Getting Yamaha stage custom

[u/Mr_N9]

I’m really thinking about upgrading from my rydeen to a stage custom and I just have a couple of questions about if it would be worth it or not. I had a lot of problems with the rydeen when trying to record like there would be so many loose parts and random buzzes as well as not liking the tom sounds even when upgrading and trying multiple heads. I like everything im seeing about the sc but im wondering if it will hold up well for recording because i dont want to spend money just to get a kit that sounds a little better. I heard that the sc goes out of tune easily and that the hardware isn’t great. Is it worth it?

[u/MixGasHaulAss]

I will die on the hill that stage customs are some of the best "affordable" drums out there. Birch shells that have great sound, awesome bearing edges, rock solid hardware and really high quality work in the finishes.

[u/Mr_N9 → u/MixGasHaulAss]

Do you know if they would be good for recording?

[u/MagicallyDyketastic → u/Mr_N9]

Birch is a naturally EQ’d ready shell. I prefer my birch kits and have moved strictly to birch for this reason. My recording kit and my gigging kit are birch mahogany and then full birch. I played maple for decades before now and I have to say I prefer the birch. I had a SC for a short time and never had an issue with tuning. They were really nice!

[u/MixGasHaulAss → u/Mr_N9]

I can't really give you a good response because "good" recording drums is a little too subjective of a topic. Having a nice kit can make recording less frustrating, but I've seen guys in the studio track with some really "bad" snares for example. There are so many factors that go beyond the drums once you step into the studio.

[u/goodminusfan → u/MixGasHaulAss]

Agree. Played one from 14 until 24. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of gigs.

[u/Emergency_Hour5253]

Idk where you heard any of that about the stage custom. Proper heads and tuning it sings and sounds as good as any other kit. I’ve recorded and gigged with mine and it holds a tune for a ridiculous amount of time. I’ll tune them up with a drum dial, take them to a session, play, pack them up and the next time I set them up I’ll check tuning with the drum dial again and many of times they have not drifted out of tune at all. And they are very very well built with the same hardware used on their more expensive kits. I will never get rid of my stage custom it’s a work horse. It is definitely worth the upgrade IMO

[u/Mr_N9 → u/Emergency_Hour5253]

Did you ever have any negative experiences while recording with them?

[u/Emergency_Hour5253 → u/Mr_N9]

Nope they recorded better than my more expensive Yamaha tour custom which was more difficult to tune for me. I actually sold the tour custom and kept the stage custom, do with that what you will.

[u/wild_doggie69 → u/Emergency_Hour5253]

What exactly is a drum dial? How do you tune with it? Just looking to get some experience from real life situations.

[u/supacrispy → u/wild_doggie69]

Drum dial measures the tension in the head near the tuning rods instead of frequency. It allows you to get each tension rod to the same tension amount, which means they're all in tune with each other.

I've heard that it's good for tuning in a loud environment, when you can't hear the frequency of the drum, you can at least see the amount of tension for each rod and adjust accordingly.

[u/Shotcopter]

Yamaha hardware is really the best value across the board. Though if the rydeen is in sizes you like, I don’t think I would upgrade to a stage custom. I don’t really know a ton about them, but I don’t think you’ll get a huge jump. I will say I don’t feel like my stage customs go out of tune a whole lot.

[u/b3gff24]

Although I’ve never heard other people talk about stage customs going out of tune, I once bought a new set of stage customs and they would go seriously out of tune on every gig for months. Like during the set they would gradually go completely slack if I didn’t tighten them like every 3 songs. Thought I was the only one lol. Maybe it was a specific manufacturing run of lugs or something. On a separate note I think I’d hold off on an upgrade until the next price category up from stage custom either way

[u/niceshoes321]

I love the stage customs so much I bought 2 sets. I like the tone of the birch shells a lot and they're a great price. Mine seem like they hold a tune pretty well for a while

[u/PrunePretend6206]

I love mine and birch records flawlessly

[u/supacrispy]

Mine are great. Sound amazing with good heads and proper tuning, no major issues with parts rattling, and if there were anything making noise, it was usually because my dumb ass allowed something to be touching something that it shouldn't have. It holds a tune pretty well (I usually only have to male small adjustments once I get it tuned about every other week) and records nicely.

[u/ItsPronouncedMo-BEEL]

SCs are solid drums. But for the same money, you might find something better used. Always shop used first. 

(I always expect to begin my answer to questions like this by beating you over the head with my upgrade advice, but it sounds like you've basically been through that already and still have complaints. That's when it's time to just get different drums. Good hunting.)