New Yamaha MCAN.

[Steady Freddy]

This one was a long time coming. I saw this kit at the local GC about six months ago and really liked it. I had just bought a DW kit and there was no way to budget it. Every time I went to that GC I admired it.

After a few months it made it's way down onto the floor and was set up to play. One night I did a few fills down the toms and was really impressed with the sound. The toms were set up with coated Emperors over the factory reso heads. The toms really blew me away. The kit was out for $3500.00. When I first saw it was priced at $6000.00. Yikes!

A couple days ago I went back to the GC for some sticks and it was out for $2300.00. I stood there looking at it for a long time. Over the months the kit got a few very minor dings. Nothing major. From a few feet away you can barely notice it. I'm not that anal about stuff like that. If you play a kit it's going to get dinged anyway.

I went home and paced around like a caged animal. That didn't last very long and I went back to GC. I told the young lady who was working there it she saw me there again that night to start packing up the kit. I walked it, she smiled, that was it.

They threw in a set of coated G2s for the toms and an EMAD2. I didn't feel a need to grind them any more than that. Well, finally time to set em up....................

Need a new rug. LOL.

Specs:

8 X 7
10 X 8
12 X 9
14 X 14
16 X 16
22 X 18 (17.5?)

[Trommur]

Congratulations on the new baby :D That kit looks beautiful and the finish is amazing :D

How does it sound compared to the DW? :)

Joey

[aydee]

I shall repeat what I love saying to every new MCAN owner. Isn't it nice to know that it doesn't really get much better than this?

[frank0072]

Originally Posted by Steady Freddy

This one was a long time coming. I saw this kit at the local GC about six months ago and really liked it. I had just bought a DW kit and there was no way to budget it. Every time I went to that GC I admired it.

After a few months it made it's way down onto the floor and was set up to play. One night I did a few fills down the toms and was really impressed with the sound. The toms were set up with coated Emperors over the factory reso heads. The toms really blew me away. The kit was out for $3500.00. When I first saw it was priced at $6000.00. Yikes!

A couple days ago I went back to the GC for some sticks and it was out for $2300.00. I stood there looking at it for a long time. Over the months the kit got a few very minor dings. Nothing major. From a few feet away you can barely notice it. I'm not that anal about stuff like that. If you play a kit it's going to get dinged anyway.

I went home and paced around like a caged animal. That didn't last very long and I went back to GC. I told the young lady who was working there it she saw me there again that night to start packing up the kit. I walked it, she smiled, that was it.

They threw in a set of coated G2s for the toms and an EMAD2. I didn't feel a need to grind them any more than that. Well, finally time to set em up....................

Need a new rug. LOL.

Specs:

8 X 7
10 X 8
12 X 19
14 X 14
16 X 16
22 X 18 (17.5?)

Great story :-). What's so special about this kit that makes it worth $6000 by the way? It looks great and the sizes are perfect (except the 12x19 racktom perhaps ;) )but what's extra?

[Steady Freddy]

Originally Posted by frank0072

Great story :-). What's so special about this kit that makes it worth $6000 by the way? It looks great and the sizes are perfect (except the 12x19 racktom perhaps ;) )but what's extra?

That's a great question. Don't really know the answer. It wasn't worth 6K to me. In fact I passed on it for 3K out the door a few weeks ago.

Yikes! that would be 12 X 9. Not 12 X 19.

[Steady Freddy]

Originally Posted by Trommur

How does it sound compared to the DW? :)

Joey

That's a tough one. There's always a lot of excitement when you get a new kit, and it's sometimes hard to be objective. I've played about 15 songs on it and rough tuned it this morning with a drum dial.

My DW kit is set up very similar to this one. Same heads and tuning range. This kit seems to have more bottom and resonance. I haven't had much time to tweak it. The kick sounds better here than it did at GC.

The shells are heavier than the DWs. No reinforcement rings and minimal contact lugs. It sings out for sure.
When I played it at GC my jaw hit the floor.

It takes several days to get things dialed in. The heads are still settling in. It sounds really great.

I like the Nouveau lugs. Changing heads was fast and easy.

