Yamaha Stage Custom Bebop

Souljacker said:

Does the lift make a difference to the sound and is it necessary? There's also the Mapex Meridian jazz kit. Do you know anything about them?

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The lift allows the bass drum beater to hit the center of the bass drum. Personally I think it makes a big difference. Never played the Mapex kit, can't comment. Also just because the Yamaha doesn't come with a lift, doesn't mean you can't purchase one later. I just mentioned the Tama to say there are other options if your wanting an 18" Birch kit. There's also the Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz and the Sonor Bop. The Gretsch is mahogany, and I'm not sure what the Bop is made out of.

BertTheDrummer said:

The lift allows the bass drum beater to hit the center of the bass drum. Personally I think it makes a big difference. Never played the Mapex kit, can't comment. Also just because the Yamaha doesn't come with a lift, doesn't mean you can't purchase one later. I just mentioned the Tama to say there are other options if your wanting an 18" Birch kit. There's also the Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz and the Sonor Bop. The Gretsch is mahogany, and I'm not sure what the Bop is made out of.

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Thanks for the info. The lift is available pretty cheap as an add on which is good. The Yamaha kit is birch I believe.

Souljacker said:

Is there any kit better than this at this pricerange (I'm not seeing any) or for slightly more money?

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My new Yamaha Bebop arrived today. Probably won't get to it until tomorrow or the next day sadly. But to answer your question, I was torn between this and the PDP Concept Maple bop kit. I love the Seafoam Green one! But I chose the Yamaha. My other kit is PDP Maple and I love it. But I wanted the Birch, so opted for this. They are $100 more normally at Sweetwater, but the Yamaha went on sale for $500 so I had to go with them.

If you want a true, open, jazz bass drum sound, I’d recommend either Aquarian Modern Vintage medium bass drum head or Aquarian Jack DeJohnette head. Both sides.

I’d also probably uses 2.3 hoops instead of 1.6 to lock in higher tuning stability. The lower level kits use cheaper 1.6 hoops—they’re not like Pearl 1.6 Fat Tone hoops (better quality).

I’ve got a ps3 on mine.. it sounds pretty weak but then it is just an 18”. Maybe I should crank it up higher.

Lately I’m wanting to go old school with just ambassador/emperor batter heads on kicks, I feel like they would definitely help a small drum.

Duck Tape said:

I’ve got a ps3 on mine.. it sounds pretty weak but then it is just an 18”. Maybe I should crank it up higher.

Lately I’m wanting to go old school with just ambassador/emperor batter heads on kicks, I feel like they would definitely help a small drum.

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Is yours coated or clear? I have an 18" BD coming next month and trying to figure out what heads I want. Was originally leaning PS3 coated.

My favorite bass drum head combo of all time is an EMAD 1 with no foam ring on the batter and a chrome Remo Starfire head on the reso

aarono2690 said:

Is yours coated or clear? I have an 18" BD coming next month and trying to figure out what heads I want. Was originally leaning PS3 coated.

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Clear. I should mention I have an acrylic 18” kick as well (Crush brand) and the ps3 has the same effect. I remember the stock Crush head actually sounded better because it had more attack.

SpagsNY845 said:

My new Yamaha Bebop arrived today. Probably won't get to it until tomorrow or the next day sadly. But to answer your question, I was torn between this and the PDP Concept Maple bop kit. I love the Seafoam Green one! But I chose the Yamaha. My other kit is PDP Maple and I love it. But I wanted the Birch, so opted for this. They are $100 more normally at Sweetwater, but the Yamaha went on sale for $500 so I had to go with them.

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Wow, that's a super old post of mine you are quoting, haha. I'm guessing your Yamaha Bebop must be a newer update of the one available back in 2013? Yamaha tend to update (and discontinue) their lines regularly enough I find.

I didn't end up getting that Bebop kit, bought a different Yamaha (Live Custom) instead. I still have them. They've since been discontinued in favour of the Live Custom Hybrid Oaks (in relation to my earlier point).

Ramblerboy said:

I recently bought a Yamaha Stage Custom Bebop kit with the 15 x 18 bass - Sounds kinda flat with the stock heads - any ideas on a head combo for a deeper more open sound ? Prefer soild resonant head

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I'm thinking part of your problem are the birch shells those drums are made from. Birch can tend to sound a bit plain to begin with, but that aside, my suggestion would be to try a Remo Fiberskyn 3 head on the batter side.
I love them. They really warm up and fatten a bass drum, I think.
If you're not doing it already, give it a try.
...also, if your front head has a hole in it, seal up the hole or get a non-vented head for the front.
Lastly, if you're playing Rock with that kit, try lifting the bass drum. On an 18, leaving it on the floor, you're hittin far enough off of center that you're getting that thinner (but more lively!) sound.
Think of it, this way...let's say you're pedal is setup to hit center on a 22" bass. That puts the beater at 11" off the ground.
On an 18, center is only 9" off the ground, so you're already hitting 2" off-center. If your beater is set to hit a little high of center on the 22, now you're even farther away on the 18.
Most lifts raise the BD 2". So putting a 2" lift under an 18, raises that center from 9" to 11". Same spot as on the 22.
So, give those a try and see what you think.