty much unplayable despite my asking him every question under the sun abouts it's condition and him proving it was only 3 months old. Thanks to yourself and one of your video's I'd watched, again, it turns out it was the octave key neck mechanism, a quick bend and it was sorted and I love it. I think he'd bought the sax in lockdown to learn to play, must have banged it (telling large chip on mouthpiece tip), bent the neck mech then thought he'd completely buggered it. So I got lucky. I agree that most probs are normally easy to fix (noit that i know that much) but if I had been new to playing with the 480 it would have put me off playing totally so some amount of caution is required. Plus lots and lots of questions. As for quality, well the chinese sax still plays as good and the YAS has confirmed it a decent sax but it's just a lot clunky in comparison to the Yamaha and it's easy to tell the difference in quality when playing both. Morale is 'buyer beware' I suppose but would I do it again? Probably yes.
Cheers for sharing your story Tony. Glad you sorted your octave mechanism - that’s a common issue with any sax so great to hear you were able to find the problem and fix it. Otherwise that sounds like a great bargain for your YAS-480!
There is nothing wrong with a Chinese horn but they need is a check over after quality control. I nearly went the amazon way myself, however, my preference was always tenor and got a second hand sakkusu and know where to send it for a service next year.
Just bought a YAS25 some minor cosmetic blemishes but nothing too off putting. Comes with neck strap and very good quality hard Yamaha case.good seller feedback so no concerns there. No mouth piece which with Covid I much prefer to buy my own. I’ve never held or played a (bum) note so what mouth piece & ligature should I go for? Reeds I’m told/advised to go for 1.5. Ive signed up with your 14 day course but won’t get the sax til mid week. So time to get the right mouth piece and reeds. I shopped/hunted high and low all sorts of brands reviews here on UA-cam so pleasantly surprised to see this clip with you demonstrating a YAS23. Thanks for the demo 👍🏻🎶✊🏻
The 62 definitely sounded better than the 23, but the difference was minimal (It did not sound ten times better -- referring to the price difference). The alto sax (Amati) I have been playing for the past 25 years, I bought used. I had to have it overhauled 8 years ago & I have some occasional problems, but it serves the purpose. I am considering buying a soprano, so this post was very helpful.
Recently I bought a used Yas 23..it was recommended by a friend in LA who has played for years and his teacher also suggested to him the Yas 23..I paid a bit over $400 w shipping on Ebay. Cheap yes..but it did come w/ bent bell..that's why it was so cheap..But it played well..no missing keys or pearls..came w/a case; not to beat up, neckstrap, reeds, chamois swipe and an Ernie Northway mouthpiece which the seller claimed is quite expensive. He also claimed it had been tuned up by a pro shop. But the bell bothered me and looking on you tube I saw it can be repaired..the total tune up and repair by a really good repair man here in NYC was $160 and It was a good investment..the bell looks like it was when originally bought..he cleaned up a lot of small things..the low C key was a bit bent..probably from shipping..Overall it plays fantastic, no problem, my low notes sound as they should, Altissimmo keys as well..as far as I'm concerned, its like playing on a brand new alto horn..If/when I ever trade up, am sure it will be a yamaha!
Hi Nigel, After joining McGill Music Sax School, I did some research and figured that Yamaha student level saxes were good instruments for beginners. A new one costs 1850$ Canadian (CAD) with taxes. I found a YAS-23 in perfect condition for 750 $ CAD that I paid cash so no taxes involved. I am so happy with with it. It sounds just as good as the brand new one I rented for the first 3 months. Your video confirms it was a good choice.
I heard very little difference. The 62 tone sounded slightly fuller and rounder. I used to have a YTS 23. It was a good horn. Good enough to play at paying gigs.
My big concern would be the state of the pads on a used sax. I bought a Yamaha YAS-21 alto new in the late seventies and played it for some years, then left it in a cupboard for a long long time. On deciding to get back into playing it I found I was struggling especially with all the lower notes. My local music shop/repairer took one look and concluded the key pads were all totally shot, there were leaks everywhere as a result, and it would cost at least as much for a complete overhaul as the sax was worth. They gave me a new student alto to test out and the difference was night and day so at least it confirmed that the horn and not me was the problem. The happy ending was that I managed to afford to replace the old horn with a new Conn-Selmer alto which I absolutely love. But if I had just gone out and paid good money for that Yas-21 secondhand I'd have been very very unhappy.
Good point Simon. It’s a good idea to check the pads if you can when looking for a used sax - any splitting or tears on the pads should be obvious. A full re-pad would cost a little more but just replacing a couple is pretty cheap. Also, don’t forget that even if you had to spend a little on fixing the pads, you would then have a great sax that would last decades with care.
I purchased 2 Soprano Saxes from ebay. 1 Antigua Wind black nickel and a Jean Baptiste curve Soprano. I had both of them for over 15yrs and they still play like new.
I started out with a used for 3 years a Yamaha YTS-200AD Advantage tenor saxophone, and it's a great horn! I had saved about $400 by doing a rental & option to purchase agreement. I then upgraded to a used Yamaha YTS 62II, purchased directly from Japan which saved me about $800.
When I initially started learning the tenor sax I went through a few brands unsatisfactory. I bought a new Yamaha and my troubles miraculously went away. I had the same issues when purchasing an alto. So I ordered a brand new Alto from Selmar, it plays beautifully. Based on my experiences I will never buy someone else's problem nor will I recommend another person to do so.
I always wanted to learn the sax and bought a cheap Chinese Alto - lots of accessories for under £300. It looked so cool and I had no idea if it sounded great or not, to my novice ears! A couple of month later it just stopped working...big lesson learned. I was very nervous about by second hand through ebay etc so decided I'd go to a straight talking expert, so I went to Hanson's, who gave me so much advice and I bought a used SML alto for £400 to see me through until their new SA-V lite parts arrive and I get my very own Hanson Sax.
I just got myself a Pan American saxophone, very old, nearly 100 years old, but no dents, pads in grade condition, sounds good. Case; the outside not bad for the age, but inside needs a make-over. Got 2 packs of reeds with (1.5 and 2), got 3 mouthpieces with, one is a yamaha 4C other one is a Selmer C and not sure the other one). I never played sax before, so I bought this one, it was cheap, very cheap, just to see if I enjoy it and if I get the hang of it before I buy a more expensive one. I washed and cleaned and scrubbed everything thoroughly before I used it. Felt awkward using such a thing that somebody else had in their mouth, but after the mouthpieces were washed 3 times and the rest wiped out, I feel better and I started to learn my notes, so far so good, but will need a lot of practice, but no one kicked of by being a pro, so I must just keep on practicing.
Listening on an iPhone, it is really hard to tell the difference. Within a good studio and live sound or good headphones small differences might be discernible. Both sound great.
I started on a new, cheap Chinese alto. Couldn't play low B and Bb, thought it was my lack of experience. Then my teacher tried and couldn't either, while on her P. Mauriat I could easily play them. Got my money back (-10%, reasonable after half a year), went to a real sax-shop and rented a refurbished Buescher Aristocrat tenor. Found a newer and cheaper, also refurbished Buescher Aristocrat200 and bought that. Yes, has scratches and repaired dents, but love the sound. Playing almost 2 years now, joined Saxschool in april(?) and that surely was the best move I did.
I've bought 5 used Saxophones in the past . I am currently playing a YAS 23 and a Conn Tenor Shooting Star ( made in Mexico) both of those were a steal one on Ebay and one through a music store where I know the manager very well. After having them checked over and a few pads replaced they are the best playing saxophones I have owned. You can always replace the cases and clean them up quite a bit with little effort. Good videos on this on You Tube. Highly recommend this especially if you have a friend or acquaintance to help you if you are a beginner. Many years ago John Klemmer played an old tenor sax I had and he made it sound great. He told me it was garbage and apologized to everyone as he performed but he had no choice as his horn had been damaged in transit. He was right that horn was in bad shape but he made it sing. A skilled player is just as, if not more important than, the instrument. He really humbled me. Good info, Thanks.
I too started off with a Chinese sax. It wasn't bad at all. But it doesn't compare to the my used Yamaha 200AD for $400.00. It plays with ease from top to bottom. I did upgrade the neck recently to a Yamaha pro model V1. It was another $250.00, but the horn is now more free blowing than with the stock neck. Now that you have a 23, it would be fun and informative to get your opinion on upgrading the neck. Thanks for all your great reviews and content.
I bought a Yamaha YAS280 alto second hand off the bay, as I am a beginner/intermediate and did not want to buy a pro sax until I had been playing some years. Also my wallet could not afford a Selmer. I am so happy with it, was a gamble considering I knew nothing about saxes.
Tip for secondhand saxes, check the pads for splits and if the leather has hardened. Full repad is expensive. Check the keywork - take the left and right keywork and make sure there’s not loads of play - it shouldn’t move up and down the key rods. I agree the YAS 23 is great and very robust - more so than every modern student sax. Also the octave mechanism is great for children with short thumbs!
My father gave me a Martin alto saxophone that was in a Conn case that was in worse shape than the case the your Ya-23 was in. I had to use duct tape around the handle. He bought it at a pawn shop. It had a mouthpiece and ligature and an attachment to place on the bore to hold music, if I am marching with it. It had a loose octave key mechanism and springs. And the pads definitely needed changing. I played it in high school. It sounded real good with the right reed. I used medium hard reeds in the beginning, but the band director told me that I needed medium reeds for a better sound. I followed his advice and he was right. I had to get another ligature because the old one broke. It served me well before I graduated. I wanted to go to tenor. I put the alto down. But I didn’t sell it. I had the finish worked on and I was told that the old finish was in fact lacquered. I had the lacquer removed and it was a dull silver finish. I got a Bundy ll tenor when I went to junior college. I told my instructor that I had my Martin alto, he was interested in looking at it. I brought it to him and he said that he would have it worked on. I began my lessons on tenor and learned how to play the blues and some standards in 5 months. When the work on the Martin was done, he told me that the Martin was a silver horn.He bought it from me for $75.00(silver horns were not selling very well at the time). I bought an intermediate level tenor from Yamaha I think it was a YT-62. It was a great horn. Everything worked very well. You can’t go wrong with a Yamaha, new or used. Yamahas are very well built instruments.
