Pro Level Yamaha Saxophones Compared!

Jim & George take a look at the Yamaha YAS-62, YAS-82Z & YAS-875EX to see how they differ from one another.
View our range of Yamaha saxophones! - sax.co.uk/coll...
Jim is using a Meyer Alto Mouthpiece with D'Addario Select Jazz Reeds

[@rhrh2025]

I've played a Yamaha 62 since 1980, and recently bought the Yamaha 62 iiiS! It serves my needs very well! I briefly played on a Yamaha Custom series (alto), and could tell that it was an exceptional instrument. Had I been playing more classical music at the time, I would have probably stayed with the Custom. But, the 62 fits me perfectly, and I'm very pleased!

[@dallassax]

The front F mechanism is much different between the Z and EX. On the EX, the front F key is incorporated into the upper stack.

[@zaxophne]

I have an 82Z II and I absolutely love it. I had an 875EX and I really liked that also but it was hard to get it to speak in the lowest notes. 82Z II is super easy to play.

[@BoHugh]

That was my reasoning for purchasing the Z II Tenor

[@theoparlin8068]

Great video! I had an intermediate Yamaha Tenor and I upgraded the neck to a V1. It takes much more air, but, for me, it helped with tone and altissimo dramatically.

[@Samuriele]

875Ex........best Sax ever!

[@tonysales3687]

The best sax is the one you play live. Mine is a 62.

[@BigSlappaman]

Hey guys. Could you possibly do more showcases and comparisons on classical mouthpiece setups? I’m a classical saxophonist who loves seeing you guys play these horns, but it’s difficult for me to form an opinion on the the horns simply because it’s not the sound that I would use if I were to play. Just an idea for any of the classical musicians who may be watching

[@TWO20]

The classical saxophone world is fairly small compared to the jazz and pop world, and both of them are very much jazz players. I’m not sure that they would be able to give as precise of an assessment for a classical setup.

[@matthewalvarez3799]

I'm with you on that lol. It might prove difficult for them though because they're jazz players. But from what's in this video, it sounds like the 875 might be slightly better suited for a classical setting. But it all boils down to play testing things yourself lol.

[@TonyAguirreJazz]

I own a 62 Alto and a 82ZIII Tenor. Love the 62

[@chrishiggins8387]

Great video! Yamaha 62 is definitely the best value pro saxophone on the market.

[@TWO20]

Idk...I like my yanagisawa. Pricey, but well worth it

[@chrishiggins8387]

Owen Leeuwis Yanagisawa are indeed great horns! Hard to beat Yamaha for value though.

[@richardjones990]

Sounds to me like the EX was very smooth with a little more bottom end than the other two.

[@gustavoufrrj]

Very good. A comparison between tenor models would be great too. Im curious too about the relation between difference of mass and the free blowing aspect.

[@rhrh2025]

I now have a 62iii alto, which satisfies my needs. Most of the classical work that I do is on soprano. If I did more classical stuff, I'd probably go with the 875ex! The 62 is a great horn for me, and the pitch is right on it!

[@zvonimirtosic6171]

In Yamaha’s specs for custom saxophones, they state the brass composition for custom instruments is different. They qualified it as ‘French brass’. If there are differences in sound signature among those models, different material would add to it.

[@mambojazz1]

duh🙄 lol. Thats why the video was made to discuss the differences and hear them.

[@jamieforjazz]

You sound awesome, Jim.

[@jonjames7113]

Have a purple logo 62 and does a great job. Plays great.

[@stangetz534]

Thanks lots of new info! The Z and EX have a little clearer nicer tone to me. Maybe the EX for ballads and the Z for bebop. -)

[@mikespadafora9077]

Nice to hear a player that can play the alto in tune. Some many reviewers cannot.

[@DynamixWarePro]

Very helpful video. Could you make another version and compare the Tenor versions of these? I find the 62 is the middle of the road versatile saxophone and you can put your own sound on it as you have said. The 82z I find is for me a little too bright, but its not overly bright. It sound good for Jazz and commercial music over anything else due to the brightness and edge. I have a Yamaha YAS-280 with metal reflectors and I find it a little too bright with those. With the 875Ex I like its more tubby slightly warmer tone and I know it has been designed more as a classical saxophone, but you defiantly don't have to play it that way. The English saxophonist Simon Bates is the living embodiment of why that isn't so with his big jazz/Funk sound he gets on his 875 saxophones. I also have noticed the 875Ex uses ball joints for the right hand side keys over the normal fork joints. Do you know if that makes any difference?

[@daddyspitman]

i have a z & an ex. i've not found any difference in the feel between ball & fork mechanisms.

[@joblack1838]

Have you folks ever thought about doing any classical demos on your videos? Sure Jim has some classical chops having started on oboe

[@AndyPanda9]

Was hoping to see a purple logo 62 in the comparison :) Thanks for making these kinds of videos - great comparison!

[@marklang7486]

They wont review those because they don't/cant sell them! They are still some of the best horns Yamaha ever made though. I have/had 3 over the years.

[@garyschoney1471]

I've been playing the 62 purple logo tenor for 35 years. So very versatile with different mouthpiece/reed setups. Jazz combo quartet, big band, concert, R&B and whatever else.

[@ramiromontano6749]

Might be a stupid question but what is the benefit of a purple logo 62 to a regular 62?

[@AndyPanda9]

@@ramiromontano6749 Not at all a stupid question. The logo itself doesn't have any benefit - but the models with a purple logo were built during the early years and some believe the craftsmanship was better (The early ones were made in Japan and later years were built in various countries) Also they made slight changes over the years. Some of the changes might be "improvements" like blued needle springs vs stainless and rocking Bb pinky cluster. Myself -- I prefer my non-rocking Bb cluster but I kind of wish I had the newer, blue needle springs. They also changed the necks over the years which affects intonation and response slightly.

