1987 Yamaha Tour Custom

cschaub

Junior Member
So, I'm intersted in some used Tour Customs. They are natural wood, 12,14, 22x14 with a 14.5.5 metal snare. I think they're traditional sizes. I need to clean them up, clean the chrome and wood -- they've been played. Any suggestions on what to clean them with. I was thinking emporers on top with clear ambassadors on bottom for the toms. Curious if people like these drums in these sizes. Want to use for general all around kit. They say made in Japan and the model numbers start with 8 and end with GC. Is this a good all around kit? The floor tom, the 14, is one of those hanging kind I guess, no legs.

Here's a pic of the drums;

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/uQfDjqkYveRUBcS981-EOsQgHAWTwFN6w3c7UwL3Vco=w286-h509-no

Also, saw this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yamaha-8000.../171422059977?pt=US_Drums&hash=item27e98d0dc9

on eBay which would give me 10, 12 14 , 22 which might be nice though I'm not sure about the size -- is a power size?

They're asking about $550 for the drums and snare. With original Yamaha hard cases. Thanks for any help or comments!
 
The older Yamaha Tours were good drums. And this is a good find if they are in nice shape. The natural finish is still desired. However, they don't sell for much money. I would try to get the price down a bit. $450 would be a great price, but full price would be ok if they won't come down (again, if in nice shape).

The other tom is not a 10". Its a 13" diameter, 10" depth, so it doesn't really go with your kit, unless you want 12, 13, 14 toms. It actually looks to me like its a 11" depth and I don't think they made a 13x10 back then, so I wouldn't be surprised if it were 13x11, which was a typical power tom size. The 12" power toms were usually 10" depth. The 14" tom of the kit is either a 14x10 or 14x12. Both of those sizes were available back then. A 14x10 was standard depth and 14x12 was power size.

Yamaha standard rack toms back then were 8x8, 8x10, 8x12, 9x13, 10x14, 12x15. The 12" tom of the kit is an 8x12

Yamaha power sizes were 8x8, 10x10, 10x12, 11x13, 12x14, 13x15, 14x16. The 14" tom of the kit looks like it could be a 12" depth, but I can't say for sure. If its 12" deep you would have a standard 12 and a power 14. If its 10 depth, both toms would be standard size.
 
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Those drums are very Andy Newmark in 1982! I recall his cover feature in an 80s-era Modern Drummer magazine and he was using those Tour Customs (but with a 24" bass drum) and probably alternated between those are some Recording Customs. A classic, solid look.
 
Those drums are very Andy Newmark in 1982! I recall his cover feature in an 80s-era Modern Drummer magazine and he was using those Tour Customs (but with a 24" bass drum) and probably alternated between those are some Recording Customs. A classic, solid look.

I remember that MD issue. Andy used a classic 4 piece rig. Danny Gottlieb played a mixed kit of natural Tours and Recording drums, in the 80's with Pat Metheny. A fun fact: the satin natural Tours and Recording drums didn't have the 'Custom' designation. They were called Tour Standard and Recording Standard. Yamaha also had a natural finish that had clear lacquer over it, They were Recording Custom, as they had the lacquer finish. Dave Weckl's first Yamaha kit was all Recording drums, but he had a mix of lacquer and satin finish. That's what he used when he did the Simon and Garfunkel tour, which was his first big gig.

As an aside, do you know the story of Andy Newmark auditioning for Sly Stone? It may have been in the MD article. It goes like this:

Sly was looking for a drummer for his come back album 'Fresh.' Andy was asked to audition at Sly's house/mansion. When Andy got there, he was escorted to Sly's bedroom. There was a drum kit set up in the room and Sly was passed out on the bed. The escort turned to Andy and just said 'play.' Andy started the funk, Sly came to, jumped up and started dancing on the bed. The guy said to Andy,' ok, you got the gig.' Amazing...
 