I’d add to your advice and say buy a *good* used saxophone. I bought a used Armstrong alto knowing nothing. It seemed ok and got me playing. The pads wore out pretty quickly (it’s quite old). I ended up replacing half the pads. Did it myself because I’m foolish enough to be brave. Another pad tore through and I replaced the rest. Still working on it though: I can’t get the two low ones to seal well enough. Anyway it wasn’t too expensive and I’ve gotten a lot of playing out of it. A lady gave me a YAS-21. Also quite old but plays so much better! The mouthpiece is an encore C* and I also like it better. One good thing is I’ve learned what to look for and experienced different horns.
I started sax four years ago. I bought a YAS23 on eBay and its in great shape. I restored a YTS21 and it now plays well. Three years ago I bought a used Conn 10m tenor. I loved the sound but the key work was a bit much to control. I bought a Buescher aristocrat and again the key work made sax life suffer. I'm fortunate to have a son who gave me a Selmer MVI and a P.Mariaut 66R tenors. I'm in sax heaven but now I have to learn to play. Yes, I'd by a used sax in a heartbeat.
Nigel, I bought my Yamaha YAS 200 Advantage alto sax on eBay in when I first began taking lessons in 2016 for about $450 (I forgot the exact amount) and I still love it! It was in excellent condition and played (still does) beautifully. It eventually developed a leak in with the G key, but I found an excellent repair guy who fixed it up (new pads, cork, etc.) for less than $100. I've seen comparable Yamaha altos on eBay recently going for more than $1,250. I also purchased a 1978 Buescher tenor by Selmer for $575 in 1017. It was in great shape and plays well. I still think it was a great bargain.
I've bought a few altos and a tenor, all used. If can buy it, use it for a year and sell it for roughly what I paid for it, or MORE, that's a good pathway to upgrading, getting to know several models along the way. I love my CONNs from the 70s. I got a Cannonball (made in Salt Lake City) that needs a repair tech for a bent key, but otherwise, it's a gem.
Thanks for this - I bought a Yamaha 82z alto second hand a little over a year ago. I didn't know hay from a bull's foot, but my saxophone teacher didn't like the gear4music tenor I had started on and he was made up about the Yamaha. Then mr and mrs Covid came to town, which is a spanner in anybody's works, and after that I found that my embouchure was gone and I couldn't play for five minutes with lactic acid burning my cheeks. The embouchure I built up again (touch wood) with another tenor, but when I turned back to the alto, it kept emitting raucous screams to all its friends out there in the bush, whenever I climbed over the octave key. Doctor sax saw all the leaking keys above g# and now it's in the operating theatre. It was good when I got it, I believe, but can't emphasize enough that if you as clueless as me and you get a good model second hand, take it straight into the tech man for a set up.
I just bought yani 991 for 1900. Looks and plays great. Might be a small leak somewhere as under low d is a bit tough. Also bought a yamaha black tenor Z2 like mint under 4k. I love that tenor already and would take it over anything right now. I would gladly pay for a used yani, yamaha, selmer, maybe a king over chinese any day of the decade. Also I heard a fairly big difference in the two but not like one is bad and one good just different. Yamahas are awesome horns. I like my 52 over selmer super action 80s in the 1990s.
I've got a yas-21 (one before the yas-23 of course :) that my dad played in highschool, and maybe middle school, in the late 70s/early 80s, and it's in amazing condition and plays great. Only standard scratches, and no real scrapes or dents. Cork was repaired once. My dad definitely took great care of it :)
I am a novice and I bought a s/h Volt Alto for £130 and after paying £50 for repairs it can now play it but the keys seems very clunky. I also bought a s/h Chase (chinese) tenor for £200 and after a quick pad adjustment and buying an Otto link 7 mouthpiece it plays very nicely.
Hi Nigel, I was given a Conn-Selmer Prelude AS700 for xmas '19 - bought from a charity shop ! I am a complete beginner and definitely have had a few issues with it. The problem is knowing whether the issue is with the sax itself or your technique. Been playing now for 6 months (kept me occupied during lockdown) and have made some progress, but now we are out of lockdown will be taking to a local repairer to get it checked out as cannot play middle C# in tune at all (should be an easy note as well with no fingering !). By the way took advantage of your 14 day Sax School free trail which was really helpful to get me started and am definitely considering joining up full time to hopefully progress a bit further.
middle C# is the worse sounding note on any sax, it could just be that. You played it against a tuner? You can also try the alternate fingering where you close some or all of the right hand pearl keys, and after that add the left hand's third pearl (the "G" pearl) and the octave key (3rd pearl will reclose the top octave hole). Sirvalorsax's most recent video is about middle C# and some other odd notes actually, worth a watch.
@@gangofgreenhorns2672 Hi, thanks for the advice. Have checked against a tuner and it is only slightly higher than C. Have tried all sorts of different fingering, but will try your suggestion and watch the video. Thanks.
I had a "Montreux" Chinese Alto which played OK but I really wanted a tenor. I watched ebay for ages, looking for a used Yamaha. I was thinking YTS280 or 480 but really wanted a YTS62. So I searched on Google and an advert for a used YTS62 came up on Gumtree. The photos looked great and it was clear that the seller was a keen musician but preferred his guitars. We did a deal at £1,500. I live in Spain, so my daughter travelled from the East Midlands to meet the seller half way at a motorway services car park on the M5. My wife was going to visit the UK that month but I didn't want it to go in the aircraft hold, so she paid for an extra seat to bring it back on a Ryanair flight to Murcia airport. It had its own boarding pass in the name of Mr Extra Seat Item and had to have its own seat belt to the other passengers' amusement. It is almost in mint condition and came with a Yamaha 4c mouthpiece, a Selmer S80c mouthpiece, a box of reeds, a neck strap, some cork grease, a pull through cleaner and stuff-it pad savers. I couldn't be more pleased with it! I have since bought on ebay a 1940s Otto Link Tonemaster mouthpiece refaced by Brian Powell and am bidding for a Theo Wanne mouthpiece. I also have three vintage Conn New Wonder 'Chu Berry' altos on my watch list but i'm struggling to justify the cost.
This is very timely. I'm a guitarist who also messes with a bunch of other instruments (various synths, drum kit, bass, mandolin, clarinet (pro model from the 50's I got for $160)) So along comes Covid and I've always wanted to learn to play the sax. So I found a "playable condition" YAS-23 for #350 on Reverb from the 80's or 90's I'm guessing, it's pretty beat up. But was assured the pads and springs were ok and it played. So I figured for a playable MIJ sax that was a good deal. It's been GREAT! I promptly swapped out the well used 4C with a V16 within the first 2 months I"m playing St. Thomas, Autumn Leaves (because I'm pretty sure it's mandatory), and Don't Get Around Much Anymore. The only issue I had was sometimes I had a hard time playing the middle register and found that the octave key wasn't fully closing but a small manual adjustment (I bent it) it worked perfectly. I feel great about recycling a quality instrument the has started who knows how many folks on their saxophone journey. If I keep this up, I will be on the lookout for a good deal on a pro Tenor. Or maybe just an old YTS-26.
If you are patient and buy without hurrying you can find really good deals in new instruments. I got a P Mauriat Le Bravo for half the price a few years ago... The problem I see with used ones for begginers is the pads, if they are worn out you will have to pay about 300 euros to get them changed...
I started on a used student Buescher Aristocrat 200, too! This was way back in 1986 (yes, I dated myself). I still have that sax and it still works. I still use it and my son uses it for his band and jazz band. I feel that it's tone is so much better than a lot of modern student horns out there. My son agrees. I only recently upgraded to a Yamaha YAS-62IIIS. I love it to death! He's not allowed to bring that one to school. :-D
@@McGillMusicSaxSchool I've read somewhere that the Buescher Aristocrat 200 are great backup horns nowadays. My sax repair guy told me the same thing. Even though Selmer USA relegated that great American Brand into student horns, they were very well built, IMHO. Mine is such a workhorse.
The Yamaha company makes some of the best saxophones from student models to pro horns. The student models will take a beating and hold up. They’re definitely worth the investment over the cheaper new horns being made.
Hi Nigel, I did buy a 2nd hand saxophone, however, I did that in order to go from student sax to a pro sax. I bought a Henri Selmer Paris SA-80 II edition silver coated (I wasn't looking for the silver coat, it just was there). Anyway, I started playing it, and found that it misses some corks here and there, so you could hear metal banging, and also the cork on the neck was unusable. All the fixes cost me around 230$. In addition, the seller gave it with a case which wasn't original and the instrument did not sit tight in it, so I bought the original Selmer case, which needles to say was quite expensive. Retrospectively thinking, if I had patience to wait for a sale, and was ready to spend another 1K$ or so, I might have been able to buy the golden model new from the box with the original case and all.
