Yamaha Tour Custom vs. Mapex Pro-M

[MascisMan]

I have found Yamaha TC's for $950 (4-piece) and a local shop will sell the Mapex Pro-M Classic (4-piece) for $1100.

So the prices are similar. Which one wins the battle for overall quality (hardware, tone, etc.)

if I got the Yamaha's I would probably get the Sakura White and if I got the Mapex it would be either the natural or Vanilla Creme Pearl's.

Also for those wondering...

Yamaha Tour Custom

22x17 bass
12x9 tom
16x16 floor tom
14x6 snare

Mapex Pro-M Classic

22x20 bass
12x9 tom
16x16 floor tom
14x7 snare

[bojangleman]

well....i have a Tour Custom also...and they are amazing!

i have not personally set up a Pro M and a Tour Custom side to side...but, for you...its a win/win situation..lol

my suggestion would be is to set them up side by side, and see which one you like best..

Alex

[MascisMan]

Originally Posted by Bojangleman

well....i have a Tour Custom also...and they are amazing!

i have not personally set up a Pro M and a Tour Custom side to side...but, for you...its a win/win situation..lol

my suggestion would be is to set them up side by side, and see which one you like best..

Alex

Unfortunately, I wont have the luxury to set them up side by side. Any others want to weigh in?

[slingerland755]

I'm partial to the Yamaha's, but I am by no means an expert on the advantages and diadvantages of the Mapex Pro-M. Pics would help.

[harryconway]

I love Yamaha hardware. If I had a Mapex kit, I'd run it with Yamaha hardware.

[MascisMan]

Originally Posted by harryconway

I love Yamaha hardware. If I had a Mapex kit, I'd run it with Yamaha hardware.

Thanks.....but would you choose the Yamaha or Mapex kit to start with ;)

[bojangleman]

ahh..yes...i also recommend the yamaha cause of its hardware...
they drums are amazing by them selves, but their hardware makes them that much better...lol

Alex

[madyus221]

I have played the mapex and liked it but I can tell you that I am extremely happy with the tour custom. I played and researched many different kits in order to make the decision and I was just happiest with the TC. Obviously you could have a different opinion of what sound you like better and thats the best way to decide. Good luck.

[hwy145]

I would suggest that you try both instead of asking the opinions of people that more than likely are biased based upon what they own. I own Mapex, but I certainly wouldn't condemn Yamaha. I've played both, and liked both. I chose my Mapex drums based upon the configuration. Mapex had exactly what I wanted, but I would have been very happy with Yamaha based upon construction quality and sound.

The hardware is irrelevant, because both companies overbuild it. If Bonham could use little single braced wimpy stands, I'm sure both companies' stuff will hold up. Both are comparably flexible in terms of adjustments (don't let anyone tell you otherwise).

Your decision should be just that- yours. Take the time to find the drums and play'em. I am lucky enough to live near Midwest Percussion, and I had the opportunity to look at a bunch of brands. Most of the maple kits in this price range are comparable.

[shuffle]

Originally Posted by hwy145

The hardware is irrelevant, because both companies overbuild it. If Bonham could use little single braced wimpy stands, I'm sure both companies' stuff will hold up. Both are comparably flexible in terms of adjustments (don't let anyone tell you otherwise).

I second that. My double-braced Pro-M hardware is much more robust and flexible and... heavy to carry over than I need to.

I'm very happy with the Pro-M, except for the snare. Still a good deal because of all the included hardware, but the snare is just average. I don't use it anymore.

The single BD pedal included is very good. I don't see much difference in feel between this pedal and my Pearl eliminator

Edit : I see you're looking for the 14X7 snare... mine is the 14X5.5. Might be different

[Les Ismore]

I vote for the Yamaha's, also because of the hardware. A shell is a shell, both the woods are comparable, you can easily get bearing edges cut any way you want them. Its the hardware that sets drums apart. We'll leave finish' out of this one, it being more of an aesthetic. Sound is subjective and the price is already squared.


Its not just the hardware material, its also how the hardware works and IMO I agree, Yamahas hardware is the easiest to work with, especially their tom mounting systems. Nothing works as smoothly and easily, but that's something you need to experience. When you're torqing fingers and forcing stuff around, it has an effect on your overall being in the form of stress. Little or a lot doesn't matter, as long as its there, its not fair. Yamaha works stress free.

The hardware is irrelevant, because both companies overbuild it. If Bonham could use little single braced wimpy stands, I'm sure both companies' stuff will hold up. Both are comparably flexible in terms of adjustments (don't let anyone tell you otherwise).

Bonham? His Paiste cowbell didn't hold up in the HTWWW DVD during his solo. Most certainly Bonham wouldn't be using single braced hardware if he were alive today. He was probably limited by the ability of his hardware. Anyway, I never saw Bonham as a power player, more a finesse player and that's quite obvious by the gear he was using, Speed king, flimsy HH etc. that stuff couldn't handle todays power players.

