Yamaha Drums discussion

[greenie]

hey folks - so stoked i found this forum - this is my first post here.

a couple years ago i picked up a 4-pc Oak Custom kit (silver sparkle finish) and i love it to pieces. my only gripe is with the snare (13") - or, to be more specific, keeping the snare tuned.

the first time i swapped out the batter head, the lugs came out with (i assume) lock-tite in the threads. i wasn't exactly thrilled to see it since i'd had some problems with DW hardware that also used lock-tite on the lugs.

i play in a super-loud noise rock band so the snare tends to take a pretty decent beating. now, after one or two songs, the lug in the 7:00 position (doesn't matter which lug it is, or how the snare is positioned in the stand - it's always the same position) almost completely breaks free of the housing. i can usually turn the lug with my fingers for a couple revolutions until i need to break out the drum key. it's not a major issue - but it is a giant pain in the posterior during gigs.

i love the way this snare sounds - it's loud, versatile and i can get a lot of different tones out if it. but if i can't find a way to keep it in tune for longer than 20 minutes, it's going to be replaced.

has anyone else had this experience? do you think the 13" size is part of the problem? or should i just stop whining and learn to live with the constant re-tuning?

thanks, all

[YamahaDrummer]

As you can tell from my name, i like Yamaha

[Bish]

Welcome to Drum Chat, greenie.

I don't think a different snare is going to help you. You have a unique technique and are going to experience that problem with any drum.

Even if you lock down the tuning rods, you are hitting the rim enough that you are stress stretching the drum head in that spot and will always have a tuning issue.

You need to change your techique but that's not likely considering what type of music you are playing.

Good luck!

[MrB]

hey folks - so stoked i found this forum - this is my first post here.

a couple years ago i picked up a 4-pc Oak Custom kit (silver sparkle finish) and i love it to pieces. my only gripe is with the snare (13") - or, to be more specific, keeping the snare tuned.

the first time i swapped out the batter head, the lugs came out with (i assume) lock-tite in the threads. i wasn't exactly thrilled to see it since i'd had some problems with DW hardware that also used lock-tite on the lugs.

i play in a super-loud noise rock band so the snare tends to take a pretty decent beating. now, after one or two songs, the lug in the 7:00 position (doesn't matter which lug it is, or how the snare is positioned in the stand - it's always the same position) almost completely breaks free of the housing. i can usually turn the lug with my fingers for a couple revolutions until i need to break out the drum key. it's not a major issue - but it is a giant pain in the posterior during gigs.

i love the way this snare sounds - it's loud, versatile and i can get a lot of different tones out if it. but if i can't find a way to keep it in tune for longer than 20 minutes, it's going to be replaced.

has anyone else had this experience? do you think the 13" size is part of the problem? or should i just stop whining and learn to live with the constant re-tuning?

thanks, all

I had a similar problem with a 12x7 Pearl Soprano. I doubt the size is part of it, as I had the same thing happen to me with a 14x6.5 Pearl Free-Floater. I had Ayotte copy the 12x7, hoping that their lug design (which has little nylon inserts, similar to the interior bushings of stands) would solve this. I actually broke the lugs clean off the drum twice (the Pearl, not the Ayotte). The Ayotte stays in tune longer, but as it's been said, the amount of force is stretching the head, and I've even had to retune the Ayotte after it's been sitting unused- temperature and humidity changes can mess with it. I don't play as hard as I used to, and the chap from Sunny Day Real Estate, William Goldsmith, articulated that there is a threshold for force applied to the drum and how loud it will go, and hitting it harder can literally make it choke.

If you're looking to be heard, I'd suggest miking it, looking into a thicker shell, or a different material like brass.

[Lesizmor]

Loctite in the lug threads? Gaaaaahhhhh!
-Les

[Bish]

Gaaaaahhhhh!
-Les

Could you be more specific? I'm not sure I follow.

[MortalDrumbat]

really? do you like them

[Lesizmor]

Loctite in the lug threads? Gaaaaahhhhh!
-Les

Loctite in the lug nut threads ^^^^ see above post by thread author^^^..
It's right up there with duct tape on a ride cymbal! GaaaaaHHHHHHH!
-Les

[Bish]

Loctite in the lug nut threads ^^^^ see above post by thread author^^^..
It's right up there with duct tape on a ride cymbal! GaaaaaHHHHHHH!
-Les

Am I to understand you are not a proponent of creative modificationing of the plexlateral obligongitudinal temperament of percussive WIP?

No essays, please,

[MortalDrumbat]

dude, just pick up some luglocks for your snare. i think its like 5 bucks for a pack of ten. stick those on and the rods wont come loose ever

[Christiandrummer777]

did you try contacting yamaha

[Norske]

GaaaaaHHHHHHH!
-Les

Are you sure that's the proper spelling??