As a intermediate solution there´s another decent path for beginners to get a good sax. The one that I actually followed. Go to a GOOD sax rental place, and rent a brand new saxophone. Some of them (such as uksaxHire, which I used and recommend) will give you a good offer to buy it after a while. What´s special about this place is that after I pay one year rental for my brand new Yamaha YAS-280, all the money that I put into the rental discounts from the final price if I decide to buy it (or go for another model), so at 24 pounds a month, that´s almost 300 pounds that I will have already paid on my YAS 280. As it´s a rental, if you don´t like playing the sax (why? are you crazy?) you just give it back after three months. For me it was the best way to get a good student model, and since I play four or five times a week, there´s no doubt anymore that I will end up buying it after the rental year, and won´t lose any money in the process. Of course, I still expect to have to pay between 400 and 500 hundred to fully buy it, but it´s certainly better than forking the 800 in one go, and now I Know exactly what I´m buying and that I will use it. Just wanted to mention it in case anyone still wants to start with a brand new model without breaking the bank. And for the record, I have no other connections to that rental company other than being a current customer. (found about them while looking for a way to get into sax during lockdown)
McGill Music Sax School - I’m so inspired I literally did exactly the same as you and bought a YTS-23 tenor for my Ritz residency today on eBay for £400! 😂 Sadly, it needs attention. Pads, G# spring and some other stuff, but I know it’s gonna sound great when it’s sorted. Even got a SKB case for it thrown in for £20! Once it’s sorted I’m gonna keep it there just for that gig. The constant mission to make a regular gig easier. 😎 Thanks for the “23” tip man!
I started with King 662, changed to Selmer La Voix II and ended up with 83' Super Action 80, all well used. My next one will be either Yamaha or Yanagisawa and it will be used again. I had the chance to try a cheap Cheneese alto that sounded like made from tin cans, so totally agree with everything tat Nigel says. Had a go recently on Eastman 52nd that blew me away. Taiwan have gone long way in the saxophone making and may end up making the best saxophones at some point... Who knows?...
The YAS-62 obviously has a much more vibrant sound than YAS-23 - it was very evident even to my untrained ear. With that said, the YAS-23 still sounds great... and I would say it definitely sounds better than my used Julius Keilwerth ST90 tenor, but that probably has a lot to do with you with how well you play, Nigel... Several months into my Sax journey now, I would say I regretted not having purchased a Yamaha... I should have gone with a trusted brand, and the horns they make back in the day, I trust were made in Japan, so quality control would have been absolutely amazing.
I have never owned a new saxophone, i have three currently. A chinese alto, a japanese vito alto, and a Selmer II tennor. My first was a YAS-23, the vito i have is the same as a 23. The only modern ones that are rich sounding around here are a cannonball and yamaha that are new. All the others need leak checks.
Nigel, grear vide, even if I don't like Yamaha saxophones.. I agree with you, the 62 tone is rounder and the 23 thinner. But 23 is amazing !! So, I might change my idea (I play old Chu Berrys.. alto and tenor, and can't stop loving them..)
Fantastic, I wish I had bought a used sax instead of a new tenor off Amazon. But I was kind of leary on buying something for a few hundred bucks off Ebay. ( I didn't trust my luck) But I have to say, I could tell no real difference in the sound between the 23 and your 62. I have to give a tip of the hat to Yamaha. Thanks Nigel!
i have bought 2 vintage horns, (i mean VINTAGE) Selmer, and a Holton from this one seller on Ebay called. Musicalinstrumentcity, he is phenomenal, his shipping is a little pricey, but it gets here in about 3-4 days.(at least for me). 100% reccomended.
I bought a US Selmer Bundy II for 350€ with a case and 2 mouthpieces which sounds quite good but has leeks at the bottom notes below D. So it is good to take a leeklight along if possible. In terms of mechanics it is more sturdy than elegant but one can get used to it. For my ear the 23 sounds a bit thinner than the pro model. But definetly not 10 times, maybe 10%.
The diferents is simple the expensive one it has more deep ,mellow sound and the other one its less but still is good ,it can be very good if twiking using the amp with some effects etc and the main rest its your time and skills ,mouth built up ,feeling and soul and your wide range of assimilation of fiferemt types styles of music.
As a beginner, I don't feel confident to tell what is a good used sax. But a good repair shop usually sells used sax, and they can guide a beginner to a good quality purchase.
I am beginner, i only had 8 lessons. I will give it a couple of month more, to see where i am at, levelwise. Than i look for a used yas 25, well allready i am looking, but at the end of the year, i have my bonus....
Just started out and bought my Tenor (Roy Benson TS-202) in local ebay - seems to have been a good deal paying 400 Euros for an instrument barely played
I've bought new and used. I have a made-in-Japan Yamaha 23 alto in close to new condition, once I replaced some missing guard screws. I bought it on Craigslist for $100US (very unusual, you can buy them all day around here for $300 but less than that is rare). It was so inexpensive I searched on the serial number to see if it was on anyone's list of stolen instruments. But 20-year-old dealer paperwork in the case had the same name as the seller, so I think it's legit. I later bought a black & gold (well, brass) Chinese cheapo ($235US) purely for the looks. And it was gorgeous, but as a player, the low B and Bb were impossible. Not a good thing for a beginner to start on - a rank tyro might not realize that the problem is the instrument, and not him. Now I'm a lousy player, but not that lousy, so this failure was definitely the instrument. I sent it back to Amazon and bought another. The second one is great. In fact it's now my standard instrument. I'm a huge Yamaha fan but at the moment I just like the feel of the Chinese cheapo better. (Of course I'm still a lousy player, but I can't blame Yamaha or China for that.) The price/performance ratio of new Chinese can be spectacular, but there's a high percentage of duds. Amazon has excellent return policies, and that's what makes selecting a decent Chinese instrument feasible. I've bought defective guitars, mandolins, euphoniums, etc from Amazon, but the second try has always worked out great. My Vito tenor (this one's identical to a Yamaha YAT-23) I bought used on eBay. I avoided anything which looked like it'd been dropped. I also avoided sellers who disclaim all knowledge of instruments but just flip stuff they buy at garage sales. Mine was from a player who had moved on to something fancier and thought it time for the student horn to move on. I bought it for about $450 including shipping. Good buy, everything's great, though its neck cork is a bit loose. But it still works, and it's easy for me to replace when it gets worse. Now my silver Martin C-melody I bought used. A local music store was trying to sell it as an alto! The pads seem to be the white leather originals and still work, more-or-less, even though they're 98 years old. Pretty cool old beast, even though the cluster keys on these antiques are a nightmare. Anyone who wants a C mel pretty much has to buy used, though there are a few new ones coming out of China. The old pads are usually long gone; a good sax repad around here is $500, substantial but not too awful. Those eBay auctions which just say "could use a few new pads" really crack me up - it's easy to turn a $100 bargain into a $600 purchase just to get something playable. I bought a new Chinese cheapo baritone for a bit under $1000. I bought new Amazon Chinese because baris are like hen's teeth on the used market, and new Yamahas or Yanigasawas are too expensive for a lousy player like me to justify. And this cheapo bari is pretty damn good. The neck tenon is looser than it should be but I kept it anyway; I can get that fixed professionally for about $35. It plays easily all the way to the bottom even with the loose neck, so the key pads must be working pretty well. One can really get attached to that baritone sound.
Pawn shops are great for this too because you can inspect the horns (if you know how to spot a leak, etc) and they're equally cheap. Got a great condition Bundy 1 for like $189 from one, and an even better Selmer Aristocrat for $330 (altos).
This was such a great review. The difference was very minute, the 62 sounds rounder and that could be due to the fact that you have been playing longer on your 62. Great review teach. I love your playing too. You sound amazing. I’ve never bought a used sax, not sure if I’ll buy one/ I’ve had a bad rap with buying used stuff.
My friend bought an intermediate Keilwerth alto and I heard it played. Paid about $800 and using it out doors which happen often in this China Virus environment. Keeping my Yani AW33 for indoors.
I purchased a Beuscher tenor sax as a trade in while in a pawn shop, the owner was not happy! This happened years ago in Chicago. Any way the sound is amazing and dates back to the 1920's a very early model. The only issue is that the action on the keys may be a little slow. Does anyone know if there is a way to improve on this??? Thanks very much!
Both of my saxophones are used (a YAS-32 and a YTS-62), the way I see it there's not much reason to buy new unless you want something that just came out or is particularly hard to find used.
After starting out with what's considered one of the better of the cheap chinese saxophones, I'm now awaiting a second hand YAS-23 instead. The ergonomics is horrible on the chinese one and I've had to repair lots of stuff on it. Broken screws, lots of dirt from manufacturing, several springs out of place and too weak.
Love the show, and just now signed up for the class. Before I discovered you I played the Casio DH-100 with the special fingering and finally decided to learn real saxophone fingering. I bought the Roland Aerophone for the ease and fun, and looking for online lessons is what led me to you. Because I don't have a saxophone and use the controller only, I think in some ways it is easier for me since I only have to blow and finger. Any opinions for those of us who are coming from using a controller as the primary approach?
I bought an Aero, and it was fantastic to learn fingering, how to read the notes, timing, go through all the educational texts, and so forth for about two years. Then, I wanted to *really* learn with a real sax, including the stuff that you can't on the Aero (a real sax sound rather than the Aero's not accurate sound, reeds, breath control, tonguing, scoops, dips, etc.). So, I bought a used alto, and it was a whole new world. The Aero was great for me to get the basics down without the trouble of reeds, embouchure, leaks, sticky pads, etc., but after a couple years I was so well prepared for those issues because the initial learning was well established.
Hi Nigel Both sound very good with you playing but maybe the pro sax has the edge. The other option for new players to consider is hiring a sax until they have made some progress. I did that with UK sax hire and they are excellent. Ps It's not about he gear??
I bought a used cheap soprano sax. As initially when I went to buy a sax to learn I wanted a Soprano but the guy in the music shop said I would be better learning on an Alto, so I took his advice and bought a YAS275. It is a great horn. I struggle with the soprano and wonder is it because I am still just learning or is it because it's a cheap horn.
i got a sax from ebay $307 au its a ammoon eb alto, e flat 82Z key type. most likely new, mouth peice came with, having trouble getting sound out of it.
