Yamaha Recording Custom Snare Drums

92
| AUGUST 2017 WWW.MUSICRADAR.COM/RHYTHM
GEAR REVIEW
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pdating and relaunching its most
famous and critically successful
series – the Recording Custom
– was a big deal for Yamaha back
in 2015/16. Accompanying the kit is a set of
seven Recording Custom metal snare drums,
designed again with input from number one
endorsee, Steve Gadd. It’s fair to say that where
the original RC9000 series of birch drums took
the world by storm and were the benchmark
for 1980s kits, the accompanying snare drums,
although equally well made, garnered less
acclaim. In re-imagining its RC metal snare
range Yamaha addresses any perceived
weaknesses, offering the most popular metals,
and coming in with attractive prices. In fact,
Yamaha has cannily made the price for each
size the same no matter which metal you
choose. So it really comes down to your
preference of tonality.
Build
The snares encompass three metals: stainless
steel, aluminium and brass. There are 14"x5
1/
2
"
models in all three metals, 14"x6
1/
2
" aluminium
and brass, 14"x7" steel, plus a 13"x6
1/
2
" brass.
Whichever you choose the metal is 1.2mm
thick. And, in the case of the aluminium shells,
seamless. The steel and brass shells have
butt-joined welds, just about visible inside.
Steve Gadd already had his own series of
Yamaha metal shell signature snares, but
working closely during the three-year redesign
period of the Recording Custom series he was
adamant that the new shells should have a
convex (outward) centre bead. Previous
Yamaha drums had concave beads, but the
convex bead is a feature of Ludwig’s
Supraphonic drums, which Gadd was well
known for playing during his earlier, stellar
session career.
Thus with their 10 new centre lugs (eight on
the single 13" brass drum) and outward centre
beads the drums do bear a resemblance to
Ludwig’s equivalent drums, and there is no
From £432 To accompany the RC Series, here are seven
metal-shelled snare drums in steel, aluminium and brass
YAMAHA
RECORDING CUSTOM
SNARE DRUMS
WORDS: GEOFF NICHOLLS
shame in that. There are several other features
that do single out the Yamahas. The aluminium
shell drums have 3mm gauge die-cast
aluminium hoops, while the brass and steel
drums have triple-fl anged hoops but they are
heavy weight 2.3mm Dyna Hoops.
The strainer – the bit that lets down many a
snare drum – is Yamaha’s proven Q-Type, which
is an excellent mechanism. Stocky yet elegant,
sure and smooth in operation.
In fact, construction-wise everything is
impressive. Shells are spot-on round, 45°
BRASS IS DEEPER AND WARMER,
AND YET RINGIER, LOOSER, BANGIER
AND LESS CONTROLLED. THERE’S
A HINT OF WILD ABANDON...
edges, smooth and level, there are even
2.4mm deep snare beds. Chroming is truly
stunning all-round and the fi nish and attention
to detail is as exemplary as we have come to
expect from Yamaha.
Hands On
To a large extent every drummer will have
their own personal take on the type of sound
that each metal imparts. Steel is heavy and
hard – and this is refl ected in the sound,
which is loud and resonant. That density also
1
LUDWIG
ACROLITE
CLASSIC
We say: “The
lightweight seamless
aluminium shell has a
distinctive bright tone. A
go-to, all-round drum
that is hard to fault . ”
2
DW DESIGN
BLACK NICKEL
OVER BRASS
We say: “ Top-quality
design and construction
is what we’ve come to
expect from DW, only
now it comes without
the elevated price tag. ”
HEAVYWEIGHT HOOPS
Whether triple-fl anged 2.3mm
Dyna Hoops or 3mm aluminium
cast hoops, rim shots are cracking
RHY270.gear_Yamaha.indd 92 15/06/2017 12:53