New tools

[Bo Eder]

I couldn’t pass these up. Back in the 80s, I too played Yamaha Recording Customs for about four years. I remember a guy I worked with at Disneyland wanted to trade me a Gretsch kit I had. It was the first time I got a set where you could throw heads on it and it sounded great. So when I found this one at a great price and in museum quality, I jumped. This one even includes the SD016 6.5” matching snare. Excuse the blonde hoops - the batter hoop was cracked in shipment and is being repaired this week. But another kit in my working man sizes: 8x12/9x13/16x16/14x22 with 6.5” snare. All in cherrywood lacquer. For a 35 year old kit I don’t think the previous owner ever gigged them.

 

[Yamaha Rider]

"30 year old"? My Stage Custom's 32 year old, but has the current 'static' tom mounts. Isn't yours older?
How is the sound compared to DW?
When you say "cracked" hoop - I'd say "snapped". I know, because mine was snapped when I bought it too.

 

[Bo Eder]

"30 year old"? My Stage Custom's 32 year old, but has the current 'static' tom mounts. Isn't yours older?
How is the sound compared to DW?
When you say "cracked" hoop - I'd say "snapped". I know, because mine was snapped when I bought it too.

I said 35 years old. Technically, I guess it’s 36 this year. Stan at ProDrum will be fixing my hoop so I can get back to all cherry wood goodness in a week or so. He does this thing where he installs a metal plate in the hoop and then gluing it together.

 

[incrementalg]

The RC is a set I always thought about owning, but never pulled the trigger on any.

How do they sound against the Dee Dubs?

 

[Yamaha Rider]

I said 35 years old. Technically, I guess it’s 36 this year. Stan at ProDrum will be fixing my hoop so I can get back to all cherry wood goodness in a week or so. He does this thing where he installs a metal plate in the hoop and then gluing it together.

Oops. So you did.

 

[Bo Eder]

The RC is a set I always thought about owning, but never pulled the trigger on any.

How do they sound against the Dees was

They sound just like I remember them - punchy with some built-in low-end. A bit more controlled than the DWs (which aren’t maple). But what I do hate is this Yamaha snare drum. It’s a basic 6.5” without a snare bed, and it uses eight cables across the bottom. It only sounds good cranked up like a marching snare. The snares don’t buzz when you hit the toms, which is cool, but it’s kind of a one-trick pony for me. I’m debating selling it, or having a snare bed installed and we’ll install a P85 or something.

 

[gish]

I’ve always admired the Yamaha kits from that era. Very well made, simple finish options. Utilitarian badges, protruding tom arms, 1 piece lugs. Great sound in spite of these so called flaws. I’m on the lookout for an 8000 kit from the early 80s myself, but I digress...

How’s the bass drum? We all know the toms will sound great, but I’ve always heard RC bass drums from that era were lacking . Thoughts?

 

[Bo Eder]

I’ve always admired the Yamaha kits from that era. Very well made, simple finish options. Utilitarian badges, protruding tom arms, 1 piece lugs. Great sound in spite of these so called flaws. I’m on the lookout for an 8000 kit from the early 80s myself, but I digress...

How’s the bass drum? We all know the toms will sound great, but I’ve always heard RC bass drums from that era were lacking . Thoughts?

I think the bass drum is good. It’s not lacking in volume like the Pearl wood fiberglass ones do, but it’s more controlled than my DW bass drum, even with my muffling (I have one of those Evans EQ pads in there) taken out the drum sounds controlled. Maybe that’s why they call these Recording drums. They don’t ring like crazy - but they are punchy for a close microphone.

 

[yammyfan]

They look great! Love the colour. Proper legs on the floor tom is a huge plus in my books.

 

[Capital D]

Sweet score! If I was going to get some Yamahas, it'd be 80s RCs!

 

[MN02]

Such a great kit. RCs were my first pro kit back in the 90s. Like you said, you can throw any kind of head on them and they sound great. Truly a plug and play type kit. Enjoy.

 

[Auspicious]

@Bo Eder that is a fabulous red wine color.. perhaps my favorite color of them all.

My god what tension applied on wood is required to fracture plywood like that.. incredible, almost unbelievable.

 

[Darth Vater]

Nice kit. Should be a lot of fun. Great sizes.

 

[Bo Eder]

@Bo Eder that is a fabulous red wine color.. perhaps my favorite color of them all.

My god what tension applied on wood is required to fracture plywood like that.. incredible, almost unbelievable.

I think it happened during shipping. The seller shipped it with the hoops on and inadequate padding. I’ve seen this before. This is why it’s important to remove the bass drum hoops from a bass drum for shipping. The good news is that the owner contacted UPS and they will work with him for some kind of compensation. And even if they don’t, ProDrum will fix it for under $50. It won’t look like new, but structurally it’ll be strong enough to use.

 

[GetAgrippa]

"I couldn't pass these up". So you're going to fix them up and then sale them eventually or keep them? You're a wheeler dealer of drum kits-I just love the next adventure-I have to admit you always fix them up so they leave way nicer than they came. Do you have designated shop area for all the deconstructing/reconstructing? I just envision a shop with shelves of drum hardware, heads, etc spare parts so you just grab it off the shelf for repairs.

 

[Bo Eder]

"I couldn't pass these up". So you're going to fix them up and then sale them eventually or keep them? You're a wheeler dealer of drum kits-I just love the next adventure-I have to admit you always fix them up so they leave way nicer than they came. Do you have designated shop area for all the deconstructing/reconstructing? I just envision a shop with shelves of drum hardware, heads, etc spare parts so you just grab it off the shelf for repairs.

Maybe. But my garage is set up for working on drums. My last investment of a 6-foot table that I can adjust the height of has been really helpful. I noticed that kits I do a lot of work on, move out first. If I don’t have to do anything, I tend to keep them. This kit showed up and only needed a cleaning and heads.

 

[cbphoto]

But what I do hate is this Yamaha snare drum. It’s a basic 6.5” without a snare bed, and it uses eight cables across the bottom. It only sounds good cranked up like a marching snare. The snares don’t buzz when you hit the toms, which is cool, but it’s kind of a one-trick pony for me. I’m debating selling it, or having a snare bed installed and we’ll install a P85 or something.

Why not take it to Heuer’s Drum Lab and see if he can mod it for you?

Home Page

Heuers Drum Lab

heuersdrumlab.com

 

[Yamaha Rider]

Such a great kit. RCs were my first pro kit back in the 90s. Like you said, you can throw any kind of head on them and they sound great. Truly a plug and play type kit. Enjoy.

How do the original Yamaha heads rate? (Are they called YTs?)

 

[Winston_Wolf]

How do the original Yamaha heads rate? (Are they called YTs?)

Those originally shipped with USA Remo Pinstripes IIRC.

 

[Auspicious]

I think it happened during shipping. The seller shipped it with the hoops on and inadequate padding. I’ve seen this before. This is why it’s important to remove the bass drum hoops from a bass drum for shipping. The good news is that the owner contacted UPS and they will work with him for some kind of compensation. And even if they don’t, ProDrum will fix it for under $50. It won’t look like new, but structurally it’ll be strong enough to use.

ok ok it's going to be solved for not too much money, at least (;