Saxophone Forum


by ScottSax
(3 posts)
19 years ago

Yanagasawia 990 urgent question

I play a 6 year old 990 yanigasawa. I have had it overhauled and it sounds great. The only thing is that the G won't hold its adjustment. When I slur from a High C to a G or a high B to a G it hits the D overtone. Also If I am jumping octaves from low G to high G or the A to the high A it fizzle and I have to adjustment my oral cavity to acommodate. I have had it adjusted for this problem and it has been fixed the only problem is that it won't hold the adjustment. Does anyone know about this symptom being a problem with Yanis and if so how can I fix it. The horn plays awesome and sounds even better but this flaw makes the horn hard to play and deal with.

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  1. by PsuSax
    (25 posts)

    19 years ago

    Re: Yanagasawia 990 urgent question

    this is the joy of playing the saxophone. You can't use the same exact oral cavity for every note/dynamic/articulation and expect perfect results. The best advice I have ever gotten is "to make the saxophone sound even you have to play it unevenly". You should be flexible/active in your oral cavity and shape so that you can adjust to the intonation problems of middle D, or fix problems like you are describing above.

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    1. by PsuSax
      (25 posts)

      19 years ago

      Re: Yanagasawia 990 urgent question

      I forgot to mention, I've played on a Yani 991 for the last 5 years until I recently bought a silver Yamaha EX. Both are fantastic horns and each have their own quirks that you as a player have to compensate for.

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  2. by johnsonfromwisconsin
    (767 posts)

    19 years ago

    Re: Yanagasawia 990 urgent question

    This is a common problem in the saxophone. Things to check for: 1) Make sure the lower octave vent is unobstructed. 2) Make sure the neck octave lever isn't pushing against it's lifting ring. 3) Make sure the neck octive pad is getting a good seal. 4) check spring tension in the nect octave key. If these things are allright, it may indeed be an embrochure problem. Some horns are more apt to commit to the overtone than others, which is caused by it's accoustical design. Since having some neck dents removed, by Buescher Tenor has this G -> D issue.

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  3. by Lefty
    (21 posts)

    19 years ago

    Re: Yanagasawia 990 urgent question

    It sounds to me like Johnson is on the right track. The moves describing the problem, when they occur, are such that the instrument is changing from the octave key on the neck to the one on the body, or the opposite. These Yanigasawa saxes are remarkable instruments, but are of an alloy of brass softer than average, so to speak. Look at where the octave mechanism is on the instrument. You handle that part of the horn alot, especially when not playing. How do you store the neck? In the bell? This possibility might change the curve of the neck octave key, causing misadjustment. Think soft. As I re-read this before posting, I also have a thought about a G# key hanging open. Play F# or below and the G# articulation screw will close it; above A, and the misadjustment doesn't matter. Let the repairman of record on this instrument check these things. Yes, PSU, it takes more than wiggling the fingers to play the horn.. But one should make sure the sax is tight and right before putting the onus on the player, especially at so great a distance. Lefty

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    1. by FredCDobbs
      (77 posts)

      19 years ago

      Re: Yanagasawia 990 urgent question

      I had the same problem with my early 50's 10M when I first got the horn. I struggled with it for a couple of weeks, adjusting and readjusting my embouchure (per my instructor's advice), and getting pretty frustrated. Then one day, for the hell of it, when I was practicing near my air compressor, I blew 50 lbs. of air pressure through the upper body octive hole. The high G# then played clear as a bell, even when slurring from any other note I tried, and with just the normal lipping that I'd been accustomed to use on the upper register. Must have been some lint or crud caught in there.

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