Added toms to my Yamaha Live Custom oak set... Video

SgtThump

Platinum Member
Hey everybody, look at me! I have a video! lol...

I'll just copy and paste what I wrote in the video. This is my first chance to do a video with the new toms. What a blast!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6WwOMV9vcY&feature=youtu.be

Bought this set at Forks Drum Closet (great place and staff) as a 14x22 bass drum, 8x12 rack tom, and 15x16 floor tom. Just recently added a matching 7x10 rack tom and a 13x14 floor tom (ordered online from Rupp's Drums - great staff!).

Put new Remo Coated Ambassador batters on toms and clear PowerStroke 3 batter on bass drum. Bass drum reso head is the stock black PS3 Yamaha with no port hole. Tom reso heads are the stock clear Ambassadors.

Two overhead Sterling Audio large condenser microphones and an Audix D6 bass drum microphone.

Snare is a Pearl Masters MCX 5.5"x14" maple snare with coated Ambassador batter and hazy Ambassador snare-side.
 
I watched the whole vid...to me they sound fantastic! I did not pay attention to the crashes that much cause I was focused on the toms...but the ride did reach out and grab me..clean.

Thanks! If I remember right from the other thread, you're a fan of Paiste cymbals too. I also have a set of 2002's and a mixed set of nice sounding Zildjians. Cymbals are where it's at to me.
 
Well... I think this is the best sound I've had. The toms ring out/decay perfectly, everything sounds very full, etc... I'm digging it!

I'm curious what others think?
 
Hey there, Mr. Weckl :)

Lovely bass tone and nice toms. The 16" is perhaps a bit slack for my tastes, but the rest is wonderful and continued indication of the pure potential of coated Ambassadors. Nice spread of pitches as well, everything sounds very consistent.
 
Hey there, Mr. Weckl :)

Lovely bass tone and nice toms. The 16" is perhaps a bit slack for my tastes, but the rest is wonderful and continued indication of the pure potential of coated Ambassadors. Nice spread of pitches as well, everything sounds very consistent.

Hey thanks man, that's my opinion too! I started to try some different heads on these drums (and I probably will), but I knew coated Ambassadors would come through. It's funny you say "Mr Weckl", because a kit he used at a drum clinic is on eBay right now and it's exactly the same thing as my kit - heads and all. LOL

Proof that the gear doesn't make the player! LOL
 
I think he plays the Live Custom mainly now, and he always uses the coated/clear ambassador combo (even a coated amb. on the bass, which is where you diverge)- hence my reference :)

Good enough for him, good enough for me. Probably why I'm constantly drooling over his cymbal lines. ;)
 
I think he plays the Live Custom mainly now, and he always uses the coated/clear ambassador combo (even a coated amb. on the bass, which is where you diverge)- hence my reference :)

Good enough for him, good enough for me. Probably why I'm constantly drooling over his cymbal lines. ;)

I'm curious to see what happens when Yamaha reveals the new lines from their China plant at NAMM. I can only guess they will offer a maple version of the Live Custom and maybe a birch version? Not sure. I'm curious, even though I don't see a reason to go from my current oak setup to any other wood.
 
The 10 and 12 sounded so good that I thought by the time you got down to the 16, it would lose all definition.
But in context with the rest, it sounds good.
I like the oomph you're getting from the kick too.
 
The 10 and 12 sounded so good that I thought by the time you got down to the 16, it would lose all definition.
But in context with the rest, it sounds good.
I like the oomph you're getting from the kick too.

Thanks! I struggled with the 16 a bit. Actually, I struggled with the entire kit for a short while. Me doing stupid things like tuning too high and not able to get a great tone or fussing with the tom mount to get the most sustain.

Really happy with it all now, though.
 
The kit and the playing are excellent Sarge :)

Thank you sir!

Believe me, im not losing sleep over the youtube rating system, but there are a couple of thumbs down on my video which really puzzles me. Probably for the lackluster playing. I think the entire setup sounds awesome!
 
i think those toms sound great with coated ambassadors. the kit sounds huge.

are they as loud as the oak customs? i got the chance to play the oak customs a few weeks back at my local GC and they sound good, just loud. especially the kick, massive BOOM! lol
 
i think those toms sound great with coated ambassadors. the kit sounds huge.

are they as loud as the oak customs? i got the chance to play the oak customs a few weeks back at my local GC and they sound good, just loud. especially the kick, massive BOOM! lol

Yeah, theyre loud and beefy like the oak customs. Love that! ;)
 
Thanks! If I remember right from the other thread, you're a fan of Paiste cymbals too. I also have a set of 2002's and a mixed set of nice sounding Zildjians. Cymbals are where it's at to me.

Yes sir....I'm very pleased with the 2002 and K mixture I'm using. I've been spending a good amount of time working on hitting them with fury, but with a semi-circular approach because I don't want to lose any of them. I've found that I can order 2002 without hearing them first. I just got the 19" that is in my photo album...sounds killer. The 18" was also amazon and the 17"...the 15 and 16 are not up right now...those I bought in person.

Again, your kit and playing sound great.
 
Believe me, im not losing sleep over the youtube rating system, but there are a couple of thumbs down on my video which really puzzles me. Probably for the lackluster playing. I think the entire setup sounds awesome!
Sorry, I missed this out of the gate Sarge :( Drums sounding really good - like REALLY good. I'm guessing you added a little meat on the EQ via the board, but you treated that sensitively, so all's good. I like your relaxed presentation too. Leaves enough space to hear the notes & appreciate what's going on :)

As for the negative thumbs down thing - ignore it. There's always people out there who prefer to "rate" something with a click of the mouse rather than actually take the time to critique in writing. Kind of annoys me too. It's faceless & lazy. If you've got something negative to highlight, just damn well say it IMO. Happens on my videos, happens on everyone's videos. Hell, I even got an anonymous low star rating on my video thread the other day. It happens.
 
Sorry, I missed this out of the gate Sarge :( Drums sounding really good - like REALLY good. I'm guessing you added a little meat on the EQ via the board, but you treated that sensitively, so all's good. I like your relaxed presentation too. Leaves enough space to hear the notes & appreciate what's going on :)

As for the negative thumbs down thing - ignore it. There's always people out there who prefer to "rate" something with a click of the mouse rather than actually take the time to critique in writing. Kind of annoys me too. It's faceless & lazy. If you've got something negative to highlight, just damn well say it IMO. Happens on my videos, happens on everyone's videos. Hell, I even got an anonymous low star rating on my video thread the other day. It happens.

Thank you sir! Believe it or not, but I had the board EQ levels flat for the two overheads. I do always mess with the board EQ for the bass drum mic, but try to leave the others flat. I experiment with mic placement the most, trying to find the spots that allow the cymbals and toms to be heard well, but not overpower each other. These toms are loud, so it takes some experimenting.

Thanks again! :)
 
They sounds real good man!

Thank you much! I feel better now... ha ha

It's always nice to get a little reassurance, IMO. :)

I believe my band is going to the studio to record 4 new original tunes in February, so I'm trying to get everything dialed in perfectly before then. I use the Oak Customs live with that band, but want to use these Live Customs in the studio. Also trying to get my cymbal setups together. Can't freaking wait to record!
 
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