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The Definitive Evolution of the Jazz Standard Baritone





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Yamaha’s Custom saxophones occupy a lofty perch in the modern jazz world. Boasting neck-to-bell design innovations that have paid dividends in tonal quality, playability, and response; the YBS-82 has joined the Yamaha lineup as the first Custom baritone saxophone. As a result of Yamaha’s relentless pursuit of excellence, the YBS-82 Custom bari sings in a luscious, silky-smooth voice, and you’ll enjoy a luxurious degree of control and flexibility across the entire range as you play. Sonically, it benefits from a new Custom brass formulation and a shorter, 1-piece brass bell that reduces weight (always welcome on a bari) while optimizing note delivery across the tonal range.





The YBS-82 includes Yamaha’s handmade Custom “C” neck; front F, low A, and high F# keys; a removable floor peg, and a road-ready wheeled case. As with all Yamaha saxophones, exceptional build quality and playability are baked in, with precision ergonomic keywork, excellent responsiveness, and superior intonation yielding an instrument that faithfully conveys every nuance of expression in your playing. And thanks to Yamaha’s high-quality Japanese manufacturing and quality control, you can be assured that your YBS-82 Custom baritone will go the distance throughout your career and advance your development as an artist. If you’re on the prowl for a superb professional baritone saxophone, look no further than the Yamaha YBS-82.





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Introducing the YBS-82 Custom Baritone Saxophone





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Handmade Custom “C” neck: greater control and excellent intonation





Yamaha outfitted the YBS-82 baritone saxophone with their handcrafted Custom “C” neck ? a top choice among experienced and professional saxophonists. This neck offers Yamaha’s smallest bore taper, which promotes a ready response with instant attack and greater control over dynamics and timbral variation, focusing your notes and providing a compact landing zone for intonation. Growling, raspy, breathy, or sweet, the “C” neck allows you to explore the full voice of your instrument, and you can push it as hard as you want with the confidence you’ll be rewarded with a commanding sound. Yamaha has included their redesigned custom Ebonite 5CM mouthpiece. The baffle and other areas of internal chamber have been reshaped for increased projection and optimal tone. The tip shape has also been modified for additional comfort and embouchure control.





Impeccable ergonomics and responsive mechanisms





The YBS-82 baritone has everything you would expect of a world-class professional saxophone, including a hand-hammered 1-piece bell, elaborate hand engraving, and mother-of-pearl key touches, as well as a front F, low A, high F# keys. Whether you’re playing an adagio line or firing off a volley of notes, you’ll appreciate the fluid, synergistic response of this superb saxophone as your fingers glide across its elegant pearls. Improved ergonomic include a more natural feel from the left-hand palm keys, the C and Eb keys, and a newly designed low A key with a sleek profile that doesn’t trip up your thumb. Even the strap ring has been repositioned for better overall balance. In the design phase, Yamaha’s highly skilled artisans explored different techniques for crafting the bottom bow and bell. After exhaustive experimentation, they determined that shortening the bell and applying Yamaha’s proprietary acoustic annealing process enhanced low-note playability and equalized resistance throughout the instrument’s range. Shortening the bell also reduces weight. If you’re an alto player who doubles on bari, you’ll be delightfully surprised by the handling characteristics of the YBS-82.





Hand-hammered 1-piece bell with intricate hand engraving





In designing their first Custom baritone horn, Yamaha examined the construction techniques used to produce sought-after vintage instruments, leading to a significant performance-enhancing upgrade. The YBS-82 Custom bari features a 1-piece bell, which, like the body and neck, is hand hammered by Yamaha’s expert craftspeople. The 1-piece bell provides focused and impactful bass tones, surpassing the low-end response of 2-piece bells, while opening up the horn’s overall tonality. The YBS-82 features precision-crafted pads and resonators that provide a leak-free, airtight fit while delivering a big, assertive tone that brings your notes to life. The horn is graced with sumptuous hand engraving with a delicate, intricate design that accentuates the instrument’s natural beauty and evokes Yamaha’s tradition of old-world craftsmanship.





Impeccable, versatile design





Designed with input from preeminent jazz saxophonists, the Yamaha YBS-82 Custom baritone has quickly become an industry standard in that genre. And indeed, its masterful design and beautifully emotive voice make it a high-performance delivery vehicle for chasin’ the Trane. But versatility being one of the attributes of a great professional saxophone, you’ll actually find pro players in many genres who rely on the YBS-82 as their main baritone. Saxophonists who play both jazz and classical, for instance, can choose an appropriate mouthpiece and reed to customize their horn for the music at hand. What’s more, Yamaha makes “E” and “V” versions of their interchangeable Custom baritone neck with medium and large bore tapers, respectively. However you set it up, the Yamaha YBS-82 is an impeccably designed and crafted professional instrument that sounds incredible, is comfortable to play, and continuously evolves along with you on your musical journey.





Yamaha saxophones: designed and built for artists





In 1967, Yamaha debuted their first saxophones: the YAS-1 alto and the YTS-1 tenor. Both found favor in the sax player community. In fact, jazz great John Coltrane, who built his reputation on the tenor and soprano, played the prototype YAS-1 gifted him by Yamaha extensively during his 1966 tour of Japan. In 1972, Yamaha partnered with renowned classical saxophonist Dr. Eugene Rousseau to develop a new line of professional-class saxophones. After arduous years of prototyping, testing, and revisions, Yamaha introduced the fruits of their labor: the YAS-62 alto, the YTS-62 tenor, and the YSS-62 soprano. Designed with three guiding principles in mind ? superior acoustics, top-notch mechanisms, and artistic feel ? the 62 series saxophones represented a milestone for Yamaha, setting the company on the path to becoming one of the world’s most-respected saxophone makers. Today, Yamaha continues to adhere to the principles established during the creation of the original 62 series nearly a half century ago, providing saxophonists with fine instruments to inspire their artistry and meet their technical demands. Sweetwater is proud to offer you Yamaha’s distinguished saxophone line, which offers outstanding value at every level, from student models to sophisticated professional saxophones heard in premier venues and concert halls around the globe.





Yamaha YBS-82 Custom Professional Baritone Saxophone Features:


Handmade custom interchangeable neck with “C” bore taper


Ergonomic keywork


Mother-of-pearl key touches


Auxiliary keys: front F, low A, high F#


Adjustable thumb rest


Precision-crafted pads and resonators


Hand-hammered 1-piece bell


Opulent hand engraving


Receiver for included detachable floor peg


Custom 5CM mouthpiece and wheeled case included


Handcrafted in Japan