What Are Yamaha Recording Custom Series Drums?

The highly acclaimed Yamaha Recording Custom line of drums has been updated to a new level with the help of legendary drumming icon, Steve Gadd, nearly fifty years after their initial release.

Gadd’s name became synonymous with the Recording Custom and its sound over the years, appearing on countless hit records. The Recording Customs quickly became a studio favourite around the world, and they are now known as THE recording drum.

The Shell

The Recording Custom kits have six-ply North American birch shells with a 30-degree bearing edge for crisp response. Birch shells, according to Yamaha, are a good option for recording because they reduce ambient noise and, when placed close together, don’t generally interfere with the resonance of other drums.

Birch has a lower fundamental tone than maple, giving it a different voice. Yamaha increased the weight of the lug to optimise the birch’s attenuating properties. This ensures that the core sound has maximum sustain, resulting in a crisp, articulate tone.

The Features

Redesigned lugs, which have added mass compared to previous designs, are a significant change in the new Recording Customs. According to Yamaha, the new design reduces unwanted resonance and noises, allowing the drum’s best qualities to shine through. The full-length lugs have a decidedly welcomed and modern shape, giving the drums a more appealing classy, high-end appearance.

Sharper thirty-degree bearing edges were preferred on all drums to provide more attack, crisper sound, and wider tuning ranges. The insides of older Recording Customs were painted black. The inner shells are now hand-painted a dark brown colour that resembles the insides of Yamaha pianos.

The Sound

Right out of the box, the bass drum had a deep, punchy sound, and the entire kit was tuned easily. The toms had a nice interval between them, and the sound was everything you’d expect from a Recording Custom: a rich tone with a quick decay that sounded great with no EQ. These drums, like the original Recording Customs, come “pre-EQ’d.”

Have a listen to the man himself, Steve Gadd, explore the sonic possibilities of these drums!

The Recording Custom kit is available in four different colours: solid black, classic walnut, surf green, and real wood. The bass drum hoop is made of natural wood. The hoops are triple-flanged steel, and the lugs run the entire length of the drum, paying homage to the original Recording Custom series.

Come and chat with us about getting a Recording Custom kit today!