Thanks for the kind words guys.

[Mendozart]

She's a beauty Fred! Hopefully I can get over there pretty soon like we talked about, so I can check out your drum store, lol.
BTW, I think your Black Beauty would look sweet behind that set.

[wloeb]

beautiful kit, I would love to hear some sound files.

[MikeyOdrums]

I want to hang out at Freddy's house!
nice set man real nice!
Mikeyo

[Ironcobra]

Nice kit, I'll have to check these out the next time I'm in the drum shop.

[Strangersatyourbirthday]

Oh American Consumerism...will it ever end?

[TheAnalogKid]

Nouveau Lugs are great -- a couple things about these drums --

- All the holes for the lugs, reso holes all that stuff are drill around the "nodal point" of the shell, or where the shell resonates the least. That way, there's no sound lost from the shells or lugs.

- The Shells are put together by plies of wood places angled across eachother, glued together, and then when they're rolled, placed into a machine that inflates an 'air bag' inside the shell to press of all the plies together.

-The bass drums are generally 8 ply, where the toms are 6 ply, which gives it that low, resonant sound.

At least that's what I remember about them. For an 'all-purpose' company, Yamaha makes some amazing musical instruments.

[Steady Freddy]

Originally Posted by Mendozart

I think your Black Beauty would look sweet behind that set.

I was thinking the same thing. :) Next time I set up it will be the BB and that DW 12 inch.

Outta do some damage.

Be well my friend.

[Steady Freddy]

Originally Posted by Strangersatyourbirthday

Oh American Consumerism...will it ever end?

I hope not. If you got it, go for it. You only live once my friend.

Do it like you mean it!

[stasz]

Nice looking drums, I'm pretty jealous. I saw a video of Antonio Sanchez playing what I believe were MCANS (looked like the same finish too) with Pat Metheny. He sounded great and so did the drums.

[Steady Freddy]

Originally Posted by youenjoy00myself

I'm pretty jealous.

No need to be. I'm the one who should be jealous. Most of you guys are young and have a life time of drumming ahead of you. I'm 58. I'll play as long as possible, but time is something that you can't get back.

I've worked like a dog my whole life. Usually had a second job. These days I have a little extra money now and then.

Follow your hearts guys. The money will come. You'll be able to buy what ever you want.

[yammiefan]

Beautiful, beautiful kit. Congratulations!

[stasz]

Originally Posted by Steady Freddy

No need to be. I'm the one who should be jealous. Most of you guys are young and have a life time of drumming ahead of you. I'm 58. I'll play as long as possible, but time is something that you can't get back.

I've worked like a dog my whole life. Usually had a second job. These days I have a little extra money now and then.

Follow your hearts guys. The money will come. You'll be able to buy what ever you want.

Very wise words Freddy... And I can tell that you know these things from experience. Oscar Wilde once said "In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it." It's not about the gear, it's about the music-- and it almost seems as if it takes buying all the gear to realize what is really important.

[golions]

Very nice, Freddy. I think you will like the MCA's very much. The craftmanship is superb and the tone is full and resonant. I like your finish, too. Coated G2's over clear G1's are a great fit for the MCA's. I'd like your opinion on the EMAD2 .... Congratulations.

[Steady Freddy]

Originally Posted by golions

Very nice, Freddy. I think you will like the MCA's very much. The craftmanship is superb and the tone is full and resonant. I like your finish, too. Coated G2's over clear G1's are a great fit for the MCA's. I'd like your opinion on the EMAD2 .... Congratulations.

Thank you.

I like the EMAD2 and have used it on DW kits as well. That said, the head needs to cranked up for rock/pop or it won't project. I use the small muffling ring. I've used it with factory reso heads, and the EMAD reso head. I've used most of the popular bass drums heads. I like the Remo PS3 also.

I agree about the craftmanship on the Yamahas. When I had the heads off I got a real good look at the edges and all. When I rough tuned them with the drum dial they had the most consistant tensions I've seen.

They sound a little fuller than one of my DW kits. I'm curious to see how the stack up against my DW VLT kit. Either way these are great sounding drums and I'm thrilled to own a kit like this.

