Best heads for new yamaha stage custom?

filterbiz

Junior Member
Hi guys my tour customs didnt work out so guitar center made it right and sold me the stage customs for 500.00 OTD!
so what heads is everyone using. Its got stock yamaha heads and i thinkg they sound decent but I know they could be better.
Thanks for the help!

chris
 

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I have remo vintage emperors on top, and clear ambassadors on the reso side. I did however just put clear ambassodors on the batter side of my recording customs and they sound fantastic. Different drums I know, but both birch. Got a super kick 2 on both, not super crazy about it though.
 
I have a 12,16, 24 Stage Custom birch. Great kit, killer value for the money. I have Evans clear G2's on the batters and they sound pretty good. When I have the cash to throw at it I want to put G2 coated batters over coated G1 resos. On the kick I have a Remo coated Powerstroke 3 batter and an unported Aquarian Vintage on the reso side. That bass drums sounds nice and boomy with intact heads.
 
i only have the newer stage custom snare (all birch). at first i didn't like it that much because I thought it was too ringy and bright. But then I made some changes to it and now it's my favorite snare drum: swapped top rim out with a heavier 2.3 mm triple flanged hoop instead. this tamed the excess ring, but left out just enough overtones without drying up the sound too much. Then I changed the heads from coated emperors over clear ambassadors to evans g2 over evans hazy 300 w/ tuning at 87 over 80 on the drum dial. The end result was an open, articulate snare drum that has attack and enough warmth. Give it a shot and let me know what you think!!
 
I have a SCB in 10, 12, 14, 20.

I like G2 clear / G1 on the rack toms, EC2 SST clear / G1 on the FT and EMAD clear / EMAD reso on the kick. I like coated G plus batters on this kit too.
 
Aquarian, studio x on toms classic clear resos, coated studio x on snare or focus x if you want a dry snare and a superkick with a ported regulator front.
 
I find Remo Pinstripes to be excellent on the toms, and a coated Emperor on the snare. Nice fat sounds, not too much ring, but not boxy either. I'm still rocking the stock Yamaha heads on the bass drum though.
 
Just picked up my SC's yesterday. There was a 14" plastic cutout ring about an inch wide that was on the top of the snare. I put that on the floor tom instead and really like the results.

I've got a Yamaha DTX multi 12 set of pads that I've been using with sticks, and playing the SC's with brushes.

I did some DIY A to E converted acoustic cymbals for the M12, and had some leftover rubber silencing material. I cut some out and have it placed on the toms and placed a small section on the kick batter head too. Sounds pretty good for now with both sticks and brushes, even though I've got some spare heads I'll probably use eventually.

A question for you SC owners. I haven't taken the bass apart yet, but looking at it from the batter side, there appears to be some type of muffling ring installed. I'll probably get around to taking a peek inside shortly, but did you guys have that ring too?

Also, I'm getting a bit of bounce back from the kick pedal and I'm thinking it might be from the non-ported head. Have you guys experienced this? And if so, did installing a ported resonant resolve it?
 
Just picked up my SC's yesterday. There was a 14" plastic cutout ring about an inch wide that was on the top of the snare. I put that on the floor tom instead and really like the results.

I've got a Yamaha DTX multi 12 set of pads that I've been using with sticks, and playing the SC's with brushes.

I did some DIY A to E converted acoustic cymbals for the M12, and had some leftover rubber silencing material. I cut some out and have it placed on the toms and placed a small section on the kick batter head too. Sounds pretty good for now with both sticks and brushes, even though I've got some spare heads I'll probably use eventually.

A question for you SC owners. I haven't taken the bass apart yet, but looking at it from the batter side, there appears to be some type of muffling ring installed. I'll probably get around to taking a peek inside shortly, but did you guys have that ring too?

Also, I'm getting a bit of bounce back from the kick pedal and I'm thinking it might be from the non-ported head. Have you guys experienced this? And if so, did installing a ported resonant resolve it?
Color, pics? Congrats. I have a SCB with a 20" kick. I didn't like the bounceback until I ported the reso. The only muffling on the kick was the control ring on the PS3 type batter head.
 
Color, pics? Congrats. I have a SCB with a 20" kick. I didn't like the bounceback until I ported the reso. The only muffling on the kick was the control ring on the PS3 type batter head.


OK - thanks. They're the natural wood color. Nice basic stock set. Nothing special to see that can't be seen in the stock photos (except for my old Zildjians). I like 'em though.
 
OK - thanks. They're the natural wood color. Nice basic stock set. Nothing special to see that can't be seen in the stock photos (except for my old Zildjians). I like 'em though.

I got the same kit a few weeks ago. I love them and think the natural wood finish is beautiful.

The snare was decent and I would still be using it if my Acrolite didn't sound so good.

As far as heads, I'm still using the stock heads on the toms which sound surprisingly good. I've changed the batter bass head for a PS3 which sounds great, of course. I've currently got some coated G1s on order for the toms.
 
....The snare was decent and I would still be using it if my Acrolite didn't sound so good.

..


The snare is extra ringy, but I think it can be tamed with a little work. I also have a couple snares I could use instead, but I want to get the one that came with the kit to where I want it, to keep the 'complete set' color scheme look.

Different heads all the way around would go a long way towards getting rid of the little irritations, I think.

Manufacturers probably put on 'good enough' heads in this price range, for entry level people, and figure that for more experienced players, everyone's going to have different preferences if they swap them out.

The shells, hardware and finish though are really nice for the price. And that's what's going to matter in the long run.
 
For filterbiz: OK - being only 2 days into these, I'm still just getting to know them. But I just tried some Evans G2 coated heads on the toms.

Initial impressions with the stock heads are that the drums are extra bright, nervous, edgy, difficult to tune low, and they ring for approximately three years - ha ha.
The G2's cut the ring time by about 2/3, mellowed them out, and got rid of some annoying overtones.

Tuned a little high and given a sharp hit, the 10" tom now almost gives off a 'crack' like a low tuned snare - very nice. Tuned lower, they're now sounding much more like I was expecting them to, and much more what I'm used to.

These kind of heads aren't what everyone would choose though. They're a little thick, and I like them coated for when I'm using brushes.

I'd say if you have one drum in particular that you'd like to change the character of, get one head to try before getting a whole set of them.
 
I have had a YSC in fusion sizes/natural wood finish for about 6 months now. Very happy, except with the snare; I can't get rid of the excess ringiness, even with a Remo Emperor-X as batter, no matter how I tune it. Should perhaps try changing to a 2.3mm hoop..

I changed the stock heads with coated Evans EC2s but that was a mistake. Live and learn. And waste money..

Dutch
 
I have had a YSC in fusion sizes/natural wood finish for about 6 months now. Very happy, except with the snare; I can't get rid of the excess ringiness, even with a Remo Emperor-X as batter, no matter how I tune it. Should perhaps try changing to a 2.3mm hoop..

I changed the stock heads with coated Evans EC2s but that was a mistake. Live and learn. And waste money..

Dutch
The SCB have 2.3 mm hoops stock.
 
The rims are 1.6, but in the US, they don't state it in the specs. Pretty sure you have to download the catalog for that spec:

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musi...e_custom_birch/?mode=model#tab=product_lineup

And Dutch - what was your experience with the EC2's?

After years on an electronic kit I've only recently returned to the acoustic one, so I'm still experimenting with heads (which is a costly hobby here in Oz!). Based on the specs I thought the EC2's would produce the sound I was after, but they're too dry and plastic-y... Which may have been what I thought I was after, but I now think a regular 2-ply such as the G2 or Remo Emperor would be better.
 
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