Hi Nigel. I just recently purchased my first saxophone. I bought it used from a local music store. It's a Yamaha Yas-200ad. They told me it's the same as the 23 and is designed for students/ rental.Are you familiar with this model? I probably paid top dollar for it at $695 U.S., but it was cleaned and serviced and came with a 6 month warranty, and the typical accessories. It's hard for me to tell how well it plays being new to the instrument, but so far I'm pretty happy with it. My only issue so far are some sticky keys, but I have a feeling I am causing it by over blowing and getting things a bit juicy, which is evident by my fingers on my left hand getting a bit wet while playing. Thanks for all the great info! Mike
Thank you for another interesting video. I couldn’t hear any difference. I didn’t expect any difference either, as the sound comes from the mouthpiece, the reed and you. If you pay 6-700 USD for a new one made in Taiwan, it’s not junk. I think we are approaching the car market. 50 years ago cars from Japan and Korea were junk. But they have learned. They are copying the big brands, improving them, and sending them back to Europe or USA at a cheaper price. The bad reputation for China saxophones I think is caused by some instruments from China were no good in the past and was given to kids that didn’t know how to take care of them.
Thanks Hans. Glad you enjoyed the video. I agree Chinese instruments aren’t all bad, there are loads of good ones and as I mentioned in the video nearly all mid and low priced saxophones are now made in China. But what appeals to me is the great value for money in these older used instruments. I like a bargain!
McGill Music Sax School Off course we like a bargain. I was a clarinet player in high school and after a long break I started playing again 6 years ago. I had always wanted a saxophone, and bought a new Selmer Super Action 80. However two years ago I literately found an almost unused Mark VI at a friend of mine. It had been at his loft for 55 years. I brought it to a professional technician for a full service. A great horn. I sold the Super action 80, but wanted a cheaper spear to my Mark VI. I bought a Conn Selmer Prelude. I can’t tell the difference between the two. So are we tricked? Are the 2020 so called students horn of the same quality than the so called professional horn? What is definitely professional are your videos :)
Buy a used Saxophone? Any day of the week and 2x on Sunday. I've bought every one of my saxophones (2 Selmer/King altos and 1 Selmer tenor) all preowned. I've been able to upgrade from entry models to intermediate and even a pro horn by selling and then trading up. Personally, I really can't afford a new horn, so find a pre-loved model and have at it.
Hey Nigel, great video as alway! Can I get your advice on buying a 20 yo Selmer Ref 54 vs. a new Yani TW010 please? Price works out to be similar. Many thanks!
That’s an interesting question. Both are great options. If the Ref 54 is in really good condition I’d go for that personally. But if you prefer the accuracy and build quality of Yanagisawa then that’s a safe bet.
That’s interesting - perhaps they got a dodgy batch of instruments through. I’m pretty sure their saxes will be Chinese instruments bought with their brand on like a lot of entry level saxes.
@@McGillMusicSaxSchool I've since read that the cases with some chinese low cost instruments aren't that good. I think that it is the "Bell key pillar" that came unstuck on them , probably as a result of the instrument moving inside the case during transit, and is relatively inexpensive to fix.
Hello love the video i have a question i cant seem to get answered and looking for wisdom! I found a used YAS-23 in great condition on market place, for 650$CAN, only thing is its stamped MADE IN CHINA! Didn’t know they sere ever even made their! What should i do?
Every sax I’ve ever bought has been used. From student to professional, all used.
I love Yamaha Saxes, even though all my horns are Selmers. As a private instructor, Yamaha is the brand I recommend to beginning students, and for all the points you mentioned: durability, build quality, sound, etc. I found one in a pawn shop a few years for one of my students for about $500USD. She purchased it and after some TLC in the repair shop it became a killer horn. Yes, there was a difference in sound between the 23 and the 62, with the 62 producing a fuller, richer tone to my ears. But still the 23 played great. I too have tried one of the $300 Amazon saxes, they look pretty, sound good but the ergonomics were just awkward and keyword not very fast. So to me a used Yamaha in good condition is better than a new Amazon Sax. This was a very informative video, thanks for putting it out there.
Thanks Frank.
Only to the player!
Not true about 62, it's awful sax for its money, Had one once, very long from pro sax as Yamaha claim. 21,23 are the best and with good vintage mpc ang good pads it sounds great ( not sure about 223 or new production).
A month ago I decided to get my first sax. I was looking at a few Chinese entry level horns around the 350€ mark. Following similar advice I started looking for a used yamaha and I found from an acquaintance a YAS-275 made in Japan in like new condition (apart of the ligature) for 500€. I watched a couple of tutorials and cleaned off the green rust/grime from the tone holes and pads. Took it to my teacher to check it out and he found it in perfect working condition. 10€ extra for a new cork and it’s in perfect working order. Although I intended to play tenor, I decided to learn on this one until a similarly used tenor hits the market near me. Not a lot of saxophones in Greece.
That’s brilliant Aris. It will last you for years I’ll bet.
You are absolutely correct! I started with a Yas 23 , changed to a selmer ref 54 then 5 digit Mk6. Recently I changed back to the Yas 23 and there is absolutely nothing to complain about. Its lighter and better for my neck! As I don't play 8 hours a day a pro sax is no longer required. Don't listen to those who are obsessed with a brand. All saxes are good if they work. The cheap saxes may present problems due to soft metals. Cheers!
Great to hear your journey there Paul.
Hello Nigel,
You just described my journey - my first alto was an old, well-used, well-priced (because it was well used) YAS-23. I used it for many years before gradually stepping up the YAS-32 & 62 model line as good, well-priced, used examples became available. The YAS-23 case was well used (looks like yours) and the horn had plenty of scratches in the usual spots. It did have a slight dent at the bottom of the bell. After a cosmetic wipe down and some pad & tone hole clean up it sealed top to bottom. After a final adjustment of a couple of key heights and oiling of the main pivot points, it played very well indeed! With a great sealing Meyer 6 mouthpiece and reed, I was receiving compliments on my sound in no time! They were surprised to learn it was a well-loved YAS-23.
I experienced what I have heard from many great players like yourself, your sound is mostly defined from you and your mouthpiece/reed combination, with the horn having less of an influence, if it is in proper working condition. When I stepped up the Yamaha model line. I enjoyed the progressively smoother mechanisms, but the sound was primarily the same as on my YAS-23, with some minor improvement in tone quality (probably more to do with my playing progress). Yes, the YAS-23, 32 and 62 enjoy a similar lineage so I am not surprised they sound similar. I still have the YAS-23 has a low-cost backup. Every once in a while I pull it out and play it. I may miss the smoother mechanism of the pro horns, but that YAS-23 still sounds sweet.
I completely agree with you, starting out on a used YAS-23 worked out well for myself decades ago. The horn didn't limit me and if I only had one alto, I could easily have continued playing the YAS-23 to the end of my playing days.
Keep these videos coming. Thanks, Paul
I'm a player ('39 King Zephyr alto that belonged to my grandfather, and 104XXX Mark VI tenor), and my boys are both now band-student age. Bought my oldest a YAS-23 for $150 USD and $110 of servicing put it into great playing condition. Since he started playing (he's beginning year 4 of sax playing and now doing marching band, so the workhorse 23 is perfect), it's needed an upper stack repad which was another $150. All in all, I've still got him a great horn for not much investment (and spread out), and I'm not putting extra wear on my Zephyr. ;-)
For my younger son, just beginning 6th grade band, I picked up a Japanese / Yamaha-made Vito for $40 USD I could tell right away was going to need more extensive work, but I still expect to get it in playing condition for $250 or less, unless it needs a complete overhaul (which I still might do, depending on price).
And to preempt either of them switching to tenor, I just scored a YTS-52 for $500 USD, which played great right out of the case - not quite as rich as my Mark VI, but easier blowing in some ways. Even came with a nice Gator polyfoam case and a Bari brand .105 metal mouthpiece! I think I did alright. :-) The lady that sold it to me also made me an offer I couldn't refuse, and she threw in a Bundy Resonite clarinet, a Buescher Super 400 trumpet, and a cheap-o acoustic guitar for an additional $100! I think I'm going to end up making money on that used-instrument deal. :-)
p.s. for price comparison, when I went to my younger son's band parent's meeting, where the local music store comes and does the sales pitch for their rental program, to sum up: approx. $1900 total payoff to rent a pre-rented student model alto sax (about $53/mo), or about $2200 for a new alto ($61/mo)... about $1150 to buy a pre-rented horn outright, and about $1320 for a new horn (they tout a 40% discount, which of course is more like a 75% markup). I'm not even sure what make / model they give kids, but I bet it's not as good as a MIJ Yamaha or Vito! I get the service plan / insurance angle ("your kid WILL drop and damage their horn") as well as the month-to-month, quit-anytime benefit for some ("you don't know if they'll stick with it"), but MAN, what a racket.
I always feel good about helping friends find good used horns for their kids, knowing that if junior doesn't stick with it, they've got something they can sell and get their money back out of it. In some cases, I've said, "if you decide to sell it, call me first! That's a darn good horn!" :-)
Wise advice! I have 4 tenors, P. Mauriat 66R, Conn 10M ('60s), Holton 421 ('40s) and a YTS-23. The Yamaha is the one I play the most, is the funniest and the most comfortable and even of the bunch.
