Sonor Drums or Yamaha Drums - Reviews

[scorch whammin]

I've owned both...and both brands are great...but if I had to make a choice between the two...it would be Yamaha!

[Christiandrummer777]

have a set of stage custom noveaus, and love them. the sound is so modern though,its go for jazz rock fusion guys like myself. Yamah has one of the best bass drums in the drum industry, they are great. the only kit i would own besides yamah is a topline DW or truth custom.. but yamaha makes some of the best drums in my opinon, and there hardwareis great, although i do use some of DWs

[big daddy]

I own both brands Sonor 3007, Yamaha Recording customs and Stage customs all drums are great in there own right, I must say I do like the Yamaha hardware much better easier positioning and not as bulky or heavy to carry around, had my Yamaha RC's gigging for almost 20 yrs 40-50 gigs a year and never had a problem with the hardware takes getting used to the Sonor's hardware only owned them for 2 yrs

[SladeGT40]

I own both brands Sonor 3007, Yamaha Recording customs and Stage customs all drums are great in there own right, I must say I do like the Yamaha hardware much better easier positioning and not as bulky or heavy to carry around, had my Yamaha RC's gigging for almost 20 yrs 40-50 gigs a year and never had a problem with the hardware takes getting used to the Sonor's hardware only owned them for 2 yrs

I was just going to comment on the hardware differences. From my experience playing and owning yamaha and my experiences selling drums from all manufacturers I can offer some opinions about both brands.

Sonor sound and finishes are absolutely spectacular. However, they're hardware is rather finicky and is prone to failure. Parts are hard to come by and may not be the best choice. I would most definitely play sonor drums, but i'd rather go with yamaha or pearl hardware.

Yamaha sound and fit and finish is likewise incredibly clean and versatile. They're hardware is reliable, if not sometimes over-engineered and over-built. They're absolutes are great, but about as expensive as a gretsch new classic.


Oh, and a note on the logo, the music department logo and the automotive logos are different, do an image search, the music tuning forks do not touch the rim of the circle making sure to distinguish them from the motor division (think spokes in a tire)

[MrB]

I can only offer my two cents on Yamaha, as I've only seen Sonor drums in passing and know very little about their products.

I received Stage Customs as a Christmas gift in 1998 when the line was first introduced. The shells are birch, mahogony, and falkata. The lugs are long, one piece, and attach to the shell via three screw holes. The toms are mounted directly into the shell, with a hole about the size of a dime to allow the tom arm to pass through.

In 2001 I purchased Maple Custom Absolutes with the intent of using them only in my home. A large motivation to go with Yamaha's higher-end line was the fact that I already had all Yamaha hardware, and really what I was interested in was a maple kit. Since I did not intend on dragging the kit around town, I had no qualms about selecting the Vintage Natural finish.

The real strength of the company to me is the hardware. I have what is sometimes referred to as the second generation. Initially, all of Yamaha's stands bore a red stripe on the company sticker. When the hardware was redesigned, when I'm not sure, they now bore a purple stripe. The latest redesign, sometime after 2001, the stands now started to be imprinted with the tuning fork logo. Further, they started to have multiple memory locks and the tension wing nuts were repositioned to meet at a 90 degree angle, instead of 180.

Overall, I like the second generation of hardware best. I break my stands down all the way when I move them, so memory locks would just get in my way. The triple tom stands, which were called WS903s, and nowadays I think WS904s, let me mount a suspended floor tom, my ride, and a crash or second ride on the right side of my kit all off of one big stand. For the size of my kit it's fewer tripods to drag around, the center of gravity is kept low, and it feels solid.

As far as the drums go, I had minor ply separation on one of my Stage Custom toms last year, after 11 years of service.

The Maple Custom Absolutes have silky bearing edges, an attractive finish, and the teardrop lugs are standard enough. They came with the YESS mounts, which is the standard four-screw tom plate attached to two metal bars, and then screws into the shell via two holes. A few years ago I took these little contraptions off, which never really sat well with me, and replaced them with RIMS-style mounts made by Gibraltar.

There was a dramatic improvement in the overall resonance and sustain of the toms, and after some getting used to, I have grown to love the way they feel (there is some extra "give" compared to the YESS system).

Overall they are nice drums. I used to work at my teacher's shop and have really only had the chance to pull apart and reassemble Tama Starclassic, DW Collectors, Pearl Masters, a mid-range Gretsch, and Noble & Cooley kits.

Yamaha spare parts, should you need them, are fairly easy to find, depending on the model. Mine are the Absolutes, not Noveau, so my lugs are two-screw teardrops, which are fairly common. I really like the spurs, which tighten down into a machined channel both for playing and for transport.

[xsabers]

I was just going to comment on the hardware differences. From my experience playing and owning yamaha and my experiences selling drums from all manufacturers I can offer some opinions about both brands.

Sonor sound and finishes are absolutely spectacular. However, they're hardware is rather finicky and is prone to failure. Parts are hard to come by and may not be the best choice. I would most definitely play sonor drums, but i'd rather go with yamaha or pearl hardware...

