Yamaha Stage Custom Drum Kit
Constructed of 8-ply shells—Mahogany with an outer Birch ply—the Stage Custom Standard (SCS) features a distinctive steel snare drum—plus separate lug casings—allowing the drums to resonate freely and deliver an "open" sound.
Stage Custom Standard shells are made with Philippine Mahogany for the inner layers and Birch for the outer layer using Yamaha's exclusive Air Seal System. This System ensures that each and every shell is of uniform thickness and perfectly round. The shells are finished in a highly durable Matt surface which provides the type of visual appeal usually associated with higher priced drums.
All Stage Custom Standard Tom Toms feature Yamaha's unique YESS (Yamaha Enhanced Sustain System) mounting system. This rod clamp system allows attachment of the drum to the tom holder without the need of a hole in the drum shell for the rod to pass through. The YESS Clamp is attached to the shell with two bolts so as to allow the shell to vibrate freely without degrading the shell's dynamic range and sustain.
Studio Notes: Yamaha no longer makes this particular model. Our set is a bit different than the one shown above. First of all, our set is a natural matte blonde color. The tom sizes are 12x10, 13x11 and 16x16. The kick drum is 22x17. The snare is 14x5.5 (metal). This set was normally sold with some matching Yamaha single-braced hardware (as shown in the picture above) but practically all the bundled hardware was replaced with the following equivalents:
DW 5500H Hi Hat stand
Pearl B-855W cymbal boom stand (3)
Pearl C-855W cymbal stand (1)
Tama Iron Cobra double bass pedal
Yamaha SS840 snare stand
Tama HT730 Ergo-rider throne
Cymbals are Paiste signature series (20" ride, 14 & 16" crashes and 11" splash). Hi hat cymbals are 14" Zildjian K series.
I tend to favor Aquarian heads on the snare and kick (beater side) and Remo's on the toms. Heads are replaced whenever I feel they need to be replaced. I don't guarantee you will be sitting down to a fresh set of drum heads. You can bring your own heads if you're that picky about it or bring your own drums. Bring your own sticks!
Currently, the Tama Iron Cobra pedal is fitted with wooden beaters but I also have a set of felt beaters if you prefer the sound of those. The second pedal can be removed if you prefer just a single pedal.
Clients are welcome to use this kit for their recording session. There is no extra charge to use it. Let me know ahead of time so I can make sure the drums are set up and ready to go. Drummers can tweak the tuning and configuration to their satisfaction so long as you don't damage the hardware. Generally, I don't allow clients to retrofit 3rd-party hardware onto this set. If you have specific needs then bring your own drums to the session. I don't mind if you want to bring your own snare or cymbals. Those are easy to deal with. Clients have damaged my kit by trying to mount other hardware onto the set which is why I had to put my foot down. I've seen cases where other bass pedals didn't fit the kick drum (not sure why). If there is a question or concern about any of this, the best solution is to stop by before the session and check things out so there are no surprises.
I try to keep the set clean and well maintained. There are no squeaks or rattles. The set sounds good and records extremely well.