This is straight fact brotha;) the pdp concept maple (European maple new version) sounds as'good'as performance and collector kit. Also With a stage custom we can do everything very versatile drums. Cheap drums are professional drums these days. Except I don't like tama, until i was a kid i didn't liked Tama.
It absolutely is an astonishingly good kit! I love mine, and the steel snare too. Multiple thumbs up. My vintage Recording Customs can rest easy at home or at select studio sessions now, although I really think the Stage Customs will do just as well under close micing.
Well I'll be damned!! I genuinely preferred the sound of the Stage Custom and really thought it was the Absolute Hybrid Maple when listening blind. It has more tone and resonance to my ears, which is what I like from a kit. I think in hindsight, there are 3 things about the Stage Custom which likely contributed to it being my preferred sound. It had the deeper toms, the triple flanged hoops and the 22" bass drum - all things which are my preferences when choosing a kit. I think it goes to show that it's all very well getting a kit with expensive shells but the actual dimensions of the shells possibly ends up determining the sound more than the wood itself. Very interesting experiment!!
What you said makes perfect sense. The physics of drum tone is far more relative to the diameter of the plastic membranes you hit than the type of wood that the cylinders are made from. Following that, the mass of the shells is somewhat important, then perhaps the density of the material from which the shells are made. Yet, in order to sell higher priced kits, drum manufacturers spend a great deal of time educating you on the nuances of the plywood shells - DW being the biggest culprit. Having said that, I own two DW kits! Guilty.
I have played a Stage Custom for three years and am very happy with it. So why am I looking to upgrade? Simply to have a beautiful, custom kit that I am super proud of every time I look at it. To me, that's worth paying a little more to enjoy my hobby.
Did you get another kit yet? I just got my yamaha custom stage kit. And personally it's stunning looking in classic white, with a couple add ons making it a 7 piece beauty I have to look at when I pass by.
@@T.Maximus Sorry Sir. I own two Saturn kits and I´m thinking of purchasing a thirth one this days (I'm looking at Yamahas also). The Saturn are fantastic drums for the price, and they sound great! But they are no maple kits. You have Yamaha Tour and Tama Imperial (I think) at medium priced kits for this purpose... (I'm also proud of being using Saturns since 1990 and lots of Mapex snares that I'm using to this date.)
Every time I hear a Stage Custom demo, I'm blown away by how good they sound and how relatively inexpensive they are! In 2010 I bought a Pearl Vision Birch 5pc(incl. Snare) for $650! Did plenty of gigs with it. With lower priced kits, I think getting better heads, and being able to tune them has a lot to do with getting a good sound out of them. Being a decent player helps too of course.
From the test,I wasn't going to deem one more expensive, just that one sounded better overall. I thought kit B was better, but have to admit that if I listened to the test video with audio only and not looking at the screen with a relaxed ear to the entire comparison...... for the most part it was impossibile to even distinguish between which one was being demoed. Amazing the huge price difference versus not much difference in sound, if any for most of it. Anyone who thinks otherwise, try skipping around the test vid randomly without looking at the screen.....and you won't know which kit for sure without verifying it on the screen. Thanks for posting guys, mission accomplished without question - considering these 2 kits have identical mounting/setup hardware, its a waste of $$$$$ all around to pay 3 or 4 times as much.
There were a few things that stood out for me. One was the dynamic range; the Ab Hybrid has a certain clarity to the toms at lower volumes that wasn't there with the Stage Custom. There was also something happening with the fills on the Ab Hybrid, a kind of piano like synergy. It sounded like a more cohesive instrument in all. Great video and well recorded, thanks.
Just an awesome test, guys. This is one of my fav drum channels on YT. The SCs are no joke if you have the right heads. Birch > maple to my ears. Less expensive, killer tone, can tame them and mics love it. Well done, gents.
Very true , i've seen lots of drummer who played the stage custom from different concert, Chris jazz café, i've seen will'Kennedy, Eric Harland, Jimmy McBride, Jonathan Pinson, Marcus Gilmore, Dave Weckl, Vinnie Colaiuta, tommy igoe and so on who played and loved the stage custom.
The most natural interaction I've seen between people on the internet in a long time. It's probably because you're actually genuinely friends. New sub here.
As a proud owner of a Yamaha Maple Custom kit, I loved this. I did guess correctly & very much preferred the Yamaha Stage Custom's over the Maple here. For the price, ($800 US) you can't beat them! I'd gig with them any day of the week.
Stage customs are the most common backline kit for rentals I've ever played. Now the mapex armory seems to be the contender. Honestly any big name drum company mid line kits these days are going to be just fine for anything. I've played so many kits over the years. Masterworks. Dw collectors. Pdp. Drumcraft( my studio kit. Has a certain thing under mics). Yamaha absolutes. (Love the new oak hybrid). Mapex saturn. Ludwig classic maple. Tama star classics etc etc. the stage custom is very proper pro kit. The old premier kits like the genista birch were great as well. Top $ kits you get premium hardware and finishes. Sound wise most drums are good enough. Player is biggest factor. Heads and room next.
I've seen Jonathan Pinson, Will Kennedy, Eric Harland, Brian Blade, Vinnie Colaiuta, Dave Weckl, Jimmy McBride who played on yamaha stage custom and they loved this kit.
the lo end consistancy and balance between the 12 and 14 toms on the the mapple kit is there during the transitions, there's a lot more lo end on the 14 of the birch kit coming from the 12". But for studio recording no doubt I would take the birch, it sounds snappier and it's easier to mix with a full band and it sounds so close to a Yamaha vintage recording kit that for 1000$ and under for a 2nd hand it's definitely the best bang for the bucks.