[hwy145]

Let me guess, you own Yamahas! If you need "feng shui" hardware to keep your presence of mind, go for it. But don't mislead by stating that Yamaha is "it." Mapex is ball and socket like yamaha, and extremely flexible, and everything is memory locked to the Nth degree. I imagine this to be the case with most brands in this range., and neither companies are offering the top of the line hardware with these kits. Once again, I'm stating this for the benefit of the original poster, not to argue the merits of either.

I will say that I give my props to Interstate Music (or maybe a standard Yamaha practice?) for offering the Tour Customs with the option of Single or Double braced hardware. That is pretty cool. That being said...


"Most certainly Bonham wouldn't be using single braced hardware if he were alive today."

I bet he would be if he had to carry it all himself at his age!

If there are people out there that are literally breaking cymbal stands, they are either hitting wrong or stupid. I bet a ludwig speed king is stronger than most pedals on the market. By the way, I've heard countless stories of Bonham literally destroying entire kits with his finesse style.

[Les Ismore]

Let me guess, you own Yamahas!

I don't currently. I've had Yamahas in the past and everywhere I go I play them. Yamaha is 'the' most requested brand and I feel the hardware has a lot to do with that, particularly the tom mount.

"...neither companies are offering the top of the line hardware with these kits"

Yamaha TH- 945 tom holder coms on the Tour Customs, the same hi-end holder that's on their top of the line(Temple, MC, Abbsolute, Oak etc.) sets.



Mapex is ball and socket like yamaha, and extremely flexible,

I tried it, I like Yamaha's better, it just feels better to me. Who wouldn't benefit from "feng shui" hardware? Gimmie, gimmie.

I've heard countless stories of Bonham literally destroying entire kits with his finesse style.

There are so many R&R tall tales out there. Where are all the pics of the 'countless' drum kits allegedly destroyed by 'King John Henery The Ape' ? Maybe Jeff Ocheltree has a basement full of these destroyed kits. I've seen Bonham play a few times, never saw him break a stick, or even drop one, that's a testement to technique, not power.


Mapex tension rods, lugs, mounts, the feel the way this stuff all fits and works together strikes me as a little cheap, compared to Yamaha anyway. Yamaha actually gives this sort of thing attention, as opposed to just picking stuff out and slapping it on their product with profit-motivated intent. I wouldn't go as far as to flat-out call Mapex hardware cheap here on DW, just say it 'feels' cheaper.

[rendezvous_drummer]

The Yamaha Tour Customs.....without any doubt in my mind. The reasons are already posted throughout the thread...just go with the Yamaha's man.

[bojangleman]

so your saying Yamaha hardware isnt good? but Sonor drums and hardware are the best known to man kind?

this sounds like some biased....i mean come on.
every person is going to have a different opinion...
and mine is that Sonor doesnt make the greatest drums known to man kind..

Originally Posted by sonor4life

Sound is what drums are all about. Whether it be yammie or mapex sound I would not choose their hardware. Even if yammie hardware were nuclear holocaust proor their chrome looks truly come from their motorcycle factory in a harley davidson designed sometime in the late stone age way. Some smartalec wrote in one of the drummerworld posts that sonor makes the heaviest hardware known to mankind. They also make the best drums known to mankind so choosing a new drumkit is very easy.

Alex

[MascisMan]

Originally Posted by hwy145

I will say that I give my props to Interstate Music (or maybe a standard Yamaha practice?) for offering the Tour Customs with the option of Single or Double braced hardware. That is pretty cool.

Ok please help me out here. When I go to Interstate Music's website, Tour Customs aren't listed. Only Stage Customs.

Is this the website you are referring to?

http://www.interstatemusic.com/

I looked under Component drums, Yamaha drums by series, and Yamaha drumsets and no Tour Customs.

[hwy145]

[quote=Les Ismore;437654]Let me guess, you own Yamahas!

I don't currently. I've had Yamahas in the past and everywhere I go I play them. Yamaha is 'the' most requested brand and I feel the hardware has a lot to do with that, particularly the tom mount.

"...neither companies are offering the top of the line hardware with these kits"

Yamaha TH- 945 tom holder coms on the Tour Customs, the same hi-end holder that's on their top of the line(Temple, MC, Abbsolute, Oak etc.) sets.


QUOTE]

I guess the other thing I failed to mention is that I'm a Ronco kind of drummer. I "set it, and forget it." I've used the same setup for 10 years, and there is no need to have the most fluid ball and socket tom holder known to man.

[hwy145]

Originally Posted by MascisMan

Ok please help me out here. When I go to Interstate Music's website, Tour Customs aren't listed. Only Stage Customs.

Is this the website you are referring to?

http://www.interstatemusic.com/

I looked under Component drums, Yamaha drums by series, and Yamaha drumsets and no Tour Customs.

I just received the magazine with Chad Smith on the cover in the mail, and it has Tour Customs in it. I'd call them.

[rendezvous_drummer]

[quote=hwy145;437696]

Originally Posted by Les Ismore

Let me guess, you own Yamahas!

