Yamaha YAS62. I picked up this saxophone thinking it was a Yamaha Custom and I was amazed when I checked out the model number at the back of the sax and found out it was a 62. I was very impressed. Light, easy to manage, clarity of tone was excellent from top to bottom. It felt great, very enjoyable to play. It was just what I like about a saxophone. The action felt smooth and light under the fingers and responded well to whatever I was playing. The 62 has always been a popular instrument with players of all standards and I can see why. The 62 is now in the same price bracket as the Yanagisawa A901 and this makes it very attractive. Professional quality is now very affordable, and I would recommend everyone to try out this saxophone alongside the more expensive ones, it is well worth a serious look at.

Yamaha YAS82Z Custom. I must admit that I was a bit apprehensive before trying this sax, thinking 'not another sax trying to copy some of the great vintage saxes'. But wow! How wrong was I ! Immediately I found that the Custom Z was like playing a classic vintage Selmer but with all the innovations and advances of a modern saxophone. Very Mark VI ish. The tone is is fantastic! Rich and dark with a mellow edge. There was a real roundedness and fullness in its nature. I personally found the tone best suited jazz styles, however it still is a very versatile sax and certainly has a refined antique quality to it. The action is outstanding; fast, well balanced and ergonomic. It gave immediate response, with the pearls nicely placed, as if my fingers were floating over it. This sax certainly has a character of its own. With the option of an un-lacquered finish, this is definitely one to woo your audience with! TC

Yamaha YAS82Z Custom Un-lacquered. We just recently received our first un-lacquered 82Z and this sax certainly has character and individuality, which isn't often said about Yamaha's. Obviously the action and intonation are identical to its lacquered brother, so the main differences are the look, tone and response. The response is instant, projection is excellent and the lack o' lacquer frees up the resonance. This is very much a jazz sax, there is clarity, there is richness, there is a little dose of sweetness and brightness, all encapsulated in a defined vintage tone. It has a tonal quality very reminiscent of Cannonball Adderley. I kept wanting to play Be-bop on this sax, however it still sounded great when I funked it up! Like all un-lacquered saxes it will discolour with exposure to the air and your own greasy mittens, and it will need regular cleaning if it bothers you. But hey! What the heck, I think it's a great look for a superb sounding sax! TC

Yamaha YAS 875 EX Custom. Sticking with tradition, the 875 EX is yet again another excellent professional sax produced by Yamaha.  This is an incredibly refined sax, which has taken all the best qualities of the 82Z and tweaked them to perfection.  I found it be very versatile, superb in any genre, from orchestral to Big Band it just wants to perform! Although having seen Otis Murphy perform on this sax, I personally feel the EX does tend to lean towards the more classical player. The tonal core is full, rich and well rounded. It felt like the sound seemed to be bigger and just projects. It has a great dynamic range, I could really wail and let it scream, but then I could suddenly produce a real soft smoochy tone. There is a definite smoothness to the EX, with each note clear and defined, everything just seemed to melt and flow together. The lower register notes felt particularly pleasing to play, the sax spoke clearly, easily and with great authority. The added bonus of custom saxes is the human touch, set up and developed by the Yamaha guys in their Custom factory; basically it gives the sax a lot more character. I found the action to quite resistant, which I sometimes find difficult to get on with, however, for controlled and precision playing it's great.

Overall this is a very competitive modern sax, with immediate response and a solid and rounded sound throughout. It gave me a real sense of confidence in my own playing, I could forget about the horn and concentrate on the music and really let it sing. This is a truly elegant, and is surely at the top of the saxophone premiership! TC

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