Yamaha YAS-62 III Silver Plated Alto Sax Review
Yamaha YAS-62 III Alto Saxophones have been the main choice of many modern contemporary sax players.
A few players of note who've played with this horn are:
Dave Koz
Mindi Adair
Jay Beckenstien (from Spyro Gyra)
Steve Cristao (My fav sax teacher)
Dave Koz Playing his Yamaha YAS-62
This is Dave Koz's favorite instrument. He needs a saxophone that is "completely there" for him. He jokes about the brutal conditions this saxophone has been with him, wherever he is, all around the world.
Additionally, he feels like everyone at Yamaha has his back as a Yamaha Signature Artist. At the end of this video, there is an amazing sax solo at the end that you just have to listen to!
Watching this video made me want to listen to more Dave Koz music...
Mindi Adair talks about her YAS-62
Every album that Mindi makes, she has a competition with herself to sound better than she's ever sounded before.
She feels like this saxophone allows her to be herself, and has found the YAS-62 does just that.
Jay Beckenstien from Spyro Gyra with his YAS-62
This 1 hour and 20 minute YouTube video gives you a great sense of how this horn sounds. Spyro Gyra seen here in one of the only high quality long form videos found on YouTube.
Steve Cristao chats about his Yamaha YAS-62 Alto Sax
My ole Saxophone instructor, Steve Cristao, who can be heard here on Reverb Nation (Track #1 @ 1:25) shared his comments with me in this article about his Yamaha YAS-62 III Professional Silver Plated Alto Saxophone.
Steve Cristao (The best sax teacher ever)
It's hard to believe that such an amazing horn can be found directly on Amazon! One thing I've noticed is the sound of this sax sounds consistent no matter who plays it. It's signature sound is what made it so popular.
Features of the Yamaha YAS-62 Silver Plated Alto Sax
Focused Tone
The YAS-62 has a more focused tone. This gives the saxophone player a more "natural" and controlled experience with the instrument.
These Horns "Cut"
The timbre on these instruments cut through to the audience. Whatever you put into this instrument it comes out the other end.
No matter what the emotion that's being put through the saxophone, it's the perfect vehicle for self expression.
Air Intake
Unlike the Selmer Mark VI, the Yamaha YAS-62 doesn't take as much air, but make up for it by how much they cut through sound-wise.
To me, this says that the focused sound is a result of a greater efficiency of air flow.
Build Quality
These horns rarely need adjustments. Dave Koz even said that the amount of airplanes that his saxophone has been on haven't had much of an impact on this sax.
"You can hold the horn around the rods and they won't flex."
This represents one example of how robust this instrument is. You can throw around this sax and hardly anything is impacted by wear-and-tear.