I would agree about the SONOR lower end hardware (I own two cymbal stands that were a freebie bonus when I bought my kit). However, the hardware that came with my Force 3007 is top notch. High quality and user-friendly.

[scorch whammin]

Mine are the Absolutes, not Noveau, so my lugs are two-screw teardrops, which are fairly common. I really like the spurs, which tighten down into a machined channel both for playing and for transport.

Just wanted to clear up one thing...the standard absolute lugs have 1 screw, not 2...

[MrB]

Just wanted to clear up one thing...the standard absolute lugs have 1 screw, not 2...

Whoops. You are correct sir! D:

I first took the kit down to the shell last October when I put them into storage (temporary move from MA to FL, back to MA this summer) to give them a good clean. I use coated heads, and otherwise have been oblivious to the inside of the shell. And yes... if you read the section about caring for your drums on the DW site, the say that the kit should be stripped down and cleaned annually. This one's kept in the living space where there's both an air conditioner and dehumidifier. I dust it about every two months, or when it needs it. I've had if for nine years. I've been naughty. :(

Now that I've thought about it, there's a little knub that fits into a depression in the shell, no? What is that for, to keep the lug seated correctly?


If a one screw lug has the potential to wobble (which if the tension rod is taut, seems like it shouldn't move at all)... it looks like they were going to use two-screw lugs, drilled about halfway in, and then decided it was a bad idea to put more holes in the drum than need be. What's that about? Keeping the interior of the shell as smooth as possible?

[scorch whammin]

Whoops. You are correct sir! D:

I first took the kit down to the shell last October when I put them into storage (temporary move from MA to FL, back to MA this summer) to give them a good clean. I use coated heads, and otherwise have been oblivious to the inside of the shell. And yes... if you read the section about caring for your drums on the DW site, the say that the kit should be stripped down and cleaned annually. This one's kept in the living space where there's both an air conditioner and dehumidifier. I dust it about every two months, or when it needs it. I've had if for nine years. I've been naughty. :(

Now that I've thought about it, there's a little knub that fits into a depression in the shell, no? What is that for, to keep the lug seated correctly?


If a one screw lug has the potential to wobble (which if the tension rod is taut, seems like it shouldn't move at all)... it looks like they were going to use two-screw lugs, drilled about halfway in, and then decided it was a bad idea to put more holes in the drum than need be. What's that about? Keeping the interior of the shell as smooth as possible?

Yamaha's idea behind the one screw lug is..that they are keeping every piece of thru hardware in the nodal point area (non-vibrating) of the shell....that way it doesn't effect sound/resonance in any way..this is also true of the Yess mounting system...and yes there is a little knub that is used to ensure that the lug is perpendicluar to the edge...I personally haven't removed a lug yet on my BCA kit to check it out......however, my kit is needing a cleaning...so maybe I'll do it soon

[MrB]

I've had my questions about this whole YESS system idea. Fair warning, this post got long, but when I noticed your listed profession, I became quite interested in your thoughts on the matter, as well as some loosely related questions about drum construction. This is leaving the subject of the lugs, to forewarn, but towards the end I hope you may see where I was going.


...

Question #1: If the YESS system was developed by Noble & Cooley, was does it appear N & C never used it?

When I was 16 and drooled over drum catalogues, I noticed that the YESS system is borrowed/bought/for some reason affiliated with Noble & Cooley.

Yet, Noble & Cooley have not, from the drums I've seen online and in person, appeared to use this system on any kit I could find. I don't want to say a kit was never produced with it, but if there was, there are a rare commodity.

Rather, from what I did find, they've taken dual insert lugs, like those you'd find on a piccolo snare, and place a Gauger-style mount on the underside of the lug, keeping it away from the tension rods.

Which is all well and fine. The more I think about it, the more I like this idea, especially having used similar mounts for a while now. You wouldn't have to take a tom off the stand to remove it, for instance. The weight of the drum would not force half of the rim upward.

...

Question #2: If you strike a cymbal, the entire metal plate vibrates. If you hook a copper plate up to a closed circuit, the entire plate will be conduct electricity, not just a swath. This idea of a nodal point confuses me. I'm not calling point-blank BS, but I'm scratching my head over this one.



Now, perhaps I'm just paranoid, or my understanding of physics has gone off the beaten path somewhere along the way.

Say a large truck drives by your house. The whole house may vibrate a little bit. When a window shutter or door slams (as it just did here, it's windy tonight), I can perceive the floor, my seat, and the desk vibrate. For a longer discussion on the matter, both of us could turn to the musings of soundproofing practice spaces- there needs to be a lot of insulation, and preferably, an airlock of some kind to prevent resonance from conducting. It's a lot like electricity in a way- there needs to be a firm break in the circuit to stop the current, and even then, with the correct circumstances, we all know electricity can arc.


