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Yani Continental with 6 digit serial number (468131) - what year? model? quality?

Greetings, I am not a sax player, but I do play trombone and piano. My boyfriend bought me a used tenor saxophone, that I am interested in having re-padded if it is worth the investment. I think it is a Yanagisawa because of the emblem, but I would like to know the year, the model, and whether or not this is a decent instrument to learn the saxophone on.

The serial number is 468131, and below it is the emblem and the words "JAPAN". On the bell, it is engraved with the word "Continental."

I've attached a few pics. I would love to know more about this instrument. Thanks! yani_serialnumber.jpgyani1.jpgyani2.jpgyani3.jpg
 
Looks like a stencil, there are experts here who may weigh in. A stencil instrument is made by a big manufacturer but made without their branding. They tend to be lessor quality instruments, but there are some notable exceptions.

I would think it isn't worth very much but would considering repadding it if I were going to play it. Doing an overhaul is expensive. So while it isn't an investment vehicle, it *might* be an okay instrument to play.
 
Some ideas from a poorly informed poster (me). Take everything I say with a grain of salt, but it may stimulate more discussion.

I don't think Yanagisawa produced second-line stencils. Rather, they put various names on the saxes they made, so your Continental would be the same sax as a Yani-branded model made at the same time.

I also have a vague recollection that older Yani serial numbers include the date of manufacture. If this is true, your Continental might have been made in 1968. Or not.
 
After further research, the serial number dating seems accurate. This would indicate your tenor is a T4 or T5, the 4 being entry-level pro, the 5 being a higher pro horn (whatever "pro" means). A web search for these models may tell you more.
 
Yani Continental with 6 digit serial number (468131) - what year? model? quality?

Unfortunately our resident Yani expert is currently unavailable. I'm sure when he is, he will chime in with the answer to your questions.

In the meantime, I suggest you check out his website. Pete has written an extensive series of articles all about the Yani saxophones. I took a brief look through the articles just now, but didn't find any reference to "stencil saxes"--saxophones built for another company, with their name just stencilled on. (In this case Continental.)
 
I've been kinda sick. Sorry.

Yes, Yanagisawa made stencils with the "Continental" name. I've seen quite a few. Yani stencils suffer no dip in quality over their own-name-branded horns.

ASIDE: "Second line" is a different line of horns made by a particular company under a different name, like Conn had their pro line but also produced a line of horns with the "Pan American" name. Also, "second line" for most manufacturers was a step-down in quality. In this example, the Pan American horns were more student-quality. Yanagasawa never had a second-line, but they occasionally did have student and/or intermediate models, though.

The serial number never implies a model. The horn was made in April 1968. It's a very early T4. That was the intermediate model. You can read my rantings about them here. The identification is a bit easier if you can see the G#/C#/B/Bb cluster, but I'm pretty darn certain.

"Worth the investment" is something more for you to answer. Monetarily, this is not an overly valuable horn, especially with the early-style keywork. Maybe $800ish, all overhauled. However, I doubt you'll find a better horn for $800. Hey, if you liked it before, you'll like it even better with a good tune-up.
 
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