Thank you for this great video!

Great video guys! Much love, Yamaha Drums

Probably one of the best full kit review/comparison videos on the Tubes, man. Nice work! 🙂 And seriously, how good are them Stages?!?👌🏾

2:00 Stage Custom 3:35 Tour Custom 8:29 Live Custom 10:14 Absolute Hybrid 13:16 Recording Custom 14:44 PHX

Seriously, that's the best drum comparison vid I've ever seen. Clearly, it was a ton of work. Thank you so much for doing this with excellence.

Thank you for taking the time to do such in-depth, high-quality demos like this one, dudes! It is a generous and helpful service you guys are providing.

I own the new Stage Custom Birch kit with the 20" kick and for the price there is no better kit on the market! I added a 16" Floor tom and also purchased the 14" x 6" steel snare. The snare that comes with the kit is amazing, unlike most 8 lug snares these are 10 and it makes a world of difference. This video is great and really shows how little of a difference in sound these kits have. When a $650.00 kit sounds close to other kits in this test it really makes you think...

Thanks for putting the effort to make this video. As a 1980s Recording Custom owner, I think the Stage Customs are phenomenal value. What you save on the shells, you can put towards quality cymbals. Today's beginner drummers are so spoiled for choice.

Wow, even the Stage Customs sound fantastic.

Bottom line: Yamaha just makes a phenomenal line of kits! Thanks for putting all the energy into making this high quality video; great recording and nice playing guys!

I have stage custom from the 90s and every other drummer love the sounds it produce. It still holding up all those years.

Fantastic video guys! I bought my first Yamaha Recording Custom drumset in 1989 (and still own it). Yamaha drums set the high water mark for me on professional equipment! There are many phenomenal sounding and performing drums made today... but to me- Yamaha is always the brand I compare things to. And they will always be very dear to me, as I’ve essentially grown up with them! Thanks DCP!!!!!

Holly heck, theyre all fantastic. Ive once played a maple hybrid, it just blew me away. They sounded so pristine like they were already mixed and mastered. Amasing

Shane and Co - thanks for these videos. You are an incredible asset to the drumming community. There is really no substitute for these sort of side-by-side comparos when you are trying judge differences in relatively similar items. As you guys know recording conditions, head selection, room, tuning, and even the technique of the drummer all make such a huge difference in how a set sounds. So when you have an opportunity to take all these variables out and really try to show drums in same vs. same conditions, you get a lot more useful information. I also like the expert commentary from Shane - he's one of the best. I have bought a lot of things from him over the years because I appreciate his insights and accurate commentary. It's very hard to make it as an independent in this business and the reason Shane is successful is that he offers a lot of value add. Regarding Yamaha drums - I have often said the same things about the build quality and consistency of their product - I have a lot of their sets (Phoenix X 2, recording custom, maple custom, oak custom, Washi birch) but also sets by every other major builder (DW, Tama, Pearl, Gretsch, Sonor) and also many more esoteric ones (Craviotto, Noble & Cooley, Dunnett, Ocheltree,, Rocket, trick, etc.) and nobody made a BETTER drum than the Japanese-era Yamahas. I mean "better" in terms of consistency and build quality. Two things I was left wondering about: -what were the mic's used and the post processing? My suggestion here is that you put an overview of what you did into the text description of the video or have a pointer to a video that says "how we record drums " if you do that the same way every time. Note: you did a video where you went through mics and recordings about 2 months ago - point to that? The unbelievably good bass sound you are getting from a 699 kit has to be partly a function of spectacular room sound and microphones. -would love to drill down a bit on your commentary on tuning the Phoenix kit. i have two of these kits: sapphire fade: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/iKl5pql3s9q6YKM.html custom copper: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/epuIl82QsrqWaHU.html on the sapphire kit I have 2 ply emporers and on Jimmy's kit I kept the coated ambassadors. I find them both to be very tunable across a wide range (one of the signs of a truly great drum) while maintaining the tonal character of the Phoenix drum which is truly unique. I really think these drums sound much better with 2 ply heads because they bring out that amazing bottom end on the low toms. Can you just explain more about what you meant there? I respect your opinion, just want to understand it.

all of them sound fantastic, looks amazing, great value....hats off to Yamaha and you guys, thanks very much for this video

You guys know how much I love your channel and your attention to detail in your videos so I revisited this one because I recently played a stage custom kit. I am still blown away by the price and especially the sound and quality of the stage custom kit. Thanks again guys!

I’d like to see this type of video for DW starting with the PDP Concept Birch, Concept Maple, Design, Performance, Jazz, and Collectors.

Fantastic video, you guys have got the best drum comparison videos on KZfaq - for a start you tune the drums at their natural pitches, but also keep absolutely everything the same as possible, and the sound quality is great. Thank you!

