I Got My Saxophone Repaired by a Master Technician in Tokyo
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 15 июл 2023
- #bettersax #saxophone #yanagisawa
Jay Metcalf visits the Yanagisawa Croche workshop in Shinjuku, Tokyo where the chief saxophone technician, Mr. Yamada does a quick adjustment on a WO33 alto saxophone.
🔥 Join the Reed Revolution and try the new BetterSax Jazz Cut Reeds HERE ➡ geni.us/reed
🎁 Access the FREE BetterSax SHED with tons of sax lessons, pdf downloads and backing tracks HERE: bettersax.com/shed
===========================
⚡️Featured BetterSax Gear
“Designed BY Saxophonists FOR Saxophonists”
===========================
🎷BetterSax Saxophones: ➡︎ geni.us/saxophones
🎷BURNIN’ Mouthpieces: ➡︎ geni.us/Burnin
🎷Jazz Cut Reeds: ➡︎ geni.us/reed
🎷Must Have Accessories: bettersax.com/store
===========================
🎓Want to Study Saxophone with Jay Metcalf?
===========================
🔥 Join the BetterSax Studio for personalized video feedback from Jay as well as new lessons and downloads every month ➡️ bettersax.com/course/studio
💪🏻Get lifetime access to BetterSax courses that have helped 10s of thousands of saxophonists at every level around the world ➡️ bettersax.com/products/
===========================
Connect with us!
===========================
IG: ➡︎ / bettersax
Tik Tok: ➡︎ / bettersax
Facebook: ➡︎ / bettersax
===========================
Subscribe and Listen to the BetterSax Podcast HERE:📱
===========================
➡︎Apple: apple.co/3rmr9no
➡︎Spotify: sptfy.com/OWAr
Our mission here at BetterSax is to help saxophone players improve steadily, while enjoying the process of learning. We aim to help people find sax gear for every budget that delivers exceptional value and performance.
This video is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission.
Disclaimer: Please see the link for our disclaimer policy for all of our videos on the BetterSax RUclips channel. bettersax.com/terms
I've never been to the Yanagisawa shop, but I have some friends who swear by them. I've always been in awe of the Ishimori shop, also in Tokyo. The upper floor of their shop is full of master saxophone technicians. It is unbelievable how much better a sax plays after their work. Japan is filled with people who take immense pride in their skill and their work.
Absolutely. I visited Ishimori as well and will post a video.
@@bettersax Can't wait for this video! I loved visiting the Ishimori shop last trip to Japan.
Something oddly satisfying about observing a master craftsman working on their craft!
It'd be a bliss if you made a beginner to expert course on sax repair. Everything you should know to repair saxophones to a pro level.
Maybe that day horses will fly.
In my country it's very difficult to find a local sax repairman. And even then, if the reviews are bad, you have to ship your sax for hundreds of Kms, which is something I avoid
Years of experience & knowledge- priceless. Great post Jay cheers
Glad you enjoyed it
going to school to become a repair tech for all instruments myself, i would be happy to work for yanigasawa with a pro like him. has all the tools to do it way faster than me
Thank you for documenting all of this and sharing it Jay… really cool!! 😎
My pleasure!!
Great video! The technicians there are amazing. My one and only visit to Tokyo was in 2011. I had a day off on a tour and seized the opportunity to visit the Yanagisawa shop. I’ve never been treated better in any shop anywhere! The staff was very welcoming and helpful and I spent about 3 hours there trying horns. Can’t wait to get back!
That is awesome!
Nunca he conocido un reparador tecnico nervioso, arrogante, estresado o mal educado. Parece que es la norma.
Mi trabajo soñado en un pais que admiro. Bello saxo Jay, felicitaciones
I love watching technicians at work.
Many thanks Mr. Yamada, and all technicians and luthiers!! Your art, knowledge and work are so important for us all.. and for the whole world that loves music.!
Thanks and blessings for you all❤
Great video Jay, congrats!
Many thanks!
Enjoyed this. Spent a year and a half in Japan. So glad you got to visit.
So cool you got to see someone in your peer group (instrument repair).
Nice video! Thanks for posting so much of his process, that was cool to see!
The whole cleaning between the keys thing warmed my heart. I’ve been bringing my Yanagisawa alto to top guys in NYC for years and I don’t remember seeing anything cleaned. I’m probably misremembering though. ;)
This is a great video Jay. Watching Mr. Yamada practice his craft was fascinating and makes me appreciate the work of my local repair tech even more. Thanks for sharing this.
