Yamaha YAS-23 Alto

I love this instrument and its worked great for me. I would definitely recommend it to a friend.

I love the nickel keys which are not a feature of the models that came after. The sound quality is good (the tone I would describe as bright). No engraving on the bell, but at this time this wasn't the top of the range model!

Perfect for me in terms of playability and reliability (it doesn't spend much time with the repair man!). I can't comment on how an advanced player would get on with it as I am only a grade 4-5 standard, but I imagine they would get the springs etc adjusted to suit their level of play as they are of good quality anyway

The YAS-23 is an excellent alto sax for the money. The action is nice a slick and the intonation is very accurate. They're very easy-blowing compare to some other altos I've tried. The tone of a YAS-23 is "bright" to neutral (like most Yamahas) but that's certainly not a crime. In any case, fit the right mouthpiece (e.g. a Selmer S80 'D' facing) and you can "darken" the tone of any sax if you want. So, YAS-23s sound pretty good - so long as you've got good "chops" (in other words, practice hard in improve your embouchure & technique!) and also fit a good-quality mouthpiece such as a Selmer. It's no coincidence that quite a few professional sax-players own YAS-23s as a "doubling" instrument e.g. someone who plays tenor sax 90% of the time but wants an alto for the other 10% of the gigs they play. Alternatively, a professional alto sax player will own a YAS-23 simply because they need a spare alto for when their main instrument (e.g. a Selmer or Yanagisawa) is being overhauled. The reason professionals often have a YAS-23 as their back-up sax is that it gets the job done and offers good bangs-per-buck.

Anyone who rubbishes the YAS-23 alto sax doesn't know what they're talking about. Here's what a true saxophone expert says about them. Now, this guy really does know what he's talking about when it comes to saxophones, unlike the know-it-all teenagers out there who (in reality) don't know much at all. Here's the review of the YAS 21 (which also mentions the YAS-23) which tells it like it is:-

http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk/Reviews/Saxes/Alto/Yamaha_YAS21.htm

One final point to bear in mind. I've been playing the sax since 1978 and I collect them. Here's a list of some of the altos in my collection:- two Conn 6M altos, a 1930s Keilwerth, Selmer Mk 6 (5 digit), Yanagisawa A9932J, a Dolnet M70 and (wait for it!) the humble Yamaha YAS-23. Frankly, I wouldn't hang onto my YAS-23 unless it had something good to offer. True, it's not as nice as my Selmer Mk 6, but it's still fun to blow and offers almost unbeatable value for money. It's no accident that YAS-23s are so popular among saxophonists!

I have played a Yamaha Yas-23 for the first 7 years of my "carreer".

It is a great instruments for beginners, because, in basic terms, it is a decent saxophone for beginners. It is well-built, quite ergonomic, sounds decent and not too expensive compared to other similar instruments.

There are, however, some points to keep in mind. The first are the pads; they tend to wear out quite quickly. This is mainly caused by the fact that the edges of the holes may be a little rough and sharp. So check them from time to time.

The second is a bigger problem; the mouthpiece. The standard mouthpiece that came with it during the 1990's and the early 2000's was absolutely rubbish. If you want to learn play properly, I would strongly advice you to get another mouthpiece (from day 1!!). The best thing to do would be to get a basic mouthpiece from one of the top brands (like Selmer, VanDoren, Meyer etc). Get an all-round, ebony (so not metal) mouthpiece with a moderate tip-opening. A very good option is the Selmer S80 C*, but the other top brands of course have similar mouthpieces. If possible, ask your teacher for advice on this.

This saxophone great for any advancing soxophone player. It does not have any engravings or a high F# key. But it does have a killer tone and build quality. I recommend the Selmer S80 C* mouthpiece because the mouthpiece that comes with the horn isn't the best. I also reccomend getting it tuned to professional standards and it will sound even better. A great horn.

(my alto was a stepping stone to a tenor sax)

Yamaha were the first to develop these sax with computer design systems. and they were very good in their day (still are). Yamaha are second to none in saxophone build quality, some will say that the YAS21, 23 and 25 may not be the most exotic looking horn but they didnt have an exotic price either. So good quality second hand examples are under 350 pounds. and they are still pretty things desipte no engraving etc.

They have a very nice sound (after some practice) I never needed a different mouthpiece to be able to really blast out a score or get to the high notes (with a 2.5 rico royal reed with the standard 4C mouthpiece supplied a sandard, you can blow a fair while)

I have had this sax for many years, and as a semi-pro player and sax teacher could recommend it to anyone starting out. These days you can find them on Ebay for just a couple of hundred, and they are worth the investment. They repair easily, and when serviced and overhauled play like demons! As the other reviewers say, they also make great back-up horns and what they might lack in technical 'add-ons' (high f sharp key... which can be overcome by technique, incidentally) they more than makle up for in intonation, rugged playability and sound. I traded my vintage Martin Committee (1957) in favour of this sax! In my view an affordable collectors item of the future. Discounted little brother to the Selmer MK VI almost. They don't look so pretty (no fancy engraving) but they sure as heck play with a confident, consistent tone.

For a student horn this instrument plays very well, no frustration for the beginner, far, far superior to many of the no name brands selling for two thirds to three quarters of the price, and the no name brands that sell for $800 can't even get close to this horn.

I'm a student saxophonist and am about to take my grade 7 exam. I have had this saxophone for years and it has served me well! It is a high quality instrument and has been very good even as I improve and play more and more harder pieces. However, it has no top F# key and this makes it sometimes awkward to play. Overall, though, I would definately recommend this as a solid good buy for anyone.

As a music educator for the past 20 years, I have recommended the YAS-23 to my students as "the" beginner saxophone. The intonation is very good and the instrument is not "clunky" with it's mechanism like other beginner horns. As a professional saxophonist, I have owned the YAS-62 in both Soprano and Alto and currently play on Selmer Serie II's (sop, alto and tenor). If I had to have a student "back-up" horn, the YAS-23 would be my chose. I also recommend the 4C mpc. to my other beginning students until I think they will not drop the mpc. everyday, then I ask them to get Selmer C*'s.