[@iqi616]

Love my 62. Better instrument than I'm a player so the odds of an upgrade are low.

[@vladimirlopez7840]

I have one also. Really it’s all you will ever need. Change the mouthpiece get different sounds.

[@js_-ht1xy]

@@vladimirlopez7840 is it heavy or light and is it hard to blow?

[@rlrihards948]

​@@js_-ht1xy It shouldn't hard to blow, especially if you're on pro level it should be easier than other ones (Z and Ex) bc of neck

[@harolddawson2033]

Thank you so much for doing this video I am in the market for a new tenor and where I live they don't sell anything over the yad 62 I currently own the 62 alto but wasn't very happy about the thinness of sound. I'm hoping the 82z will make a difference or ill look into other brands.

[@donovansiers9422]

If your sound's thin, that's probably your mouthpiece, reed, or something up with your airstream. I have an 875EX for both tenor and alto (black lacquer on the tenor), and neither of them sound thin. I'd experiment with more mouthpieces before you swap horns.

[@harolddawson2033]

@@donovansiers9422it was the g2 neck that came stock. your horn has a v1 neck (also a difference) i bought a v1 neck which makes a different but i just feel the yamaha 62 is just missing power. But is a great all around horn.is that came with it and also plastic resonators vs metal is a big difference i have been playing for a while on the 62 and have been playing for like 10 years as well as tried different brand horns except 82z and 875. Also I have Selmer soprano and allora tenor. The neck helps but I have played other horns (obviously more expensive) that don't give me that thin sound.

[@donovansiers9422]

@@harolddawson2033 My alto has the V1. Tenor has an E1. The neck would be a huge change. Also, an Allora is not on the same level as a Yamaha. Just... Period. And if you think a 62 is lacking in power, you're on the wrong mouthpiece and reed setup for you. It's just that simple.

[@harolddawson2033]

@@donovansiers9422 yeah allora isn't on the same level which is why I want to replace my tenor lol. But I have power now with my v1 neck. What I was saying was stock the 62 (with the g2 neck) is a very thin sounding horn. The only reason I want to upgrade to an 82z now is because of the change of color. To me it has a better overall sound at least for the style of music I am playing.

[@ApertureLad]

Excellent video. I’ve been playing for 5 years and have upgraded to an 82z tenor (V1 neck). Does this mean I’m having more intonation issues than say with an E1 neck or intermediate Saxophone.

[@davepierremusic3974]

Excellent review as always and really love your channel. I was wondering what you thought about the pmauriat horns especially the system 76 dark lacquer alto?

[@jiokl7g9t6]

Presume that you can replace the resonators with whatever type you like?

[@GermarDerron]

you can

[@SauloTubistaCabreuva]

Very Good

[@chrizze5062]

I have a Yamaha 82z with the G1 neck, I really love it but am interested in trying out the V1 neck

[@daltonmaynor9073]

I own the 62 that came with a G1 and bought a V1 for it. All I can say is I definitely recommend getting one! A friend who owns a 82z tried out my V1 and instantly fell in love with it.

[@mirkokoky9651]

What is the difference in sound with the g1 and v1

[@pedrodavidrodrigues1959]

The yamaha 62 was from the the 3 or 4 generation ?

[@op14435]

How does it compare with yanagisawa aw01

[@truthssayer1980]

Did you guys prefer this yamaha custom z over the selmer reference you reviewed last time?

[@jamesscannell893]

I am a fan of Yamaha Saxophones and enjoy these posts. But something is bothering me and seems to make no sense at all. How can saxophone necks that fit into the same mouthpiece at the start and same saxophone body at the end be said to have a bigger or smaller taper? As far as I understand a larger taper increases in size more than a smaller taper. So how can necks of different tapers have the same starting and ending diameters? What am I missing? Help! Can any one in an informed position ( instrument designer, etc) solve this conundrum for me? Does the metal get thinner to allow for an increase in diameter internally but the external diameters stays the same? Should we worry that large taper necks are then more prone to be damage as the material gets thinner towrds the instrument´s body? If this is the case then how can you know the taper makes a difference and not the thickness of the material? Does anyone know anything about this?

[@NoahKawaguchi]

I assume this means that when a neck taper is "bigger," the width starting from the mouthpiece side and going toward the body side gets wider sooner/higher and then stays wide as it connects to the same size body, while a "smaller" neck taper means the neck stays more narrow for longer and then widens to fit into the body at a later/lower point in the neck. This is just a guess though.

[@trainguy4265]

The 82Z has a very fast/quick response. But the 875EX has a bit of resistance. The 62 is a little more resistant than the 82Z.

[@danielhamilton5862]

I had a 62 tenor for 2 weeks. I took it up to New York on some gigs and the octave mechanism messed up. I don’t know what happened and I don’t know how I fixed it, but I got rid of it as soon as I got back home cause I really couldn’t risk it doing that to me again on a gig or tour. It was a good horn besides, but I couldn’t trust it

[@vladimirlopez7840]

Strange because Yamaha horns are almost bullet proof. I have two 62’s and neither have had a single issue.

[@danielhamilton5862]

Vladimir Lopez yeah it was confusing

[@toomuchtoofast4533]

Tenors please?

[@marktyler3381]

Where's the YAS 23, 25, 31, and 32? Oldies but goodies. Only messing.

[@paulgeiger6177]

Usually the sound comes from the player!

[@wrdrennan]

The 875EX has a much sweeter sound. No contest.

[@hazlitt1]

So much talking, such little playing.

[@paullangley861]

In the beginning they always waste time playing a little song no one asked for