Yamaha Recording Custom, old or new?

[AlexandrosK]

Hi,

I’ve found an Yamaha 9000 set dated in 1982 and thinking of getting it.

What’s the consensus regarding older RC kits vs the new ones ? How is the sound different ?

Thanks
Alex

 

[DanRH]

New. For me, it’s the kick. Yamaha, with the help of Steve Gadd, have dramatically improved the sound of the kick, I believe changing the edges. That’s how I hear it. I’ve had both and currently have the new.
That being said, if you can get an old one at a steal, go for it.

 

[Rivot]

What are the 9000s shells made from?

 

[DanRH]

What are the 9000s shells made from?

Birch.

 

[Rivot]

Birch.

What about the new ones are they birch as well?

 

[dsop]

What about the new ones are they birch as well?

Yes, but from a different source/geographic location.

 

[Supernoodle]

Hi,

I’ve found an Yamaha 9000 set dated in 1982 and thinking of getting it.

What’s the consensus regarding older RC kits vs the new ones ? How is the sound different ?

Thanks
Alex

I'd love to have them, they should sound like this (the toms in particular)

Yamahas with pinstripe heads can often sound a bit like this, but never again quite like the old 9000s

 

[MarkB]

New. For me, it’s the kick. Yamaha, with the help of Steve Gadd, have dramatically improved the sound of the kick, I believe changing the edges. That’s how I hear it. I’ve had both and currently have the new.
That being said, if you can get an old one at a steal, go for it.

Dan is EXACTLY right. I own two MIJ Recording Custom kits. The first one with a 20” kick and I LOVE this drum with Aquarian Superkick heads on each side. I use this for smaller indoor gigs. It has a nice tone, but isn’t loud. The second kit is a 2012 Deep Blue - 10,12,14,16,22. The kick is weak in terms of punch and projection. This may be a benefit to recording, but Live, not so much.

 

[Murat]

+1 on the new. I just wish they added more finishes.

 

[BennyK]

I'd go with the older one . Japanese craftsmanship is best from the island .

 

[DanRH]

I'd go with the older one . Japanese craftsmanship is best from the island .

Honestly Benny, I can’t see a difference. My “Chinese” RC’s are of exceptional quality. Just as good as their Japanese cousins. To me, the whole kit seems much more balanced now that the bass drum has been tweaked. And I had at least three of the 9000’s, all of which I unloaded because of the kick issue. My new RC? It’s staying with me. Just saying…

 

[Skinsmannn]

The old ones are WAYYYYYY better.
The first generation to be specific.
When they first came out the shells were the thinnest. When YESS came out they had issues with the new tom mounts pulling thru the thin shells. Then they thickened the shells to support the YESS mount set up.
I have had at least 20 RCsets over the years and when they moved to China production I was encouraged and bought a new set.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE DISAPPOINTED.
Whithin 90 days the beautiful high gloss black lacquer was all checked up and looked horrible. It was never the quality of the Japanese builds I've had.
So I took a beating and sold them at a huge loss.
I do not have a single good thing to say about goods produced in a communist nation by women, children, prisoners and slave labor.
I'm buying American as much as I can.

 

[Skinsmannn]

Dan is EXACTLY right. I own two MIJ Recording Custom kits. The first one with a 20” kick and I LOVE this drum with Aquarian Superkick heads on each side. I use this for smaller indoor gigs. It has a nice tone, but isn’t loud. The second kit is a 2012 Deep Blue - 10,12,14,16,22. The kick is weak in terms of punch and projection. This may be a benefit to recording, but Live, not so much.

Thats why its called "Recording Custom"
The original kicks were designed to be flat to allow the engineer to add what was needed.
Originally Gadd moved to playing a maple recording bass drum.
Yamaha had one year you could mix n match maple and birch.
Thier maple kicks kill over RC in live applications.

 

[BennyK]

I have a close friend , first call drummer here in Ottawa for decades , had a monthly column in Modern Drummer Mag. reviewing new products and interviewing celebrities . He became an adopted member of Hagi's family and owns a kit personally built and certified by the master himself . Birch 20- 10 -12-14 plus matching snare . No offence intended but that bass drum can be , as previously mentioned , problemical . If the Chinese find a way to correct this inconsistency by serious consultation with their own master drum builders , then it is to their credit .

 

[hefty]

Another vote for new even though I haven't even played the new ones. So this is based off of what others said above and elsewhere about the bass drum but also the build quality of my Live Customs at the same factory are top notch.

