Yamaha YAS-23 Alto Reviews
Summary
''The Yamaha YAS-23 Alto saxophone is an excellent choice for the student or beginner. The YAS23 alto saxophone features a gold lacquer body, with very durable key work. The quality that makes this one of our most recommended student alto saxophones is the intonation. The intonation is excellent and offers the beginning saxophonist an excellent start. Complete with strong plywood case, Yamaha 4C alto saxophone mouthpiece and all necessary saxophone care products.''
Media Gallery for Yamaha YAS-23 Alto
Latest Reviews
“I love the nickel keys which are not a feature of the...”
Written on: 29/10/2010 by Bedfordshire Bulldog (3 reviews written)
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...
(read more)
“The YAS-23 is an excellent alto sax for the money. The...”
Written on: 23/08/2010
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... (read more)
“I have played a Yamaha Yas-23 for the first 7 years of...”
Written on: 06/06/2010
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...
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“This saxophone great for any advancing soxophone...”
Written on: 10/01/2010
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. (read more)
Bedfordshire Bulldog's Comment
Written on: 29/10/2010
The above is all true, however on the subject of F# key there is a point that I found very interesting and true (courtesy of saxontheweb http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?111124-F-sharp-key-this-may-be-dumb-but.... ) and that is when playing F# in altissimo it is just as easy without it
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“(my alto was a stepping stone to a tenor sax) ”
Written on: 11/11/2009
(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...
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“I have had this sax for many years, and as a semi-pro...”
Written on: 25/11/2008 by snollyguster (1 review written)
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... (read more)
“For a student horn this instrument plays very well, no...”
Written on: 30/09/2008 by howardmckay
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. (read more)
“I'm a student saxophonist and am about to take my...”
Written on: 03/07/2008 by mooface
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. (read more)
“As a music educator for the past 20 years, I have...”
Written on: 29/03/2008
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... (read more)
“The Yamaha YAS-23 is a good horn without many bells...”
Written on: 09/05/2006 by rs2sensen (1 review written)
The Yamaha YAS-23 is a good horn without many bells and whistles. Great for a beginner, or for a pro looking for a backup horn. (read more)
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Showing 1 - 10 of 11 Reviews
“Yamaha YAS-23 - Overall, this sax is pretty good. I...”
Written on: 05/07/2004 by sarevok87 (1 review written)
Yamaha YAS-23 - Overall, this sax is pretty good. I don't think its worth the list price though, because there are some Selmers and Jupiters which are better than this sax and cost less. It is lighter than most alto saxes, and so it's a good choice for youth. I just needed something more solid, so I chose a Jupiter artist series (silver plated with gold laquer keys, very beautiful). (read more)
Zaxxon's Response to sarevok87's Review
Written on: 06/11/2010
I found this review not helpful because...
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<br/>The issues this guy mentions regarding intonation problems are clearly caused by a problem with the saxophone he owned i.e. it probably had leaks, or the key-heights needed adjusting. The YAS-23 is renowned among saxophonists for having excellent intonation.
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Bedfordshire Bulldog's Comment
Written on: 29/10/2010
I found this review very helpful because... it's nice to have links to other reviews and hear from someone who owns the instrument