Thanks for writting guys.

Take care.

[golions]

Originally Posted by Steady Freddy

Thank you.

I like the EMAD2 and have used it on DW kits as well. That said, the head needs to cranked up for rock/pop or it won't project. I use the small muffling ring. I've used it with factory reso heads, and the EMAD reso head. I've used most of the popular bass drums heads. I like the Remo PS3 also.

I agree about the craftmanship on the Yamahas. When I had the heads off I got a real good look at the edges and all. When I rough tuned them with the drum dial they had the most consistant tensions I've seen.

They sound a little fuller than one of my DW kits. I'm curious to see how the stack up against my DW VLT kit. Either way these are great sounding drums and I'm thrilled to own a kit like this.

Thanks for writting guys.

Take care.

I use (and like) the EMAD2 with the small ring, also. It's great that you commend Yamaha for their quality. It's all the 'fine' details that separate drums from one another. The finishes on the MCA's are incredibly nice. I'm glad to hear that you like what you now own. Let us know how the MCA compares to the VLT.

[GRUNTERSDAD]

Very nice Steady. I can't imagine getting tired of playing my Yammies and going over to my DW's. But like you say, you earned it so pound away.
I paid 750.00 for my Taye set, then paid 650.00 for my Gretsch. Thats 1400.00. Sold my Taye for 500.00 so in essence my Gretsch cost me 900.00.
Still 700.00 less than the going price. I work for my money also and with patience got what I wanted. Good score Freddy

And strangersatyourbirthday, why would you bust up a thread to promote three Myspace links. Pretty rude.

Hello my name is Duncan and I suffer from GAS.

[GRUNTERSDAD]

Precisely........................

[Dave from Perth]

Congratulations on that purchase. It's a beautiful kit. I owned a Recording Custom before I bought my dw and I agree with the views here: Yamaha make really good stuff. I look forward to reading your thoughts on how the Yammy compares to the dee-dub. All the best.

[gconyers]

After the conversation we had I didn't think that you were gonna buy these....but I see you buckled. Congrats. Nice finish and you definitely got a great deal with the Evans heads thrown in. Enjoy them!

[Steady Freddy]

Not all is bright and sunny in Yammieville.

The double tom mount, while sturdy and adjustable, is kind of a pain to adjust. The mount has a single riser coming out of the kick and two L arms attached to it that hold the rack toms.

The wing nuts that control the two L arms are facing the drivers seat and are hard to get to with the rack toms on the arms. That IMO could have been thought out better.

That said, once it's adjusted, you're probably not going to change it very often. This isn't something I'm wrapped around the axle about, but it seems strange that they designed it like that. That's about the only thing I don't like about this shell pack.

I still love the DWs. Those drums are fantastic. I wnated to try something different and the Yammie kit is pretty impressive so far. I'll be on em today and tomorrow. Get them dialed in a little more.

[Steady Freddy]

Originally Posted by gconyers

After the conversation we had I didn't think that you were gonna buy these....but I see you buckled. Congrats. Nice finish and you definitely got a great deal with the Evans heads thrown in. Enjoy them!

When they dropped the price and threw in the heads I just couldn't say no. It was a pretty good deal. I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did.

Thanks.

[Steady Freddy]

Originally Posted by GRUNTERSDAD

But like you say, you earned it so pound away.

Hey my friend. I know you can relate. We might be getting old, but I have no plans of slowing down anytime soon. I doubt you do either.

Keep on rocking!

[Steady Freddy]

I picked up this snare last week. It's a brass Yamaha 6.5 X 13 with Nouveau lugs. The throw off and snare butt have a set screw that when loosened up releases the wires.That feature makes it super fast to change reso heads. The wires return the original tension once the wires are reinstalled.

MF had this on sale for $350.00. I had a 20% off flyer and that knocked the price down to $280.00 Not what I would consider an expensive drum, but this drum sounds really good.

The factory heads didn't sound that great. I messed with the tuning quite a bit, but nothing really sounded that great. I mounted a Remo Vintage A on the batter side and a Hazy Ambassador on the snare side and that made a huge difference.