 

[Rhyma Hop]

Hi,

I’ve found an Yamaha 9000 set dated in 1982 and thinking of getting it.

What’s the consensus regarding older RC kits vs the new ones ? How is the sound different ?

Thanks
Alex

I had 3 of these kits.. They are great kits but check to see if the edges are sharper or very round because if you get them cut , that is another cost you need to factor in. One of mine, the edges were also painted black and very very round. I had to get them cut to a sharper angle to get the toms to brighten up and facilitate more resonance.

Kicks were incredible in all drums and I did not get any edges cut on those.. The people complaining about these bass drums I would bet that they had a big port on the front head.. you will lose any and all body from the kick if you do that. All mine had full front heads and were very very good.

How much is the kit??

 

[Drum Mer]

I prefer the new ones after I had all sizes and of different ages. Especially the kick. I need to feel it on the player's side, regardless heads they never cut it for me.

It was because of that I always prefered the Rock Tour Custom, which just had something magical.

When I used the new one for a promo event, I was in love. The toms have some extra meat as well.

The old ones are WAYYYYYY better.
The first generation to be specific.
When they first came out the shells were the thinnest. When YESS came out they had issues with the new tom mounts pulling thru the thin shells. Then they thickened the shells to support the YESS mount set up.
I have had at least 20 RCsets over the years and when they moved to China production I was encouraged and bought a new set.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE DISAPPOINTED.
Whithin 90 days the beautiful high gloss black lacquer was all checked up and looked horrible. It was never the quality of the Japanese builds I've had.
So I took a beating and sold them at a huge loss.
I do not have a single good thing to say about goods produced in a communist nation by women, children, prisoners and slave labor.
I'm buying American as much as I can.

It sounds like you have more issues with China as a country than with the Drums themselves (it's not that the US is such a great country itself too for a lot of people)

This is the first time I hear/read this quality complaint about drums from the new factory (which are super high quality, made by master craftsmen at the same standard as the Japanese craftsmen) But even one issue shoudl be dealt with properly. If you had reached out to Yamaha directly I'm sure they could have helped you out, as no company would see a customer upset about any purchase.


Mounts going through shells is basically impossible, as they didn't change plies (nor general shell thickness') when going from regular mounts to Yess mounts in 1997.

1996 (Pre-Yess)

1997 (Yess).

In 1999 The 18'' floor tom got 7 plies as well:

The current model sees 6 plies for all shells:

 

[NobleCooleyNut]

I have owned two RC kits - both from Sakae - first one was a Cherrywood pre-YESS kit 22/10/12/14 all hanging power Toms - these drums sounded great , especially the toms . I never noticed any loss in resonance having the arms penetrate the shell . The bass drum was not as full as my previous Gretsch kit but then Gretsch are my favourite bass drums all time .

The second RC kit I owned was purchased from a Yamaha Endorser - he ordered it in Apple Sparkle Fade lacquer with clear interiors , YESS mounts and Yamaha diecast hoops - this kit was incredibly mediocre . Nothing that really stood out about this kit . I far preferred my previous Cherrywood RC kit .

My local shop has had a few Yamaha RC kits and I found them to be equal with the Sakae RC kits when it comes to the Toms and superior when it comes to the bass drums . The small selection of finishes and the high price tag really hurts them IMHO.

 

[michaelg]

Would love to check out some of the new drums from China. They don't look like they are being manufactured by child slaves
Communism is actually a good idea, in theory at least.

 

[BennyK]

I prefer the new ones after I had all sizes and of different ages. Especially the kick. I need to feel it on the player's side, regardless heads they never cut it for me.

It was because of that I always prefered the Rock Tour Custom, which just had something magical.

When I used the new one for a promo event, I was in love. The toms have some extra meat as well.


It sounds like you have more issues with China as a country than with the Drums themselves (it's not that the US is such a great country itself too for a lot of people)

This is the first time I hear/read this quality complaint about drums from the new factory (which are super high quality, made by master craftsmen at the same standard as the Japanese craftsmen) But even one issue shoudl be dealt with properly. If you had reached out to Yamaha directly I'm sure they could have helped you out, as no company would see a customer upset about any purchase.


Mounts going through shells is basically impossible, as they didn't change plies (nor general shell thickness') when going from regular mounts to Yess mounts in 1997.

1996 (Pre-Yess)

View attachment 562142


1997 (Yess).
View attachment 562141


In 1999 The 18'' floor tom got 7 plies as well:
View attachment 562143



The current model sees 6 plies for all shells:
View attachment 562145

Yamaha is a Japanese manufacturer , not American .