Glad you enjoyed it
Love these adventure videos, Jay!
More to come!
It's one of my favorite videos. Very interesting!
My good friend Tetsuya Tatsumi [trumpet player/band leader] took us to this magic shop in the year before covid where we met Emi Kondo, a virtuoso musician who play/tests the saxes after the jobs were finished. A happy 992 sop/alto/tenor series owner.
Just the speed and precision at which he works is astounding. Wow
Great content Jay!! Thanks for sharing
My pleasure!
Respect master technician's. Love to see this. A beautiful mechanical machine.
Very cool video!
Woah! That's absolute mastery and artistry right there. Didn't know the lighy tube inside the sax was a crucial element for repair.
I also own a Yanagisawa W01 alto sax and I have no idea if my luthier also does this sort of repair for revisions, and I dunno if it's any close, but I guess so.
The amount of talent you need to be this good at fixing a saxophone, I don't even think I'd be this good at even 1/1000th of what he does haha. Wasn't aware at all about the new changes too.
Thanks Jay and arigato Yamada-san!
Your videos are perfect for me to learn many about both saxophones and easy-to-listen English! I'm thrilled to buy a saxophone for the first time in 20 years and re-learn it.
Glad you like them!
Love my AW02. These guys are the best.
I would love to have this guy fix my Bari!
thanks!
So cool to see this process! I would trust Japanese technicians with just about anything.
GREAT VID Better Sax!! Thank you!!
I have owned only one Selmer over the years...a Selmer Series II Super Action 88 Tenor, in my twenties...in my fifties now! ...and playing on a Jean Paul Alto. Ironically ...I'm getting the best tone I have EVER gotten since I started playing as a teen. My mouthpiece is a Jody Jazz...I hope to try out a Yanagasawa alto soon. Thanks
I was in that same place in 2014. Great memories. Those technicians work fast. Love the Yanis and Japan
Welcome to Japan!
Hope you enjoyed much there!!
Kanai-san? Borutesu?
@@MasterObet 5!
@@HirosatoKanai i knew it. It's my brother from Japan hahaha
Thank you. I had an amazing visit.
awesome!!
Yanagisawa is still kind of magic. A company on it’s own planet. Japan has such a culture of excellence. Kaizen. Thanks a lot for sharing and commenting.
Great Video . Japanese, master craftsmanship.Much appreciated for your work Jay.
Thank you very much!
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it
Wonderful video!
Thank you very much!
great video interesting how they work on saxophone and how they adjust things
When you talked about adjusting the keys before setting the adjustment screw I felt that deep in my core. There's one repair tech who works on a lot of the saxophones my students rent, and the number of times they've rented a sax, I can tell the adjustment's off, and the screw is already tightened as far as it will go! It absolutely drives me nuts!
GREAT TO SEE.
Maybe Gotta Go to Japan to get that TLC
for my WO20 Yana.
Black belt!! (黒帯) I‘m so grad you know how much we LOVE saxophone.
Just leaving Japan. It’s amazing out there you guys! Definitely worth a visit especially if you’re a musician too!
It really is!
very nice and your Tenor Beauty to with the silver . and I hope have a good time over there . think so
That's NICE !
I have had my instruments looked after by him for a long time now. His work is excellent.
山田さん英語かなりいけますね！
They are much more polite than mean old Mr. Selmer.
I loved living in Japan I visited the Yanigasawa factory back then.
Japanese craftsmanship this amazing
Very interesting to watch a work made by Company. Because i heard about a tecnician that invent some gimmicks to sell their work. As example: precise leveling every pad open and close.
Thank u japan❤
That was cool to watch.wish I was smart to be able to do that.
Take me with you on your next trip to Japan. Lol
Very interesting. That tech must have many years of experience. Like all Japanese he gives his all when doing a task. He does the job completely and correctly. Also Japanese take great pride in what they do. Unlike most other cultures.
That man is a legend in his craft. Can he overhaul Yamahas? My YAS 23 needs a complete overhaul.
I used to watch Ken Beason work on my horns like this. I still can’t believe he’s gone .
kewl
Not that I'll ever be able to afford a Supreme, it was still nice of you to mention getting that cork installed around the 4:38 minute mark.