Damn I guess the B was the more expensive kit within 30 seconds of clicking on a random part of the last video😂 I work in a studio so I don't count. To me the bee kit sounded a lot more focused and the kick drum sounded way better right off the rip. I liked the toms on both of them but b just sounded way more focused like a note
I honestly prefer the sound of the stage customs. The stage customs come with 1.6mm hoops on the toms, i wonder if a set of 2.3mm hoops would improve the sound even further? Perhaps 2.3m hoops might bring the sound very very close to recording customs even know recording customs have 1.6mm hoops aswell, but they have the full length lugs which helps EQ the sound with the overtones. Stage customs do not have those lugs but maybe 2.3mm hoops might make up for much of the difference and produce a similar sound :)
10 місяців тому+1
Almost every well constructed drum kit today sounds good, even the more accessible ones, you just need to choose good drum heads and know how tune well. And 8:43 if they go through mics and sound plug-ins, the difference is almost aesthetics and quality materials used in construction, the sound is almost the same if you use the same heads, tuning.
I got it right and my thought were that the absolute maple had shallower toms and therefore would resonate less and have a more focused sound. Now i see that it had die cast hoops on it and that might have been the deciding factor for what i thought soundwise. Great test and very good tuning from you guys :)
I guessed absolutely wrong to be honest! I actually sold my DW collectors kit after hearing a dinky Tama birch kit, couldn’t believe how good it sounded for the price so I bought it. The DW was incredible too to be fair (I kept the awesome snare though), but not for the vast difference in price. Throw a Supraphonic into the mix and I wouldn’t swap that kit for anything!
You can't go wrong with either Yamaha kit, they are $4$ the Best Drums and Hardware on the Planet. I keep my PHX kit in my studio, and gig with my Stage Custom, and often get complimented on how good they sound, plus the FOH is always surprised at how easy the SC's are to mix with. Evans UV1 tops and G1's on the bottom.
Got it right, as I did believe I could hear the difference in attack & warmth between the 2, I do agree though that BOTH kits sound great!! I also think that the high end price tag has much to do with the aesthetics of a given kit as well as the sound. Some of the high end companies finishes, fixtures & fittings etc really do look cool. I have a Pearl Masters now that I had an absolutely AWSOME looking custom paint job done by Leigh Smith at Cariad Custom Drums in Wales, still blows me away when I look at it!! Upgraded the optimounts to the full chrome ones that come with the Pearl Reference and Masterworks series and it looks F**KING SEXY!! Now does it sound any better than it did beforehand?? No, not at all, sounds the same but as said above it looks the NUTS and I feel that having n instrument not only sounding great but looking gorgeous in a way justifies the extra cost if you want to spend it, if this isn’t something that is important as it were then don’t and you’ll still end up with a lovely sounding kit 👊🏻👊🏻
I have to like the looks of the kit first and foremost!! Lugs, finish etc. All my kits have had that visual attraction for me. Sorry, but same for dating. I just can't get it going if the looks are not there. Would rather be alone! Now, I just don't like the look of those new lugs the maple hybrids now sport. So I would pass on them if you can believe, and I am a big Yamaha fan! What would happen if I was a big name endorser?? I would make them build me a custom kit with Absolute lugs!! And I could never play a DW kit because I hate the Turret lugs!!
I think at the 3:40 Mark,is where these drums shine. The sound when rolling through them is awesome.... I just bought a stage custom last week.its my first real drum set.ben playing 20 years,and for 16 I've had these earl exports that just sounds bad no matter how I tune,new head,different types....the Yamahas...,I haven't even had to tune them,they just kinda sat in tune out of the box,turned a couple lugs a few little tweaks and they're good.so I'm real happy in my purchase.i was Gunna go with mapex armory studioease. I was dead set on em after going back n forth.i thought 'yea I want maple..all maple" and I was looking at pdp concepts 7's as well as Tama superstars 7 pieces..I'm pretty pleased with the yamahas.my friend had a redeem kit years ago and I was always pretty happy with the sound tey produced.. good test,good kits..good results! Good video!! 🥂
Hey guys great video on this subject. Now I would like to see you guys do another video dealing with two kits of different eras, such as the (90s) Tama Rockstar basswood and the ('19s)Tama Superstar Classic all Maple. And to hear your take on this kits. Plus the all important question "Does the different wood makes a difference?"
hah! i actually got it right...i think the giveaway was the smaller bass drum. quite stoked, as i'm in the process of gathering a 24/14/18 stage custom with a recording custom snare...i reckon it'll sound killer... fun video/s. thanks. rokk on!
I've seen lots of legends who played on Yamaha stage custom: Nate wood, Will Kennedy, Brian Blade, Jonathan pinson, Dave Weckl, Éric Harland, Jimmy McBride, Vinnie Colaiuta, Tommy Igoe and so on and they liked the stage custom.
I thought that Kit A had better attack and was crisp, and that Kit B was ‘musical’ …a bit like a Sonor SQ series kit or an expensive Tama kit. I liked both …I guess maple does give drums a musical tone compared to birch - dunno if I’d spend thousands more for the warmth and roundness. The snare kind of evened it out between the kits, for me anyway.
The diecast on the most expensive kit made it easier to identify I.M.O. it had less sustain, but most of the time, (talking about Yamaha drums) is almost impossible to distinguish the sound of a cheap and an expensive one. Yamaha make one of the best drums in the world no matter the price tag.
Hi all I own a stage custom birch kit I love it! Iv played on a 80s yamaha kit same as Dave Weckl used back in the day that sounded incredible and DW colectors which was wow ! Totally out of my price range! I think the stage custom is your best bang for your buck change the stock heads I'm using Evans coated G1s tuned up just about the wrinkles I get a sharp attack with some warm punch. So keep your hard ernt money in the band or upgrade your cymbals
What if you'd compared maple or birch kits with each other? For example comparing Stage Custom to the Recording Custom, or the Tour Custom to the Absolute Maple.
