Got some basic drums for studio: Need Advice

[filthyrich]

I recently picked up a mid-late 90's Yamaha stage custom drum set. It's got a 22" kick, a 16" floor tom and one rack tom that is 13". I know that this isn't the ideal size for a rack tom, but it was what came with the set. I got it for 5-6 old crappy mics I had laying around...and a few mic cables...so essentially it was free.

So, now I've bought a pacific snare used at GC for 129 (I'm very happy with it), and some nice new heads. I know that people will be expecting 2 toms if they are borrowing my studio drums. So, do I pick up a 12" tom, even though it is close in size and likely in sound? Or, do I pick up a 10" tom so that there is greater seperation?

As far as the tom, do I need to worry about matching the toms (i.e. getting another yamaha stage custom)?

Any advice on cymbal selection (sizes, brands, cymbal sets)?

This is all on the cheap, by the way. I wasn't planning on buying a studio kit right away; but now I'm glad I did. I'm about 225 into it and have nice heads for both top and bottom of all the drums. They already sound good after tightning everything up from the inside and out.

Thanks,
Filthy (poor) rich

[DeathMonkey]

I'm with ya on the basic premise - I traded a guitar for an old Star Classic kit last year =) I got one of the Sabian XS cymbal packs: ride, medium crash and hihats. They're listed as "cast cymbals at sheet cymbal prices". I dig em for the price. I added a cheap China for 20 bucks or so. They record pretty well, IMHO.

I'd add a 10" tom, personally, but I think that tuning is far more important for separation than size. I think you could get away with a 12" and just tune them away from each other.

[Bryan Talbot]

I would get the 10" tom, and if you can't find a Stage Custom one, my only concern about matching would be (and I say this only partly in jest) that it might sound better than the rest of the set.

My son and I have both owned Stage Custom sets. That 12" tom has proven nearly impossible to get a good sound from, at least for me. The 10" can sound pretty good and gives you some higher pitch.

Sabian makes some pretty good cymbals that aren't top-end.

[filthyrich]

So, you have the 12 and the 13 and have gotten decent sound from the 13"?

I guess I'll look for a used 10 and 12" and see what floats to the top..other than poo.

So far, I've been somewhat impressed by the sound..but not blown away. Hey, free makes it sound gooder.

[filthyrich]

Just picked this up. It doesn't match, but if it sounds good I might re wrap the kit. Otherwise; it'll be like my studio; Looks ghetto but might just sound alright.


Yamaha 12 x 10 Tom Stage Custom Honey Amber #109 - (eBay item 200142741781 end time Aug-20-07 14:10:59 PDT)

[Steffmo]

We mix and match kits here all the time. No one cares if it looks ghetto or not.

Certain drums tune to certain pitches well. My personal preference is to tune smaller drums lower...like a 10. 12, and 14 floor.

For heavier stuff we have 16 and 18 floor toms. If the guy in Bonhamesque I might go with 14' power tom rack and the 18 floor...or 16 and 18.

With drums its ALL in the tuning. Its usually more importaant that the heads match, what the make. In my experience there are many more componenets to a good drum sound than the name on the badge.

Of course...better drum sets are often accompanied by better drummers, which is more important than ALL of the above.

[Scott@RealTraps]

Originally Posted by Bryan Talbot

My son and I have both owned Stage Custom sets. That 12" tom has proven nearly impossible to get a good sound from, at least for me. The 10" can sound pretty good and gives you some higher pitch.

That's usually a problem with bearing edges (or it could be out of round). You may have a bad (uneven) bearing edge on that drum. This can (and does) happen on many high end kits as well. There's a nice DW kit at one of my favourite studios here in NYC, and I have NEVER gotten a decent sound out of the 12" tom on that kit. The rest of the kit sounds gorgeous, though.

You can tell if the bearing edges are bad by taking the heads off and setting the drum on a surface you know to be flat (like a glass table top or something), and look to see if there are any gaps.

Nodar Rode, at the Manhattan Drum Shop (Nodar Rode Drums | Manhattan Drum Shop) does great work with bearing edges, and his prices are quite reasonable. He did the bearing edges on old Gretsch kit of mine, and now I can get a good sound out of ALL those drums in any room I'm in. It really makes a huge difference, and it makes it easier to tune the drums quickly as well.

All that said, in my experience (and I've played a LOT of kits over the years, most of the major brands, including everything from the flagship models to the entry level models), Yamaha drums are the ones that are the LEAST likely of all of the brands to have problems with bearing edges or going out of round . . . and that includes the entry level drums. Unless they've been "injured" at some point.

[Scott@RealTraps]

Originally Posted by filthyrich

Just picked this up. It doesn't match, but if it sounds good I might re wrap the kit. Otherwise; it'll be like my studio; Looks ghetto but might just sound alright.


Yamaha 12 x 10 Tom Stage Custom Honey Amber #109 - (eBay item 200142741781 end time Aug-20-07 14:10:59 PDT)

Should be aiight. I've played many a mismatched ghetto kit in my day. If it's the same model, etc. it should be fine. If the drums have good bearing edges and you can get them properly in tune, as long as you have good quality heads on the drums, you should have any problems. Might be different if you were mixing up drums made of different types of wood (e.g., using both maple and birch drums in the same kit), because then you'd get some noticeably different sound qualities from the drums, and the kit won't sound like a "family".

I think you did right to get the 12" tom to go with the 13" and 16". That would be the standard size configuration. Might be cool to pick up 10" tom and a 14" floor tom at some point as well, to give you a really flexible setup for your studio.
(10", 12", 14" tom setup instead of 12", 13" 16").

[steelyfan]

I,m with steffno, It,s all about tuning and getting matching heads. If you're mix matching toms and different pieces, you're already off to a good start, you won't sound like everbody else playing DWs'.Yep... I agree with tuning small toms lower if your playing a 4 piece kit. Use your crappyiest mics and you'll probablly end up with a nice sound. Invest the rest of your budget into a nice ride and crash...forget about any splashes or chinas.. those are for Dave Matthews.