Yanagisawa (company)

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Yanagisawa A9932J alto saxophone

Yanagisawa Kangakki KK ( Japanese 柳 澤 管 楽 器 株式会社 , Yanagisawa kangakki kabushiki kaisha , "Yanagisawa Wind Instruments Corporation"; English Yanagisawa Wind Instrument Inc. ) is a Japanese manufacturer of saxophones based in the Azusawa district of Itabashi , Tokyo Prefecture . The company was founded in 1893 as a manufacture and repair workshop for wind instruments. Since the first self-developed saxophone in 1954 - a tenor saxophone model T-3 in a silver-plated version with ample cup decorations - Yanagisawa has concentrated entirely on these woodwind instruments .

Model series from 1954

So far the following models have been developed:

  • 1954: first tenor saxophone model T-3 in silver-plated version
  • 1956: A-3 alto saxophone
  • 1965: A-5 alto saxophone
  • 1966: T-6 tenor saxophone, T-4 tenor saxophone, A-4 alto saxophone
  • 1967: B-6 baritone saxophone, first in Japan
  • 1968: S-6 soprano saxophone
  • 1970: A-6 alto saxophone
  • 1972: Development of an S-bow and alto saxophone bell made of solid silver
  • 1972: Sopranino saxophone with high E-key (world first - went to Sonny Rollins)
  • 1973: Production of mouthpieces made of ebonite and metal
  • 1978: Elimona 800 series
  • 1979: soprano saxophone in alto form
  • 1980: Elimona series 880, 500 series alto and tenor
  • 1984: Soprano saxophone with one straight and one curved S-bow
  • 1990: new 900 series

Model series from 1990

  • Sopranino
SN-800 Sopranino (low B to high E, engraving)
SN-9930 Sopranino (body made of sterling silver)
  • soprano
S-900 soprano (one-piece body, low B to high F sharp)
S-880 soprano (two S-bows, low B to high F sharp)
S-990 soprano (two S-bows, low B to high G)
S-9930 soprano (two S-bows, low B to high G, body / bows made of sterling silver)
SC-900 soprano (curved, low B to high F sharp)
  • Alto
A-900 Alto (low B to high F sharp)
A-990 Alto (C sharp-H rocker for the left little finger, impregnated padding,
Double arm strut for deep C and H key)
A-9930 Alto (S-bow / main tube sterling silver, knee / bell brass)
  • tenor
T-900 tenor (low B to high F sharp)
T-990 Tenor (C sharp-H rocker for the left little finger, impregnated padding, double-arm strut for low C and B keys)
T-9930 Tenor (S-bow / main tube sterling silver, knee / bell brass)
  • baritone
B-900 baritone (low A to high F sharp)
B-990 Baritone (C sharp-B rocker for the left little finger, impregnated padding,
Double arm strut for deep C, H, B and A keys)
B-9930 Baritone (S-bow / main tube sterling silver, knee / bell brass)
Model 9933 S-bow / bell sterling silver.
Model 9935 S-bow / main tube / bell sterling silver.

Model series from 1998

Series 901 / Standard & Series 991 / Artist replaces the 800 and 900 series.

  • Sopranino
SN-901 Sopranino (low B to high E, engraving)
SN-9930 Sopranino (body made of sterling silver)
  • soprano
S-901 soprano (one-piece body, low B to high F sharp)
S-981 soprano (two S-bows, low B to high F sharp)
S-991 soprano (two S-bows, low B to high G)
S-992 Soprano 991 in bronze
S-9930 soprano (two S-bows, low B to high G, body / bows sterling silver)
SC-901 soprano (curved, low B to high F sharp)
  • Alto
A-901 Alto (low B to high F sharp)
A-991 Alto (C sharp-H rocker for the left little finger, impregnated padding, double-arm strut for deep C and H keys)
A-992 Alto 991 in bronze
A-9930 Alto (S-bow / main tube sterling silver, knee / bell brass)
  • tenor
T-901 tenor (low B to high F sharp)
T-991 Tenor (C sharp-H rocker for the left little finger, impregnated padding, double-arm strut for low C and H keys)
T-992 Tenor 991 in bronze
T-9930 Tenor (S-bow / main tube sterling silver, knee / bell brass)
  • baritone
B-901 baritone (low A to high F sharp)
B-991 Baritone (C sharp-H rocker for the left little finger, impregnated padding, double-arm strut for low C, B, B and A keys)
B-992 Baritone 991 in bronze
B-9930 Baritone (S-bow / main tube sterling silver, knee / bell brass)
Models 992 like 991 with S-bow / main tube / bell bronze.
Model 9933 S-bow / bell sterling silver.
Model 9935 S-bow / main tube / bell sterling silver.