Best-sounding YAS-23 test video I've heard yet! To me, the 23 sounded a little more "honky" than the YAS-62 but the difference was pretty minimal. I actually had a YAS-23 that I played for high school. I somehow managed to lose it to a troubled youth (let them borrow it and stopped paying good attention). I'm now shopping for an early Bundy (HA Selmer), but if I get tired of looking around I'll probably go for a YAS-23 in the right condition.
Thanks Sara. Both Bundy and YAS-23 are good options, plus there’s a lovely nostalgia about them too. I’m actually using my ‘23 a fair bit in the studio. It puts a smile on my face!
Total beginner and just bought a YAS 23. Can’t wait to start!
Awesome. You have a good sax there.
Great adviceNigel! Too many people buy those cheap knockoffs for their kids and they get broken so easily. A quality name brand whether new or used is always the way to go.
I just got a Yamaha Yas23 on FB market!😄 I drove about 3 hours to get it $350
She was a student and played it for all kinds of events. She even included some sheet music to start with. It's in great shape no dents no corrosion, just light scratches here and there nothing major and the case is better than the one in the video😄
Cool. Good luck with the new horn!
Bought a used Jupiter tenor one year ago. $500. No problems, looks new. Now ready to step up.
Hey Nigel, it's me from West Yorks again. Alays wondered about the YAS23, sounds good to me.
My story. I bought a second hand 10 year old chinese sax (£50) but knowing this particular supplier it came from had good reviews for their saxes. For me starting out it played fine (not that I would have known) but I could never get below bottom C. Thanks to yourself I found out it was the G# adjustment screw. Turned it, fixed it! Liking playing I started looking for a more well known and reliable sax brand and found a used 3 month old YAS480 on an auction site for £1200 but I offered £1000 and he accepted. Bearing in mind postage, flashy neck strap and sax stand the sax really cost about £900, so a bargin for a 3 month old YAS480, so I thought.
It arrived and was pretty much unplayable despite my asking him every question under the sun abouts it's condition and him proving it was only 3 months old. Thanks to yourself and one of your video's I'd watched, again, it turns out it was the octave key neck mechanism, a quick bend and it was sorted and I love it. I think he'd bought the sax in lockdown to learn to play, must have banged it (telling large chip on mouthpiece tip), bent the neck mech then thought he'd completely buggered it. So I got lucky.
I agree that most probs are normally easy to fix (noit that i know that much) but if I had been new to playing with the 480 it would have put me off playing totally so some amount of caution is required. Plus lots and lots of questions.
As for quality, well the chinese sax still plays as good and the YAS has confirmed it a decent sax but it's just a lot clunky in comparison to the Yamaha and it's easy to tell the difference in quality when playing both. Morale is 'buyer beware' I suppose but would I do it again? Probably yes.
Cheers for sharing your story Tony. Glad you sorted your octave mechanism - that’s a common issue with any sax so great to hear you were able to find the problem and fix it. Otherwise that sounds like a great bargain for your YAS-480!
There is nothing wrong with a Chinese horn but they need is a check over after quality control. I nearly went the amazon way myself, however, my preference was always tenor and got a second hand sakkusu and know where to send it for a service next year.
Just bought a YAS25 some minor cosmetic blemishes but nothing too off putting. Comes with neck strap and very good quality hard Yamaha case.good seller feedback so no concerns there. No mouth piece which with Covid I much prefer to buy my own. I’ve never held or played a (bum) note so what mouth piece & ligature should I go for? Reeds I’m told/advised to go for 1.5. Ive signed up with your 14 day course but won’t get the sax til mid week. So time to get the right mouth piece and reeds. I shopped/hunted high and low all sorts of brands reviews here on UA-cam so pleasantly surprised to see this clip with you demonstrating a YAS23. Thanks for the demo 👍🏻🎶✊🏻
The 62 definitely sounded better than the 23, but the difference was minimal (It did not sound ten times better -- referring to the price difference). The alto sax (Amati) I have been playing for the past 25 years, I bought used. I had to have it overhauled 8 years ago & I have some occasional problems, but it serves the purpose. I am considering buying a soprano, so this post was very helpful.
Recently I bought a used Yas 23..it was recommended by a friend in LA who has played for years and his teacher also suggested to him the Yas 23..I paid a bit over $400 w shipping on Ebay. Cheap yes..but it did come w/ bent bell..that's why it was so cheap..But it played well..no missing keys or pearls..came w/a case; not to beat up, neckstrap, reeds, chamois swipe and an Ernie Northway mouthpiece which the seller claimed is quite expensive. He also claimed it had been tuned up by a pro shop.
But the bell bothered me and looking on you tube I saw it can be repaired..the total tune up and repair by a really good repair man here in NYC was $160 and It was a good investment..the bell looks like it was when originally bought..he cleaned up a lot of small things..the low C key was a bit bent..probably from shipping..Overall it plays fantastic, no problem, my low notes sound as they should, Altissimmo keys as well..as far as I'm concerned, its like playing on a brand new alto horn..If/when I ever trade up, am sure it will be a yamaha!
Brilliant Gilbert. The Yamaha 23 is a rock solid sax.
Hi Nigel,
After joining McGill Music Sax School, I did some research and figured that Yamaha student level saxes were good instruments for beginners. A new one costs 1850$ Canadian (CAD) with taxes. I found a YAS-23 in perfect condition for 750 $ CAD that I paid cash so no taxes involved. I am so happy with with it. It sounds just as good as the brand new one I rented for the first 3 months. Your video confirms it was a good choice.
Good stuff Ivan. Yep, you have a good solid sax there, and saved a bunch of cash too!
I purchased mine used for $371.00, which is a steal. It's been 5 years and I have no plans to upgrade because it plays great.
That’s a real bargain Christopher!
I heard very little difference. The 62 tone sounded slightly fuller and rounder. I used to have a YTS 23. It was a good horn. Good enough to play at paying gigs.
Definitely - loads of pro players have one of these!
My big concern would be the state of the pads on a used sax. I bought a Yamaha YAS-21 alto new in the late seventies and played it for some years, then left it in a cupboard for a long long time. On deciding to get back into playing it I found I was struggling especially with all the lower notes. My local music shop/repairer took one look and concluded the key pads were all totally shot, there were leaks everywhere as a result, and it would cost at least as much for a complete overhaul as the sax was worth. They gave me a new student alto to test out and the difference was night and day so at least it confirmed that the horn and not me was the problem.
The happy ending was that I managed to afford to replace the old horn with a new Conn-Selmer alto which I absolutely love. But if I had just gone out and paid good money for that Yas-21 secondhand I'd have been very very unhappy.
Good point Simon. It’s a good idea to check the pads if you can when looking for a used sax - any splitting or tears on the pads should be obvious. A full re-pad would cost a little more but just replacing a couple is pretty cheap. Also, don’t forget that even if you had to spend a little on fixing the pads, you would then have a great sax that would last decades with care.
I purchased 2 Soprano Saxes from ebay. 1 Antigua Wind black nickel and a Jean Baptiste curve Soprano. I had both of them for over 15yrs and they still play like new.
I started out with a used for 3 years a Yamaha YTS-200AD Advantage tenor saxophone, and it's a great horn! I had saved about $400 by doing a rental & option to purchase agreement. I then upgraded to a used Yamaha YTS 62II, purchased directly from Japan which saved me about $800.
When I initially started learning the tenor sax I went through a few brands unsatisfactory. I bought a new Yamaha and my troubles miraculously went away. I had the same issues when purchasing an alto. So I ordered a brand new Alto from Selmar, it plays beautifully. Based on my experiences I will never buy someone else's problem nor will I recommend another person to do so.
Great to hear your new saxes have worked out well for you T.A. New is always a safe bet if it fits in your budget.
I always wanted to learn the sax and bought a cheap Chinese Alto - lots of accessories for under £300. It looked so cool and I had no idea if it sounded great or not, to my novice ears! A couple of month later it just stopped working...big lesson learned. I was very nervous about by second hand through ebay etc so decided I'd go to a straight talking expert, so I went to Hanson's, who gave me so much advice and I bought a used SML alto for £400 to see me through until their new SA-V lite parts arrive and I get my very own Hanson Sax.
Curious to know what you mean by just stopped working, if you don’t mind me asking
Big difference between a Chinese sax and a Taiwanese sax. I have a Taiwanese Alto and Soprano. Play well, sound good and in tune.
I just got myself a Pan American saxophone, very old, nearly 100 years old, but no dents, pads in grade condition, sounds good. Case; the outside not bad for the age, but inside needs a make-over. Got 2 packs of reeds with (1.5 and 2), got 3 mouthpieces with, one is a yamaha 4C other one is a Selmer C and not sure the other one). I never played sax before, so I bought this one, it was cheap, very cheap, just to see if I enjoy it and if I get the hang of it before I buy a more expensive one. I washed and cleaned and scrubbed everything thoroughly before I used it. Felt awkward using such a thing that somebody else had in their mouth, but after the mouthpieces were washed 3 times and the rest wiped out, I feel better and I started to learn my notes, so far so good, but will need a lot of practice, but no one kicked of by being a pro, so I must just keep on practicing.
Listening on an iPhone, it is really hard to tell the difference. Within a good studio and live sound or good headphones small differences might be discernible. Both sound great.
I started on a new, cheap Chinese alto. Couldn't play low B and Bb, thought it was my lack of experience. Then my teacher tried and couldn't either, while on her P. Mauriat I could easily play them. Got my money back (-10%, reasonable after half a year), went to a real sax-shop and rented a refurbished Buescher Aristocrat tenor. Found a newer and cheaper, also refurbished Buescher Aristocrat200 and bought that. Yes, has scratches and repaired dents, but love the sound. Playing almost 2 years now, joined Saxschool in april(?) and that surely was the best move I did.
Brilliant to hear that Jozik!