Looks like I just prefer birch to maple, whatever the price point! I bought an expensive (birch) drum kit, not because it sounds so much better, but because the hardware was more reliable and the drums tuned up and held time much better than less expensive kits. I think ease of use is what really accounts for most of the difference in price, not sound quality.
The best kit I ever owned was a 7 piece from a little known brand called Drum World UK and the complete kit with hardware (including 3 boom cymbal stands) was about £800, and it looked and sounded amazing. I only sold it eventually because I was broke!
I was agnostic about which kit was the expensive one, I just liked the sound of the "A" kit better. Turns out its the inexpensive one. Ha. For me it came down to (as it often does) the overtones of the Hybrid kit sounding sour to me. Didn't care for that. Otherwise both kits sounded great.
What I heard immediately and unmistakenly was the difference between 30 and 45 degree bearing edges, not between birch and maple. The stage with a 45 had a louder attack on the bass and the rc had more sustain on the toms.
I would like to see a video of this kit with different head combos. I’m contemplating this with emperor color tones on top and bottom. Would that choke the sound?
Last Oct I bought a full Stage Custom Birch kit, to maybe allow me to leave my Recording Customs home more. It's a fantastic kit!! We don't get that exact finish here in the US, though, and the badge is different. But still... Fantastic! And the Stage Custom steel snare is also incredible! Yamaha nailed it with this kit all around.
Agree. Stage Custom Steel is a steal. 😂. I’m always getting comments on how good it sounds. Got it on sale a couple of years ago at $119 😊. And I gig with the Stage Customs too.
@@brianfoster7486 haha a steal! ;) I was marveling again just this week how good this snare sounds and feels, even with just a good stereo recorder. And especially with the S-Hoop batter hoop I put on it a couple months back (HIGHLY recommend). I don't think I've had to tune it since getting that hoop dialed in - and I woodshed almost daily. I can't wait to get these drums out under a full set of mics!
@@brianfoster7486 I predict full satisfaction :) I've only swapped the batter hoop, not the reso hoop. There is one potential issue - normal mic clips don't like the S-Hoop profile, so be aware of that (I've found one model that seems to work, and I think LP Claws are said to work too). I'm considering putting them on all my toms too but need to solve the mic clip problem - ie $$ - first ;) good luck!
I'm just now learning to drum... the blue ones sounded hollow, and the brown/yellow ones sounded "full", and complete. I'm not sure what the blue's were missing but, they were.
The blue Stage Customs had less pronounced MID frequency. Yes the Absolute had more of the frequency spectrum BUT alot of engineers actually dip the mids out most of them. The 300-700hz is usually scooped out in EQ MOST times which the Stage Custom does already! If you want the whole spectrum Absolute is the way to go. I own the Recording Customs and weird enough is a super clean sound with just a small dip in the 400 hz area naturally which is probably why they are so loved so much by producers and engineers they give you that whole spectrum sound without the 400 area thats the like the greatest thing ever lol
A matching snare belonging to each kit, would have been more interesting. It’s the most important drum in a kit. I wonder how they would have gone up against a vintage kit…
90% of backline kits or rentals are Yamaha stage custom or Yamaha recording custom kits. I've played so many over the years. Lately I feel the mapex armory though has a slight edge over the classic stage custom. Still phenomenal drums though. Def a tour grade pro kit no doubt. Yamaha makes great everything
Man I’ve known this for so long but we all want the prestige of a pro kit, we convince ourselves it sounds better and it doesn’t! It just sounds slightly, ever so slightly! Different. What it really says is Yamaha makes great drums!
Yes, the secret is out! You stated it clearly "the point of diminishing returns". I have a Yamaha Maple Absolute and a Stage Custom and they both sound great. Tuning and quality heads! I can take out the Stage Customs and not worry about them getting dinged or stolen because they are so affordable. A 5000.00 kit just doesn't make sense to me anymore.
In my limited experience, you are paying more so for the hardware/lug upgrade than the shell material. And I'm actually fine with that. As inexpensive kits usually skip on lug count and tunablilty/tune hold.
Keep in mind too the absolute kit will tune up higher and lower than the stage customs before choking out. Also the snare drums are no contest. Yamaha makes awesome gear. Guitars to and basses. Wish more people played the guitars. The PHX series is almost too fancy. I could not get them to tune. The shell is so thick and low pitched it was like a science experiment.
whenever I see videos like this, they always only talk about the sound. what you're paying for when you buy an expensive kit is build quality as well. longevity, reliability, durability, intonation, ergonomics, fit and finish, etc. These are all factors in the price that youtubers never talk about in comparison videos.
I actually got it right. But I think both kits sound good. And especially for Toms and Kick you dont have to pay more than like 1500. The quality wont be much better. As long as you put good heads on it and tune it well. Different story for snare and cymbals though. Because with the snare you have to factror in the throw off and the snare bed. And well cymbals you cant tune them ;-) I am actually thinking right now about downgrading from my 2200 custom shell set (without snare) to like a yamaha stage custom or similiar kit (pdp concept maple, mapex armory, pearl decade etc.) Also you have to consider that todays mid prize sets were the high end kits just a few years ago. For example the tama starclassic line before they put out the stars.
So if we drill a second air vent hole in each of the Stage Custom Birch toms/floor toms and Kick we might get the very same tone?!!!! as the more up market Absolute Hybrid shells sound. just an idea to prove !!!!.. Video well done Guys.
Both sound so much the same. Thought A was the maple. 😂 but, this is a fantastic debate. I have a poplar kit and it sounds really great. How about an expensive acrylic VS. Wood? I'm glad I got it wrong because you don't need such an expensive kit. Nice.
