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Yamaha PHX owners: Tell me about your drums?
- Thread starter Treviso1
- Start date
R
RickP
Guest
Gorgeous kit Afraga - enjoy !
kickassdrummer
Very well Known Member
^Agreed! Super nice!!!
Eyedrum
Very well Known Member
Alright, alrighty! Bringing back an old thread.
I would love to hear from any Yamaha Phoenix owner (past or present) out there in DFO land concerning these amazing drums. Specifically, how long have you owned one of these kits? Are they all you thought they would/should be? How do they compare to other Yamaha kits that you may have owned or other high end kits for that matter? Enquiring minds want to know.
Thank you.
I would love to hear from any Yamaha Phoenix owner (past or present) out there in DFO land concerning these amazing drums. Specifically, how long have you owned one of these kits? Are they all you thought they would/should be? How do they compare to other Yamaha kits that you may have owned or other high end kits for that matter? Enquiring minds want to know.
Thank you.
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They are big sounding drums , full of balls with a very long note . Beautiful bearing edges , your typical great Yamaha lacquer finish . I may be in the minority but ai really love their hook lugs . They are heavy drums . Very thick shells , so be forewarned. I made a half hearted attempt to reacquire my former PHX kit , but could not come to a deal that satisfied both parties . Personally I think these drums are better suited for louder styles of music .
Eyedrum
Very well Known Member
That is just what I was wanting to hear! I remember that gorgeous set you had - stunning. Thanks!
I love everything about the PHX drums. They are gorgeous, elegant, and sound amazing. I, too, like the lugs!
PHX drums are probably the most explosive and responsive drums I've ever owned and played. So little is required in the way of dynamics to get the whole tonal quality from the drum. It's a phenomenon I've never experienced quite as much, as I have, with these shells. Often times, when your stroke is in the pp range, you get mostly head sound. These drums light up with the softest touch. At fff they sound rich and full and not as though they're on the verge of choking. The kicks are the star of the show and have to be experienced first hand. A 22x16, unported and without dampening, is a hard thing to forget. Amazing drums.
Eyedrum
Very well Known Member
That’s a great description of the drums abilities and sound. Thank you!
Very well put. Can you just imagine what a 24" bass drum sounds like? It's got to be thunderous. Anyone out there have one?
BNK
Well-Known Member
I'm on my second PHX set and though it took me a long while to fall in love with the hook lugs, I've finally come to an understanding. A lot of people report they go out of tune quickly, which I find odd because I've had the exact opposite experience. My PHX stays in tune for a ridiculously long time, kind of "set it and forget it". I also love the bass drum claws, they have a rubber insert that keeps the tuning rods under tension at all times. This allows you to tune the bass drum very low without fear of the rods backing out due to vibration.
As mentioned before, the bearing edges are phenomenal and fit and finish across the board is perfection. The only gripe I have is the black plate the tom mounts are attached to, find them to be an eye sore, especially on my natural textured burl ash shells.
One thing worth noting is I find the drums play one size larger than their actual dimensions. For example, if you prefer a 24" bass drum, get the 22" as it will sound as big as you're looking for but in a smaller lighter package than an actual 24" PHX bass drum.
As mentioned before, the bearing edges are phenomenal and fit and finish across the board is perfection. The only gripe I have is the black plate the tom mounts are attached to, find them to be an eye sore, especially on my natural textured burl ash shells.
One thing worth noting is I find the drums play one size larger than their actual dimensions. For example, if you prefer a 24" bass drum, get the 22" as it will sound as big as you're looking for but in a smaller lighter package than an actual 24" PHX bass drum.
I know the lug nuts (swivel nuts) in the PHX have a nylon insert that helps hold tuning, but I've never heard of a rubber insert in the bass drum claws.
I think the current Phoenix has the same bass claws as the Absolute Hybrid Maple, which I'm not at all familiar with. Is there any chance you could show photo of the insert?
BNK
Well-Known Member
Here is a pic of my PHX claw, rubber piece is seen in the middle opening. I have owned the Absolute Hybrid maple, it does not have these claws, trust me.
Even when the claw has been removed from the bass drum it still has firm tension on the tension rod.
That claw is the old Japanese Sakae-era Absolute Birch/Maple type. It's actually hard plastic and is in the shape of a horseshoe. I bought a bunch of those claws and all the auxiliary parts that go with them, and wondered what that part did. It seemed redundant to me.
I thought you might have a newer/current PHX that has "upgraded" hardware: small footprint tom mount, hinged floor tom leg brackets, and different bass drum claws. I'm quite sure it's all shared with the Absolute Hybrid Maple.
BNK
Well-Known Member
It's off a 2015 built PHX bass drum, the claw is made from die cast and is very heavy.
I had a new Hybrid maple set, they did not have these claws. It's okay not to know everything...
This is my Yamaha PHX claw...
This is the Hybrid maple claw...
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No problemo.
Here's what the part you were referring to in the BD claw looks like:
yamaha_thing by The 017, on FlickrBy chance, did you ever notice what the "gasket" material was made of on the Absolute Hybrid Maple bass claw? In all the photos I've seen it looks like rubber, but in the parts diagram it looks like hard plastic (similar design as your PHX/Sakae-Absolute BD claw). I think hard plastic is better, because it's less likely to crumble and fall apart like rubber will.
Murat
DFO Veteran
Big fan since day one and nothing changed really. Those bearing edges...so sweet ! I love the tone, looks, all of it. No wonder I happen to be the number one PHX dealer in Canada 
I believe in the product. I did pitch to the guys in Japan multiple times about some more finish and size options but they had their hands full with their ash issues and the whole pandemic but overall, a PHX is as good as anything in my books.
I believe in the product. I did pitch to the guys in Japan multiple times about some more finish and size options but they had their hands full with their ash issues and the whole pandemic but overall, a PHX is as good as anything in my books.The new AHM claws do not have that horseshoe shaped clip.
I honestly think that clip is just there to help stop the tension rod from sliding out the claw when you remove them. I think the primary part that helps hold tuning is the lug nuts with the nylon insert (the part on the left):
The photo is from this thread: https://www.drumforum.org/threads/lug-locks.177717/#post-1999196
