Mint Condition Used Yanagisawa B901 Bari Sax

So what IS the difference between the B901 & the more expensive B991?
The primary difference is in the weight of the construction. The B901 uses “Single Post to Body” construction whereas the B991 uses a heavier “Ribbed Body” construction. What this translates to is that the posts that suspend the keys up from the body are individually soldered directly to the body tube on the B901. On the ribbed body B991, large groups of posts are first silver soldered on to a brass plate, or “rib”, and then that entire rib is soldered on to the body tube.

The end result is that the body tubes of the B901 have less weight attached to them and this give quicker response. The heavier construction B991 has a thicker “core” to its sound due to the extra weight, but it also requires more effort and power from the player in order to get quick response.

So which is better?
Neither is truly “better” than the other but rather depends on the player. The B901 is the least resistant and easiest model to play. One of the biggest issues that people have with modern low A bari saxes is the slower response compared to older Bb bell baris. This is due to the extra weight that low A models have from the extended bell.

So for many players, the B901 offers a quicker response like the older Bb bell baris but all of the design aspects of the modern horn (intonation, build quality, ergonomics). Plainly put for many players (students, hobbyist & jazz players), the lighter weight B901 offers an exceptional combination of performance, quality and price value. There are of course other smaller differences in the B991 but the core difference between the horns is the construction.

Professional Setup
Every B901 bari we send out to a customer is not released from us unless it has been completely setup in our shop first. This is because the setup on the horn is of the utmost importance! Sometimes, a saxophone (regardless of who the manufacturer) comes in needing 20 minutes of adjustments and then the very next one can require 2 hours! So if you were to get 5 of the same model right out of the box, they will all play different. This leads players to believe that they are “good” or “bad” saxes. The reality is that the one that was the best out of the 5 was likely the one that needed the least amount of work and the “bad” sax was the one that needed 2 hours worth of adjustments!

Once the same 5 saxophones are properly regulated and adjusted to perfection, they become near identical saxophones. Even the pickiest of players would be challenged to pick a true “favorite” horn. However, since most stores do not or even can not perform this setup, the player never knows this and is simply relying on the luck of the draw. This is why we perform our setup (in our www.SaxophoneRepairs.com ProShop) on them before delivering your new sax to you. You trust us with your purchase and we want to make sure that you are rewarded by giving you your ideal saxophone setup flawlessly!

Yanagisawa B901 Specifications