I assumed that the Xiaoshan maple kit ,which has die-cast hoops on , might resonate less than the SCB kit would do.sorry for my poor English expression.
Yes, stage customs do not stay in tune long unless you upgrade the hoops to 2.3mm or die cast. They sound a lot better with upgraded hoops as well, in my opinion.
@@petheato3291 yes agree mate I’ve got turner fish lug locks on the 12” Tom with the original 1.6mm hoops & that works really quite well, but will upgrade the 14 floor Tom hoops I think..
That's a valid concern, Gary. Tuning stability and feel can vary across kits, especially at different price points. We might make a video discussing this to help others. Stay tuned!
I have MCA and SC kits. I couldn't tell the difference, sonically, given good heads and tuning. There is a huge difference in quality of materials, however. The MCA tunes quicker, easier and stays in tune.
Got it YEY 🤣 A lot of distinct well-based comments last week, got really curious for this one! The maple 16" floor tom was the differential in my case as I own one and could feel it on kit B. IMO both kits sound like pro drums, the stage custom is so good that becomes only a matter of personal taste. That was fun, thank you DRUM.DOG
I honestly think what we hear in the minor difference is the Maple V Birch shells and it’s all based on what you prefer / what you can fucking afford 😂
Hello. Please help me out here: I can get the stage custom 5 piece for about the same price of a stage custom bass drum and a tour custom snare (so a 2 piece). What would you do. Is the tour custom snare really that much better?
The other thing is hearing a kit by itself is one thing. Many of the nuances of the better kit will be lost in a band situation where there are so many electronic sounds filling the music frequency spectrum. And we are ignoring the ability of the drummer. A great drummer can make most kits sound good by coaxing the best sounds out of it. Manufacturing processes are now pretty decent on less expensive kits. Often the price difference is on how much labor was involved in the exterior shell finishing processes.
Very insightful comment, @DrummerDanVa. You're spot-on about the nuances and how a kit's true character can sometimes be overshadowed in a full band setup. It definitely underscores the importance of a drummer's ability to bring out the best in any kit.
the maples had more tone, at least in the 12 , and the stage customs have a higher tone at least in the sustain, mainly with the 14, i had it right but i really like the stage custom and the price make them damn near perfect,
Ok, I got it 100% wrong ! I thought the Kit A floor toms were much better. And I was listening to it with good headphones. But this is not new with the Yamaha SC. Watch how it hold's up to the entire Yamaha line up. All the way to the Phoenix. DCP did a great comparison video of the Yammy's. ua-cam.com/video/7gNuqdQqB-U/v-deo.html
Thankfully you don’t need to buy expensive drums when mid level drums are just as good as expensive drums I have a 7 piece Tama superstar classic maple drumset that is awsome it sounds just as good as a high end drum set I don’t think I’m going to upgrade because they sound so great
Birch vs. maple is a classic debate, @doublea7054! Each wood definitely brings a unique tonal quality to the table. Which do you find yourself gravitating towards for live vs. studio work?
I guessed correctly... all from the sound of the 12" maple rack tom, it was more controlled. Very minute difference, definitely not 2,300 much of a difference
When it comes to instruments, most of what we hear is what we see. Once heard someone claim they can hear 10% more low end from maple kits compared to birch 🙄
Like i said unce , you can't beat Yamaha stage custom with any drumkit made on this planet. Not for that money...and yes, the fact is ,more expensive kit you buy, less difference you hear...drums above 1000$
I play a dw kit, every time I hear a stage custom I wonder why I own such an expensive kit. The stage custom are an astonishing kit.
This is straight fact brotha;) the pdp concept maple (European maple new version) sounds as'good'as performance and collector kit.
Also With a stage custom we can do everything very versatile drums. Cheap drums are professional drums these days. Except I don't like tama, until i was a kid i didn't liked Tama.
It absolutely is an astonishingly good kit! I love mine, and the steel snare too. Multiple thumbs up. My vintage Recording Customs can rest easy at home or at select studio sessions now, although I really think the Stage Customs will do just as well under close micing.
WOW! I was totally wrong and now I am even more impressed with the Stage Customs! Excellent video!!
Well I'll be damned!! I genuinely preferred the sound of the Stage Custom and really thought it was the Absolute Hybrid Maple when listening blind. It has more tone and resonance to my ears, which is what I like from a kit. I think in hindsight, there are 3 things about the Stage Custom which likely contributed to it being my preferred sound. It had the deeper toms, the triple flanged hoops and the 22" bass drum - all things which are my preferences when choosing a kit. I think it goes to show that it's all very well getting a kit with expensive shells but the actual dimensions of the shells possibly ends up determining the sound more than the wood itself. Very interesting experiment!!
What you said makes perfect sense. The physics of drum tone is far more relative to the diameter of the plastic membranes you hit than the type of wood that the cylinders are made from. Following that, the mass of the shells is somewhat important, then perhaps the density of the material from which the shells are made. Yet, in order to sell higher priced kits, drum manufacturers spend a great deal of time educating you on the nuances of the plywood shells - DW being the biggest culprit. Having said that, I own two DW kits! Guilty.
I have played a Stage Custom for three years and am very happy with it. So why am I looking to upgrade? Simply to have a beautiful, custom kit that I am super proud of every time I look at it. To me, that's worth paying a little more to enjoy my hobby.
Did you get another kit yet? I just got my yamaha custom stage kit. And personally it's stunning looking in classic white, with a couple add ons making it a 7 piece beauty I have to look at when I pass by.
@@T.Maximus No, but I did upgrade the snare to a Ludwig Black Beauty.
@@bacbladerunner 👍👍
@@bacbladerunner I want to have a 2nd kit, a mapex saturn possibly for the maple, and keep the yamaha for my birch kit...but the saturn is pricey.
