What with the high quality of their professional level saxophones, a few years back I was looking to acquire a Yamaha Oehler system horn. You would think that any organization that makes these expensive things would be more than willing to send one out for me to buy at their inflated list price.
However, that is not the case. Everywhere I turned, I bumped up against a whole lot of "No!" Forget about getting one here in the States. No one would even consider it. Ditto Yamaha Japan. Letters and email (in Japanese, no less) was not just given a "no"; rather it was ignored, not even the courtesy of a reply.
While I'm sure that they sell the occasional one over in the mother country, German sources were equally unresponsive. No answer to either letter or email.
I finally ended up "settling" (and that certainly is the word; it's not a professional horn despite what their marketing would have you believe) for an Amati top end horn. All the silver plating in the world is not not going to disguise that the Amati is poorly made, with chips in tone holes and keywork/pads that needed a lot of tender loving attention before they sealed up just so.
So, I ask it here: what's the secret to dealing with Yamaha to make them cough up one of their horns here?
However, that is not the case. Everywhere I turned, I bumped up against a whole lot of "No!" Forget about getting one here in the States. No one would even consider it. Ditto Yamaha Japan. Letters and email (in Japanese, no less) was not just given a "no"; rather it was ignored, not even the courtesy of a reply.
While I'm sure that they sell the occasional one over in the mother country, German sources were equally unresponsive. No answer to either letter or email.
I finally ended up "settling" (and that certainly is the word; it's not a professional horn despite what their marketing would have you believe) for an Amati top end horn. All the silver plating in the world is not not going to disguise that the Amati is poorly made, with chips in tone holes and keywork/pads that needed a lot of tender loving attention before they sealed up just so.
So, I ask it here: what's the secret to dealing with Yamaha to make them cough up one of their horns here?