That's cool
You should make a Sax Shop review series! So people know where the good ones nearby are.
I certainly wish there had been some sort of guard protecting the palm keys of my Super20. My high F key got snagged on something and snapped right in half. I had it soldered back together. It's almost imperceptible. But still....
Great video, now for a video at all the major brands repair shops! Also at famous USA shops too. I find it crazy that you're a Yani artist but have your own brand of Selmer Bundy sax. Do they let you do that because it's not a pro horn? BTW they should have dropped the Bundy name all together and called it a new series.
he's fast!!!
I think we’ve all been wondering what the TOTAL number of saxophones that you own is! You should do a “sax tour” for a vid 😀😀
Will do!
Hi Jay
Thanks for a nice post!
Wondering if you could let us know how long did it take him to do it and what was the cost?
Thanks!
Wonderful video, very interesting. How does one become a saxophone technician? I would love to become one, I find it all fascinating.
There are band instrument repair schools in Red Wing, MN; Renton, WA; and Sioux City, IA. Otherwise you'll need to find a tech willing to take on an apprentice. The first two schools are a year long and the one in IA is 2. It's a good place to start. You can find a position focusing on a specific instrument after you learn the basics of repair for everything.
Need sax repair for my old Conn tenor. I covet such service shown here.
I never understood why even top brands use tiny resonators, maybe to keep the weight down? Ken Beason swore about using oversized resonators. I prefer them even if it does add a little weight.
Best your sax sounded? 😄 Truly you did sound great for those short burst of notes.
Uh-oh, I detect a nit which needs picking. At 7:04, "thinner" grease would be LESS viscous, not more.
How about a video about pad resonators.
How do you travel with instruments?
Am I correct in the beleif it is not Fast Glue that is used on the screw?
My bassflute has a screw that easily becomes loose.
Hi Jay. Is the workshop open to the public? Do they accept walk-ins without making appointments? How much do they charge for a general adjustment like the one you got? How long did it take? Could you give us the address?
When I bring my horn in for adjustment (T991), I’m sure they never do most of this stuff!
Jay, this is probably a silly question, but where is the high G key on the SC WO10??
hello! i got my yani awo20 4 months ago and the lacquer is terrible, some bronze spots turned green and gold, and i had to take my yani to a repair shop 3 times. i have a big competition coming up un march and april, but after that what should i do?
My Hollywood woodwinds alto came out a dumpster on my Best friends garbage rout. After determining it wasn't stolen, and was a chucked retired rental from a company that closed permanently due to government lockdowns..
I spent $14 on a repair kit from Amazon and replaced the pins, seals, and springs. What was an unplayable sax for 14 bucks became like new sounding.
Im a master automotive technician so ive R&Rd more complex things than a sax. But it still took about 20 hours of working on it for my first sax R&R ever. It also took much referencing of the exploded diagrams of the sax.
But it was worth it.
Hope you get a budget mouthpiece, mod it and keep us informed. I don't know who else loves a dumpster sax story in this world of Selmer Supremes and silver Yanis, but I do. Good stuff!!
Hey Jay, I picked up a WO33 in January of this year. I love my new horn! The only thing is the lacquer has come off on all the touch points and the palm cup keys. I have other horns where this has not happened. I asked around some Forums and apparently this is pretty normal for the Yany's starting somewhere around the 900 series. Have you seen this as well on your horn? I am not into shine, but had I known, I would have gotten an unlacquered horn.
This is typical on Yanagisawa saxophones. Depends on the person but it’s common. Saxophones should look like they have been played though so it doesn’t bother me.
Thanks for the great video Jay. One question, do you play your Yanagisawa about as often as the BetterSax alto saxophone?
Sadly I have neglected this amazing Yany since the BetterSax alto came out. I brought it back to its birthplace in Japan for this trip and I’m glad I did.
How much would that cost
Quiero un soprano yanagisawa 😂😅👍✨
Where in Tokyo is this place? What’s the name of the place?
It’s in Shinjuku and the name is Yanagisawa Creche
His green tea was getting cold...
Jay what was the newest innovation to replace the plastic ball in the C#-Bb linkage? It’s mentioned at 9:59. I ask because coincidentally, the little ball has now come loose twice in my otherwise-new AWO20.
It’s a silicone band that fills the space.
@@bettersax thanks, Jay!!🎷✌️
I'm glad someone asked this question, because I was wondering what it was too. Is the purpose just to keep the movement from squeaking? Great video Jay!!
