Yamaha phoenix hybrid kits

[aceman]

Anyone know anything about these kits? How do they sound? price? I recently saw an ad for them and they are really beautiful drums but have not heard anyone talking about them much. Could they be Yamaha's way of trying to match Pearls Reference series? would like to hear your input. thnx.

[RobertM]

From what I've heard, they are very pricey, loud, and very heavy. One drum shop guy I know, who has two of the kits in his shop from NAMM, referred to them as "Maple Customs on steroids." I think the price on them ranges from mid-to-high $2K range to $4K range, depending on the configuration of the kit you want.

Tommy Aldridge is playing a set of Phoenix on his profile page here at drummerworld.com. Could listen there.

[skraps71]

I just got a musicians friend catalog in the mail and there is a pic of teddy campbell and his phx kit and ...... it's sick!!!! I'd love to see some more photos like that. The only gripe i have with yamaha is their website sucks for photos of drums/finishes. Anyway, There are some prices associated with two basic set-ups offered in musicans friend.

Get ready for sticker shock.

standard 4 piece = 22x18,12x9,13x10, and 16x15 floor tom. $5739.99
fusion floor 4 piece -22x18,10x7, 12x9, and 14x13 floor tom. $5559.99

from what I read that's all you get. just the drums. it doesn't get specific on the hardware aside from the new/redesigned yess mounts and nouveau lugs.

That's some heavy duty cash for drums no matter who makes em. that's easily double what a yamaha maple or birch absolute kit would cost.

HOWEVER, I will totally buy some as soon as I save some cash. Probably wont purchase from Muscians friend though.

good luck if you get some I'll be jealous.

scott

[Ironcobra]

They're expensive, and a direct competition for Pearls Reference series. I think it would have been smarter to use more typical woods like maple and birch, rather than expensive foreign woods that cost a ton to import. This would have brought the cost way down. So far I think the Pearls have an advantage, but the phoenix kits have better finish options.

[MusiQmaN]

http://www.drumrock.com/namm/2008/yammi3.jpg

They're not extra expensive as any other high end kit witch is worth the money ;)

The rare materials are chosen to have the best musical quallity there is.

The PHX is developed for drummers who want a different sound and to withstand the high class ''stadium'' kits from other brands.

Also the have new Nouveau lugs. Wich are re-designed in a more blockier form to always fit directly and without turning around when loosened.



Not resting after celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, Yamaha Drums will begin its push to further drumming innovation over the next 40 years when it introduces its ultra high-end PHX Phoenix Drum Set at Winter NAMM 2008.

In Yamaha's quest to continually expand the boundaries of musicality for drummers, the company used newfound Asian woods to create the PHX kit.

"These particular woods, jatoba and kapur, have never before been used to make drums, and when you put them together in a specific combination, they produce an amazing musical tone," says Dave Jewell, marketing manager, Yamaha Drums, Pro Audio & Combo Division. "We've discovered one of nature's secrets."

In addition to sounding great, the 11-ply shells are a sight to behold. The center ply, jatoba, is an extremely hard wood that provides the drum's core note. On either side are four plies of kapur, which is a softer wood than jatoba. The inner and outer plies of the shell are customized, using maple or a combination of a burled ash outer ply and a maple inner ply.

The concept behind the PHX Phoenix shell construction is to use the hardest wood in the middle surrounded by softer plies of wood; this produces a sonic "ripple effect" similar to the sound a pebble creates with waves when dropped in water.

"The trend today is thin shells, but frankly, these drums—made with this specific wood combination — do not sound 'thick,'" said Jim Haler, product manager, Yamaha Drums. "They go against every sonic standard of a thick shell."

Joe Testa, Yamaha Drums international artist relations manager, added that "We brought these drums into the studio with some of our top artists, and the difference is astounding. I describe it this way: when most drums are struck, the sound comes from them and hits you. With this kit's sound, it hugs you. Imagine your current Yamaha sound with a natural preamp on it. Generally, a kit's sound improves with age. On the PHX Phoenix, the aging process seems to be accelerated. Within just a week of playing it, the sound matured immensely. It really is beautiful."

Not only is the shell construction a new venture for Yamaha, the kit's new and improved mounting system is, too. Developed to make the fundamental tone of each drum clearer and better defined, the wooden tom mount, combined with shock-mountable rubber contact points, provides ultimate resonance. As with all Yamaha drums, the mounting points are positioned at the nodal points of the shell.

The newly designed detachable lugs are mounted where the overtones are the highest. The balance of the nodal point mount and the overtone point of the lugs help mute unwanted overtones, making the fundamental tone come alive with much more clarity.

"The PHX Phoenix was not made to replace our current high end drums, but rather to supply drummers with another musical voice in their arsenal," said Jewell. "Yamaha Drums will continue to create instruments that further a musician's capability to create better music. We pride ourselves in being the choice for those serious about their music."

Available with chrome or gold hardware and in nine impressive finishes (four maple, five in burled ash), the PHX Phoenix drumset is expected to ship in March 2008.


More info:

http://www.yamaha.com/drums/drumproductdetail.html?CNTID=568160


Try one at you're local Yamaha dealer and fall in love ;)

[Les Ismore]

The concept behind the PHX Phoenix shell construction is to use the hardest wood in the middle surrounded by softer plies of wood; this produces a sonic "ripple effect" similar to the sound a pebble creates with waves when dropped in water.

On their web site Yamaha has it worded wrong (backwards) . It should read "progressively softer" or "The woods used are progressively harder from the outer plies to the center".

http://www.yamaha.com/drums/drumproductdetail.html?CNTID=568160


From Yamaha web site:

Shells
The shells of Phoenix are 11-ply hybrid shells. The woods used are progressively harder from the center ply to the outer plies. The center ply is jatoba; this is a very hard wood’ and it “anchors” the fundamental of the shell. Sandwiched on either side of this is kapur. This wood is in the mahogany family and adds warmth to the sound of the drum. The inner and outer plies are maple, except in the case of drums using the optional burled ash outer ply. These drums use an outer half-ply each of maple and burled ash. Maple rounds out the tone adding high and mid frequencies to the shell.

[mattyg@@]

I would choose a Phoenix over any other kit out there. i just phoned a yamaha dealer and he's gonna get back to me with some exact prices. but he said theyre around $10-$12K aussie dollars