@@T.Maximus Sorry Sir. I own two Saturn kits and I´m thinking of purchasing a thirth one this days (I'm looking at Yamahas also). The Saturn are fantastic drums for the price, and they sound great! But they are no maple kits. You have Yamaha Tour and Tama Imperial (I think) at medium priced kits for this purpose... (I'm also proud of being using Saturns since 1990 and lots of Mapex snares that I'm using to this date.)
Every time I hear a Stage Custom demo, I'm blown away by how good they sound and how relatively inexpensive they are! In 2010 I bought a Pearl Vision Birch 5pc(incl. Snare) for $650! Did plenty of gigs with it. With lower priced kits, I think getting better heads, and being able to tune them has a lot to do with getting a good sound out of them. Being a decent player helps too of course.
Pearl vision birch 5 pieces for 650!!! you're lucky mate
From the test,I wasn't going to deem one more expensive, just that one sounded better overall. I thought kit B was better, but have to admit that if I listened to the test video with audio only and not looking at the screen with a relaxed ear to the entire comparison...... for the most part it was impossibile to even distinguish between which one was being demoed. Amazing the huge price difference versus not much difference in sound, if any for most of it. Anyone who thinks otherwise, try skipping around the test vid randomly without looking at the screen.....and you won't know which kit for sure without verifying it on the screen. Thanks for posting guys, mission accomplished without question - considering these 2 kits have identical mounting/setup hardware, its a waste of $$$$$ all around to pay 3 or 4 times as much.
Yamaha should pay you. What a great video
There were a few things that stood out for me. One was the dynamic range; the Ab Hybrid has a certain clarity to the toms at lower volumes that wasn't there with the Stage Custom. There was also something happening with the fills on the Ab Hybrid, a kind of piano like synergy. It sounded like a more cohesive instrument in all. Great video and well recorded, thanks.
Agree...The hybrid seemed more focused and controlled.
Horse pucky
Just an awesome test, guys. This is one of my fav drum channels on YT. The SCs are no joke if you have the right heads. Birch > maple to my ears. Less expensive, killer tone, can tame them and mics love it. Well done, gents.
Very true , i've seen lots of drummer who played the stage custom from different concert, Chris jazz café, i've seen will'Kennedy, Eric Harland, Jimmy McBride, Jonathan Pinson, Marcus Gilmore, Dave Weckl, Vinnie Colaiuta, tommy igoe and so on who played and loved the stage custom.
I got it right, but it definitely wasn't obvious. They both sound fantastic
The most natural interaction I've seen between people on the internet in a long time. It's probably because you're actually genuinely friends. New sub here.
As a proud owner of a Yamaha Maple Custom kit, I loved this. I did guess correctly & very much preferred the Yamaha Stage Custom's over the Maple here. For the price, ($800 US) you can't beat them! I'd gig with them any day of the week.
Stage customs are the most common backline kit for rentals I've ever played. Now the mapex armory seems to be the contender. Honestly any big name drum company mid line kits these days are going to be just fine for anything. I've played so many kits over the years. Masterworks. Dw collectors. Pdp. Drumcraft( my studio kit. Has a certain thing under mics). Yamaha absolutes. (Love the new oak hybrid). Mapex saturn. Ludwig classic maple. Tama star classics etc etc. the stage custom is very proper pro kit. The old premier kits like the genista birch were great as well. Top $ kits you get premium hardware and finishes. Sound wise most drums are good enough. Player is biggest factor. Heads and room next.
Got it wrong! The stage customs sound fantastic! Thanks for the great video. You put a lot of work into these👍🥁🥁
I've seen Jonathan Pinson, Will Kennedy, Eric Harland, Brian Blade, Vinnie Colaiuta, Dave Weckl, Jimmy McBride who played on yamaha stage custom and they loved this kit.
the lo end consistancy and balance between the 12 and 14 toms on the the mapple kit is there during the transitions, there's a lot more lo end on the 14 of the birch kit coming from the 12". But for studio recording no doubt I would take the birch, it sounds snappier and it's easier to mix with a full band and it sounds so close to a Yamaha vintage recording kit that for 1000$ and under for a 2nd hand it's definitely the best bang for the bucks.
A solid mid-level name-brand kit with upgraded heads makes for a solid rehearsal/ club gigging kit.
Invest in a sweet collection of legit cymbals!! 🎶🎵
Well that's me buying a Stage Custom, then.
Thanks for the video, guys.
Damn I guess the B was the more expensive kit within 30 seconds of clicking on a random part of the last video😂 I work in a studio so I don't count. To me the bee kit sounded a lot more focused and the kick drum sounded way better right off the rip. I liked the toms on both of them but b just sounded way more focused like a note
I honestly prefer the sound of the stage customs. The stage customs come with 1.6mm hoops on the toms, i wonder if a set of 2.3mm hoops would improve the sound even further? Perhaps 2.3m hoops might bring the sound very very close to recording customs even know recording customs have 1.6mm hoops aswell, but they have the full length lugs which helps EQ the sound with the overtones. Stage customs do not have those lugs but maybe 2.3mm hoops might make up for much of the difference and produce a similar sound :)
Almost every well constructed drum kit today sounds good, even the more accessible ones, you just need to choose good drum heads and know how tune well. And 8:43 if they go through mics and sound plug-ins, the difference is almost aesthetics and quality materials used in construction, the sound is almost the same if you use the same heads, tuning.
I got it right and my thought were that the absolute maple had shallower toms and therefore would resonate less and have a more focused sound. Now i see that it had die cast hoops on it and that might have been the deciding factor for what i thought soundwise.
