First Kit

Really nice looking kit. I love the look of the dark wood. But it's not too dark. Really gorgeous. And I'm sure they sound as good as they look. Congrats on your purchase. It sure looks like you did well. I hope you get years and years of enjoyment playing those babies.
 
I've spent a fair amount of time with a Stage Custom of the same vintage, and they're great drums. Easy to tune with a bright, clear tone and (like all Yamahas) bulletproof hardware.
 
+1 to the “good buy” assessments from Gretsched and Harry. Nice find.

After the original “Stage” series, these are what are considered 1st generation “Stage Custom” series made between 1995 - 2001. 6000 series with single hi-tension lugs and 7-mm/8-ply shells:

— 1-ply outer Birch,
— 6-ply middle Luan/Meranti (aka Philippine Mahogany),
— 1-ply inner Falkata.

I can’t make out model numbers from the badges in the photo, but the finish appears to be what Yamaha called “Chestnut Stain”. Years ago I rescued a matching snare from a dumpster in the same finish.

If you look at the badges on each drum, there will be stamps of characters imprinted on the lower left and lower right of each. The group of characters on the LEFT are the MODEL number and the ones on the RIGHT are the SERIAL number.

For each MODEL number, put a hyphen (-) between the leading letters and trailing numbers and enter them into Yamaha’s Drum Vault to determine their sizes and other details:


Presuming one of the rack toms is a 12-in diameter, it’s model number should be STT-612 which would have a size of 12” x 10”.

For each SERIAL number, the 3-letter prefix before each set of numbers is a date code that identifies the year and month each drum was manufactured. Yamaha’s FAQ article on date codes is currently missing so use the process I identified in the following post to determine the build dates:

Crikey! I appear to have found the correct forum for expert opinion and no mistake! Thankyou! ???
 
Really nice looking kit. I love the look of the dark wood. But it's not too dark. Really gorgeous. And I'm sure they sound as good as they look. Congrats on your purchase. It sure looks like you did well. I hope you get years and years of enjoyment playing those babies.
Hey, cool of you to say so Mtn Man! I must stop looking at em and drooling and start playing them asap. Gotta get those cymbals and hats sorted pdq!
 
I've spent a fair amount of time with a Stage Custom of the same vintage, and they're great drums. Easy to tune with a bright, clear tone and (like all Yamahas) bulletproof hardware.
Great news. Looks I was kinda lucky to find a love interest just in time to brighten up the approaching nuclear winter! ??
Thanks Winston!
 
Nice colour! What's it called?

And what are the tom sizes?

Nice colour! What's it called?

And what are the tom sizes?
Hi,
Been measuring my new kit.
Little vague on the correct way to measure drums, but guessed that the head 'drum edge to drum edge' (rather than rim edge) and 'head to head' are the significant dimensions?
That makes the toms 10.5 x 9, 12 x 10.25 and 14 x 12.
On the small side? How would you describe that setup? I know nothing about the way tom sizes work to be honest.
I sought out a smaller bass drum deliberately as I'm into cool funky grooves and 'feel' rather than scaring passers-by myself, and I guess the toms are scaled to suit?
 
Hi,
Been measuring my new kit.
Little vague on the correct way to measure drums, but guessed that the head 'drum edge to drum edge' (rather than rim edge) and 'head to head' are the significant dimensions?
That makes the toms 10.5 x 9, 12 x 10.25 and 14 x 12.
On the small side? How would you describe that setup? I know nothing about the way tom sizes work to be honest.
I sought out a smaller bass drum deliberately as I'm into cool funky grooves and 'feel' rather than scaring passers-by myself, and I guess the toms are scaled to suit?

Rack toms were a little deeper back in the day so the 20" kick drum will give you some room to maneuver as far as those toms go. Great decision to go with that size.

They're great kits overall, those Stage Customs. You've done really well to snag one for yourself.
 
10, 12, 14 is very common .... especially with a 20" bass drum. Measuring the shell, is really what you're after, yes. But you can measure the the drum with the rims on it ..... you just have to know how to eyeball/guessimate it. I don't have a Yamaha catalog for your year kit to reference, but your 14x12 was probably the only hanging tom size Yamaha offered for the SC. So it could be used as a rack tom or a "hanging" floor tom.

I think the current Yamaha SC rack tom sizes are 10x7, 12x8, and 14x11. And the floor tom (with legs) is 14x13.

Over the decades, drum sizes have changed. Traditional sizes are (racks) 12x8, 13x9, 14x10, 15x12, (floors) 14x14, 16x16, 18x16.

