how are they sounding with better heads?
how are they sounding with better heads?
Conrad
Hey, Conrad - just happened to think about this - have you ever posted pics of your CB700 kit? I'd love to see it. As I've told you before, I used to have a six-piece "Mark Series" kit. They are much better drums than people give them credit. Check the inside of your floor tom casings and you'll see why: the were made in cooperation with Pearl.
Sorry to interrupt the thread, Bish. Carry On.
GeeDeeEmm
Beautiful color.
That tom mount could hold up my truck while I change the tires.
Gretsch USA & Zildjian(What Else Would I Ever Need ?)
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You're referring to the original Beech Customs which is different than what Bish has here. His are a Set of Beech Custom Absolutes. Yamaha discontinued the original Beech Customs and only offered beech with the Absolutes for a short time, that's what these are. The Beech Absolutes are pretty rare, they discontinued Beech in the absolute series after only a couple of years.
Definitely a good thing. The Absolutes were a high end series. The original Beech Customs were a mid level series, still great drums but only available in a few strange colors. You could get a full Beech custom kit for under $1,500 back then, your Absolute kit was easily double that when new.
In this time period, late 90's early 00's, they offered the Absolutes in Maple, Birch and Beech. You could get the whole range of sizes and colors in either 3 woods and mix and match what you wanted. Maple was by far the most popular followed by birch and then beech, hence why beech was discontinued. Beech was always advertised as the middle ground between maple and birch.
I own both sister kits to yours, a Maple Custom Absolute (MCA) and a Birch Custom Absolute (BCA) both from the same late's 90's period. I also have an original Maple Custom (MC) kit from 1994 and a Maple Custom Absolute Nouveau (MCAN) from 2005 or so. I bought them all used. Back when the economy was bad they were practically giving them away. Since production has moved to China all the Japanese Yamaha stuff has recovered nicely price wise and has a solid collector following. They're all amazing drums, best I've ever played. There's some serious engineering in these drums. The YESS tom mounts are no joke. The nodal point that the drum rests on is a real thing. Make sure the hex tom arms are actually touching the shell, its a night and day difference. All the drums are very fast, focused and musical.
Just like you I went though a whole bunch of kits. I landed on Yamaha and have very little interest in playing anything else. I have 2 DW collector kits as well. I'm pretty sure they named them Collector because all they do is collect dust next to my Yamaha's.
Yeah, you definitely want to have the hex arm on the little circular felt pad on the shell. This will increase resonance and also make the drum much more stable on the tom mount.
Here's a screen shot from the Absolute Catalog for the Beech Customs. Looks like your kit made the catalog, haha.
Beech_Custom_Absolute.jpg
I know DC is weird about links, or at least they used to be, but this is a link to an old Yamaha catalog, probably from the early 2000's. I can PM it to you if the link isn't allowed.
http://www.jedistar.com/pdf/yamaha/y...talog_2013.pdf
I got it. Thanks. The one on page 8 looks just like mine.
Any idea how to date them? Another thread had information and a dating chart. However, I've heard that it isn't complete and if it was it would have meant my drums were made in like 1981.
Thanks, again, EM.
This is great information.
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There’s two different charts out there for build date. Can you post some of the SN or pm them to me? Generally with an entire kit one of the SN will correspond with a build dates that makes sense. I’ve definintely had some issues with consistentcy and the charts though.
Dang those are nice! I'd be afraid to move them... road rash is inevitable.. at least when I move my stuff
RDM/Damage Poets
UFiP TAMAHA Zildjian
REGAL TiP
AQUARIAN
Ha! I love that line about the Collector's Series!
Do you happen to still have any Yamaha price lists from the 1995 and later period? I kept reams of dealer literature and price lists, but they were packed away years ago during a move, and I haven't been able to locate them since.
The reason I ask is that I can't remember such a huge difference in prices between the Maple/Birch/Beech Customs and the same models in the Absolute series. I think I remember that the Absolutes were approximately a 15-20% premium over the Customs due primarily to the availability of twice as many finish options in the Absolutes. As I recall, all three of the Custom series had identical shell thicknesses (10ply on the BD and 7ply on the toms????) while the Absolutes offered different lugs and thinner shells (8ply on the BD, 6ply on the toms???). All other drum hardware was identical from Customs to Custom Absolutes (same BD legs, tom mounts, hoops, FT legs, etc.) The specifics may have changed some into the 2000s.
Anyway, hope you or somebody else still has the price lists. I could be wrong, but I don't remember Beech customs selling for $1500 while Beech Custom Absolutes sold for twice that price.
Was wondering, too, have you posted pics of your various Yamaha kits? I'd love to see them. I have pics only of my Recording Customs - didn't take any of my Maple Customs.
GeeDeeEmm
Band Back Forty 001.jpg
Here's one of the serial number badges.
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That picture says all that needs to be said about Yamaha quality. Look at that badge and that beautiful blue finish. Wow!
GeeDeeEmm
Barely any scratches on it, despite it's age. Quite the find.
ZildjianLeague/LP/Aquarian/Mapex/Pearl
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