Saxophone Forum


by aravaioli
(24 posts)
19 years ago

Tenor advice: B&S 2001 vs. Yamaha YTS-62II

I recently got a Yamaha YTS-62II, good deal too. Although I am extemely pleased with its ease of playing, I am not too excited by the sound. It's not bad but not special too, at least IMHO. I was thinking to get a B&S 2001 on Ebay and return this. A local repairman strongly suggested me to keep the Yamaha, but I think he based this advise only upon the mechanical standpoint. I read that B&S tenors deliver excellent warm sound and are also very easy to play in all registers. Has anybody tried those 2 tenors? I would really appreciate to read your impressions. Thanks folks!

Reply To Post [Report Abuse]

Report Abuse

Replies

  1. by connsaxman_jim
    (2336 posts)

    19 years ago

    Re: Tenor advice: B&S 2001 vs. Yamaha YTS-62II

    I would try a different mouthpiece on the Yamaha. the YTS-62II is a great saxophone. If you were to get anything else, I would buy the Keilwerth SX90R. They have a very good, dark tone like a vintage Conn. You could keep the Yamaha and buy a vintage 10M! Try an Otto Link Super Tone Master mouthpiece on that Yamaha and see what you think.

    Reply To Post Yahoo!


    1. by aravaioli
      (24 posts)

      19 years ago

      Re: Tenor advice: B&S 2001 vs. Yamaha YTS-62II

      Jim, thanks for your reply. With my YTS-62II I actually use an Otto Link metal NY 7* (modern version, not vintage) and a Vandoren Jumbo Java T45. With both I obtain an ok sound, but the higher register sounds very thin, not so different from my old no-name taiwanese student sax. The Vandoren mouthpiece performs better in the high register, the Otto Link resonates much more in the lower, it is very pleasing indeed. Although I do not question the build quality, overall I am not too excited by the sound of this sax. The sound of the B&S 2001 I read in another forum that closely resembles the Keilwerth you suggested, and costs more or less half of it. Perhaps the marginal improvement is noticeable to a professional, and certainly I am not. Another highly rated sax is the new P. Mauriat 66 tenor, which however is still impossible to find second-hand. New has the same price tag of the Yamaha (I got it for 1800$).

      Reply To Post


      1. by connsaxman_jim
        (2336 posts)

        19 years ago

        Re: Tenor advice: B&S 2001 vs. Yamaha YTS-62II

        I've played one of the newer B & S Medusa's and I was quite impressed with it. It was quite similar to the Keilwerth and could be classified as having a darker sound. Why not just buy a vintage 10M?

        Reply To Post Yahoo!


    2. by [email protected]
      (1 post)

      8 years ago

      Re: Tenor advice: B&S 2001 vs. Yamaha YTS-62II

      I've played a lot with a Yamaha YTS-62, built in 1993/4. It was a good sax with good intonation and reasonable sound.

      After a few years I had two  Selmer Mark VI. Ended up selling both and played with a H.Couf Superba I for a while (made by Julius KeilwIerth). One day I tried a Guardala, made by B&S. Better ergonomics and way better intonation. Same as Chicago Jazz Series and Medusa.

      The J.Ks are very good, and produce a very powerfull sound, but the Mark VI provides you better dynamics. The B&S are considered the best Mark VI copies ever made. They have a little bigger sound, something between those two in feeling and sound.  All B&S later models play in tune (Mark VIs are not so reliable). They are, in my opinion, way better than YTS-62. They are very strongly built and sax technicians who know them love them. They never sound thin and are considered soundwise a vintage sax.

      Both models are good, but if you find one stamped Gold Brass in the back get it. You won't regret it.

      Reply To Post