Great test and very good tuning from you guys :)
I guessed absolutely wrong to be honest! I actually sold my DW collectors kit after hearing a dinky Tama birch kit, couldn’t believe how good it sounded for the price so I bought it. The DW was incredible too to be fair (I kept the awesome snare though), but not for the vast difference in price. Throw a Supraphonic into the mix and I wouldn’t swap that kit for anything!
You can't go wrong with either Yamaha kit, they are $4$ the Best Drums and Hardware on the Planet. I keep my PHX kit in my studio, and gig with my Stage Custom, and often get complimented on how good they sound, plus the FOH is always surprised at how easy the SC's are to mix with. Evans UV1 tops and G1's on the bottom.
Got it right, as I did believe I could hear the difference in attack & warmth between the 2, I do agree though that BOTH kits sound great!! I also think that the high end price tag has much to do with the aesthetics of a given kit as well as the sound. Some of the high end companies finishes, fixtures & fittings etc really do look cool. I have a Pearl Masters now that I had an absolutely AWSOME looking custom paint job done by Leigh Smith at Cariad Custom Drums in Wales, still blows me away when I look at it!! Upgraded the optimounts to the full chrome ones that come with the Pearl Reference and Masterworks series and it looks F**KING SEXY!! Now does it sound any better than it did beforehand?? No, not at all, sounds the same but as said above it looks the NUTS and I feel that having n instrument not only sounding great but looking gorgeous in a way justifies the extra cost if you want to spend it, if this isn’t something that is important as it were then don’t and you’ll still end up with a lovely sounding kit 👊🏻👊🏻
I have to like the looks of the kit first and foremost!! Lugs, finish etc. All my kits have had that visual attraction for me. Sorry, but same for dating. I just can't get it going if the looks are not there. Would rather be alone!
Now, I just don't like the look of those new lugs the maple hybrids now sport. So I would pass on them if you can believe, and I am a big Yamaha fan!
What would happen if I was a big name endorser?? I would make them build me a custom kit with Absolute lugs!! And I could never play a DW kit because I hate the Turret lugs!!
I prefer the toms on the maple kit but the kick on the birch kit is crazy good!
I think at the 3:40 Mark,is where these drums shine. The sound when rolling through them is awesome....
I just bought a stage custom last week.its my first real drum set.ben playing 20 years,and for 16 I've had these earl exports that just sounds bad no matter how I tune,new head,different types....the Yamahas...,I haven't even had to tune them,they just kinda sat in tune out of the box,turned a couple lugs a few little tweaks and they're good.so I'm real happy in my purchase.i was Gunna go with mapex armory studioease. I was dead set on em after going back n forth.i thought 'yea I want maple..all maple" and I was looking at pdp concepts 7's as well as Tama superstars 7 pieces..I'm pretty pleased with the yamahas.my friend had a redeem kit years ago and I was always pretty happy with the sound tey produced.. good test,good kits..good results!
Good video!!
🥂
Hey guys great video on this subject.
Now I would like to see you guys do another video dealing with two kits of different eras, such as the (90s) Tama Rockstar basswood and the ('19s)Tama Superstar Classic all Maple. And to hear your take on this kits. Plus the all important question "Does the different wood makes a difference?"
hah! i actually got it right...i think the giveaway was the smaller bass drum. quite stoked, as i'm in the process of gathering a 24/14/18 stage custom with a recording custom snare...i reckon it'll sound killer...
fun video/s. thanks. rokk on!
just proof positive how good a properly tuned lower level kit can sound!
Exactly!
More videos like this... great Channel , greetings from Mexico.... Stage CUSTOM BEST VALUE $$$$, ABSOLUT WHY?
I liked the hybrid better but not $3000 better. That stage custom kit is an amazing deal for really great sound!
Same for me: It's hard to think of spending 3500€ having a kit that comes "so" close for 850€.
thanks for sharing. less time drooling over gear, and more time playing it!
I've seen lots of legends who played on Yamaha stage custom: Nate wood, Will Kennedy, Brian Blade, Jonathan pinson, Dave Weckl, Éric Harland, Jimmy McBride, Vinnie Colaiuta, Tommy Igoe and so on and they liked the stage custom.
I thought that Kit A had better attack and was crisp, and that Kit B was ‘musical’ …a bit like a Sonor SQ series kit or an expensive Tama kit. I liked both …I guess maple does give drums a musical tone compared to birch - dunno if I’d spend thousands more for the warmth and roundness. The snare kind of evened it out between the kits, for me anyway.
The diecast on the most expensive kit made it easier to identify I.M.O. it had less sustain, but most of the time, (talking about Yamaha drums) is almost impossible to distinguish the sound of a cheap and an expensive one. Yamaha make one of the best drums in the world no matter the price tag.
Hi all I own a stage custom birch kit I love it! Iv played on a 80s yamaha kit same as Dave Weckl used back in the day that sounded incredible and DW colectors which was wow ! Totally out of my price range! I think the stage custom is your best bang for your buck change the stock heads I'm using Evans coated G1s tuned up just about the wrinkles I get a sharp attack with some warm punch. So keep your hard ernt money in the band or upgrade your cymbals
What if you'd compared maple or birch kits with each other? For example comparing Stage Custom to the Recording Custom, or the Tour Custom to the Absolute Maple.
That's one of the keys to understand this videos properly... Great idea!
Looks like I just prefer birch to maple, whatever the price point!
I bought an expensive (birch) drum kit, not because it sounds so much better, but because the hardware was more reliable and the drums tuned up and held time much better than less expensive kits. I think ease of use is what really accounts for most of the difference in price, not sound quality.
Love the stage custom more
yes! i knew! as a user of S custom i really love this kit! its uniq. when you hear that sound u will know its stage custom.
I have a Stage Custom set and they sound awesome
The best kit I ever owned was a 7 piece from a little known brand called Drum World UK and the complete kit with hardware (including 3 boom cymbal stands) was about £800, and it looked and sounded amazing. I only sold it eventually because I was broke!
