Why aren't Recording Customs popular today?

lol ooops!



The only thing 14' wide on my kit is my butt.


I can see me tonight talking to my wife..... "Honey do these drums make my butt look big?" ........ :) Terry
 
They are the most recorded drums in history because at the highest point in the world of session drummers "70's / 80's" all the top cats like Vinnie, JR, Gadd etc used them...

Mine sit in my studio and are only removed for sessions. Since getting them last fall I have used them on 100% of my studio work and will continue to till my dieing day. They record better than any set I have ever played.
 
If not for it being a Yamaha thread, I could almost swear Sticks was back.

lol,
I left it awhile ago as IMO as the exchange was somehow getting overly political, kind of with US vs Japan undertones. I have to admit I was curious why the thread resurrected, but it is a funny one.
Hey lets all agree - Rogers was good, Yamaha is good, DW is good....
I also never paid any attention to Donkeys balls...and isn't the donkey just an ass anyway?
 
lol,
I left it awhile ago as IMO as the exchange was somehow getting overly political, kind of with US vs Japan undertones. I have to admit I was curious why the thread resurrected, but it is a funny one.
Hey lets all agree - Rogers was good, Yamaha is good, DW is good....
I also never paid any attention to Donkeys balls...and isn't the donkey just an ass anyway?

It's hard to believe that he's owned a Recording Custom for 33 years when he communicates like he's just out of nappies.
 
Carter Beauford plays one of the largest RC kits known to mankind. It's a monster!


You mean this kit?

qhvTI5o.jpg


Which he was still playing when I saw him as recently as 2013. Apparently he is not a slave to fashion.

Yep. That's right. I resurrected this ancient thread yet again. Night of The Living Thread!
 
Actually, CBS killed Rogers off long before Yamaha had the chance to. CBS bought the Rogers company and proceeded to change everything about Rogers drums and this may be in part due to what they were seeing as pressure due to the growing demand of heavier duty stands and hardware which was being met by the likes of Pearl, Tama and Yamaha (Tama claims to have invented the first double-braced boom cymbal stand in their catalogs). The swivomatic era was great for its time but times change and progress does occur in drums as it does with automobiles, kitchen appliances, TVs and almost everything else. Most Rogers fanatics aren’t all that gaga over the memriloc era drums. You also had a magazine on the newsstands called “Modern Drummer” and Jeff Porcarro was playing Pearl as was Peter Criss



CBS thought that they would do with Rogers what they had done by buying Fender. The major slip-up was apparently when the sales rep went in to the Hollywood Professional Drum shop and told Bob Yeager that Bob needed to dedicate at least 60% of his floor space to Rogers products(!) Bob pointed out that Rogers was not on the name of the sign of the store and eventually showed the rep the door. Bob then called Walt Johnston, the Pearl rep and placed a huge order for Pearl product. So, why is this a colossal screw-up?



The Hollywood Professional Drum shop sits behind all of the old studios in Hollywood and across from the musicians’ union (local 47 I believe), on Vine; a prime location. When the drummers would pick up their checks at the union, they would go across the street and get stocked up on sticks and heads and also see what’s new. It seemed almost as if it happened overnight that drummers went from playing Rogers to playing Pearl drums in Hollywood. Way to go, CBS!



The argument that Rogers did themselves in is pretty much a fact and then what was left of them was pushed over the cliff by CBS’ deluded marketing plan. By the time, Yamaha got right to Rogers, the damage was done.



As far as the Yamaha RC series, they are great drums that may have oversaturated the market. The reasoning that they are also dated is a solid idea however I like the long, one piece lugs and the finishes Yamaha offered. Everything Yamaha does is pretty much first rate and high class on the top end of the scale. Curb appeal (or the cool factor) being somewhat dim is also sound. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for these game-changing, classic drums. Another interesting aspect to note is that the people who bought Yamaha drums tend to take great care of them as opposed to many of the older, vintage American made drums which have been carelessly stored without bottom heads for decades. The RC line may be a victim of their own success because they tend to be well cared for and almost never need repairing. Buying a RC drum kit was like buying furniture; they were that good!



Yes, Steve Gadd made RC drums popular as did Peter Erskine, Ricky & Jerry Morotta and Dave Weckl, along with many others . However, the drums Steve used on Aja were Ludwigs with Evan drumheads on them, not Yamaha RCs.



There was also a statement made that Yamaha emphasizes their lower lines right now. This would be because it is more profitable to sell three drum sets for $700 than one drum set for $2000. Not everyone needs a $2000 set of drums to start to learn to play drums, especially these days.



I did like the comment about Tama would have changed the hardware at least 7 times by now. As a former Tama player, I always marveled how often Tama changed everything so rapidly that it reminded me of the variety of car stylings during the 1960s. It is probably Tama’s lack of commitment to the end-user (us drummers) and blatant disregard to me as a customer why I will never buy a new Tama drum kit ever again. It was pretty much a foregone conclusion that I wouldn’t be able to add on to my Granstars at a later date.



Mike

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Actually they still are popular. When Yamaha announced they would be discontinuing the Recording Custom Series the existing RC inventory was quickly drained from the Japanese factory--according to my source--mostly by recording studio owners all over the world. I was fortunate to get a full kit ordered in all the sizes I wanted (with the exception of a 14 X 26" kick drum) before their inventory was depleted in June 2013.