I knew Yamaha was had great sounding kits but WOW. I think Yamaha will be my next kit after watching this.

these guys have the best drum sounds period. you can hear the flawless attention to tuning & head selection. the really make those kits sing...and the Sabian HH Legacy (I think) are gorgeous sounding cymbals, truly a match made in drummer's heaven...my recipe for a professional drum recording session.

Thank you for doing the side by side comparison of all the kits at the end. Perfect.

Yamaha just makes killer drums; period. Nice vid and great demo! Live custom Oak and the Maple Hybrids are my favorite.

The best comparison video ive ever seen, period. Guys, you have excelled yourselves, take a bow. I've never understood why manufacturers don't do this themselves rather than relying on retailers, but that's another story. You have totally sold the benefits and sound qualities of each kit in the range in a way that truly translates through to my living room. Personally, I'm loving those recording customs. Takes me back to when I started in the 80's. Seriously considering it following this video (Gadd black of course!)

Thanks so much for all the positive feedback on our videos! The more subscribers we get, the more of these types of videos we'll be able to do! *Please note that the Tour Custom Maple shell is made with North American Maple outer plies, and Chinese Maple inner plies.*

God I love that emerald green burst. Stunning.

Dang that was super informative! Do more of these videos please!

You guys hit the nail on the head with this review! Awesome.

What a great vlog, thank you! I’ve always wondered what these would sound like lined up against each other. I liked all of them, each time you guys played a new kit, I couldn’t decide if it was better or nor. They were all different but good. What great value the stage custom is then!

I've played many brands. I still stand behind my Stage Customs and Tour Customs. Wonderful drums!

Nice guys! Great playing as well. When I joined the Yamaha family about 7 years ago, They loaned me an Oak Custom kit until my actual kit came in. What a pleasure it was. Full rich tone but with that mid-range that helped the drums speak over any situation. Then the Hybrid Maple kit showed up. I'm still finding new tuning ideas with this kit. It's simply stunning. At various points I've borrowed a PHX kit, Stage Custom, toured with a Live Custom twice and was fortunate to be asked to demo the Recording Custom for another music store. Across the board, every kit performed beyond its expectations, particularly the Stage Custom. Now I have a Tour Custom coming as a "B" kit I keep at a satellite location where I gig a lot. You guys have done a great job showing the quality and consistency that makes Yamaha such a valued and trusted brand. Too bad the Live Oak Hybrid wasn't around for this. It's magnificent with maybe the greatest bass drum ever made. All the best! Jimmy ... I hope to visit the store someday! Cheers.

Great video! Yet another reason why you guys are top-notch in music retail! Hope to see more of these!

Thanks for the thorough comparison. The last quick comparison at 17:02 is very valuable for a drummer interested in the current Yamaha drums lines. I have two late 70's Yamaha 8000 Tour series sets that I still use on gigs.

I love my Stage Custom. I bought from you guys in 2011 and it’s been everywhere from a small bar to recordings to the deck of a French helicopter Ship. Solid kit

This is a truly great demo! And for the price point you can't beat the stage customs in any setup, well done and well played you guys.

I can't get over how nice the Stage Custom Birch sounds .... and not overly too far off from the Recording Custom ......

Thanks a lot for this comp. I have been looking at the stage custom for a while and this really helped me make my decision

Those Phoenix kits are just unreal!!! I have a 90's Yamaha Maple Custom with the gold lugs and I'll never give it up. But if I ever was it would be for the Phoenix

Awesome comparison video, would love to see more with other brands. Keep it coming guys!

Just got a 9 piece stage custom. Very impressed with how it performs for hard rock/metal. The sizes are 8/10/12/14 rack toms, 16/18 floor toms, 22/22 bass drums and a 14 snare. Excellent. Simply excellent.

This is by far the most enjoyable video in the world of drums. I've lost track of how many times I watched this video and continue to do so. I bought a new stage custom package for the Canadian price which is almost $1000.00 after taxes. But I know with the exchange rate, in U.S it would add to around the price range which you rightfully indicated. I put coated emperors on the batters of the toms as well as the floor tom. Clear ambassadors on the bottom. Power stroke head on the kick. Coated emperor on the top of snare. Clear snare ambassador for the bottom. Before even micing these drums to my studio rig, the tone out of these babies is out of this world. Punchy, lots of tone, lots of ranges, easy to tune. I've been a Pearl drum user before I switched to Yamaha. Ive had my eyes on the Yamaha kits for a while and watched several video demos. This video is by far the most enjoyable. I got so much information along with beautiful playing demonstrations for each kit. My dream kit is the PHX kit. My goal is to order a PHX shell pack by this summer. Luckily I have a hand full of studio and gig dates that will help me make the investment. I salute to you all. Much respect and admiration.

I find those Sabian HHX Prototypes just amazing !!!