I know Yamada-san is very professional.
Hi. I'm from Spain and have an Alto Yanagisawa A5 of 1972. I wish I could send it to this wise lufhier tin order tto gett a deep renewal. Do you know if they accept mail/courier sending or where can I address to get this info? Greetings from a keen folower of your channel!!
How much did his work cost?
how did you schedule an appointment with them? did you just call them on the phone number on their website or was there another way? gonna be going to Japan in December and this is a top priority on my list!
They made time for me since I’m a Yanagisawa artist. You should write an email to them to book an appointment during your trip.
Where did you take formal technician training, or did you learn through informal exposure and experience?
As an apprentice
As this sax once was adjusted or regulated perfectly, the question is how it can get this dis-justed. The metals are relatively soft and that opens up for parts getting deformed, but not a root cause in itself necessarily.
It seems like this specific Yani can be played with the lightest of touches, now after perfect adjustment (as Mr. Yamada apologises to not have more time for adjustment, the question is out there what still could have been done better).
So, could it be, Jay, that playing all sorts of saxophones that generally have lost their perfect adjustment each in their different ways, simply means that a player is pressing the keys of all too hard and that way speeds the process up?
Are you, Jay, aware of, this one has a very light touch, so I adjust my touch to that?
And then you okay a set and your stand with sax falls over, yes, shift happens
I’m in Osaka, Japan, and I have a YAS-23 that needs the works. I’m sure there are many leaks, a lower key that’s out of alignment, and other things. There are no dents or holes. I have 2. questions. 1. Is it really worth it to overhaul it, since I’ve noticed that it’s more cost effective to get a YAS-28? 2. Are there places in Japan, primarily Osaka where I can take it that won’t make a huge dent in my wallet? Thank you always for your videos and advice.
Go to Fukunaga-gakki in Amagasaki
Great video, they only fix yanagasawa sax?
No they fix all saxophones.
Can we buy a Yani there and are they open to visitors? If so, can we have the address or contact info?
You can try the horns but they don’t sell them. Many Yanagisawa dealers in Tokyo. It’s in Shinjuku and you can get the address from Google.
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Please bring the better sax to Japan
We need affordable and good saxophones 😅
Working on it!
6:58 "...with a thinner, more viscous oil"
Correction: If the oil is THINNER, it cant possibly be MORE VISCOUS. Viscosity is a fluid's resistance to flow. In other words, the more viscous the oil the LESS thin it is.
A really nice video but I'm just a little shocked at how many bending corrections were needed for a horn that "had no problems to mention". I kind of hoped the technician would wear cotton gloves.
That’s the difference between a horn sealing 97% and 99.9%. All saxophone adjustments include some minor bending.
Did you have an appointment?
If not, you were fortunate they serviced your instrument no short notice.
I’m a Yanagisawa artist so they made time for me at short notice. Otherwise you definitely need an appointment.
@@bettersax
I’ve noticed your nice new Yanagisawa horns. Oooh.
In the video Jay states he had an appointment
I really don't like bending the f bridge key into adjustment. Or ANY key for that matter. Why bend when you can simply just add or remove cork on the adjustment arm? Or float the pad if necessary. I set my key heights and adjustments (with no materials or pads on) basically one time (if necessary) and it's fine forever. Unless it's physically damaged of course. If you bend a piece of brass back and forth over many years in order to fix leaks, you'll have a horn that can't hold adjustment. I've worked on hundreds of horns, many vintage that have this regulation problem due to key arms being bent back on forth over so many years (SO many techs do this).
If a sax leaves a factory, you play it, works fine, then over time a leak forms without you physically damaging horn, why bend the key?? Reverse whatever CAUSED the leak such as a compressed cork or pad that shifted a bit. Seems like a lazy fix to me, unless it's truly bent out of geometry. And yes I know many factories, including Selmer, bend their keys into place. But once it's set, it's set.
I'm by no means trying to bash anyone on this but, after 12 years of repairing specifically saxophones, I really can't wrap my head around this; perhaps someone can enlighten me.
Want to know why?
@@BitSax Yes
the guy i took my horn to turned a screw and that was it. smh
i've had saxophones most of my life. I'd say 8 out of 10 repairmen are crooks, idiots or both. It's very hard to find a good one.
Looks like your sax
was really out of whack.