I don't currently. I've had Yamahas in the past and everywhere I go I play them. Yamaha is 'the' most requested brand and I feel the hardware has a lot to do with that, particularly the tom mount.

"...neither companies are offering the top of the line hardware with these kits"

Yamaha TH- 945 tom holder coms on the Tour Customs, the same hi-end holder that's on their top of the line(Temple, MC, Abbsolute, Oak etc.) sets.


QUOTE]

I guess the other thing I failed to mention is that I'm a Ronco kind of drummer. I "set it, and forget it." I've used the same setup for 10 years, and there is no need to have the most fluid ball and socket tom holder known to man.

But if you're a drummer who likes to constantly change their set up or wants a tom in a spot that the mapex tom holder couldn't reach, then the TH-945 is perfect for you.

[mikei]

Originally Posted by Les Ismore

Let me guess, you own Yamahas!



I've heard countless stories of Bonham literally destroying entire kits with his finesse style.

There are so many R&R tall tales out there. Where are all the pics of the 'countless' drum kits allegedly destroyed by 'King John Henery The Ape' ? Maybe Jeff Ocheltree has a basement full of these destroyed kits. I've seen Bonham play a few times, never saw him break a stick, or even drop one, that's a testement to technique, not power.


Mapex tension rods, lugs, mounts, the feel the way this stuff all fits and works together strikes me as a little cheap, compared to Yamaha anyway. Yamaha actually gives this sort of thing attention, as opposed to just picking stuff out and slapping it on their product with profit-motivated intent. I wouldn't go as far as to flat-out call Mapex hardware cheap here on DW, just say it 'feels' cheaper.

I am a huge bonham fan, but to say he wasn't a basher is like saying the sun isn't a star. He was actually banned from playing certain clubs in England prior to zep due to his bashing.

That isn't to say that he didn't have technique. But, it is obvious that he really brutalized his set.

[MascisMan]

Originally Posted by hwy145

I just received the magazine with Chad Smith on the cover in the mail, and it has Tour Customs in it. I'd call them.

Well I called Interstate Music and the customer service rep told me that the website is completely up to date and if its not online, they dont carry them. I informed her that they were in the current Interstate catalog, so she offers to send me a catalog? Huh?

hwy145, can you tell me the price they list for the Tour Customs? Do they offer the sale of individual component drums (in the Tour Custom series) in the catalog?

[bojangleman]

which is which?
lol



Alex

[rendezvous_drummer]

THE ONE ON THE LEFT IS THE YAMAHA...ISN'T IT!?

[bojangleman]

haha...ya...that question wasnt for you :p

j/k..lol

freakin A....im hijacking the thread...sorry...

i vote Yammies =)

Alex

[rendezvous_drummer]

good man! Anyone who chooses Yamaha is a genius in my humble opinion. Sonor? PUHLEASE!! MAPEX? PSHHHH

That was lame

[MascisMan]

Well, Midwest Percussion is blowing out Mapex M Birch and Pro-M kits right now.

I went ahead and got a Crossover 22 Pro-M shell pack for $699. Add a couple hundred bucks for hardware and Im looking around $950 + cymbals.

Plus by getting the Crossover 22 configuration instead of the Classic I get an extra 14" floor tom as a bonus (1 up 2 down, virgin kick). And of course the Mapex kit comes with the free Black Panther snare.

I can't wait!

[hwy145]

You won't be disappointed. That is an excellent price for those drums, though you may be surprised how quickly hardware will add up if you are starting from scratch. I wish I had a reason to buy a second set. Best of luck!

[MascisMan]

Thanks!

Im keeping it simple for now:

Hi-Hat stand
Snare stand
Straight cymbal stand (tom affixes to this)
Boom cymbal stand
Pedal

[mrchattr]

I just can't stand Yamaha drums. I don't even know why. I've never liked a kit I've played on, except for their very high end stuff, and even that has impressed me less than most high end kits. Now, this is personal taste, there's no "right or wrong," other than that Yamaha isn't right for me. And that's crazy, since some of my favorite drummers play Yammies.

I honestly believe that you have to sit down behind different types of drums and just see what "fits." For whatever reason, for me, DW, Pacific, Tama and Mapex have all felt awesome. Pearl, Gretsch and Ludwig feel "playable," but not worth buying (although I actually own a set of Pearls, my first kit). Yamaha, Sonor and DDrum just feel wrong to me. So I won't play them. It's nothing against all of the people who do play them...I'm certainly not going to say that Carter Beauford plays crap...but it's important for people to realize that it's all based on what you feel when you sit behind, and play, a kit.

I may ask for opinions, because I love seeing what other people think...but beyond that, you just have to smack them around to see what you think.

[MascisMan]

Well, ordered the drums on Monday, they showed up at my house today!

Woohoo! Can't wait to get home and rip some boxes open!

[GRUNTERSDAD]

Good for you. Nothing better than opening those boxes to see your new drums. Have fun, but hurry up. We need more drum photos. Congrats on your new toys.