Hey Shane, love the jacket man!!

[Lesizmor]

Am I to understand you are not a proponent of creative modificationing of the plexlateral obligongitudinal temperament of percussive WIP?

No essays, please,

Funny you should ask...





-Les

[zzzdanz]

Hey guys! ..I've been playing Yamaha since 92'..I have a couple TC kits collecting dust, and my main kit I play now is Recording Custom/Cherry.(2) 24", 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 all on a Gibraltar rack,different snares a 20" Bass drum collecting dust,Iron cobra double pedal (I only use 1 of the 24's) Yamaha HH, Yamaha cable HH, all Yamaha cymbal arms, Zildjian A's and K's and Sabian AA..I'll try to remember to take pics at band practice this week.

[ratmycue]

Nice to meet ya zzzdanz, Cant wait for the pix. nice kit set up.

To all my yammy buds, Has anyone seen the new Phoenix kit!!
Jaw dropping looks .............. and price.

[MortalDrumbat]

welcome danz, you gonna show some of them pics right?

[zzzdanz]

Yup, I'll take some pics Tuesday night at practice.I'm pretty computer stupid so the wife will have to post them. Man those Phoenix are crazy $$$$...I think I'll stick to my plan of ordering maple customs, then I won't have to re-mortgage my house to pay for Phoenix

[zzzdanz]

If I wasn't laid off I'ld be all over this!.....http://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/msg/1067556647.html.....grrrrr, it expired today. Yamaha rec cust. cherry wood...(2) 24's, 8,10,12,13,14,15,16,18..w/a boat load of zildjians and all the hardware for $1900...dealllllll...I paid $1300 each for my 24's not including cases.

[2slow]

I am wanting to get a high end set and think it's between the recording customs or the maple absolutes problem is there is no place for me to listen to them here so those of you that have experience with them tell me what you think!! thanks John

[audiotech]

I have absolutely no experience with Yamaha Recording Customs, although I know they are made from 6 ply birch shells on the toms and triple flange hoops. The bass drum is a 7 ply birch shell.

I do own the Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute and gotta say it's one of the sweetest, greatest kits I ever played. All maple 6 ply shells with low weight aluminum die cast hoops. I've only had these since last September, but every time I enter my drum room, I feel as if I'm pulled toward this kit, it's really a joy to play. Incredible tone, very easy to tune and with the aluminum die cast hoops, they keep their tuning with full resonance.

When you're investing this kind of money into a drum kit, I would make every attempt to hear the kits and trust your ears.

Here are a few shots of my kit in Black Sparkle Sunburst.









Dennis

[Bish]

What more can one say?

[pwny_fluff169]

I bought a set of beech custom absolutes 10x8 12x10 14x14 22x18 4 years ago now and dont regret not getting the 2nd hand sonor designer series I was looking at at that time.

I didnt exactly set out looking for yamaha drums, despite recommendations and the many well rounded and responsive yamahas I had heard over the years but when I heard this kit for the first time I made the decision to buy it immediately.
My only real point of disappointment was that they changed the tom rims from dyna hoops to die-cast

I had bought some of these for a pearl free floater I used to play and they added a lot of depth and high end range to it's sound without sacrificing the clarity of the drum. The new die cast hoops are a plague of new high end kits in my opinion. I guess they do weigh less and 'focus' the sound (limit the range of tonality that triple flanged hoops add), but to me it seems a cost cutting measure. Anyway I didnt complain when I took them from the store straight to a gig and they sounded fantastic miked up. without miking they dont cut as well as my old maple kit but otherwise they are sonically superior in every way for my gigging purposes

Still not completely decided on what heads I prefer on it as I havent done a whole lot of head changes. It came with clear emperor batters/yamaha stock res on toms/bass drum I have tried coated g2/g1 combos on the toms, a g4 resonant bass drum and powerstroke 3 batter, and evans emad coated(which seems to strip the mid tones and keep mainly the bass with some papery attack)- I didnt like it and settled back with the powerstroke for the mids. Keen on trying coated/clear ambassadors for the toms and possible even a powerstroke 4 on the bass drum

-any opinions here for heads on beech drums?

[MortalDrumbat]

i would never use a coated head for a reso. but if your a remo guy, for toms id go clear pinstripe/clear diplomat on everything except the snare, which id use coated ambassador/clear hazy300

[LagerHead]

Audiotech, that is a very nice setup you have there.

[Redeye]

-any opinions here for heads on beech drums?

I have a Beech Custom set. So far, I have used G2 coated, EC2 clear, and G1 coated on them with the stock resonant heads. By far, the G2 has been the only sound that I really liked. The G1s were a bit thin, and the EC2s sounded choked off. I plan on setting them up with Ambassador-weight Fiberskyns sometime in the next few weeks. I'll post my opinion of them when I get a chance.