Yamaha Stage Custom

Bought Shell kit used. I was looking for an average Easy to carry kit not too expensive kit(Compared to my full Rack, 7 pieces Ayotte Custom). Paid 500$

Very good Yamaha quality. Sound is round and focused. I put Remo Emperor on the batter side to give it more lows. I've compared it to Tama Rockstars, Pearl Exports and it wins high hands.

Nothing really.

Bearing edges are smooth. Finish is somewhat less glossy as standard gloss finish but is cool nonetheless. I added RIMS suspension system.

Very good drum. Hardware is of very good quality. A good drum fo live and even studio work. Not as expensive as top of the line drums but will do most to everything you want.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

 

The Yamaha Stage Custom is a great step up from the beginner lines.  It uses a great pack of birch shells that never fail to impress, and the hardware is rock solid, like in most Yamaha products.  This is a common drum set I see at gigs or in studios.  The number of products in a market usually isn’t an indicator of quality, but with the Yamaha Stage Custom is certainly is.  I have never owned this kit, but have played on it many times and have owned similar, comparable Yamaha kits. 

The birch wood shells sound really warm and bright.  You can tell it is birch right away (if tuned properly), and the sound really lends itself to a recording situation.  The toms are excellent, and can be tightened hard to produce a really crisp, high pitched timbale-like sound in smaller tom diameters.  If left loose, they embrace deeper qualities, and the variation is surprising.  The bass drum is good, especially when hollow.  I really like the sound an empty birch bass drum makes in the studio.  The snare is probably the weakest part, but that not saying much.  It blends with the rest of the kit well.

The Yamaha hardware is one of the best parts to this kit.  The ball in socket hardware is simple, but effective.  It is bulky, in a good way, providing sturdy support and easy adjustment.  It doesn't look super fancy, but it totally gets the job done.  I have an eye for quality, so I feel that it looks great.  The shells themselves are gorgeous, and the multiple shell pack options are all good.  I was mostly familiar with the red/orange fade, which was great. I really suggest this product to anyone out there looking for an affordable birch kit with longevity and character.  If maple is desired, spring for the tour custom.  Otherwise, look no further.

I've been recording with the Yamaha Stage Custom drum set for about five or six years. While I am not a drummer, I know what good drums sound like from recording so many different types of sets. I have done a lot of sessions with the Yamaha Stage Custom and have always been happy with the results I can. Granted the drummer that I usually use this with is a very good drummer, but I have used this kit with a number of different drummers and have always been happy with the way they sound. My favorite part about this kit is the kick drum, as it is very full and has a nice thump to it. The tom toms are very good sounding as well. The snare is good, but I have definitely heard better snares out there and I try to use another snare most of the time while I am recording. Beyond this, the hardware is sturdy and it holds up well over time. As long as you change the heads and keep proper care of this drum set, it is definitely capable of sounding good for a long time. Being the giant company that Yamaha is, they have the ability to make this drum set as affordable as it is. It is a high quality drum kit that any serious drummer could probably afford, and is great for practicing, to bring to live shows, or for recording. While it is marketed as a live set, it will work fine in the studio, but is indeed probably best suited for live shows and practicing when compared to the Yamaha Studio Custom. It not only has a great sound, but it feels good to play and is definitely easy on the eyes. It is overall very impressive and is an awesome drum kit great for all types of players and situations.