Phew, I actually had the right guess. The expensive sound more warm and with less overtones.
I was agnostic about which kit was the expensive one, I just liked the sound of the "A" kit better. Turns out its the inexpensive one. Ha. For me it came down to (as it often does) the overtones of the Hybrid kit sounding sour to me. Didn't care for that. Otherwise both kits sounded great.
What I heard immediately and unmistakenly was the difference between 30 and 45 degree bearing edges, not between birch and maple.
The stage with a 45 had a louder attack on the bass and the rc had more sustain on the toms.
I own a white custom stage kit with a couple add ons from yamaha making it a 7 piece..and mainly sabian aax cymbals, love my kit! 🤘🥁
I would like to see a video of this kit with different head combos. I’m contemplating this with emperor color tones on top and bottom. Would that choke the sound?
I just bought a Yamaha Maple Absolute Hybrid kit and I wouldn't trade it for anything,.
Bravo!
Last Oct I bought a full Stage Custom Birch kit, to maybe allow me to leave my Recording Customs home more. It's a fantastic kit!! We don't get that exact finish here in the US, though, and the badge is different. But still... Fantastic! And the Stage Custom steel snare is also incredible! Yamaha nailed it with this kit all around.
Agree. Stage Custom Steel is a steal. 😂. I’m always getting comments on how good it sounds. Got it on sale a couple of years ago at $119 😊. And I gig with the Stage Customs too.
@@brianfoster7486 haha a steal! ;) I was marveling again just this week how good this snare sounds and feels, even with just a good stereo recorder. And especially with the S-Hoop batter hoop I put on it a couple months back (HIGHLY recommend). I don't think I've had to tune it since getting that hoop dialed in - and I woodshed almost daily. I can't wait to get these drums out under a full set of mics!
@@williemammoth11 nice! thanks for the tip on the S hoop. will try it.
@@brianfoster7486 I predict full satisfaction :) I've only swapped the batter hoop, not the reso hoop. There is one potential issue - normal mic clips don't like the S-Hoop profile, so be aware of that (I've found one model that seems to work, and I think LP Claws are said to work too). I'm considering putting them on all my toms too but need to solve the mic clip problem - ie $$ - first ;) good luck!
@@brianfoster7486 Gavin Harrison uses S-Hoops for snare and toms, so whatever he's using to mic up would also work.
I'm just now learning to drum... the blue ones sounded hollow, and the brown/yellow ones sounded "full", and complete.
I'm not sure what the blue's were missing but, they were.
The blue Stage Customs had less pronounced MID frequency. Yes the Absolute had more of the frequency spectrum BUT alot of engineers actually dip the mids out most of them. The 300-700hz is usually scooped out in EQ MOST times which the Stage Custom does already! If you want the whole spectrum Absolute is the way to go. I own the Recording Customs and weird enough is a super clean sound with just a small dip in the 400 hz area naturally which is probably why they are so loved so much by producers and engineers they give you that whole spectrum sound without the 400 area thats the like the greatest thing ever lol
A matching snare belonging to each kit, would have been more interesting.
It’s the most important drum in a kit.
I wonder how they would have gone up against a vintage kit…
Very useful video. thx!
90% of backline kits or rentals are Yamaha stage custom or Yamaha recording custom kits. I've played so many over the years. Lately I feel the mapex armory though has a slight edge over the classic stage custom. Still phenomenal drums though. Def a tour grade pro kit no doubt. Yamaha makes great everything
Man I’ve known this for so long but we all want the prestige of a pro kit, we convince ourselves it sounds better and it doesn’t! It just sounds slightly, ever so slightly! Different. What it really says is Yamaha makes great drums!
Yes, the secret is out! You stated it clearly "the point of diminishing returns". I have a Yamaha Maple Absolute and a Stage Custom and they both sound great. Tuning and quality heads!
I can take out the Stage Customs and not worry about them getting dinged or stolen because they are so affordable. A 5000.00 kit just doesn't make sense to me anymore.
In this video the stage customs had more sustain
In my limited experience, you are paying more so for the hardware/lug upgrade than the shell material. And I'm actually fine with that. As inexpensive kits usually skip on lug count and tunablilty/tune hold.
Preferred maple in first vid 😭 still love my stage tho, £600 brand new cranberry red 🤩
Keep in mind too the absolute kit will tune up higher and lower than the stage customs before choking out. Also the snare drums are no contest. Yamaha makes awesome gear. Guitars to and basses. Wish more people played the guitars. The PHX series is almost too fancy. I could not get them to tune. The shell is so thick and low pitched it was like a science experiment.
whenever I see videos like this, they always only talk about the sound. what you're paying for when you buy an expensive kit is build quality as well. longevity, reliability, durability, intonation, ergonomics, fit and finish, etc. These are all factors in the price that youtubers never talk about in comparison videos.
Excellent drummer. This shows it’s the musician, not the instrument.
I actually got it right. But I think both kits sound good. And especially for Toms and Kick you dont have to pay more than like 1500. The quality wont be much better. As long as you put good heads on it and tune it well. Different story for snare and cymbals though. Because with the snare you have to factror in the throw off and the snare bed. And well cymbals you cant tune them ;-)
I am actually thinking right now about downgrading from my 2200 custom shell set (without snare) to like a yamaha stage custom or similiar kit (pdp concept maple, mapex armory, pearl decade etc.)
Also you have to consider that todays mid prize sets were the high end kits just a few years ago. For example the tama starclassic line before they put out the stars.
So if we drill a second air vent hole in each of the Stage Custom Birch toms/floor toms and Kick we might get the very same tone?!!!! as the more up market Absolute Hybrid shells sound. just an idea to prove !!!!.. Video well done Guys.