I've bought 5 used Saxophones in the past . I am currently playing a YAS 23 and a Conn Tenor Shooting Star ( made in Mexico) both of those were a steal one on Ebay and one through a music store where I know the manager very well. After having them checked over and a few pads replaced they are the best playing saxophones I have owned. You can always replace the cases and clean them up quite a bit with little effort. Good videos on this on You Tube. Highly recommend this especially if you have a friend or acquaintance to help you if you are a beginner. Many years ago John Klemmer played an old tenor sax I had and he made it sound great. He told me it was garbage and apologized to everyone as he performed but he had no choice as his horn had been damaged in transit. He was right that horn was in bad shape but he made it sing. A skilled player is just as, if not more important than, the instrument. He really humbled me. Good info, Thanks.
Cheers Steve, great to hear you picked up some good bargains too!
I too started off with a Chinese sax. It wasn't bad at all. But it doesn't compare to the my used Yamaha 200AD for $400.00. It plays with ease from top to bottom. I did upgrade the neck recently to a Yamaha pro model V1. It was another $250.00, but the horn is now more free blowing than with the stock neck. Now that you have a 23, it would be fun and informative to get your opinion on upgrading the neck. Thanks for all your great reviews and content.
Cheers Patrick. Upgrading the neck is a great idea. I’ll have to look into trying a V1 on mine!
@@McGillMusicSaxSchool I did have to modify the octave mechanism very slightly for this older sax, but it was a piece of cake.
You go, Nige! Nigel is a god! If you have any interest in playing sax, join Sax School. It is terrific!
I bought a Yamaha YAS280 alto second hand off the bay, as I am a beginner/intermediate and did not want to buy a pro sax until I had been playing some years. Also my wallet could not afford a Selmer. I am so happy with it, was a gamble considering I knew nothing about saxes.
Tip for secondhand saxes, check the pads for splits and if the leather has hardened. Full repad is expensive. Check the keywork - take the left and right keywork and make sure there’s not loads of play - it shouldn’t move up and down the key rods. I agree the YAS 23 is great and very robust - more so than every modern student sax. Also the octave mechanism is great for children with short thumbs!
My father gave me a Martin alto saxophone that was in a Conn case that was in worse shape than the case the your Ya-23 was in. I had to use duct tape around the handle. He bought it at a pawn shop. It had a mouthpiece and ligature and an attachment to place on the bore to hold music, if I am marching with it. It had a loose octave key mechanism and springs. And the pads definitely needed changing. I played it in high school. It sounded real good with the right reed. I used medium hard reeds in the beginning, but the band director told me that I needed medium reeds for a better sound. I followed his advice and he was right. I had to get another ligature because the old one broke. It served me well before I graduated. I wanted to go to tenor. I put the alto down. But I didn’t sell it. I had the finish worked on and I was told that the old finish was in fact lacquered. I had the lacquer removed and it was a dull silver finish. I got a Bundy ll tenor when I went to junior college. I told my instructor that I had my Martin alto, he was interested in looking at it. I brought it to him and he said that he would have it worked on. I began my lessons on tenor and learned how to play the blues and some standards in 5 months.
When the work on the Martin was done, he told me that the Martin was a silver horn.He bought it from me for $75.00(silver horns were not selling very well at the time).
I bought an intermediate level tenor from Yamaha I think it was a YT-62. It was a great horn. Everything worked very well. You can’t go wrong with a Yamaha, new or used. Yamahas are very well built instruments.
Im 57, I recently bought a second hand YAS-280 from ebay to learn Sax as an absolute beginner
I’d add to your advice and say buy a *good* used saxophone.
I bought a used Armstrong alto knowing nothing. It seemed ok and got me playing. The pads wore out pretty quickly (it’s quite old). I ended up replacing half the pads. Did it myself because I’m foolish enough to be brave. Another pad tore through and I replaced the rest. Still working on it though: I can’t get the two low ones to seal well enough. Anyway it wasn’t too expensive and I’ve gotten a lot of playing out of it.
A lady gave me a YAS-21. Also quite old but plays so much better! The mouthpiece is an encore C* and I also like it better.
One good thing is I’ve learned what to look for and experienced different horns.
I started sax four years ago. I bought a YAS23 on eBay and its in great shape. I restored a YTS21 and it now plays well. Three years ago I bought a used Conn 10m tenor. I loved the sound but the key work was a bit much to control. I bought a Buescher aristocrat and again the key work made sax life suffer. I'm fortunate to have a son who gave me a Selmer MVI and a P.Mariaut 66R tenors. I'm in sax heaven but now I have to learn to play. Yes, I'd by a used sax in a heartbeat.
You have a nice collection of saxes there now!
@@McGillMusicSaxSchool Just signed up for 14 day Sax School trial. Now it's time to learn to play those horns.
Nigel, I bought my Yamaha YAS 200 Advantage alto sax on eBay in when I first began taking lessons in 2016 for about $450 (I forgot the exact amount) and I still love it! It was in excellent condition and played (still does) beautifully. It eventually developed a leak in with the G key, but I found an excellent repair guy who fixed it up (new pads, cork, etc.) for less than $100. I've seen comparable Yamaha altos on eBay recently going for more than $1,250.
I also purchased a 1978 Buescher tenor by Selmer for $575 in 1017. It was in great shape and plays well. I still think it was a great bargain.
Two great used bargains there. Well done!
I've bought a few altos and a tenor, all used. If can buy it, use it for a year and sell it for roughly what I paid for it, or MORE, that's a good pathway to upgrading, getting to know several models along the way. I love my CONNs from the 70s. I got a Cannonball (made in Salt Lake City) that needs a repair tech for a bent key, but otherwise, it's a gem.
Thanks for this - I bought a Yamaha 82z alto second hand a little over a year ago. I didn't know hay from a bull's foot, but my saxophone teacher didn't like the gear4music tenor I had started on and he was made up about the Yamaha. Then mr and mrs Covid came to town, which is a spanner in anybody's works, and after that I found that my embouchure was gone and I couldn't play for five minutes with lactic acid burning my cheeks. The embouchure I built up again (touch wood) with another tenor, but when I turned back to the alto, it kept emitting raucous screams to all its friends out there in the bush, whenever I climbed over the octave key. Doctor sax saw all the leaking keys above g# and now it's in the operating theatre.
It was good when I got it, I believe, but can't emphasize enough that if you as clueless as me and you get a good model second hand, take it straight into the tech man for a set up.
I just bought yani 991 for 1900. Looks and plays great. Might be a small leak somewhere as under low d is a bit tough. Also bought a yamaha black tenor Z2 like mint under 4k. I love that tenor already and would take it over anything right now. I would gladly pay for a used yani, yamaha, selmer, maybe a king over chinese any day of the decade.
Also I heard a fairly big difference in the two but not like one is bad and one good just different. Yamahas are awesome horns. I like my 52 over selmer super action 80s in the 1990s.
I've got a yas-21 (one before the yas-23 of course :) that my dad played in highschool, and maybe middle school, in the late 70s/early 80s, and it's in amazing condition and plays great. Only standard scratches, and no real scrapes or dents. Cork was repaired once. My dad definitely took great care of it :)
I am a novice and I bought a s/h Volt Alto for £130 and after paying £50 for repairs it can now play it but the keys seems very clunky. I also bought a s/h Chase (chinese) tenor for £200 and after a quick pad adjustment and buying an Otto link 7 mouthpiece it plays very nicely.
I did buy an used Jupiter tenor and I am very pleased with it. I am an amateur trumpet player and buy all the time used trumpets instead of new ones.
Cool! Those Jupiter saxes are good blowers.
Hi Nigel, I was given a Conn-Selmer Prelude AS700 for xmas '19 - bought from a charity shop ! I am a complete beginner and definitely have had a few issues with it. The problem is knowing whether the issue is with the sax itself or your technique. Been playing now for 6 months (kept me occupied during lockdown) and have made some progress, but now we are out of lockdown will be taking to a local repairer to get it checked out as cannot play middle C# in tune at all (should be an easy note as well with no fingering !). By the way took advantage of your 14 day Sax School free trail which was really helpful to get me started and am definitely considering joining up full time to hopefully progress a bit further.
middle C# is the worse sounding note on any sax, it could just be that. You played it against a tuner? You can also try the alternate fingering where you close some or all of the right hand pearl keys, and after that add the left hand's third pearl (the "G" pearl) and the octave key (3rd pearl will reclose the top octave hole). Sirvalorsax's most recent video is about middle C# and some other odd notes actually, worth a watch.
@@gangofgreenhorns2672 Hi, thanks for the advice. Have checked against a tuner and it is only slightly higher than C. Have tried all sorts of different fingering, but will try your suggestion and watch the video. Thanks.
I had a "Montreux" Chinese Alto which played OK but I really wanted a tenor. I watched ebay for ages, looking for a used Yamaha. I was thinking YTS280 or 480 but really wanted a YTS62. So I searched on Google and an advert for a used YTS62 came up on Gumtree. The photos looked great and it was clear that the seller was a keen musician but preferred his guitars. We did a deal at £1,500. I live in Spain, so my daughter travelled from the East Midlands to meet the seller half way at a motorway services car park on the M5. My wife was going to visit the UK that month but I didn't want it to go in the aircraft hold, so she paid for an extra seat to bring it back on a Ryanair flight to Murcia airport. It had its own boarding pass in the name of Mr Extra Seat Item and had to have its own seat belt to the other passengers' amusement. It is almost in mint condition and came with a Yamaha 4c mouthpiece, a Selmer S80c mouthpiece, a box of reeds, a neck strap, some cork grease, a pull through cleaner and stuff-it pad savers. I couldn't be more pleased with it! I have since bought on ebay a 1940s Otto Link Tonemaster mouthpiece refaced by Brian Powell and am bidding for a Theo Wanne mouthpiece. I also have three vintage Conn New Wonder 'Chu Berry' altos on my watch list but i'm struggling to justify the cost.
