Yamaha Tour Custom

As far as semi-pro maple kits go, the Yamaha Tour Custom wins in my book. Maple kits have always been my favorite and I have played many different lines. Even when compared to the most expensive kits, the maple shells of the tour custom hold up. This kit is a great middle price range for a gigging musician looking to take an intermediate or entry level kit to the next level, but doesn't want to drop a huge amount of money of a custom maple drum set.

I have a lot of experience with Yamaha tour customs because we had one at a studio I used to work at. All the time we were receiving compliments on its sound and look. The Yamaha hardware is untouchable at all levels, so this is a given plus. Even the low end Yamaha's are super sturdy. The toms sounded great, with the warm resonating sound one would expect from a good maple kit. It was the bass drum that really stood out for me. Obviously the bass drum sound relies heavily on tuning, heads, stuffing, and recording setup. This bass drum was creating great sounds no matter what. It was really astounding how perfect the bass and punch produced sounded. Having struggled with so many bass drums in the past, this was a breeze. The snare sounded good overall, again producing the warm maple sound. The only issue with the snare was that the rim clicks were not nearly as pronounced when compared to metallic snares or even other wood snare drums. The sweet spot of tuning just didn't lend itself to the rim clicks for some reason, no big deal.

As a semi pro kit, this is perfect if maple shells are desired. The only kit that can compare in this range is the Taye studio maple. The studio maple's toms sound great, but the bass drum isn't quite the level of the Yamaha. Also, the Yamaha hardware is significantly more secure. Considering that the next intermediate line of drum kits includes the Yamaha stage custom and Pearl export, this is definitely worth shelling out the extra couple hundred bucks.

I use this drumkit for almost 2 years now. Before I had a Mapex Saturn Pro (1998) but I got rid of. There was nothing to be learned from this farm despite a superb finish and an exorbitant price. After I found a Tama Artstar ES 1995. I always keep it and because for the big sound it any better.

When I joined a training swing acoustic "I started looking for something a little more adapted but not Jazet. Something like maple config 20''10''12''14'', new and ... not ruin me. So I chose the Yamaha Tour Custom. It's simple, to lower the price they put the deck fittings of the Stage Custom. The circles are also the same as the Recording Custom ... The simplicity of fasteners and other chromeries make a drumkit light and robust. Ideal for those who turn much. A caveat for the hooks of the bass drum rods that are not laminated on the inside. Eile are 4 colors: Brown (ugly), Black (classic), Satura White (superb) and Blue Ocean (my choice). The finish is of high quality drums, the color gradient is clear in the middle of the drum and dark outside. The dye is transparent (which does not exist among its competitors: the Sonor Force 3007 and the Gretch Catalina Mapple), which reveals the wood grain. Simply pure class this drumkit.

The sound now! I get what I was looking for in Maple: warmth, roundness, to sustain patient and measured power. Of course, do not expect to have the sound of the Mapple Custom from the same brand, this is not the same price either. But it sounds so much more pro (clean) the Stage Custom, the latter has no reason to be ... The bass drum 20''is full of bass and also behaves well, skin resonance breakthrough or not. The original drum head is very suitable. Toms are balanced, comfortable and show their true potential after changing the skin of origin. The Tour Custom is very versatile drums can be played tense or relaxed depending on the style. It's perfect for jazz, reggae, world music, zouk, soft rock ... well you forget the styles that contain qualifiers trash or metal. We also forget the snare. It is disappointing compared to the rest of the kit looks like a toy. Too little too "flat." Frankly, it's the DC that gives personality to a drumkit, so when a pat on that sound, you must have a CC worthy of the name. Me, I play a Sonor Delite DC (450 €) which is in the closet many CC sold with the kits. A free floating in the Pearl will also taste better. A yes, I forgot ... the tuning is easy and especially it does not move, it's really appreciated.

So now, if you had € 990 is the right choice. If thee € 1,250 you can take the Sonor 3007 which has a DC a little better, or the Gretch Catalina mapple but that does not sound better.