Both sound so much the same. Thought A was the maple. 😂 but, this is a fantastic debate. I have a poplar kit and it sounds really great. How about an expensive acrylic VS. Wood? I'm glad I got it wrong because you don't need such an expensive kit. Nice.
I need that snare in my life!
I have stage custom bop kit it’s legit good people 💪🏻
The 14" inch floor toms were the only stark difference....thanks for selling me on a stage custom
I actually prefer the stage custom!
Ohhhhhhhhh shit!!!! Very nice video guys, thaks!!!! From argentina!!!
I assumed that the Xiaoshan maple kit ,which has die-cast hoops on , might resonate less than the SCB kit would do.sorry for my poor English expression.
I got it right, Kit B did sound better to my ears but to be honest, the difference wasn't much, Stage Customs are the best Intermediate kit out there
I second that
Is the more expensive kit easier to tune/stay in tune?
It probably would be in this case given the die cast hoops etc 👍
Probably. I’ve owned a Stage Custom and it required tuning frequently.
That's a great and important question.
Yes, stage customs do not stay in tune long unless you upgrade the hoops to 2.3mm or die cast. They sound a lot better with upgraded hoops as well, in my opinion.
@@petheato3291 yes agree mate
I’ve got turner fish lug locks on the 12” Tom with the original 1.6mm hoops & that works really quite well, but will upgrade the 14 floor Tom hoops I think..
Yeah, but how well do they stay in tune and feel when playing? I’ve found cheaper kits don’t sound good in all tuning ranges.
That's a valid concern, Gary. Tuning stability and feel can vary across kits, especially at different price points. We might make a video discussing this to help others. Stay tuned!
I have MCA and SC kits. I couldn't tell the difference, sonically, given good heads and tuning. There is a huge difference in quality of materials, however. The MCA tunes quicker, easier and stays in tune.
Actually, scratch that. I thought the hybrid was the cheaper one. I prefer the stage custom.
I am so happy to be wrong!
Got it YEY 🤣 A lot of distinct well-based comments last week, got really curious for this one! The maple 16" floor tom was the differential in my case as I own one and could feel it on kit B. IMO both kits sound like pro drums, the stage custom is so good that becomes only a matter of personal taste. That was fun, thank you DRUM.DOG
I honestly think what we hear in the minor difference is the Maple V Birch shells and it’s all based on what you prefer / what you can fucking afford 😂
Wow, i was totally wrong. I saw a lot of other people were too, must have been the extra depths of the birch.
I liked the Stage Custom better, didn't see the first video and honestly thought it was the more expensive kit! Lol
Hello. Please help me out here:
I can get the stage custom 5 piece for about the same price of a stage custom bass drum and a tour custom snare (so a 2 piece). What would you do. Is the tour custom snare really that much better?
I'd say get the 5-piece and save up for a snare upgrade later down the line 🥁👌
Thx for the reply!
The other thing is hearing a kit by itself is one thing. Many of the nuances of the better kit will be lost in a band situation where there are so many electronic sounds filling the music frequency spectrum. And we are ignoring the ability of the drummer. A great drummer can make most kits sound good by coaxing the best sounds out of it. Manufacturing processes are now pretty decent on less expensive kits. Often the price difference is on how much labor was involved in the exterior shell finishing processes.
Very insightful comment, @DrummerDanVa. You're spot-on about the nuances and how a kit's true character can sometimes be overshadowed in a full band setup. It definitely underscores the importance of a drummer's ability to bring out the best in any kit.
the maples had more tone, at least in the 12 , and the stage customs have a higher tone at least in the sustain, mainly with the 14, i had it right but i really like the stage custom and the price make them damn near perfect,
Ok, I got it 100% wrong ! I thought the Kit A floor toms were much better. And I was listening to it with good headphones. But this is not new with the Yamaha SC. Watch how it hold's up to the entire Yamaha line up. All the way to the Phoenix. DCP did a great comparison video of the Yammy's. ua-cam.com/video/7gNuqdQqB-U/v-deo.html
Thankfully you don’t need to buy expensive drums when mid level drums are just as good as expensive drums I have a 7 piece Tama superstar classic maple drumset that is awsome it sounds just as good as a high end drum set I don’t think I’m going to upgrade because they sound so great
Well, I guessed it right.
guessed it wrong.oh my.
Good lord. I would never be able to tell the difference with my eyes closed.
Birch vs maple. I dig both for different reasons.
Birch vs. maple is a classic debate, @doublea7054! Each wood definitely brings a unique tonal quality to the table. Which do you find yourself gravitating towards for live vs. studio work?
👍 Definitely.
I personally prefer maple drums for live + studio work.
Yeah, i was wright 🙂🙂
After 37 years expirience, my choice is 7 pcs. Yamaha all birch SC with high end heads, cymbals and hardwere.
I didn't notice a huge difference between them.
Stage custom for me
I could hear that punchy 20” bass drum!
The punch of a 20” bass drum is unmistakable, @nathanowens3! It's all about tuning and how you mic it. Glad that sound caught your ear.
I guessed correctly... all from the sound of the 12" maple rack tom, it was more controlled. Very minute difference, definitely not 2,300 much of a difference
I got it wrong- guess I don't have such a discerning ear- lol.
I like the stage custom better...the bass drum sounds more focused
The drummer makes the drum…not vice versa…
When it comes to instruments, most of what we hear is what we see. Once heard someone claim they can hear 10% more low end from maple kits compared to birch 🙄
Like i said unce , you can't beat Yamaha stage custom with any drumkit made on this planet. Not for that money...and yes, the fact is ,more expensive kit you buy, less difference you hear...drums above 1000$
wanted to buy a stage custom, but now.... I need to save a ton of money