Mid to late 70's, concert toms (single head) really started to get popular. 80's came, and the power tom (deeper shell size) became popular.

Then .... "fast" toms entered the picture. Depths shorter than traditional sizes.
 

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Hi,
Been measuring my new kit.
Little vague on the correct way to measure drums, but guessed that the head 'drum edge to drum edge' (rather than rim edge) and 'head to head' are the significant dimensions?
That makes the toms 10.5 x 9, 12 x 10.25 and 14 x 12.
Don’t forget that entering the model numbers in Yamaha’s Drum Vault (noted above) will give you their respective sizes...

But if you’d like to know how to measure them...

For the DIAMETER, measure across the drumhead to “just inside” the “hoop” on each side. They should all measure to “integer” inch values to match modern drum head sizes.

For the DEPTH, it can be difficult to measure with the heads & hoops mounted as ideally you want to measure the depth of the actual shell. However, given average head tensions, measuring across the shell to the “center” of the “outer face” *** on each of the top and bottom hoops should typically get you close. And again, at least for these drums, all should measure to integer inch values.

Based on what you’ve measured and the photo, think you most likely have:

STT-610: 10” x 9” tom
STT-612: 12” x 10” tom
STT-614: 14” x 12” tom
SBD-620: 20” x 16” bass drum

*** By the term “outer face” here, I’m referring to the flat portion of the hoops that extend “outside” the drumhead surface. For flanged metal hoops on toms and snares, it’s the portion that most closely matches the profile of the wood hoops on bass drums.
 
Rack toms were a little deeper back in the day so the 20" kick drum will give you some room to maneuver as far as those toms go. Great decision to go with that size.

They're great kits overall, those Stage Customs. You've done really well to snag one for yourself.
Yee Haa! I'll drink to that. Thankyou. :D (y)
 
Don’t forget that entering the model numbers in Yamaha’s Drum Vault (noted above) will give you their respective sizes...

But if you’d like to know how to measure them...

For the DIAMETER, measure across the drumhead to “just inside” the “hoop” on each side. They should all measure to “integer” inch values to match modern drum head sizes.

For the DEPTH, it can be difficult to measure with the heads & hoops mounted as ideally you want to measure the depth of the actual shell. However, given average head tensions, measuring across the shell to the “center” of the “outer face” *** on each of the top and bottom hoops should typically get you close. And again, at least for these drums, all should measure to integer inch values.

Based on what you’ve measured and the photo, think you most likely have:

STT-610: 10” x 9” tom
STT-612: 12” x 10” tom
STT-614: 14” x 12” tom
SBD-620: 20” x 16” bass drum

*** By the term “outer face” here, I’m referring to the flat portion of the hoops that extend “outside” the drumhead surface. For flanged metal hoops on toms and snares, it’s the portion that most closely matches the profile of the wood hoops on bass drums.
Sterling stuff, thankyou Tom!
I only just photographed the serial number today (I don't store the drums at home) so I'll look them on Drum Vault shortly. ;)
 
10, 12, 14 is very common .... especially with a 20" bass drum. Measuring the shell, is really what you're after, yes. But you can measure the the drum with the rims on it ..... you just have to know how to eyeball/guessimate it. I don't have a Yamaha catalog for your year kit to reference, but your 14x12 was probably the only hanging tom size Yamaha offered for the SC. So it could be used as a rack tom or a "hanging" floor tom.

I think the current Yamaha SC rack tom sizes are 10x7, 12x8, and 14x11. And the floor tom (with legs) is 14x13.

Over the decades, drum sizes have changed. Traditional sizes are (racks) 12x8, 13x9, 14x10, 15x12, (floors) 14x14, 16x16, 18x16.

Mid to late 70's, concert toms (single head) really started to get popular. 80's came, and the power tom (deeper shell size) became popular.

Then .... "fast" toms entered the picture. Depths shorter than traditional sizes.
 
Feel rather lucky to have found this so close to home, Cornwall is a long drive from anywhere!
Had my heart set on an 18" Pearl, but this 20" Stage Custom stopped me in my tracks - the way the matt wood sets off all that lovely metalwork but with a vintage feel that I hope will suit the country-rock n roll band I'm practising with for our first gig (If anyone ever gets to gig anywhere ever again, that is.)
Swapped the shouty YAMAHA front head for a plain coated Remo for the same reason.
Need a suitable crash and hats that don't wash like dustbin lids tho.
What's it sound like?
No idea! Just got bags to transport it to rehearsal (the only place I can play an acoustic kit) and our singer's gone into Corona V isolation. Lordy. View attachment 90904
Beauty, and love the finish!
 
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