Yamaha Live Custom - great deal?

DrummerCA35

Senior Member
So, I see that they're again offering the Live Custom 4 piece shell back --- with a K Zildjan cymbal pack included...for 1499 this time, but with only the black shadow and the amber shadow. I've never seen them offered this cheap, let alone with the cymbal "gift."

I see it here:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Yamaha/Live-Custom-4-Piece-Shell-Pack-with-22-Bass-Drum.gc

So I find myself wondering "what is the catch?" Well, I've thought about this kit before, but I've held off. The main reason, is that I just cannot get into those wood finishes. I personally like sparkles and at one time I had a Yamaha MCA kit in silver sparkle. My PDP kit with a silver-to-black sparkle fade looks fantastic and it would be a compromise, visually, to get the Live Customs. Of course, duh, it's about the SOUND. I've used an oak snare (Musashi) for years, and had great results with it. Only problem is the lugs contstantly de-tuning.

So what is the catch --- 1499 for the kit and cymbals? Seems insanely cheap. I have this bad feeling they're blowing them out...and will be coming out with new live custom drums that have features and/or looks that I'd really want. But what about those cymbals for free? What's the catch on THAT???? I'm guessing they're not selling, why else would they blow them out?
 
Lowering prices and offering incentives to move stale inventory is the nature of the business. These are very nice kits, and it is likely the least desirable finishes that have the greatest discount/perks assigned to them.
 
There's no "catch" to it - it's just one of the best promotional drum/cymbal deals ever. You can bet your sweet salami that if I was in need of another drumset, that's the deal I would go with.

However . . . I'm with you on the colors. The wood finishes are gorgeous on drums today, with many looking more like fine furniture than anything else. Can't deny the beauty. But I like sparkles and pearls and colors. As I've expressed before, Yamaha truly needs to offer the Live Custom and Stage Custom lines in more colors - even if they are wraps. Just imagine a six-piece Live Custom kit in Vintage White Marine Pearl. Mmmmmmmmm....

GeeDeeEmm
 
There's no "catch" to it - it's just one of the best promotional drum/cymbal deals ever. You can bet your sweet salami that if I was in need of another drumset, that's the deal I would go with.

However . . . I'm with you on the colors. The wood finishes are gorgeous on drums today, with many looking more like fine furniture than anything else. Can't deny the beauty. But I like sparkles and pearls and colors. As I've expressed before, Yamaha truly needs to offer the Live Custom and Stage Custom lines in more colors - even if they are wraps. Just imagine a six-piece Live Custom kit in Vintage White Marine Pearl. Mmmmmmmmm....

GeeDeeEmm

"Bet your sweet salami"...Funny! I mean, I totally agree. I'm not knocking how nicely done these wood kits, are, or dissing anyone else who's got one of these kits. But I don't want a "fine furniture" kit, I want sparkles, colors, and pearls like you do. Now, if they offered this kit in a silver sparkle laquer, or some kind of nice wrap...White Marine Pearl, like you mentioned...THAT would be an entirely different story. I like the YESS mounting, and I PREFER toms to be mounted on the bass drum, AND I like (and own) Yamaha hardware. Annnddd.. my oak snare sound really good.

But ugh...those colors...sorry, can't do it, but what a freaking deal!
 
None of those kits with the 20" bass drum include the K's:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Yamaha/Live-Custom-4-Piece-Shell-Pack-with-20-Bass-Drum.gc
and only the Amber is in stock.
What's up with that? Maybe 20's are getting more popular.

Ya- NAMM's only a couple months away, and Yamaha will be coming out with some new stuff for sure.
It's always a gamble this time of year. But if someone's in the market for a kit in those sizes and colors, it seems like a good deal.

Odd. Oh, and of the ones with the 22" kick, only the amber and black shadow kits have the "free gift." If I were to get any of these, it would have been the black wood, and that doesn't have the gift and it's more expensive. For someone who likes the sizes and colors, as you said, it seems like a wonderful deal. I like the sizes,but not the colors.
 
I don't like the depth of the 22" x 18" bass drum, and prefer a 14" floor tom over the 16".
The 20 x 16 bass drum I could live with, but 14" deep would be even better.

I like the colors when I see them, but am not sure if they'd start to grate on me in the long run, compared to something more traditional.

Those will be a great deal for someone though.