You're a fantastic teacher. Thank you for what you do for us all!
Thanks so much!
This is very timely. I'm a guitarist who also messes with a bunch of other instruments (various synths, drum kit, bass, mandolin, clarinet (pro model from the 50's I got for $160)) So along comes Covid and I've always wanted to learn to play the sax. So I found a "playable condition" YAS-23 for #350 on Reverb from the 80's or 90's I'm guessing, it's pretty beat up. But was assured the pads and springs were ok and it played. So I figured for a playable MIJ sax that was a good deal. It's been GREAT! I promptly swapped out the well used 4C with a V16 within the first 2 months I"m playing St. Thomas, Autumn Leaves (because I'm pretty sure it's mandatory), and Don't Get Around Much Anymore. The only issue I had was sometimes I had a hard time playing the middle register and found that the octave key wasn't fully closing but a small manual adjustment (I bent it) it worked perfectly. I feel great about recycling a quality instrument the has started who knows how many folks on their saxophone journey. If I keep this up, I will be on the lookout for a good deal on a pro Tenor. Or maybe just an old YTS-26.
If you are patient and buy without hurrying you can find really good deals in new instruments. I got a P Mauriat Le Bravo for half the price a few years ago... The problem I see with used ones for begginers is the pads, if they are worn out you will have to pay about 300 euros to get them changed...
I started on a used student Buescher Aristocrat 200, too! This was way back in 1986 (yes, I dated myself). I still have that sax and it still works. I still use it and my son uses it for his band and jazz band. I feel that it's tone is so much better than a lot of modern student horns out there. My son agrees. I only recently upgraded to a Yamaha YAS-62IIIS. I love it to death! He's not allowed to bring that one to school. :-D
Very cool. I got mine in 1979!!! Sold it in 1987 when I changed to a Yamaha 62 but wish I had kept it. Great to hear your son is making use of it too.
@@McGillMusicSaxSchool I've read somewhere that the Buescher Aristocrat 200 are great backup horns nowadays. My sax repair guy told me the same thing. Even though Selmer USA relegated that great American Brand into student horns, they were very well built, IMHO. Mine is such a workhorse.
I'd take the 23 all day long. To my ear the sound is more natural, almost a hint of wood.
Very true!
The Yamaha company makes some of the best saxophones from student models to pro horns. The student models will take a beating and hold up. They’re definitely worth the investment over the cheaper new horns being made.
Hi Nigel, I did buy a 2nd hand saxophone, however, I did that in order to go from student sax to a pro sax. I bought a Henri Selmer Paris SA-80 II edition silver coated (I wasn't looking for the silver coat, it just was there). Anyway, I started playing it, and found that it misses some corks here and there, so you could hear metal banging, and also the cork on the neck was unusable. All the fixes cost me around 230$. In addition, the seller gave it with a case which wasn't original and the instrument did not sit tight in it, so I bought the original Selmer case, which needles to say was quite expensive. Retrospectively thinking, if I had patience to wait for a sale, and was ready to spend another 1K$ or so, I might have been able to buy the golden model new from the box with the original case and all.
As a intermediate solution there´s another decent path for beginners to get a good sax. The one that I actually followed. Go to a GOOD sax rental place, and rent a brand new saxophone. Some of them (such as uksaxHire, which I used and recommend) will give you a good offer to buy it after a while.
What´s special about this place is that after I pay one year rental for my brand new Yamaha YAS-280, all the money that I put into the rental discounts from the final price if I decide to buy it (or go for another model), so at 24 pounds a month, that´s almost 300 pounds that I will have already paid on my YAS 280. As it´s a rental, if you don´t like playing the sax (why? are you crazy?) you just give it back after three months. For me it was the best way to get a good student model, and since I play four or five times a week, there´s no doubt anymore that I will end up buying it after the rental year, and won´t lose any money in the process.
Of course, I still expect to have to pay between 400 and 500 hundred to fully buy it, but it´s certainly better than forking the 800 in one go, and now I Know exactly what I´m buying and that I will use it.
Just wanted to mention it in case anyone still wants to start with a brand new model without breaking the bank.
And for the record, I have no other connections to that rental company other than being a current customer. (found about them while looking for a way to get into sax during lockdown)
Great tip Javier.
Man, I’ve got a 23 and I played it on Jersey Boys for YEARS! Totally love it. 100% agree with you. J🙂
Cool. Actually it’s amazing how many pro players have one of these.
McGill Music Sax School - I’m so inspired I literally did exactly the same as you and bought a YTS-23 tenor for my Ritz residency today on eBay for £400! 😂 Sadly, it needs attention. Pads, G# spring and some other stuff, but I know it’s gonna sound great when it’s sorted. Even got a SKB case for it thrown in for £20! Once it’s sorted I’m gonna keep it there just for that gig. The constant mission to make a regular gig easier. 😎 Thanks for the “23” tip man!
Yas 23 sounds perfect.
I started with King 662, changed to Selmer La Voix II and ended up with 83' Super Action 80, all well used. My next one will be either Yamaha or Yanagisawa and it will be used again. I had the chance to try a cheap Cheneese alto that sounded like made from tin cans, so totally agree with everything tat Nigel says.
Had a go recently on Eastman 52nd that blew me away. Taiwan have gone long way in the saxophone making and may end up making the best saxophones at some point... Who knows?...
Maybe!
For my ears can't tell the difference for the $$$s, the more money U pay make the sound better? Thanks Be Safe God Bless everyone🎼🎶👍😍🎷💪🏹💘
The YAS-62 obviously has a much more vibrant sound than YAS-23 - it was very evident even to my untrained ear. With that said, the YAS-23 still sounds great... and I would say it definitely sounds better than my used Julius Keilwerth ST90 tenor, but that probably has a lot to do with you with how well you play, Nigel...
Several months into my Sax journey now, I would say I regretted not having purchased a Yamaha... I should have gone with a trusted brand, and the horns they make back in the day, I trust were made in Japan, so quality control would have been absolutely amazing.
I have never owned a new saxophone, i have three currently. A chinese alto, a japanese vito alto, and a Selmer II tennor. My first was a YAS-23, the vito i have is the same as a 23. The only modern ones that are rich sounding around here are a cannonball and yamaha that are new. All the others need leak checks.
Nigel, grear vide, even if I don't like Yamaha saxophones.. I agree with you, the 62 tone is rounder and the 23 thinner. But 23 is amazing !! So, I might change my idea (I play old Chu Berrys.. alto and tenor, and can't stop loving them..)
To the trained ear like mine I play violin and Guitar the 62 is slightly cleaner smother but very close the 23 is amazing compared to the 62.
Fantastic, I wish I had bought a used sax instead of a new tenor off Amazon. But I was kind of leary on buying something for a few hundred bucks off Ebay. ( I didn't trust my luck) But I have to say, I could tell no real difference in the sound between the 23 and your 62. I have to give a tip of the hat to Yamaha. Thanks Nigel!
Cheers Craig, glad you enjoyed the video.
i have bought 2 vintage horns, (i mean VINTAGE) Selmer, and a Holton from this one seller on Ebay called. Musicalinstrumentcity, he is phenomenal, his shipping is a little pricey, but it gets here in about 3-4 days.(at least for me). 100% reccomended.
I bought a US Selmer Bundy II for 350€ with a case and 2 mouthpieces which sounds quite good but has leeks at the bottom notes below D. So it is good to take a leeklight along if possible.
In terms of mechanics it is more sturdy than elegant but one can get used to it.
For my ear the 23 sounds a bit thinner than the pro model. But definetly not 10 times, maybe 10%.
Sometimes the pads look OK but rot from the inside.
Yes, this could be the case.
The diferents is simple the expensive one it has more deep ,mellow sound and the other one its less but still is good ,it can be very good if twiking using the amp with some effects etc and the main rest its your time and skills ,mouth built up ,feeling and soul and your wide range of assimilation of fiferemt types styles of music.
I bought a 23 a bit ago and I’m so happy with it good advice
As a beginner, I don't feel confident to tell what is a good used sax. But a good repair shop usually sells used sax, and they can guide a beginner to a good quality purchase.
I am beginner, i only had 8 lessons. I will give it a couple of month more, to see where i am at, levelwise. Than i look for a used yas 25, well allready i am looking, but at the end of the year, i have my bonus....
Just started out and bought my Tenor (Roy Benson TS-202) in local ebay - seems to have been a good deal paying 400 Euros for an instrument barely played
Super grateful for this video! I’m currently looking for a used pro sax and want to get a good idea of what to look for.
I've bought new and used. I have a made-in-Japan Yamaha 23 alto in close to new condition, once I replaced some missing guard screws. I bought it on Craigslist for $100US (very unusual, you can buy them all day around here for $300 but less than that is rare). It was so inexpensive I searched on the serial number to see if it was on anyone's list of stolen instruments. But 20-year-old dealer paperwork in the case had the same name as the seller, so I think it's legit. I later bought a black & gold (well, brass) Chinese cheapo ($235US) purely for the looks. And it was gorgeous, but as a player, the low B and Bb were impossible. Not a good thing for a beginner to start on - a rank tyro might not realize that the problem is the instrument, and not him. Now I'm a lousy player, but not that lousy, so this failure was definitely the instrument. I sent it back to Amazon and bought another. The second one is great. In fact it's now my standard instrument. I'm a huge Yamaha fan but at the moment I just like the feel of the Chinese cheapo better. (Of course I'm still a lousy player, but I can't blame Yamaha or China for that.) The price/performance ratio of new Chinese can be spectacular, but there's a high percentage of duds. Amazon has excellent return policies, and that's what makes selecting a decent Chinese instrument feasible. I've bought defective guitars, mandolins, euphoniums, etc from Amazon, but the second try has always worked out great.
