Birch, it was now pointed out, had a slightly more focused and punchy timbre than maple, which was seen as bright, and mahogany which was seen as dark. Drummers, certainly in the UK, had previously not really been aware of what woods were used in manufacture, and the RC was massively influential in bringing about this awareness. The company name was changed to Yamaha Corporation and the decision was made to expand the European market while reducing shipping costs.
The first UK-made Yamahas emerged in , starting with the budget Power V series, and once they had cracked that Premier took to making European versions of the Recording Custom.
However, sales were not as great as hoped and in Yamaha sold Premier back. The Yamaha years were undoubtedly a positive lifeline for Premier who emerged revitalised, a modern company once again. Inevitably markets and fashions change and the Recording Custom lost its number one position in the s.
Yamaha moved on to the Maple Custom, a brighter, more open sound that suited the evolving trends. Resonance enhancement was the axiom and was accompanied by the move to small button lugs.
In the mounting system was altered to accommodate the increasingly popular concept of isolation tom mounting. This trend had started in the mids with the Purecussion rims mounting bracket and gradually every company had to come up with its own resonance-enhancing acronym. The Recording Custom continued to attract customers albeit in ever-smaller numbers who wanted that legendary sound. Interest was kept alive via occasional special releases.
The music world was now undergoing yet another major shift with most instrument companies — both Western and Eastern — moving ever greater chunks of their manufacture to China. In Yamaha established a new factory in Hangzhou, around km south-west of Shanghai in China. While Yamaha continued to innovate with landmark series such as the Maple Absolute in , then trailblazing beech and oak drums in the s, the Recording Custom languished.
In Yamaha established a custom drum factory near its headquarters in Hamamatsu, Japan, to create the ground-breaking hybrid-shell Phoenix PHX series and to further its research and development of acoustic drum kits.
Meantime, Yamaha was slowly working towards the time when high-end drum production would be transplanted from Japan to China. Along with its in-house materials division, this workshop continues to work closely with the new factory, both facilities developing side-by-side. As with Premier, Yamaha left all its air seal machinery with Sakae in Osaka.
And Sakae, as we now know, has gone on to produce highly individual, top quality drums under its own name. This development led to all sorts of rumours flying around a couple of years ago and Yamaha, as a major corporation, had to bite its lip, suck it up and as always let its products do the talking.
But the perception that the move to China was a step down and simply a cost-cutting consideration could not be further from the truth. Yamaha as a company always looks to the future and strives to be innovative. This was what led originally to the huge success of the Recording Custom. First there was an update of the Oak Custom to the Live Custom, delivering a strong and warm sound from its thicker oak shells. We did not know what that might be, but it is the cornerstone of our heritage so we knew we wanted to give it a rebirth and not just move production — if we could prove that there was a market for it.
We were pleasantly surprised that the response when we ended RC production was strong. Put simply, the Recording Custom was too strong a brand to dismiss. But this being Yamaha a simple reissue was not on the cards.
A deeply considered overhaul was inevitable and in fact the new RC, and a completely new collection of seven new metal-shelled snare drums, has been three years in development. But first, in September , a reliable supply of quality North American birch was secured. The Recording Custom was too strong a brand to dismiss. The drum design group, including Nori Ishimatu and Ziggy Okamoto, consulted with Gadd in August on how the drums could be improved.
He had always been happy with the toms, but felt the bass drum needed more depth and roundness he plays a maple bass drum with his own signature kit and he was keen for the metal snare drums to be as simple and adaptable as the stock Ludwig SupraPhonics he famously played for many years. Prototypes were knocked up and by February a second set of sample snare drums in aluminium, brass and stainless steel were prepared for evaluation by Steve while in Tokyo.
Then in August of a second evaluation took place in New York involving third stage samples of six, eight and ply bass drums with a variety of edge profiles and weights of lug. Steve also requested a new lift for the 20" bass drum which allows the pedal beater to strike at the centre giving him close to the same feel as playing a 22" drum.
The reason is because of not wanting to over-enhance the sustain, but to retain the dry and focused sound with quicker decay, the abiding character of the series. Yamaha is, like all companies, reliant on the fickle tastes and fashions of the drum world. MusicRadar The No. That's it. It's close- and most of the pictures are the same including the endorsers in the back.
But the one I remember and have a picture of me holding and drooling over was a top down view of a black recording custom and it had the stage series with the grid design option. Also, the recording custom were cataloged in the front- this one has them following the tour custom series.
And there's no Tour series with the art deco lug. Last edited by a moderator: Oct 22, I'm pretty sure I've got that one. I'll look when I get home tonight. This is the same Cat. It's got Tours 1st then R. It's the only one I have that has the grid looking wrap on the Stage drums. I've still got my PTC 5 Pc. They're great drums. Are you trying to get a Cat. I'd like to have a catalog or at least a copy or pdf. KarlCrafton Platinum Member.
I have the one pictured with the ripped cover. A couple other catalogs too. The shop has a poster of that kit and I tried for years to get them to give it to me. It's still on the wall of one of the lesson rooms. Dang that Black RC is cool. It still makes me smile when I see one. I'm still partial to the mid's system hardware, and the mounting pre-YESS.
I had all that stuff. I went with Ludwig very happily because of the bass drum size I wanted, and the availability of add ons, parts etc My first brand new Ludwig kit was Black lacquer with Mach long lugs. Click to expand Thank you very much. Still, the more I've been thinking about it the more it bugs me. I know there was another catalog- it was THEE catalog for me and I'm guessing everybody has one like this in their memory.
I remember my band director gave it to me. Geez- what memories. I haven't been on a forum since Harry Cangany's forum years ago I was drumguyokc then. I'm getting back to playing a lot since I took an early retirement from band directing to be a stay at home dad and I'm wanting some older yamaha's wish I still had my RC's and I was thinking of this catalog the other day A few more details I remember that are not in the one I posted a link to: The tour drums are missing- the ones with the art deco lug.
And the tour custom had a red stain I don't remember the name. That's not seen on page 34 of the link I provided. Also, the recording custom had the natural birch lacquer as an option so this has to pre-date this one. The mystery continues What are art deco lugs? All of the tour lugs that I'm familiar with are basically the same not including the newer tours. My power tour customs have lugs that are a little slimmer than the regular tour series.
But basically the same design. I bought them in They are black lacquer and really good drums. I see they're also known as tail light lugs. These were on the Tour Series. The tour series was a wrapped option series.
I remember black, wine red, and white. These lugs were also used in the late 70s I believe.
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