my Yamaha Absolute Hybrid Maple

I dig that finish!!!

you're right I have not had the chance to personally had a close look/play of a PHX kit, but just hearing the price tag already threw me off.
But hey if you can afford it then why not.
It's the flagship of Yamaha drums. I'm sure it is a pure masterclass of a drumset.
 
That kit is "Absolutely" gorgeous. There is something very special about higher end Yamaha drums that simply must be experienced firsthand to understand. To me, they feel and sound very different from other similar drums. Maybe this comes from my emotional attachment to them. When I still worked in a music store, I remember playing a set of Tour Customs and I was intrigued by the quality that the kit exhibited. I fell in love with Yamaha fittings and hardware.

I ended up buying a new Recording Custom kit that I used for a number of years, and in that time my appreciation for Yamaha quality only increased. I moved from those to a kit of Maple Customs, and my enthusiasm for the brand continued.

I've been through several other brands since then, but I just could not abandon the Yamaha hardware. Every kit I've owned has been outfitted with the same Yamaha stands that first supported my Recording Customs - and in all that time and all those gigs, the hardware has never failed. I guess it's been 25 years since I bought those stands, and in all that time I've yet to replace a single piece. Not even a wing screw. That's a good track record.

GeeDeeEmm
 
Hello

just would like to share a few pics of my new baby Yamaha Absolute Hybrid Maple in vintage natural finish.
I'm consistently in awe of this kit, the looks, the built quality, the sound...nothing short of amazing. The price point is spot on too.
Even the sound engineers and all the other bandmates (yes including the guitarists and band leader) praised its looks and sound (after i hit each tom only once it turned their heads),
saying its noticeably better and livelier than the previous kit we had on stage
(Pearl MCX with G2 coated on batter toms - on this Yamaha I put G2 clear).

Sizes: 22x18 - 10x7 - 12x8 - 16x15 (I have 14x13 and snare 14x6 on back order 4 months away).

Photos do not do the kit justice (plus had to reduce the resolution significantly) but I hope you enjoy.
Hello! I just fell on your post! I just bought this kit in Red Autumn. Got it last Saturday :) I was wondering what would be your preference in terms of heads for this kit?
 
Hello! I just fell on your post! I just bought this kit in Red Autumn. Got it last Saturday :) I was wondering what would be your preference in terms of heads for this kit?

I've settled on Evans coated g12 for toms on mine - single ply but a bit thicker than usual, & stock reso clear heads. Bass drum head can be whatever you like but I'm using the stock head.
 
I've just bought a hybrid Maple kit, I wondered what head people were using on the bass drum, I have the stock PS3 but I'm not getting the warm round sound that I want.

The toms are sounding amazing!

Mark
 
I've just bought a hybrid Maple kit, I wondered what head people were using on the bass drum, I have the stock PS3 but I'm not getting the warm round sound that I want.

The toms are sounding amazing!

Mark
I also liked the tom heads and not the bass. That makes me go back to Evans EMAD that I've been playing with for many many years. Can't wait for the weekend just to do that. I'll probably try those UV1s also, althought Vintage As are pretty tempting fir this kit...
 
I also liked the tom heads and not the bass. That makes me go back to Evans EMAD that I've been playing with for many many years. Can't wait for the weekend just to do that. I'll probably try those UV1s also, althought Vintage As are pretty tempting fir this kit...
That reinforces my thinking, I usually play Evans on my kits but because this is a new kit it still has the Remo heads on. I have an EMAD at home so I will switch over at the weekend. For the toms I'll probably use my usual G2's on top and G1' on the bottoms.

Mark
 
Thanks Groov-E, that was my thinking.

Mark

My pleasure Mark !

As stated before, you'll have to go with your mood for the heads.

Personally, I use coated ambs and clear or coated emperors for heavier stuff or when I simply want that more generic sound and drier thuddier sound.

UV1s come on and off all relative to my mood , not too I'll be buying those anymore.
 
I use coated ambassadors on the 10 and 12.
Coated emperor on the 14. Just seems to add a bit more control and warmth.
E-Mad on bass, thin ring or no ring depending on the room. Great head for the bass. More so than the Remo.
 
So I put the Emad on over the weekend and rehearsed last night, what a difference! The bass drum has much more thump and warmth, it's really come to life.

Mark
I'll be doing just that this weekend:)
 
I use coated ambassadors on the 10 and 12.
Coated emperor on the 14. Just seems to add a bit more control and warmth.
E-Mad on bass, thin ring or no ring depending on the room. Great head for the bass. More so than the Remo.

It is strange to say is it should be the other way around, but these shells really bring the best characteristics out of any type of heads.
 
Do any other of you AHM owners ever wonder why these drums don’t seem get more traction in the market?
Is it price? Availability?
They sure are fantastic drums in tone, musicality and aesthetically.
 
I just bought Yamaha AHM!! 24/12/14/16… it’s the best drumkit i played in my life!! Sounds are clean like a mastering EQ’s and smooth like butter, lugs stay really in tune, everything’s perfect about AHM!! Far far better than my DW Collector’s serie!!
Awesome drums mate congrats I've got the Silver Sparkle Snare in that series and it F...... rocks .
 
Interesting to see this thread again and be reminded of the opinions at the introduction of the line and the Yamaha move to the China factory.
I kind of bought mine just on blind faith of the Yamaha brand and reputation of excellence.
After 20 years with my Maple Customs I was just ready (with a nicer and more stable income) to update so to speak with the latest, greatest maple offering from Yamaha.
I was unaware of the dust up that was starting to kick up over the China move and subsequent pricing structure that many thought would result in less cost.
Well I can state after five years gone by, these are some of the nicest, quality built and dynamic maple drums on the market.
They are absolutely keepers that will never leave my inventory (some drums just are) or at least for another 15 years until Yamaha finds a way to top them but by then I will be retired and probably playing less.
Not trying to flame too much (I’m a big Gretsch and Tama fan as well) but by age 60 my 40 year professional drumming career will largely have been covered with just two kits.
That’s says a lot for the brand.
 
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Probably the only Yamaha kit I'd ever be interested in except for the fact that the bass drum is 18" deep on the 22". That and it doesn't really look any different from an SC. They need to up their finish game to differentiate their different lines from each other.
 
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