My Vito tenor (this one's identical to a Yamaha YAT-23) I bought used on eBay. I avoided anything which looked like it'd been dropped. I also avoided sellers who disclaim all knowledge of instruments but just flip stuff they buy at garage sales. Mine was from a player who had moved on to something fancier and thought it time for the student horn to move on. I bought it for about $450 including shipping. Good buy, everything's great, though its neck cork is a bit loose. But it still works, and it's easy for me to replace when it gets worse.
Now my silver Martin C-melody I bought used. A local music store was trying to sell it as an alto! The pads seem to be the white leather originals and still work, more-or-less, even though they're 98 years old. Pretty cool old beast, even though the cluster keys on these antiques are a nightmare. Anyone who wants a C mel pretty much has to buy used, though there are a few new ones coming out of China. The old pads are usually long gone; a good sax repad around here is $500, substantial but not too awful. Those eBay auctions which just say "could use a few new pads" really crack me up - it's easy to turn a $100 bargain into a $600 purchase just to get something playable.
I bought a new Chinese cheapo baritone for a bit under $1000. I bought new Amazon Chinese because baris are like hen's teeth on the used market, and new Yamahas or Yanigasawas are too expensive for a lousy player like me to justify. And this cheapo bari is pretty damn good. The neck tenon is looser than it should be but I kept it anyway; I can get that fixed professionally for about $35. It plays easily all the way to the bottom even with the loose neck, so the key pads must be working pretty well. One can really get attached to that baritone sound.
Nice one Tom. You got a great deal on your YAS-23!
62 us so sweat and smooth like Kenny G , absolutely no individuality. 23 has character, good Pro neck and it will be "killer".
Pawn shops are great for this too because you can inspect the horns (if you know how to spot a leak, etc) and they're equally cheap. Got a great condition Bundy 1 for like $189 from one, and an even better Selmer Aristocrat for $330 (altos).
Cool, great tip!
This was such a great review. The difference was very minute, the 62 sounds rounder and that could be due to the fact that you have been playing longer on your 62. Great review teach. I love your playing too. You sound amazing. I’ve never bought a used sax, not sure if I’ll buy one/ I’ve had a bad rap with buying used stuff.
Cheers Kadrian. Buying used isn’t for everyone but definitely something to consider. Keep going with your videos btw, you’re doing great!
@@McGillMusicSaxSchool Thank you teach. I will definitely consider it as I'm very open-minded. Thanks for the encouragement, I really appreciate it.
It's like the difference between a precision and a jazz. More 2.5k presence on the pro unit but there's an underdog quality to the 23.
My friend bought an intermediate Keilwerth alto and I heard it played. Paid about $800 and using it out doors which happen often in this China Virus environment. Keeping my Yani AW33 for indoors.
Good plan!
I purchased a Beuscher tenor sax as a trade in while in a pawn shop, the owner was not happy! This happened years ago in Chicago. Any way the sound is amazing and dates back to the 1920's a very early model. The only issue is that the action on the keys may be a little slow. Does anyone know if there is a way to improve on this??? Thanks very much!
That’s a great find Frank! Those old Beuschers are great horns. A good repairer should be able to speed up the action.
It might be something with the springs being stiff because it is so old.
Both of my saxophones are used (a YAS-32 and a YTS-62), the way I see it there's not much reason to buy new unless you want something that just came out or is particularly hard to find used.
Love the 23..my first sax...
Have 23 TENOR great horn.....
ReadS howard reiws...
On them...best if you
Can go and see feel
And blow...buying s.h...
After starting out with what's considered one of the better of the cheap chinese saxophones, I'm now awaiting a second hand YAS-23 instead. The ergonomics is horrible on the chinese one and I've had to repair lots of stuff on it. Broken screws, lots of dirt from manufacturing, several springs out of place and too weak.
Love the show, and just now signed up for the class. Before I discovered you I played the Casio DH-100 with the special fingering and finally decided to learn real saxophone fingering. I bought the Roland Aerophone for the ease and fun, and looking for online lessons is what led me to you. Because I don't have a saxophone and use the controller only, I think in some ways it is easier for me since I only have to blow and finger. Any opinions for those of us who are coming from using a controller as the primary approach?
I bought an Aero, and it was fantastic to learn fingering, how to read the notes, timing, go through all the educational texts, and so forth for about two years. Then, I wanted to *really* learn with a real sax, including the stuff that you can't on the Aero (a real sax sound rather than the Aero's not accurate sound, reeds, breath control, tonguing, scoops, dips, etc.). So, I bought a used alto, and it was a whole new world. The Aero was great for me to get the basics down without the trouble of reeds, embouchure, leaks, sticky pads, etc., but after a couple years I was so well prepared for those issues because the initial learning was well established.
Hi Nigel
Both sound very good with you playing but maybe the pro sax has the edge. The other option for new players to consider is hiring a sax until they have made some progress. I did that with UK sax hire and they are excellent.
Ps It's not about he gear??
I bought a used cheap soprano sax. As initially when I went to buy a sax to learn I wanted a Soprano but the guy in the music shop said I would be better learning on an Alto, so I took his advice and bought a YAS275. It is a great horn. I struggle with the soprano and wonder is it because I am still just learning or is it because it's a cheap horn.
Great video Nigel you raise a great point.
I now realize, it would have been worth a good used pro sax "fixed up" but I had to have new.
i got a sax from ebay $307 au its a ammoon eb alto, e flat 82Z key type. most likely new, mouth peice came with, having trouble getting sound out of it.
Hi Nigel. I just recently purchased my first saxophone. I bought it used from a local music store. It's a Yamaha Yas-200ad. They told me it's the same as the 23 and is designed for students/ rental.Are you familiar with this model? I probably paid top dollar for it at $695 U.S., but it was cleaned and serviced and came with a 6 month warranty, and the typical accessories. It's hard for me to tell how well it plays being new to the instrument, but so far I'm pretty happy with it. My only issue so far are some sticky keys, but I have a feeling I am causing it by over blowing and getting things a bit juicy, which is evident by my fingers on my left hand getting a bit wet while playing.
Thanks for all the great info!
Mike
That’s a good solid sax Mike and perfect for starting on. Sticky pads are easy to fix- they just need a clean with a cotton bud and some tap water.
Of course any saxophone is gonna sound good when the mouth piece is more expensive than the instrument.
The 62 has more detectable overtones as you play and the 23 is slightly more stuffy and cuts out the higher and lower overtones
Thank you for another interesting video. I couldn’t hear any difference. I didn’t expect any difference either, as the sound comes from the mouthpiece, the reed and you. If you pay 6-700 USD for a new one made in Taiwan, it’s not junk. I think we are approaching the car market. 50 years ago cars from Japan and Korea were junk. But they have learned. They are copying the big brands, improving them, and sending them back to Europe or USA at a cheaper price. The bad reputation for China saxophones I think is caused by some instruments from China were no good in the past and was given to kids that didn’t know how to take care of them.
Thanks Hans. Glad you enjoyed the video. I agree Chinese instruments aren’t all bad, there are loads of good ones and as I mentioned in the video nearly all mid and low priced saxophones are now made in China. But what appeals to me is the great value for money in these older used instruments. I like a bargain!
McGill Music Sax School Off course we like a bargain. I was a clarinet player in high school and after a long break I started playing again 6 years ago. I had always wanted a saxophone, and bought a new Selmer Super Action 80. However two years ago I literately found an almost unused Mark VI at a friend of mine. It had been at his loft for 55 years. I brought it to a professional technician for a full service. A great horn. I sold the Super action 80, but wanted a cheaper spear to my Mark VI. I bought a Conn Selmer Prelude. I can’t tell the difference between the two. So are we tricked? Are the 2020 so called students horn of the same quality than the so called professional horn? What is definitely professional are your videos :)
Buy a used Saxophone? Any day of the week and 2x on Sunday. I've bought every one of my saxophones (2 Selmer/King altos and 1 Selmer tenor) all preowned. I've been able to upgrade from entry models to intermediate and even a pro horn by selling and then trading up. Personally, I really can't afford a new horn, so find a pre-loved model and have at it.
Brilliant John!
I am intending to buy a yas 23 soon
Bought a purple logo YAS from a local music shop.
Well done - they are a great find. I hope you enjoy it!
That YAS 23 is likely from the late 80’s my trumpet had that same case in the late 80’s.
Hey Nigel, great video as alway! Can I get your advice on buying a 20 yo Selmer Ref 54 vs. a new Yani TW010 please? Price works out to be similar. Many thanks!
That’s an interesting question. Both are great options. If the Ref 54 is in really good condition I’d go for that personally. But if you prefer the accuracy and build quality of Yanagisawa then that’s a safe bet.
62is profesional best sound😉
I've seen quite a number of Gear4Music alto saxes on offer nearly new, but with soldering work needing doing on them
That’s interesting - perhaps they got a dodgy batch of instruments through. I’m pretty sure their saxes will be Chinese instruments bought with their brand on like a lot of entry level saxes.
@@McGillMusicSaxSchool I've since read that the cases with some chinese low cost instruments aren't that good. I think that it is the "Bell key pillar" that came unstuck on them , probably as a result of the instrument moving inside the case during transit, and is relatively inexpensive to fix.
Hello love the video i have a question i cant seem to get answered and looking for wisdom! I found a used YAS-23 in great condition on market place, for 650$CAN, only thing is its stamped MADE IN CHINA! Didn’t know they sere ever even made their! What should i do?