Just an all around great video. From content to production, perfection. I've been a Yamaha fan for years, and they are in a class all by themselves. Thanks so much guys. I'll reach out to you soon for my Absolute Hybrid purchase!

I felt compelled to continue the trend of comments commending the effort and detail put into this video! A stellar production, stoked to hear that there will be a luddy version. Thanks DrumCenterNH!

Excellent video folks! I would love to see videos like this of each manufacturer. A ton of work, but Wow! What a great and informative reference.

Great video. Really cool to see all the lines of drums one after the other like that to really hear the difference. Thanks for making this video. I would love to see this style of comparison for some of the other drum company's lines. I bought a stage custom in fusion sizes to take with me when I went off music school 15 years ago. It was the best kit I could afford at the time, and I used that kit for about 8 years exclusively. Super versatile set, really great choice for a serious student who's expecting to have to play a lot of different styles. I sold the kit off around 5 years ago for just around the same price that I paid for it all those years back. It's the best kit at that price point in my opinion. That recording custom is really something, though. There's a reason it's such a classic.

Great comparison video guys and great playing. Really love the Live Custom and the RC.

You're really outdoing yourselves with these incredible demo's! They are so well thought out and performed. I personally am through with my drum purchasing binge.....for the time being lol! BUT if I were interested in a kit I wouldn't dismiss Yamaha. Not traditionally a brand that comes to mind of when I think of drums and yet everything they manufacturer is of elite craftmanship, weather it's a motorcycle or a piano. I've always liked the Live Custom based on performance and value. They all sound great, really, but based on the mics here, the Recording Custom and PHX are the elite of the brand as they should be considering cost. These videos are an online consumer's dream! You guy's deserve a ton of credit for this, literally! Hopefully, in turn, as karma should have it - you'll sell a bunch. Awesome playing BTW Tom and Shane!

Thanks for posting this video! Really informative! Big fan of Yamaha as well. Nice to see the newer Yamaha drum lines with high quality videos. Thanks again!

Thank you so much for posting these videos. So informative. Very helpful.

Amazing work guys! I loved your approach and you’ve earned a subscriber for it. You really did them all justice by the viewer decide what sounds best to them. It would be absolutely amazing to one day see a vid of you showing a PHX, SQ2, Star, and so on in the same video, just like this, but I do realize that may be a bit more challenging to do. Though please don’t let this take away any merit for the fantastic and very informative presentation you’ve done here. Best Ricky

Birch is such an underrated wood for drumming. The recording custom's bass drum sounded thunderous!!! However overall if I had my choice it would be the hybrid maple. It sounded the most balanced out of all the kits in my opinion. All are great kits.

All these drums are spectacular, but those Tour Custom maples are probably my pick. Always loved maple shells.

Loving my live customs. They've been all over from the orchestra pit to the recording studio to playing live.

Love the video!! I just bought the burgundy Yamaha BCA you had

Brilliant work, gentleman! This helps put everything into perspective.

I've had my Yamaha live custom oak for about 4 years. Killer kit. Absolutely gorgeous. Sounds incredible in the practice room, live settings and in the studio. I've tried countless head combos and believe me it changes completely with different types of heads. The best combo I've found has been Remo ambassador clears on the reso side and Remo coated ambassadors on top (I tried ALL Evans heads couldn't find that sweet spot). Sadly they're discontinue but if you ever get a chance to pick one up do it.

Great video. That ride cymbal sounds pretty special!

Great video, guys!!! Well executed and informative!!!

Fantastic comparisons of some great Yamaha kits, your sound is awesome through headphones!

Great demo of all these kind TX. And those Danish cymbals are awesome..

I DID NOT expect the sound of the SC kit, damn ! For $650.00 ?? That’s a lot of quality sound for entry level price. Much better than entry set from Pearl I once had and Tama too IMO. Thank you so much for the hard work to make this. Excellent video !

Amazing sounding kits, that floor Tom on the stage kit is killer

as weird as it may sound the Toms on the Stage custom were my favorite out of all the rest. I guess that's what makes drumming so great that everyone has their own unique sound they like

GEEZ!!! This is awesome.... this is one of the most professional reviews i have heard in a long time.. great info, love that y'all are using two drummers for demoing. Really shows the flavor that can be pulled out from each drum. I would love to see a little more latin rhythms and four on the floor style beats being played, just to see how they compare in these fields. Overall I LOVED IT. Immediate subscription! Can't wait to see what else y'all have in store.

Excellent video! Well thought out (or you fooled us-LOL) THANK YOU for the basic pattern at the the end with all the kits back to back. That alone was worth the thumbs up on the video. Would have liked to hear just a single overhead mic of the kits - unprocessed. I have a hard time with my floor tom tuning. Real to my ears versus close mic'd. And ALL those floor toms sounded great. I have the Yamaha Rock Tour Kit (Big leaf mahogany. Remember the TV spot with the car driving through the warehouse triggering the drums. Mine kit is one of those 20 used in the spot.)

