Just found out one of my favourite players Gary Novak has jumped ship from Yamaha to Sakae, along with others such as Kirk Covington and Ndugu Chancler. Not too sure why, a few drummer friends have told me they're ok drums but nothing special. The three ply shell is done by several companies, most notably Ludwig with their legacy line, although the shells might be made by the same people that did the old Yamaha stuff, the hardware quality doesn't look as good, and the upside mount looks bad. Is it money?Is it that the endorsers know something about the quality of the new Yamaha drums?Not only does it look bad on Yamaha, it also diminishes the trust in following artists and recreating your favourite players sound, as he/she will be playing company b's product next week!Answers on a postcard to passionate drummer joe public who is trying to find the best product and not be swallowed and ripped off by drum marketing!