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Yamaha Stage Custom Drum Set Reviews  5 / 5 based on 2 reviewsI've been playing drums for 28 years now and have played for a variety of band over that time - ranging from punk to Jazz to Latin and rock. I began teaching a couple of years ago and now have a large pool of students. I'm also currently playing for a variety of bands in various genres, including: World, Afro-Jazz and Klezmer.
I purchased the set at a music shop called Music Connection in Johannesburg, South Africa. I paid, in dollar terms, about $2000 without cymbals. I purchased the kit because I had owned a Yamaha entry-level set when I was first starting to play and had really enjoyed the sound and the cleverly designed hardware. Also, a variety of my favorite drummers also endorse Yamaha.
I'm always amazed at the sound I can get out of my Stage Customs. Whether I'm playing live for a few hundred people, or, if I'm recording in the studio, the tone of the drums is always sweet and beautiful. Also, I gig a lot. The durability of the drums and hardware is actually unbelievable.
Honestly - nothing. I love everything about this kit.
I chose a dark wood finish in the fusion configuration. The wood itself is not pure maple, but a mix. The Yamaha branded heads are actually Remo Pinstripes and the snare is actually an Emporor. The hardware is heavy-duty, with one straight cymbal stand, one boom cymbal stand, a HH stand, a Yamaha single bass pedal, and the round-swivel tom mounts.
In summary, coming from a very experienced drummer on a budget, I feel like the Stage Customs offer high-end quality and sound for an unbelievable price. ANY drummer would be very satisfied with this kit - even one used to a high end maple custom. On top of the quality of the drums, the standard hardware is of a very high quality and durability. In addition to the above, the quality of the finish and standard heads is great. In short - it's the best kit I've ever owned and is not anywhere near the most expensive kit I've owned. Good job Yamaha! Dan Palay rated this unit on 2005-09-10. I bought this set from a friend for about $500. He was moving into an apartment, and I wanted a drum set. I also just happened to have $500 in my "mad-money" stash.
The hardware is very solid, and easy to adjust. The toms also sound really full and resonant, without getting too loud. It also looks pretty good, too (mine has a satin wine color). The stock bass drum pedal is also really good. It has a very good, solid beater, and a dual-chain drive. Basically, the only things I didn't love about these drums were the bass drum, and the snare drum.
It's big and bulky, making it hard to transport. The bass drum also sounds really open and loose--even when the heads are tight. (I recommend sticking a couple pillows in the bottom of the bass drum to keep it from sounding too loose--that solved the problem for me) The stock snare (6.5x14 Steel) drum also sounds really metallic and it has a lot of metallic bang, which I don't like personally. I replaced it with a Tama 5x14 maple snare that I modified to sound the way I wanted it to--without metallic bang. If you like that metallic bang (and I know a lot of drummers do), then you can put a couple pillows in the bass drum and have a near-perfect set.
Very solid. I haven't had to tune these things in 8 months. The set is over 4 years old, and I've had it for 2--nothing has had to be replaced or repaired.
It's a great drum set for most people--cheap enough for a beginner (the retail price for these things is about $800 new), and high-enough quality for a pro. It's an all-around good set, but it's not the best for people who have to load their drums into a Honda Civic. On stage, I use my Slingerlands--They sound similar to the Yamahas, but are smaller, and easier to transport. Gary Stabnow rated this unit on 2003-10-17.
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