Yamaha Recording Custom Snare Drums

93
WWW.MUSICRADAR.COM/RHYTHM AUGUST 2017 |
YAMAHA
RECORDING CUSTOM
SNARE DRUMS
PRICES
Aluminium:
14"x5½", £452; 14"x6½"
£470
Brass:
13"x6½", £432;
14"x5½", £452;
14"x6½", £470
Steel:
14"x5½", £452;
14"x7", £497
CONSTRUCTION
METHOD
Aluminium shell
is seamless;
Steel and brass have
inner vertical seam
SHELL GAUGE
All metals 1.2mm
BEARING EDGES
45° turned over,
slightly rounded
SNARE BEDS
2.4mm deep
HOOPS
Aluminium: aluminium
die-cast 3mm;
Steel and brass shells:
steel triple-fl anged
2.3mm Dyna Hoops
SHELL
AVAILABILITY
Aluminium, brass or
steel: 14"x5½" and
14"x6½"; Steel: 14"x7";
Brass: 13"x6½"
SUPPLIED HEADS
Remo Ambassador
Coated batter;
Ambassador
Resonant snare
LUGS PER DRUM
10 new Recording
Custom double-ended
lugs; Eight on the
13" drum
SNARE STRAINER
Yamaha Q type strainer
and DC3 butt plate
SNARE WIRES
Standard 25 (6½"
drums) or 20 (5½"
drums) high carbon
steel. Plus, alternative
10-strand SG wires on
all 14"x5½" models
CONTACT
Yamaha Music Europe
GMBH (UK)
0844 811 1116
uk.yamaha.com
Essential spec
leads to sensitivity and the slightest
featherweight touch is picked up and
then transmitted.
Even with their 3mm die-cast hoops the
two aluminium drums are much lighter, half
the weight of the steel. The aluminium timbre
is bright and breezy, always sprightly, like the
metal itself. In fact, there is a high-end ping to
watch out for that may need a bit of judicious
damping. The chrome-plated cast aluminium
hoops dazzle and I love the way they respond
to cross-sticks and rim-shots with a pure
chime that feels at one with the shells.
Tuned down a touch, the deeper 6
1/
2
"
aluminium, especially, has a dark, fat quality,
but it is always somehow tauter than the
three brass drums.
Brass is deeper and warmer, and yet
ringier, looser, bangier and less controlled.
There’s a hint of wild abandon to the sound,
the brass shells seeming perkier, with a fruity,
complex timbre, hence the adjective ‘musical’,
which often accompanies descriptions of
brass drums.
Beyond these attributes, the choice of sizes
further extends the series’ adaptability and
range. While you can’t go wrong with any of
the standard 14"x5½" models, the 6½" pair
has more meat, while the 7" steel is a
powerhouse that, whether tuned rather lower
or higher, always thunders. Also ballsy, the
14"x6½" brass hints at a bell-like quality. The
13"x6½" brass is the odd one out, the single
inch smaller diameter and extra depth
making it tubbier and more middly.
A rather cool bonus is the optional 10
strand snares that come with each 14"x5
1/
2
"
drum. Changing from the standard 20 to
VERDICT: Accompanying Yamaha’s
re-launched Recording Custom series,
this extremely well thought-out and
superbly built collection of snares in
steel, brass and aluminium will fi re up
just about any musical situation.
BUILD QUALITY
PLAYABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
RATING
these Gadd-favoured 10-stranders makes the
sound tighter and drier. Swapping out on the
aluminium and steel drums you get exactly
what you expect – the aluminium even drier
and tauter, the steel darker and harder. On
your better days, you might even start to
think you’re Steve Gadd!
CONVEX BEADS
As requested by Yamaha’s star
endorsee Steve Gadd, the metal
drums have outward centre
beads that open up the sound
SPUN ALUMINIUM
The two aluminium drums
differ in having seamless shells
and aluminium die-cast hoops.
They are also considerably
lighter in weight
RELIABLE THROW-OFF
Yamaha’s Q-type strainer
has a mega solid lever that is
smooth and positive, gliding
silently over the inner black
nylon sheath
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