Question about Yamaha's vintage natural finish.

A

AdamI

Active Member
Anyone have any ideas or experience with stopping this finish from ageing/turning orange-y brown?

Would a satin clear coat stop the process?

I've recently ordered a shell pack (i love this finish when it's new) without knowing about the it darkens with age part.... It's not the end of the world if there's nothing that can be done about it but if anyone has any experience with this finish or general woodworking/finishing experience and knows some tips or tricks I'd love to hear about it.
 
AdamI said:
Anyone have any ideas or experience with stopping this finish from ageing/turning orange-y brown?

Would a satin clear coat stop the process?

I've recently ordered a shell pack (i love this finish when it's new) without knowing about the it darkens with age part.... It's not the end of the world if there's nothing that can be done about it but if anyone has any experience with this finish or general woodworking/finishing experience and knows some tips or tricks I'd love to hear about it.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately it's the biggest drawback of that particular finish. I had a beautiful set of Maple Customs that I played for a decade and the floor tom eventually turned a completely different color than the rest of the kit.

I know my experience isn't particularly helpful but it always bugged me at the very end that it was so different. There's some kits out there that didn't have this problem - I think there's one on reverb right now that managed to age the same color - but it can frustrating, especially because it's so beautiful new.
 
I don't think you can stop it short of painting or wrapping them. I think a clear coat wouldn't stop it either.
But that's just the nature of the finish, and part of its charm.

IMO, they look much better as they age, and look kind of bland when new.
The aging gives the finish some character.

I have a set that I bought used that was already 'aged', but it has darkened more since I got them,
and I think they look even better now. YMMV

A couple pics. The first one is when I got the set used. I think it was about 10 years old then.
And the second is just the 10" tom about 8 years more later (now). Different lighting.
The first pic is natural lighting, and the second is basement led lighting.

FSsmall - Copy - Copy.jpg10 Tom2 - Copy.JPG

and a stock picture of a new set:
1636830669053.png

 
Last edited:
NouveauCliche said:
Unfortunately it's the biggest drawback of that particular finish. I had a beautiful set of Maple Customs that I played for a decade and the floor tom eventually turned a completely different color than the rest of the kit.

I know my experience isn't particularly helpful but it always bugged me at the very end that it was so different. There's some kits out there that didn't have this problem - I think there's one on reverb right now that managed to age the same color - but it can frustrating, especially because it's so beautiful new.
Click to expand...
That is unfortunate. I'm wondering if where the kit is set up in a room affects how the different drums age.... like maybe your floor tom was closer to a source of light than the other drums, but I guess if they were that sensitive to light the individual shells would age unevenly depending on the light source....
 
wildbill said:
I don't think you can stop it short of painting or wrapping them. I think a clear coat wouldn't stop it either.
But that's just the nature of the finish, and part of its charm.

IMO, they look much better as they age, and look kind of bland when new.
The aging gives the finish some character.

I have a set that I bought used that was already 'aged', but it has darkened more since I got them,
and I think they look even better now. YMMV

A couple pics. The first one is when I got the set used. I think it was about 10 years old then.
And the second is just the 10" tom about 8 years more later (now). Different lighting.
The first pic is natural lighting, and the second is basement led lighting.

View attachment 110324View attachment 110325

and a stock picture of a new set:
View attachment 110326

Click to expand...
Actually looks pretty good in the second pic, most of the aged kits i've seen just turn this generic basic brown colour that doesn't have any character imo.

It goes from a nice natural blonde to looking like they applied the most lifeless brown stain possible to the drums. Its not rich or deep or golden.... it's just, well.... it's just brown.
 
Fritz Frigursson said:
if you put it in hard cases in a dark and dry basement then maybe it will be in pristine condition after 10 years but that's not where a drum kit is supposed to be
Click to expand...
I actually might try to keep it away from uv light as much as possible. I have a guitar with aging toner on the top and it stayed pretty light for quite a few years, I never babied it but it didn't see a lot of natural light due to where i kept and stored it.... then I left it on a stand near a window and it got dark FAST.
 
Put sunscreen on it--lol
 
AdamI said:
......most of the aged kits i've seen just turn this generic basic brown colour that doesn't have any character imo.
Click to expand...
Are you sure you're not mistaking Yamaha's "dark wood" for their real wood finish ?vkdxirwonknkxnp3zu3k.jpg
 
harryconway said:
Are you sure you're not mistaking Yamaha's "dark wood" for their real wood finish ?View attachment 110327
Click to expand...

A google search for 'yamaha vintage natural' turns up a wide range of variations of color.
The first pic I posted has some color distortion. The pic looks much more brown than seeing the drums in person.
The second pic is closer to how they actually look - a bit more orange, as opposed to brown, or the blondish they start out as.
The type of lighting they're viewed under also has a great effect on the color.

Probably a lot of factors involved with color change. Maybe even variations of some type of coating/finish used at the factory,
as well as the conditions under which they're used.
At any rate, I wouldn't expect them to look exactly how they did when they were new, after a period of time.
 
wildbill said:
A google search for 'yamaha vintage natural' turns up a wide range of variations of color ........
At any rate, I wouldn't expect them to look exactly how they did when they were new, after a period of time.
Click to expand...
Oh, I'm very familiar with that finish (Real Wood/Vintage Natural). I've had 2 RC kits, and now an 8000 series kit, in that finish. But I also have 7000 series drums, in Dark Wood. And as the OP stated ......
AdamI said:
It goes from a nice natural blonde to looking like they applied the most lifeless brown stain possible to the drums. Its not rich or deep or golden.... it's just, well.... it's just brown.
Click to expand...
Well ..... "lifeless brown stain" and "just brown" sounds a lot like the Dark Wood finish.
 