The shell is rolled and welded. Nothing very exotic, but the drum sounds really great with the new heads.

Anyway, here's what it looks like.

[tizzdizz]

Nice snare! My wife got me something similar last year for my birthday, and I really like mine. It's the 7x14. I can't seem to get rid of the sympathetic buzz from the toms though. It really drives me bonkers. Love the whole setup. Do you have pictures of your DWs anywhere?

[Steady Freddy]

Originally Posted by tizzdizz

Nice snare! My wife got me something similar last year for my birthday, and I really like mine. It's the 7x14. I can't seem to get rid of the sympathetic buzz from the toms though. It really drives me bonkers. Love the whole setup. Do you have pictures of your DWs anywhere?

I usually don't get any snare buzz with a 13 inch snare. I guess they just fall into the right tuning range. I almost went with the size you have, but the 13s are really great. This one has plenty of low end, and the rim shots and cross sticking sound fat and powerful.

Here's the dubs. Also with a 13 inch DW/Craviotto. Probably my favorite wood snare. The side snare is a 12 X 3.5.

[Mendozart]

Nice snare Fred. I really need to pick-up a 13" snare one of these days. So how much does this drum ring, say compared to the BB?

[Steady Freddy]

Originally Posted by Mendozart

Nice snare Fred. I really need to pick-up a 13" snare one of these days. So how much does this drum ring, say compared to the BB?

I think you'll like a 13. I tune it so it's between the 8 " and 10" rack toms. That seems to work out pretty well.

With the factory heads it had some nasty overtones going on. I had planned to run a regular Ambassador. They had the Vintage A heads at GC so I picked up one of each.

The Vintage A head tamed it down just a little. The center of the head sounds nice and fat, and out near the edge it produces a timbale type sound.

This drum seems a little more aggressive than the BB. More high end without giving up body. The BB is mellower. This drum has more bite than the BB.

Overall these Yamaha drums really sound great. The more I play them the more I'm impressed.

Take care.

[Steady Freddy]

Here's what these tubs sound like. It's about a minute long and should down load quickly.

All comments are welcomed.

[SocietysSorrow]

Lovely kit! You just finalized a decision I've had on my mind for quite a while. I'm definitely getting an EMAD 2! WOW!

[golions]

Originally Posted by Steady Freddy

Here's what these tubs sound like. It's about a minute long and should down load quickly.

All comments are welcomed.

The sound is good; that classic Yamaha tom sound - plenty of tone but very warm. Your playing is good, as well. Did you stay with coated g2's over clear g1's? Thanks for posting.

[Steady Freddy]

Originally Posted by SocietysSorrow

Lovely kit! You just finalized a decision I've had on my mind for quite a while. I'm definitely getting an EMAD 2! WOW!

I must confess that part of what you're hearing is the Yamaha Subkick. The kick was miced with a AKG D112 just inside the port and the subkick 2 inches in front of the reso head.

The Subkick adds the deep, low end, rumble. I listened to the kick without the Subkick in the mix and it still sounded pretty good.

Thanks for the comment..

[Steady Freddy]

Originally Posted by golions

The sound is good; that classic Yamaha tom sound - plenty of tone but very warm. Your playing is good, as well. Did you stay with coated g2's over clear g1's? Thanks for posting.

Thank you!

Yep G2/G1.That was the first time I had time to close mic this kit. I think the snare needs to be pitched up a bit. The 16 could come up a tad too.

I've got a reference point to work from now.

Take care.

[SocietysSorrow]

Originally Posted by Steady Freddy

I must confess that part of what you're hearing is the Yamaha Subkick. The kick was miced with a AKG D112 just inside the port and the subkick 2 inches in front of the reso head.

The Subkick adds the deep, low end, rumble. I listened to the kick without the Subkick in the mix and it still sounded pretty good.

Thanks for the comment..

I use a similar setup to that. Homebrew subkick with a 6.5" speaker and various bass mics inside the drum. Audix D6, AKG D12 (D112's big brother), Shure Beta52, etc... I also sometimes throw an EV RE-20 on the outside instead of the subkick.