Timothy, I would say that you have to shop carefully to find good “pre-owned” instruments. I have never seen a high-quality non-wooden instrument anywhere, and the only Yamahas I have ever seen are the student Yamahas that are given to grade-school children. My original two soprano and one alto wooden instruments I bought at a music store in the college town I was in my freshman year of college (I would call them mid-level, the college was known for its music program and the store catered to the students.) I have since purchased two more soprano and one alto instruments (pre-owned,) I gave away some years ago one of my original soprano instruments – wasn’t as good as the other one. All are wooden, my soprano all sound different, my two altos sound pretty similar, and play about the same. I liked the sound of the Bernolin in the Sarah Jefferys video, but to me it just does not sound as “warm” as a wooden instrument. (I play mainly classical-Baroque, so this may influence my opinion.)