Attachments

  • 3.jpg
    3.jpg
    132.9 KB · Views: 9
  • 4.jpg
    4.jpg
    43.6 KB · Views: 9
  • 3.jpg
    3.jpg
    191.3 KB · Views: 9
harryconway said:
Oh, I'm very familiar with that finish (Real Wood/Vintage Natural). I've had 2 RC kits, and now an 8000 series kit, in that finish. But I also have 7000 series drums, in Dark Wood. And as the OP stated ......

Well ..... "lifeless brown stain" and "just brown" sounds a lot like the Dark Wood finish.
Click to expand...

Ya - I know. Wasn't really directing it at you, more just making a general observation.
The golden aged vintage natural is much different than dark wood.
But maybe easier to see in person than in pics.
 
harryconway said:
Oh, I'm very familiar with that finish (Real Wood/Vintage Natural). I've had 2 RC kits, and now an 8000 series kit, in that finish. But I also have 7000 series drums, in Dark Wood. And as the OP stated ......

Well ..... "lifeless brown stain" and "just brown" sounds a lot like the Dark Wood finish.
Click to expand...
Maybe the pictures I'm seeing aren't doing them justice because those look great!
 
C.M. Jones said:
This UV-repellent cover is an excellent resource for protecting your drums from sunlight and other elements, not only in your practice space but also at exposed outdoor gigs. Just pop it on before performances and between sets. Your kit will stay nice and shaded.

www.sweetwater.com

On-Stage DTA1088 Drumset Dust Cover - 80" x 108"

9' Nylon Drum Cover with Weighted Corners
www.sweetwater.com www.sweetwater.com
Click to expand...
Thanks, I really appreciate this.

My drum room is essentially blacked out but that may not always be the case throughout the lifetime of the drums so this could really help.
 
AdamI said:
I'm not 100% sure tbh. That looks more like what i've been seeing in pictures and I'm not sure i've seen an aged set in person, or if I have I didn't recognise it as vintage natural....
Click to expand...
I bring this up, because I saw you were in Australia. My understanding is "Dark Wood" was only offered to the US for a few short years. But elsewhere, it's more plentiful. And so perhaps you've run into older "Dark Wood" kits ...... and just assumed it was "Real Wood/Vintage Natural".

The 3 kits pictured in post #13 are all aged "Real Wood" finishes. The kit in post#9 is "Dark Wood" ..... and your description of "lifeless brown stain" pretty much fits spot on.
AdamI said:
Maybe the pictures I'm seeing aren't doing them justice because those look great!
Click to expand...
Personally, I've always liked the finish. Probably why I've owned 3 kits in this finish. My 2 RC kits were a little battle scared ..... but sounded killer. And having a Recording Custom kit as your beater kit, things could be worse;)

But for me ..... they come and go. I also had an RC kit in the Antique Sunburst finish, and a 9000 series (split lug pre-RC) in Chrome.

The 8000's I currently have, they are a bit more rare. I'll be holding onto these, for a while.
 
harryconway said:
I bring this up, because I saw you were in Australia. My understanding is "Dark Wood" was only offered to the US for a few short years. But elsewhere, it's more plentiful. And so perhaps you've run into older "Dark Wood" kits ...... and just assumed it was "Real Wood/Vintage Natural".

The 3 kits pictured in post #13 are all aged "Real Wood" finishes. The kit in post#9 is "Dark Wood" ..... and your description of "lifeless brown stain" pretty much fits spot on.

Personally, I've always liked the finish. Probably why I've owned 3 kits in this finish. My 2 RC kits were a little battle scared ..... but sounded killer. And having a Recording Custom kit as your beater kit, things could be worse;)

But for me ..... they come and go. I also had an RC kit in the Antique Sunburst finish, and a 9000 series (split lug pre-RC) in Chrome.

The 8000's I currently have, they are a bit more rare. I'll be holding onto these, for a while.
Click to expand...
I looked closely at the new Recording Customs when I chose my new kit and they sounded great but wasn't exactly the sound I'm going for and I really wanted a maple kit so I went with the AHM's.... can't say the price didn't factor into it somewhat too. I got a pretty good deal.... for an Aussie where everything is obscenely expensive.

Those RC's look particularly good btw, they have a kind of golden orange hue to them that I like a lot.... they look glossier than the other two kits as well.
 
AdamI said:
..... I went with the AHM's....
Click to expand...
Those are really AHM's are killer. Those'll deliver in spades.;)

I'm a "maple" guy myself. And I do like the "blonde" wood. 2 of my other kits .... a Ludwig 3 ply "natural maple/thermogloss" (26, 14, 16, 18) and a Gretsch Round Badge kit (20, 13, 16). Yamaha was really late jumping into the maple drum shell. 1991 is when the Maple Customs came out. Pearl was doing maple in the late 70's, and Tama, in 1986.

So the Birch/Philippine Mahogany 8000 shell (Tour series), at Yamaha, was about the closest thing they had, to a warmer maple sorta sound, before 1991.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top