Customer Reviews

Yamaha YRA-28BIII Alto Recorder, Key of F

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Recorders have a long history in music, dating back centuries to the Middle Ages, and there are many recorder ensembles today capable of playing music beautifully. There are five kinds of recorders ranging in size from the sopranino (which is the kind children play in schools, like I did) to the bass, which can be almost as tall as some of those kids playing the sopranino. The alto recorder is right in the middle in terms of length (18 inches) and tonal range.

This particular instrument from Yamaha is very affordable, and while it is made of resin, the ivory finish is quite attractive. The sound quality is pleasant and soft, although it can be difficult to play for people who do not have long fingers...no way could the average child stretch long enough to cover all the holes. The alto recorder is definitely an adult's instrument.

While handmade wooden recorders can easily cost over a thousand dollars, there are many resin models of the instrument that come in under $50 that both look and sound nice. If you are beginning to play the recorder or simply a cost-conscious person, you'll find a lot of value with any of Yamaha's 20 series recorders (sopranino, soprano and alto only). The Yamaha 300 series of all five sizes is a little more spendy, but generally more attractive than the 20 series and still far less costly than standard wooden recorders.

Just shop around a little and be conscious of the length of your fingers. In this case, size DOES matter.

This is a wonderfully mellow instrument for any adult. At almost half the price of most other similar instruments you will not be disappointed.

Adults wil like the lower tone than the soprano recorder.

The design is so nice and neat that even the price seems wrong,if you are a beginner this item will be a good start.Thanks

Pretty recorder in an ivory color with good quality by Yamaha. Easy to pack and assemble with its being in 3 pieces. Comes with lubricant and case. This is the alto recorder. Used in Bonzo Dog Band songs.

This recorder is excellent and a great price. It came with an extra vial of joint grease and stoppers if taking it apart to store or carry around. The carry bag is made of very heavy canvas with a partition in it to avoid scratching. It arrived days before the promised arrival date. I am totally pleased with this purchase. Sellers on eBay were much higher plus they didn't offer free super saver shipping!

This is a wonderful recorder. It's beautiful to look at and produces a nice sound. The recorder is made of plastic, but its not a cheap product by any means. I was surprised how heavy it was when I first picked it up. It's a solid quality product. I'd gladly buy this recorder again. At $12.95 on Amazon, its a steal. I'd easily pay three times the price I paid and more. I think its worth it. I was not disappointed by this purchase.

Note: I own both the Alto and Soprano recorders. The Alto recorder is much bigger than the Soprano recorder. I'm an adult male and I had a difficult time at first covering the holes of the Alto with my fingers. It is quite a stretch to reach all the holes. If you're a woman with small hands or a child, you might find the Alto recorder too difficult to play.

Personally, the Soprano recorder is much easier for me to play. The holes are "just where they need to be". I like playing the Soprano recorder more, but the sound produced by the Alto is far more enjoyable to the ear. The sound produced by the Soprano recorder is that of a higher pitch than the Alto and is thus more whistle like (This Soprano recorder is not a whistle. It's a quality musical instrument). Because the sound of the Alto recorder is so much deeper and richer, I find myself playing the Alto more than the Soprano despite the added difficulty.

I recommend you do what I did. Buy both the Soprand and Alto recorders. At $12.95 for the Alto and about $20.00 for the Soprano, you can't go wrong. Try them both and find out for yourself what works best for you.

Arrived in a very timely manner and in excellent condition. I am enjoying it thoroughly. Thank you for the great service.

Solid plastic construction. It breaks down into 3 parts for easy transport. It contains a good zippered carry case, a fingering chart, lubricant to apply to ends that slip together, caps to cover the end when stored and a cleaning stick that you only need a soft cloth to thread into to the stick's loop. Very nice feel. This particular recorder is alto and well suited for playing baroque music.

I'm still getting used to the instrument; but it sounds great. I have two other recorders, both sopranos. This one is much larger and more comfortable for my long fingers. Also, there seems to be more range in pitch as opposed to my Sopranos. It comes in a nice blue cloth carrying bag. It's a worthy purchase.

I was always musically challenged but this recorder has changed my confidence. What a fantastic instrument to learn on. I bought a beginers book and having a blast learning to play. Every day a little better. I couldn't have bought a better recorder for the price and Quality anywhere!!