Yanagisawa SC-992 Curved Soprano Near Mint

Description

To put it succinctly, this is the best curved soprano model that has been made ever. The Yanagisawa company makes only saxophones, and they make them with a continuous commitment to improvement. Their soprano saxophones are particularly prized for their excellent intonation and warm tone, and for curved soprano, Yanagisawa is really the only viable option for a modern pro horn.

This is the SC-992 model, which is identical to the SC-991 in design. The difference is that the 992 is made of solid bronze, rather than brass. The keys are still brass, giving the horn a cool two-tone look. This horn is cosmetically near mint/mint, with no noticeable wear (I see a miniscule scratch on the high E side key touch, but that’s it. It has not been played much at all, and the pads are in excellent condition. This horn was just checked out by a very good tech and it is playing perfectly with no leaks at all. There are no dents, no dings, no resolders, no past repairs, and no other flaws on the sax. It comes with the original neck which is also in great shape. It ships in the original case.

Inevitably someone will want to know about the difference in sound between 991 and 992. In my experience with a few dozen horns, I would say that the 991 is basically a clear, round tone. The 992 is a little darker and more complex, and perhaps a bit warmer as well. I tend to prefer the 992 a little bit over the 991, but both are really excellent sopranos. These work well with a wide range of mouthpieces, and that is, after all, the most important way to shape the overall tone.

Here’s a chance to get a near-new SC-992 for quite a bit less than the new price, even though this horn is in the same or better condition compared a new one (which often needs a good setup). That should be a great deal for someone, and it should also make it so that the buyer can easily get his/her money back out down the road without any trouble.