Yanagisawa’s Exquisite SWO2 Soprano Sax
The sleek elegance of the Yanagisawa SWO2 professional soprano saxophone captivates the eye, but the proof is in the playing. With the SWO2, Yanagisawa artisans have created a masterpiece of form, function, and sound. The SWO2 leverages the advantages of its integrated 1-piece design from neck to bell, for a free-blowing playing experience with power, sensitivity, projection, and the rich tonal palette of bronze. As with all Yanagisawa saxophones, exceptional build quality is baked in, with precision keywork, excellent responsiveness, and superior intonation. This scrupulous attention to detail produces an exquisite instrument that faithfully conveys every nuance of expression in your performances. Bottom line: if you’re in the market for a truly exceptional professional soprano saxophone, the Yanagisawa SWO2 should be high on your list.
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 S series instruments represent the apotheosis of modern soprano sax design. As accessible as it is exceptional, the Yanagisawa SWO2 is an ideal professional soprano saxophone. In your hands, you will find the SWO2 feels just right; while its fixed-neck, 1-piece design sheds weight for a supremely comfortable playing experience. Whether you’re finessing an adagio line or firing off a flurry of notes, you’ll appreciate the fluid, synergistic response of this superb saxophone as your fingertips savor the luxurious feel of its elegant genuine mother-of-pearl key touches. Sonically, you’ll be rewarded with a sweet, warm, tone and strong projection, making this horn ideal for classical, jazz, and other genres.
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 SWO2 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 over time that plagues 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 enables faster, smoother fingering technique; while an additional proprietary slider mechanism further facilitates fluid finger transitions between these notes.
Enhanced performance, precision, and reliability
Even under the hood, the SWO2 is packed with Yanagisawa innovations that enhance performance and long-term durability. A hidden advantage of the SWO2 is its pointed pivot screws, which increase precision and reliability by ensuring an accurate fit for the center arms and hinge rods. The SWO2’s sealed, waterproof pads provide a leak-free, airtight fit while facilitating balanced action and extended service 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 delicately hand-engraved bell, other readily apparent high-end features of the Yanagisawa SWO2 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 SWO2 Professional Soprano Saxophone Features:
- 1-piece design, handcrafted from premium bronze
- Ergonomically optimized keywork
- High-F# key
- Metal thumb hook and brass thumb rest
- Fluororesin-sleeved octave rocker
- Seesaw C#–Bb table key linkage
- Blue-steel needle springs
- Pointed pivot screws
- Sealed, waterproof pads
- Genuine mother-of-pearl key touches
- Elegant hand engraving
- Ebonite mouthpiece, ligature, strap, cork grease, microfiber cloth, and case included
