This is basically the best intermediate alto deal that you could possibly find. The Yamaha YAS-52 like this plays and sounds like a ‘purple logo’ era Yamaha 62, which is an absolutely wonderful alto. The 52 version just has fewer bells and whistles than the 62, but it has all the features that you need. The tone is gorgeous, warm, complex, interesting, but the intonation is also very good – a rare combination in alto saxophones. This one just had a bunch of money spent on replacing lots of pads, and making sure the good ones were sealing their best. It plays really really well. You won’t have to spend much on maintenance any time soon. This is a step or two up from a Yamaha 23 and I like it way better than a 480 or an Advantage or any of the other recent student or intermediate options. The 52 is the best of the bunch, and this one is clean, beautiful, reliable, just setup, and all around great.