I personally prefer the 22x18. I don't like 20" bass drums, I've tried them. However, I would prefer 10/12/14 toms, and not 10/12/16. It just seems with these shell packs some companies are starting to do 10/12/16. I could have lived with the 16" tom.

To me, the colors stink. The green one and amber ones are awful. This is just my opinion, since colors are so subjective. The solid black is the most tolerable, and the shadows are like "ugh". I mean, honestly, I think what the hell was yamaha thinking?

The DW performance kits have much nicer finishes to pick from, IMHO. Sparkles, pearls, pure white, and so on.
 
The reason for a minimal color options my guess... because they didn't fly enough to be profitable on the Absolute series too.

The line were one could choose out of more then 50 colors (sparkles, fades etc)

I like the colors and the sound is stunning. Both the new and the old Oaks.

Great deal indeed.
 
If I were starting from scratch - looking to buy new drums and cymbals - I would get these.

They'd also be what I'd recommend to anyone looking for new drums and cymbals - if their budget permitted it.
 
If I were starting from scratch - looking to buy new drums and cymbals - I would get these.

They'd also be what I'd recommend to anyone looking for new drums and cymbals - if their budget permitted it.

totally agree! a great setup!
 
So, I see that they're again offering the Live Custom 4 piece shell back --- with a K Zildjan cymbal pack included...for 1499 this time, but with only the black shadow and the amber shadow. I've never seen them offered this cheap, let alone with the cymbal "gift."

I see it here:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Yamaha/Live-Custom-4-Piece-Shell-Pack-with-22-Bass-Drum.gc

So I find myself wondering "what is the catch?"


Pretty much the deal of the century so far. Granted, no snare/hardware, but a K ZILDJIAN cymbal pack? This is a great deal. The catch? It won't last long.
 
... This is a great deal. The catch? It won't last long.


A great deal - yes. The other catches have already been mentioned.

They list 4 different configurations of that set. The deal is only available with one configuration - 22/10/12/16.

Within that one configuration, they list 4 different finishes. The deal is only available with 2 of those finishes.

If someone is fine with those conditions, then ya - act fast. It doesn't say when the deal will end, but I think last time it was over within a month.
 
A great deal - yes. The other catches have already been mentioned.

They list 4 different configurations of that set. The deal is only available with one configuration - 22/10/12/16.

Within that one configuration, they list 4 different finishes. The deal is only available with 2 of those finishes.

If someone is fine with those conditions, then ya - act fast. It doesn't say when the deal will end, but I think last time it was over within a month.



The deal will end when they sell those two kits.

There may be more than two kits available, but I wouldn't count on it, there may only be two.
 
If any of you are interested I have one I will sell to a forum member. Purchased new in November 2014. Black shadow sunburst. 22x18, 16x15, 12x8, 10x7. Includes protection racket bags for all drums too. $1400

Kit sounds great. Like I said in an earlier post I'm 62 and that 22x18 oak bass is getting pretty heavy to be moving around. I have some pics posted on this site.

2b
 
If any of you are interested I have one I will sell to a forum member. Purchased new in November 2014. Black shadow sunburst. 22x18, 16x15, 12x8, 10x7. Includes protection racket bags for all drums too. $1400

Kit sounds great. Like I said in an earlier post I'm 62 and that 22x18 oak bass is getting pretty heavy to be moving around. I have some pics posted on this site.

2b

You mean buying your USED kit for $1400 instead a buying the same NEW kit with a set of ZILDJIAN K's included with the new kit????

That doesn't make sense whatsoever !!!!
 
Damn that green is sexy... i want yahama's so bad :(

P.S. i don't see free cymbals in that ad...
 
You mean buying your USED kit for $1400 instead a buying the same NEW kit with a set of ZILDJIAN K's included with the new kit????

That doesn't make sense whatsoever !!!!


Normal price for that set is $1,899.99, and that doesn't include the protection racket bags that 2bsticks has.

After this short term offer is over, the price of that set probably will go back up.

2bsticks - now is probably not the ideal time to sell that set. I think you'll have much better luck (within this forum anyways), after the current promo deal ends.
 
I hear you wild bill. Just thought I would throw it out there. The bags alone ran me $200. Just think about it, someone is on the fence, doesn't pull the trigger and misses the sale, well mine are still available for a very good price with a bonus of great carry bags too.
 
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