Yamaha's literature, regardless of series (as long as it comes equipped with YESS mounts), insinuates that there is an area of the shell that is magically insulated, and that by affixing the mount in the so-called doldrums of resonance, sustain can be enhanced (compared to their old mount, which fit up flush against the shell and used four screws) without having to disassemble the whole interface when changing heads (which would be the case with a Gauger/RIMS-style mount).

Now by placing less mass in the shell, sure, you aren't choking it as much, which means that it will have positive ramifications for resonance and sustain.

The literature is claiming that a.) the YESS system delivers greater resonance and sustain than the earlier Yamaha system (I agree) and b.) that this is due to the location they choose to place the mount (which I question, as the reduced shell contact alone may account for it- couldn't you put the YESS mount in the dead center of the shell and get the same result?)

I really start to think about this if I've been driving for a while or riding my bike. Both of these feature a suspension system, and yet I still perceive potholes/speedbumps in the car, and little rocks, etc. on the bicycle.
...

Question #3: Is the YESS system the best way to maximize resonance and sustain?

Question #4: Can the YESS system potentially harm the drum shell?


My concern with the YESS system was that to me looked like it concentrated all of the drum's weight into a smaller area than before (two screwholes rather than four), and these two holes, at least on my kit, were not reinforced with grommets or anything similar. After about five years I finally decided to play it safe (I was concerned that there was a remote chance of cracking) and switched to Gibraltar-made Gauger-style mounts.

Perhaps it's nothing more than the placebo effect, but it sounds to me like they have more resonance and sustain now than they did with the Gauger mounts.

How does one measure something so seemingly objective? They feel like they have more oomph.

...

Another question that comes to mind refers back to these little lugs.

Question #5: Single screw lugs- will they stay in line?

I raise this, as well as the other questions, as I am considering building a kit for myself, probably enlisting the help of someone more experienced in such matters.

The revelation that these teardrop lugs are on screw and, effectively, a spike, has again set my brain a-wondering.

I'm assuming from a manufacturing standpoint, Yamaha at the time went with the option that was cost-effective, fairly easy to produce, functional, and cosmetic. As most of my hardware is Yamaha (it used to be all, but I bought an Axis X earlier this year), it strikes me that as a company, they generally balance form with function rather well, keep their hardware easy to use, and will usually avoid making something more complex than need be.


If one were to use lugs that fastened with only one screw, wouldn't the tension rod (of course, tensioned while the head is tuned) keep it perpendicular?

Does distributing the strain a lug is under amongst two screws better seat the lug while it is under tension, lessening the strain on the screwhole?


The short of it- obviously someone at Yamaha saw that spike as being necessary. Would that be the consensus?

[scorch whammin]

Question #1: If the YESS system was developed by Noble & Cooley, was does it appear N & C never used it?

N&C patented the nodal point knowledge/technology...hte YESS system uses/borrows from that knowledge/technology (i.e., that's where they mount at)...having owned both RIMS mount types and hte YESS mount system, I prefer the YESS mount...easier to change heads with...however, some of the newer types from different companies may be just as easy now....

Question #2: If you strike a cymbal, the entire metal plate vibrates. If you hook a copper plate up to a closed circuit, the entire plate will be conduct electricity, not just a swath. This idea of a nodal point confuses me. I'm not calling point-blank BS, but I'm scratching my head over this one.

According to Yamaha (& N&C) this area of the shell has the least effect on total resonance...if it was total BS..don't think they would have spent the money or had a patent put on it...

couldn't you put the YESS mount in the dead center of the shell and get the same result?

Not according to Yamaha...

Question #3: Is the YESS system the best way to maximize resonance and sustain?

I can't speak for every system out there...does YESS meet my needs for resonance out of my toms - Yes. Are there better systems out there - I don't know (however, Yamaha did last year change the orig. YESS to a newer version with better results). With regards to your last question, from a purely aesthetic/appearance point of view, I would have to say No. YESS is clearly the most unobtrusive (cleanest) system out there IMO...my 2 cents worth...this question will obviously have answers that may be somewhat subjective....

Question #4: Can the YESS system potentially harm the drum shell?

In a word...No...it would not have lasted as long (in the market) as it did, otherwise....I currently own three kits with it, the oldest being 10 years old (with toms up to 16" with it)...and I have been known to play my kits with some authority...no problems from me...

Another question that comes to mind refers back to these little lugs.

Question #5: Single screw lugs- will they stay in line?

Again...no problems, no issues with this design...to me it's a very clean design...my oldest kit has these lugs...great lugs, they stay in tune (i.e., don't back out), beautiful chrome on them...with the nipple (approx. 1/8" dia.), I don't see how they would ever not stay in line....another lug to consider would be the MC lugs..another great lug and 1 screw as well...

Does distributing the strain a lug is under amongst two screws better seat the lug while it is under tension, lessening the strain on the screwhole?

No....

The short of it- obviously someone at Yamaha saw that spike as being necessary. Would that be the consensus?

Just to ensure alignment...and it's not a spike, but rather a flat faced nub, that seats approx. .100" into shell...