Yamaha Rydeen Series Kit

93
PRICES
Two shell-set
confi gurations:
22"x16", 10"x7", 12"x8",
16"x15", 14"x5½" (as
reviewed);
20"x16", 10"x7", 12"x8",
14"x13", 14"x5½";
Both (including
HW680W hardware
pack), £550;
With additional Paiste
101 cymbal set, £699
SHELL MATERIAL
Poplar wood
NUMBER OF
PLIES
6 plies, 7.2 mm
FINISHES
AVAILABLE
Solid and glitter fi nishes,
each with three colour
options: Mellow Yellow,
Hot Red, Fine Blue,
Burgundy Glitter, Black
Glitter (as pictured) and
Silver Glitter
HOOPS
Toms and snare:
triple-fl anged 1.5mm
steel; bass drum: steel
with matching colour
inlay
TOM MOUNTS
Yamaha Professional
22.2mm tube omni-ball
and clamp mounts
SUPPLIED HEADS
Unbranded, clear toms;
Coated snare batter;
bass drum: clear batter
with ring mute, ebony
front head with logo and
ring mute
LUGS PER DRUM
Small, low mass,
spring-less; toms: 12;
bass drum: 16; snare 16
HARDWARE
HW680W hardware
pack with HS650WA
hi-hat stand, SS650WA
snare stand, 2x CS665A
cymbal boom stands,
FP7210A bass pedal
SNARE STRAINER
Generic side-lever with
Yamaha name stamp
and cast butt-plate
CONTACT
Yamaha Music Europe
GMBH (UK)
0844 811 1116
uk.yamaha.com
Essential spec
PROFESSIONAL TOM MOUNT
The heavily chromed twin bass drum
mount has Yamaha System standard
22.2mm pipe tubing and omni-ball
clamps allowing accurate tom positioning
HARDWARE PACK
The 600 series hardware is of a high
standard including triple-tier boom
cymbal stands and sturdy bass and
hi-hat pedals
UPGRADED FITTINGS
Yamaha has upgraded various parts
for the new Rydeen, including bass
drum spurs, fl oor tom leg brackets
and snare throw-off
three-stepped, ergonomically contoured
wing nut for comfortable grip and secure
positioning. Along with the lugs and system
hardware it gives you that classy Yamaha
aesthetic, even though this is a modest kit.
The vibe is continued in the stylish hi-hat
and bass pedal. These have single chain drives
and operate with a sure ease. They don’t have
full base-plates, so are lighter, simple to fold up
and transport, yet are still strong and stable
enough for most drummers.
Nowhere is the Yamaha-family image more
apparent than in the twin-post Professional
Series tom holder. The resin ball clamp and
hexagonal rod design is adaptable and fast to
position. Both the toms and bass drum are
drilled (no ISO mounts), and tom sustain is
thereby a touch foreshortened, but there’s no
lack of power. The big 16" tom and 22" bass
drum have thunderous power. As we’ve seen
before, the usual budget sparsity of lugs – just
six per head on the fl oor tom – only serves to
increase the loose resonance of the drum. And
those metal bass drum hoops increase the
hard edge of the kick sound, adding a bit of
extra slap to the beat.
One obvious saving is in the unlabelled
heads. Ironically, their very thinness gives them
a vibrant punch, but as soon as you lay into
them they start to pit. They will soon lose their
spring, requiring replacement professional-
quality heads. That’s a given with budget kits,
but the drums deserve it.
The matching snare has a simple, functional
strainer with a solid cast butt-plate and 16 small
lugs. It’s rather lightweight and with the
VERDICT: Cleverly balancing cost-
cutting generic elements with crucial
Yamaha family parts results in a
top-quality budget package. The
hardware is excellent and with
upgraded heads the drums will sing.
BUILD QUALITY
PLAYABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY
RATING
supplied coated head the sound is perhaps
lacking in character, although cheerily woody
with ample volume and good sensitivity at the
edges. Generally, the kit has great presence
and will kick up an almighty racket if you want
it to. Parents beware!
WWW.MUSICRADAR.COM/RHYTHM JUNE 2017 |
RHY268.gear_yamaha.indd 93 4/20/17 12:53 PM