RC drums are still one of the top requested drums for rental because quite simply they tune up easily, stay in tune and mic up well both live and in the studio. So they still are "popular" with people who know what they are and what they can do.

Perhaps the better question would be "why are they not as trendy?". Perhaps it is as simple as many drummers now prefer maple over birch shells.
 
Maybe because there are numerous great drum kits that sell far below the Recording Customs. Most drummers beginners, intermediates, semi-pros and even most pros don't need/want to spend $4,000 on a 6-piece kit. Some do and maybe that's who is still buying them.
 
I dunno, they seem to still be popular around here. There is a lot of competition, that's for sure. I think people tend to hold on to them maybe?
I just got an email from a friend yesterday - a client of his put the call out right across the country , looking for RC's with a 20" bass drum.
I was thinking about it for a while but have decided that I'm not selling mine. Ever.

Neal
 
I play RC's all the time (1988).. live as well as recording. They always sound awesome, I always get compliments on their 'awesomeness'!

They still are as fine a drum as any out there.. the 'popularity' thing? Well.. there are so many high quality drum manufacturers now and so much to choose from.. some prefer smaller low profile kits for ease of transport or price may be an issue or whatever the reason - they are still a 'gold standard' in my book!
 
Its a fashion thing. I said it on the floor tom thread and got shot down for it, but many of the comments on this thread support my theory too. They look 80's in terms of lug design, rims, sizes, finishes etc.

Look at craviotto, Guru, Premier, Sake etc, all those 'straight from the tree' finishes and 'hollowed out log' one pice snares crafted by a wizard in a workshop. Other than that, its the same old keller shells with a burnt walnut orange fade dipped in treacle over a malayan burlesque mahogany finish.

Yammies 9000's sound as high end as any of the current stuff of course, if thats your taste. I didn't like mine. Too bright and sustained for decades with the YESS mounts. Much preferred my Maple Customs (NOT absolutes). But the finish? WOW, I had that green anniversary wood stain, it was gorgeous.
 
This is a great thread, once you get passed all the Rogers stuff. Very Thought invoking.
From what I know about the RC's, they started in the 70's, Birch of course, double roundover edges...until the 80's i think, which gave them that Fat Warm sound the was preferrable at the time(still with many now, including me) along with split lugs. Then they evolved as most drum lines do, with the new full span lugs.
Someone correct me if I am wrong, but didn't the final run of RC's (I have not heard these)sport 60* edges?

In my personal experience, Birch drums are not as loud as maple, which IMO, may be the reason for the popularity(besides cost) of other drum lines, made of alternatives to birch.
Very few of the top drummers that made the line famouse, are still using them. All I can think of is Gadd(uses a Maple Bass drum now), Beauford, and thats it. Pretty sure i missed someone. Some of those old RC guys have just changed to a different Yammie line. It all ultimately comes down to personal preferrence for the most part.
 
All I can think of is Gadd (uses a Maple Bass drum now), Beauford, and thats it. Pretty sure i missed someone.

Yeah. Tommy Aldridge (Whitesnake) made 'em the hottest thing in metal back in the day. As a result of his endorsement, TONS of metal guys started playing 'em. And don't forget that Weckl played them for a LONG time.

I read an interview with Beauford where he talked about his RC's. Said he loved the tone of the deeper shells and likes birch because it "speaks" quickly and then decays, not requiring much (if any) damping.
 
I have a set of 25 year old RC's. I play them practically every day and use them on just about 100% of my recording sessions. They are my prized possession and I'll be buried in those drums!

I would use them on stage if I had a 2nd set, but I don't and I don't want to risk taking them on the road.


The reason Yamaha hasn't done any marketing for them is because A. Everyone knows about them already. and B. with the move to China they are no longer in production. Wait till next year... the new RC's from China should be coming at some point and I'm willing to bet you will see a LOT of marketing for them as well as positive reviews.
 
I have a set of 25 year old RC's. I play them practically every day and use them on just about 100% of my recording sessions. They are my prized possession and I'll be buried in those drums!

I would use them on stage if I had a 2nd set, but I don't and I don't want to risk taking them on the road.


The reason Yamaha hasn't done any marketing for them is because A. Everyone knows about them already. and B. with the move to China they are no longer in production. Wait till next year... the new RC's from China should be coming at some point and I'm willing to bet you will see a LOT of marketing for them as well as positive reviews.
I had the wild Idea of getting some Keller Birch VSS shells, cutting double roundovers on them...May still do it one day. In the middle of doing a couple of 18x22's for my kit now though.
 
So they are not being made at the moment but will be produced again in the future? Down on the Yamaha website as discontinued.

They are still available to buy new on a big music store I checked online.
 
So they are not being made at the moment but will be produced again in the future? Down on the Yamaha website as discontinued.

They are still available to buy new on a big music store I checked online.

no word on whether they will be made again or not. I would'nt count on it. What you are seeing available now, is the result of merchants cleaning out Yamaha's warehouse when the word got out that they were discontinued.
 
no word on whether they will be made again or not. I would'nt count on it. What you are seeing available now, is the result of merchants cleaning out Yamaha's warehouse when the word got out that they were discontinued.

I have it on good authority from a top Yamaha employee that RC's will re-debut at NAMM 2015. Which at this point, is only 7 months away.
 
RC's are back and there is going to be a surprise coming from another longtime Yamaha endorsed monster drummer - The Dahlia Lama of Funk.
 
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