Yanagisawa A-WO33 Elite Professional Alto Saxophone with Sterling Silver Neck and Bell

The power of alchemy

Yanagisawa is known for leveraging the unique sonic qualities of different metals in its saxophone designs. Many Yanagisawa players have graduated from brass to the mellower sound of bronze. Fewer, however, have experienced playing one of the company’s top-of-the-line horns made of solid silver. Just below the flagship all-solid-silver A-WO37 Silver Sonic in the alto lineup are the A-WO33 and the A-WO30. These two sister horns differ only in their allocation of metals. The A-WO33 employs solid sterling silver for its main resonance tubing (neck and bell), while the body and the bow are crafted from yellow bell brass. This particular alchemy imparts a certain grit to the sound while retaining silver’s quick response and lively resonance. It also creates an overall tonality that gravitates more toward jazz, pop, rock, and funk than classical. Of course, this is not to say you can’t play classical music on your WO33, as it is — like all Yanagisawa instruments — an impressively versatile saxophone. But for players who lean in that direction, we’d recommend you consider the A-WO30, which, due to its unique alchemy, delivers a purity of tone ideally suited to classical music.

Ergonomic and sonic perfection

Professional saxophones should emphasize the individuality of the player, enhancing the myriad of playing techniques, from embouchure to fingering, that collectively produce your inimitable sound and define who you are as an artist. Yanagisawa Elite series instruments represent the apotheosis of modern saxophone design. As accessible as it is exceptional, the Yanagisawa A-WO33 is an ideal professional alto saxophone. In your hands, you will find the A-WO33 feels just right. Whether you’re finessing an adagio line or firing off a volley of notes, you’ll appreciate the fluid, synergistic response of this superb horn as your fingertips savor the luxurious feel of its elegant genuine mother-of-pearl key touches. Sonically, you’ll be rewarded with a commanding tone and strong projection.

The benefits of ribbed body construction

Yanagisawa’s Elite models feature fully ribbed construction. Integrating the multiple key posts into a single plate — as opposed to soldering them directly to the body of the saxophone — ribbed construction gives the tube higher mass (and hence, more rigidity and durability), requiring somewhat more effort from the player. While added mass implies a slightly heavier instrument, it pays back dividends in the form of increased tonal depth and richness. Ribbed construction makes the horn blow with moderate resistance while delivering a solid fundamental with rich tonal color. For experienced intermediate and pro saxophonists with a more developed embouchure and sound concept, it’s a definite advantage. Although ribbed construction typically presents a slightly increased initial resistance, it effectively gives you another level of resonance — an extra “gear,” if you will — to blow through for additional dynamic range and expression. Simply put, you can push your Yanagisawa A-WO33 further, and it will go exactly where you want it to go.

Well-designed mechanisms working together harmoniously

With a complex instrument like a saxophone, many mechanisms have to work together harmoniously to deliver superior tone, ergonomics, and versatility. To that end, the A-WO33 incorporates exclusive Yanagisawa innovations such as a fluororesin-sleeved octave rocker, which eliminates extraneous motion with rounded rocker ends and a fluororesin coating on the receiving sleeves they contact. This high-tech, non-stick coating delivers reliable action without the excessive stickiness buildup that can plague standard octave key mechanisms. As soon as your fingers alight on the keys, another thing you’ll notice is the innovative seesaw linkage between the C# and Bb table keys, which incorporates a proprietary slider mechanism to enable faster, smoother fingering technique.

Enhanced performance, precision, and reliability

Even under the hood, the A-WO33 Elite alto is packed with Yanagisawa innovations that enhance performance and long-term durability. A hidden advantage of the A-WO33 is its pointed pivot screws, which increase precision and reliability by ensuring an accurate fit for the center arms and hinge rods. The A-WO33’s sealed, waterproof pads provide a leak-free, airtight fit while facilitating balanced action and extended service life. Domed resonators (“tone boosters”) are fitted for a big, bright, and assertive tone that brings your notes to life. For faster action and better control over challenging passages, Yanagisawa uses blue-steel needle springs — the professional standard for durable, perfectly tensioned keywork. This punctilious attention to detail results in a masterful instrument that will go the distance in your career and advance your ongoing development as an artist.

A design as beautiful as it is masterful

Aside from its intricate hand engraving, other readily apparent high-end features of the Yanagisawa A-WO33 Elite alto include its key touches, which are concavely shaped for a more natural finger fit. They’re surfaced with genuine mother-of-pearl, which looks amazing and wicks away moisture more effectively than commonly used plastic — something you’ll definitely appreciate toward the end of a long set under hot stage lights. More utilitarian, but nevertheless performance critical, are the metal thumb hook and the brass thumb rest, which are designed to make minimal point contact with the body to enhance resonance while allowing for smoother response and optimized tonal balance.

Handcrafted in Japan

Based in Tokyo, the Yanagisawa Wind Instrument Company is a boutique shop specializing in one product: handmade professional saxophones designed to exceed the expectations of the most demanding players. Combining old-world craftsmanship with cutting-edge design and performance features, Yanagisawa instruments are among the highest-quality professional saxophones available today, and Sweetwater is proud to offer you their distinguished line of fine musical instruments. If you’re a saxophonist looking to upgrade to a world-class professional instrument, you can feel confident in your step up to Yanagisawa quality.

Yanagisawa A-WO33 Elite Professional Alto Saxophone Features:

• Solid sterling silver neck and bell; yellow bell brass body and bow
• Upper and lower rib-mounted stack posts
• Ergonomically optimized keywork
• High F# key
• Contoured independent palm keys
• Metal thumb hook and brass thumb rest
• Fluororesin-sleeved octave rocker
• Seesaw C#–Bb table key linkages with proprietary slider mechanism
• F auxiliary and low C# mechanism
• Adjustable vibration-damping bar
• Blue-steel needle springs
• Pointed pivot screws
• Sealed, waterproof pads with domed tone boosters
• Indented mother-of-pearl key touches
• Dual-arm low B and C prevent larger key cups from flexing
• Tri-point bell-bow brace
• Elegant hand engraving
• Ebonite mouthpiece, cap, ligature, and case included
• Handcrafted in Japan

Tech Specs

• Key:Alto
• Level:Professional
• Finish:Clear Lacquer
• Auxillary Keys:High F#
• Body:Fully Ribbed
• Body Material:Yellow Brass
• Neck Material:Sterling Silver
• Bell Type:Sterling Silver
• Bell Decoration:Hand-engraved
• Key Buttons:Contoured Independent Palm
• Pads:Premium Leather, Domed Resonators
• Thumb Rest:Adjustable
• Manufacturer Part Number:AW033