Calling Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute Nouveau Users

RobertM

Platinum Member
Have those of you who play Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute Nouveaus (MCANs) had any problems with the nouveau lugs in terms of rattling, holding tuning while playing/gigging, etc.?

Wloeb recently reminded me that it may be foolish to let go of my MCANs just because of a mistrustful feeling about the lugs.

Have MCAN players (Aydee, Clint, et al.!!) had any problems with the nouveau lugs?

Just looking to have my possibly superstitious self smacked in the cheek.

Thanks.
 
I have been playing a set of MCANs now for 2 years (gigs and practice) and have never had a problem with the lugs. I honestly didn't want the nouveau lugs when I ordered my set but I was told that was all I could get. I still find this strange because I thought the whole idea with the series was to have choices? Anyway, it took awhile to get used to the lugs, mostly I had to adjust my tuning style, but now everything is fine. I have my snare drum tuned fairly tight and have had no problems with the lugs. I don't think you have anything to worry about!
 
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Alright Robert, I didn't mean to hit you that hard...

The Nouveau Lugs reputation as a flawed design reminds me of the recent PDP HATE thread.
A few guys out there went blue in the face trying to convince everybody else that PHP had now cleaned up their act and were make well engineered drums.

There is no problem with these lugs. As a matter of fact they are the easiest thing I ever dealt with while changing heads, and are extremely sensitive to tuning.

I think there were a couple of instances, way back when they were first launched, when some overcranked snare drum lugs bust the inner sprocket, and that news did the rounds on all the forums.

But bad rep have a way of crawling under your skin. I'll never buy a nouveau snare even though i know there's no problem.
 
Been playing MCAs since July. No problems at all. It did take awhile to get used to the lugs though.
 
My 10" nouveau tom (Absolute) never has had any issues. The only issues are with the nouveau snare drum. Because you tighten these lugs more the strain has caused a number of these lugs to snap over time. Yamaha did send me some replacement lugs one time and they recently sent me new inserts for the lugs and so far I'm OK.
 
I have a MCAN kit and a Nouveau snare. No problems with the lugs what so ever.
 
Like all the others have said no problems at all.
I have a BCAN that just turned a year old and I crank my snare heads
 
I've owned a 2-up, 2-down, Vintage YMCAN set for two years now and they have never had a problem with rods slipping. I don't own a Yamaha snare with the Nouveau lugs ( I have a Paul Leim model).

I do have some other snares that detune unless I put lug locks on them where I hit rim shots. However these are different kinds (Pork Pie, Mapex Phosphor Bronze) and I accept the detuning as part of the package of having a warm, resonant snare.

The only complaint I have about the Nouveaus is that I can't finger tighten them the way I do normal lugs in the beginning stages of putting new heads on. They don't work that way. Still I like being able to keep the rods and lugs together and it cuts down on head changing time.

HTH


Jim
 
I've been playing MCAN kit for a year and cart these drums all over the place. I've never had any issues with the lugs at all.
 
I've had my MCAN's for about 4 years...never had a single problem with the lugs...in fact I really like these lugs!...they make changing heads a breeze and I've never had a problem with them de-tuning....
 
I've had a set of MCAN's (no snare) for about 4 years now, and never once have I had an issue with the lugs!
 
I have 4 toms (Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute Nouveau’s) and I JUST bought a Yamaha Nouveau tom a couple days ago, and NEVER, EVER, EVER, had a single issue with the lugs.

I probably jinxed myself and they'll blow up tomorrow...
 
I know that this thread started off in 2009, but after about three years of ownership, I also never had any negative issues with my Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute with Nouveau lugs.

Dennis
 
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