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Sly was looking for a drummer for his come back album 'Fresh.' Andy was asked to audition at Sly's house/mansion. When Andy got there, he was escorted to Sly's bedroom. There was a drum kit set up in the room and Sly was passed out on the bed. The escort turned to Andy and just said 'play.' Andy started the funk, Sly came to, jumped up and started dancing on the bed. The guy said to Andy,' ok, you got the gig.' Amazing...

Heady days indeed ;)
 
Those are real good drums if they're in good shape. I still have some from 88" but they're power sizes. I used coated ambassadors over clear ambassadors the most on those drums. They came with pinstripes new. I used those some too.
 
Thank you for everyone who replied. I think I'm going to try and get them since they seem like good solid gigging drums. If anybody has as 16" floor tom they want to sell to match this set please contact me. Thanks!
 
What should I used to clean the chrome and shells? Anything to treat the wood since it's so old?
 
Ahhhh, nice. I too used to have a set of Tour Customs. In Cobalt Blue. Loved the drums, didn't care for the colour much.
Anyway, to clean them - good 'ol Dunlop GT66. Spray bottle….cleaner and a thin wax in one.
I use it on everything, chrome, wood and plastic. It's for guitars , and they make another kind for drums (GT?? can't remember the number) , but it;s all the same stuff.
Magic juice!
This stuff is not for heavy cleaning though - not for removing heavy dirt/grime or cleaning up pitted chrome, etc.

Neal
 
Correct me if i'm wrong, but aren't those the original Recording Custom (100% birch)? i would have to run the serial number but back in the day (weckl, newmark), that is what the RCs looked like in Real Wood finish. it wasn't later that the Tours came out in Mahog / Birch mix. and the Tour lugs were more elongated.
 
Correct me if i'm wrong, but aren't those the original Recording Custom (100% birch)? i would have to run the serial number but back in the day (weckl, newmark), that is what the RCs looked like in Real Wood finish. it wasn't later that the Tours came out in Mahog / Birch mix. and the Tour lugs were more elongated.

They're not RC's but real close IMO. These drums are birch inside and outside with Philippine mahogany for the middle plys. I think Yamaha only had 3 lines back then. RC, Tour, and Stage
 
They're not RC's but real close IMO. These drums are birch inside and outside with Philippine mahogany for the middle plys. I think Yamaha only had 3 lines back then. RC, Tour, and Stage

yup -- look like 1983 from the catalog here [ http://www.vintagedrumguide.com/yamaha_catalogs_drum_sets_1983.htm ]. the real wood 4-piece seems to agree w/ this & matches the serial number on the ebay ad for the tom: "MODEL TT-8130P, SER. NO JZ". I guess the "JZ" serial number is saying Dec of 1983 based on this page: http://faq.yamaha.com/us/en/article/musical-instruments/drums/ac-drumsets/806/4177

1983_yamaha_catalog_7.jpg
 
So I got the drums! Thanks to everybody who gave me advice. I've started cleaning them up -- Yamaha shells are the best. I've attached a pic, got a snare too!
 

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They look good. You'll have to post some more pics when they are all set up. Congrats!
 
The only part that needs a lot of work are the bass drum hoops. The finish is pretty beat up. The wood is solid, not splintering. Just lots of discoloration spots. Any ideas on how I could approach those? Maybe some wipe on stain from home depot? Also, should I treat the shells interior with any oil to help keep them not crack?
 
The only part that needs a lot of work are the bass drum hoops. The finish is pretty beat up. The wood is solid, not splintering. Just lots of discoloration spots. Any ideas on how I could approach those? Maybe some wipe on stain from home depot? Also, should I treat the shells interior with any oil to help keep them not crack?

I don't know if I would try to stain over the existing stain. Maybe try some Tung Oil. Keep in mind, if you do something to the hoops, they will probably become darker than the drum shell. You could use Tung Oil on the interiors if you want, but there is no need. The interiors of these drums won't crack. Oiling the interiors may change the sound a hair.
 
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