A precise description of the model change from the 900 to the 901 series is not yet known. Recognizable innovations: 1. Metal thumb hook with spacer feet. This reduces the contact surface and thus the damping. 2nd support for the left thumb also made of metal. Compared to the 901s, the 991s are the high-end instruments.

Model series from 2014

From 2014, Yanagisawa changes its type designation for alto and tenor saxophones. The evolutionary changes to the series names from 900 to 901 have been changed to WO. The designation WO stands for "World Outstanding" and symbolizes the brand's claim. This is also made clear by the fact that there are only two lines, the Professional and the Elite line. You can distinguish these by the number of digits after the identifier "WO". The Professional line has only one digit, the Elite line has two digits after the "WO".

A-WO 1 Alto Saxophone of the Professional Line made of brass. 
A-WO 2 Alto Saxophone of the Professional Line made of bronze. 
A-WO 10 Alto saxophone of the Elite line made of brass with double arm strut for the low C and B keys.
A-WO 20 alto saxophone of the Elite line made of bronze with double-arm strut for the low C and B keys, as well as pads with metal resonators.
A-WO 37 Alto saxophone "Silver Sonic" of the Elite line with S-bend, tube and body made of silver with double-arm strut for the low C and B keys, as well as pads with metal resonators.
Optional surface treatments are offered for all alto saxophones.
T-WO 1 tenor saxophone of the Professional line made of brass. 
T-WO 2 tenor saxophone of the Professional line made of bronze.
T-WO 10 tenor saxophone of the Elite line made of brass with double-arm strut for the low C and B keys.
T-WO 20 tenor saxophone of the Elite line made of bronze with double-arm strut for the low C and B keys, as well as pads with metal resonators.
T-WO 37 tenor saxophone "Silver Sonic" of the Elite line with S-bend, tube and body made of silver with double-arm strut for the low C and B keys, as well as pads with metal resonators.
Optional surface treatments are offered for some tenor saxophones.

The other types of sopraninio, soprano and baritone have not yet received a model update.

In 2017, the straight soprano saxophones also received the model upgrade for the WO series. As with alto and tenor, the model name is identical in the nomenclature.

S-WO 1 soprano saxophone of the Professional line made of brass. One-piece model with a fixed S-bend.
S-WO 2 soprano saxophone of the Professional line made of bronze. One-piece model with a fixed S-bend.
S-WO 10 soprano saxophone of the Elite line made of brass. Two-part instrument with removable S-bow.
S-WO 20 Soprano Saxophone of the Elite Line made of bronze with metal resonators in the cushions and a high G key. Two-part instrument with removable S-bow.
S-WO 3 Soprano Saxophone "Silver Sonic" of the Elite Line with silver tube and pads with metal resonators. One-piece model with a fixed S-bend.
S-WO 37 Soprano Saxophone "Silver Sonic" of the Elite Line with S-bend made of silver and pads with metal resonators. Two-part instrument with detachable S-bow and high G key.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Klaus Dapper: Alto saxophone Yanagisawa AWO-1 . In: Sonic 2.2015 . PNP-Verlag, Neumarkt.
  2. ↑ Yanagisawa alto saxophone AWO1. Retrieved May 13, 2017 .