Yamaha’s CRAZY Sax Pricing | 2024 Comparison

[@robstevens9590]

I am an American living outside the US. I have a Yamaha flute (purchased in Germany 50+ years ago) & I own an Amati alto sax, but when traveling I played a Yamaha YAS280 in Australia and rented a Yamaha YAS26 in the States. Both were good horns, but (IMHO) the 280 was much nicer.

[@SaxTuition]

That’s a great perspective Rob, thanks for sharing!

[@DynamixWarePro]

I never you couldn't get or register a Yamaha YAS-280 in the US. When I bought my YAS-280 in the UK in 2018 from Sax Shop, it was new and cost me about £750 if I remember correctly. Now it is selling for around £1000 new or slightly less at other sites, but still more than I bought mine for.

[@SaxTuition]

Yeah, the price of all Yamaha saxes have gone up quite significantly in the past few years. Even since I last compared prices in 2022, the YAS-26 has gone up about $200. You can open up Wayback Machine and check out some prices from 5-10 years ago… pretty incredible the difference!

[@SaxyGsMusicalJourney-zs9dw]

IF I were interested in a Yamaha sax, you just made a case for a quick fly-in to London or Germany to pick one up. But I am leaning towards the P. Mauriet sound and will do my due diligence on the pricing when the time comes to upgrade.

[@WagesofGear]

so looked at thomann to see what the shipping would be for a Yamaha 62III, you can't purchase any yamaha products "at all" from Thomann to the US, not just the 280... the reason for this unfortunately is the MAP price in the US, which is minimum advertised price, that's why all of the US stores have the same pricing all the way around online and why there isn't any smaller brick and mortar shops that are carrying these online. The odds are high that between the cost and the MAP there is no real profit in them. There is a another line of their saxes and their student models that are not on this list and my understanding its only for the US market which is the Advantage and the Allegro Series the 200ADII, 300AD and the 580AL in Alto Saxophones. I wouldn't be surprised if the 280 alto in other countries is the 580AL here and the price being significantly higher because of it

[@WagesofGear]

actually just looked and the YAS0300AD has a high F# key so it might be the same as the 280

[@starwolven]

I will not buy Yamaha products out of principal. I can ALWAYS find cheaper alternatives that are worth justifying. Lets be honest- Yamaha saxophones are over-rated.