Just ordered an add-on tom for my Tour Custom Kit through DCP. I urge any drummers looking for excellent service to hit these guys up. My sales rep. James was fantastic. Thanks DCP ! Keep up the great work. Drum on....

I recently just got the stage customs and they are that good!!! Clean punchy sound and hardware is so nice for the price Ive owned yamah oak, beech absolute and older stage customs and these are best of the lot I just dig the sound

Very cool, thanks for taking the time to do this

Great video. Definitely influenced my decision to order the SC. Arrives today! Thanks

This video is absolutely amazing guys. I think it really shows that spending the extra money on each line does change the sound a good bit whether the sound is right for some or not.

Great review!!!! Videos like this one really helps when someone wants to have an idea..Plus, good that there are 6 in one vid. Thanks for this video!

great informative vid. I appreciate the comparison at the end.

Wow! You guys did it right. That was the best comparison I've ever seen. I'm seriously thinking Yamaha. I went for a tour on how Yamaha drums are built. I'm sold. You all will be hearing from me in the next couple weeks. Thanks for all your good help

Great video, and I LOVE the Dubly shirt!

My first proper kit was a stage custom and it was just so good! That live custom is a beast, I’m on the lookout for a new kit so will have a look ❤

Superb as always Shane. I'm due another visit to your great store. I hope you're well Mate.

Yamaha Recording Custom all day loooong!:) Thanks for the awesome video!

I can't get over how good those stage customs sounds. Best kit you can get for the price.

I have a stage custom and I think this is a great choice for everyone !!! :)

I've watched many videos and I must say that the Maple Hybrid Set sounds superb. The Toms are maybe the best sounding Toms on the whole market - I owned a Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute and that kit was killer. The Maple Hybrid sounds even better! I think I have to buy one :D

Awesome video! You guys did a really great job and provided some really good info 👊💯

You guys knocked that comparison way out of the park. Man all those Yamaha kits sounded so great. One of the best sounding kits I've seen. I'm calling you on a Yamaha kit. Unbelievable.

I have a couple stage custom kits in addition to my maple custom absolutes. The stage custom always sounds great and I don’t tear up my valuable absolutes gigging a lot as I do. Love Yamaha sound!

Forget how good the drums sound, or the time it took to make such an in-depth comparison review video with awesome audio, let’s celebrate the awesome “Dubly” t shirt! Turn it up to 11 boys! Best drum channel on KZfaq! Cheers from Australia!

Spectacular audio production too.

Great demo video for all Yamaha drum lovers! Thank you so much.

Excellent,enjoyed your reviews and many thanks for doing them.

Super informative video! Thanks for making!!!

Absolute Hybrid is my pick, I like to have a drum with sustain as I can always tune it to reduce it when necessary. Although, I’ve had 2 of the newer style Stage Customs Over the last 10 years for gigging and there is no better kit for the price. Also, their hardware is by far the best. Easily manipulated and built like a tank. I’ve been tempted to get an AQ2 kit for gigging after playing a bob setup at GC here in Houston. I was stunned by the sound of it. After watching this video I’ll probably just get another Stage Custom lol.

Those 2 wreek of Bonzo and Mitch in their styles. Great to see in 2022✌️

I love Yamaha drums! They all sound great but I own the recording custom kit same as the one you tested! They are awesome live or studio!! They are my pick!!

That PHX is the best sounding kit I've ever heard. I like how you set it up as maybe kinda sketchy and say "let's see how it goes.." Then the best four sounding drums I've ever heard, haha

Man I really enjoyed this and the stage custom sounds amazing!! I maybe giving you guys a call very soon.

I picked up the Tour Custom (20, 14, 12, 10) last year for a secondary "inexpensive" tour kit, so glad I did! Amazing value, great hardware, tunes up so quick. It defiantly sounds like a more expensive kit. To be honest I think the toms sounded best on the Tour Custom, just had a more open sound. Of course they all sounded good! Thank you for making these comparison videos, I'm positive it helps with the buying and selling process. Cheers!

Excellent comparison! Very helpful, thanks!

all these drums sound beautiful

I may be weird, but I like the AHM best! And I was sure it was gonna be PHX. Hmm. Thanks for putting this together guys. You all ROCK!!!!

Thank's a lot, it's a fantastic video! All Yamaha drums are perfect. I began playing the drum with a DP fusion setup (Philippine Mahogany), the price was so cheap and quality so high, hardware reliable, finish superb with wood shell on the bass drum, and sound was so good. I bought a Maple Custom Absolute Nouveau sea blue fade 10 years ago but I kept my DP, and now my son play on it.

Amazing video! :) I had a Stage Custom kit in Red...great sound :)

To me, Yamaha drums has always had that awesome sound. Those Live Customs are beautiful!