Very strange Yamaha drums...

  • Thread starter Thread starter mjm620
  • Start date Start date
M

mjm620

New member
I just got off the phone with my dad, and he said that after getting back intro the drumming scene, he is going to be rereleasing 2 albums he did with storm, and will be in Modern Drummer with quotes from Carmina Appice, roy burns, tommy aldridge, ect about him, but to have a signature approach to the scene, has a drumset in mind. He said it is a yellow yahaha 11pc drumset. He explained them to look like marching toms(quads) with the sideways cutaway, and the set has a tymphani, but with no pedal(so not actually a tymphani?) but he had no idea what they were called. Anyway, I figured someone would be able to help me out so I can let him know what to look for, and if getting endorsed will help(if they make them still)
 
Oh, and theres a couple octobans, and a normal sized 22in bass drum, but most likely extended
 
The only thing I can think of, back in the late 70's and 80's many drum manufacturers made large kits that were single headed drums (no bottom heads) these were called concert toms. I've seen concert toms from a 6" head all the way up to 20".

Once the whole late 80's electronic drum thing ran it's course and people started to get back to accoustic drums, the concert toms lost appeal as drummers again learned to appreciate the need for a resonant head.

I suspect some company may still make concert toms, although I can't remember seeing any being advertised in a long time.

When you mention the sideways cutaway - there was for a brief time in the 80's a company called North drums that made strange looking drum shells that were not traditional shells - the shells curved out to project into the room. Maybe that's what he is thinking about.
 
I don't remember if Yamaha made the cutaway drums, but Ludwig did - and perhaps still does.

The bottom of the shell was cut away almost like a 45-degree angle, with the short side facing the audience - it was to help reflect the sound away from the drummer.

Ludwig also made what was called the Field Tympani, which did not have a footpedal - the drum was tensioned either directly via T-handled tension rods, or via a handcrank.

Yamaha did make a double-headed kit "square" sized 8" through 15" rack toms, with 16" and 18" floors and a pair of 22" long kicks in Canary Yellow. That was in the Rock Tour custom series in the mid to late 80's.

I remember one band had them and they had the kit fixed up to look like a Taxi cab, including a working headlight mounted in each head of one of the kicks. :p

Talk about obnoxious!



Tim
 
Slingerland actually made a drumset in the 70 that had cut-away toms. I remember them clearly as there was a photo in my sister's yearbook of a guy playing them. They were more than just a 45* cut. They came to a point in the front and back.

Wish I had a picture...
 
I remember in the calssix 80's video for Bow Wow Wow's "I want Candy" the drummer had a sweet (looking) huge orange set where the toms were all extended and curved outward (away from the durmmer) and were open ont he bottom facing toward the audiuence.

Not sure if this is relevant, but that set looked very cool back then.

Daav
 
daav said:
I remember in the calssix 80's video for Bow Wow Wow's "I want Candy" the drummer had a sweet (looking) huge orange set where the toms were all extended and curved outward (away from the durmmer) and were open ont he bottom facing toward the audiuence.

Not sure if this is relevant, but that set looked very cool back then.

Daav
Click to expand...


Yeah, those were like North drums, but they weren't made by North, it was another brand called Staccato.

http://www.staccato-art.co.uk/Drum frame.htm



Tim
 
Last edited:
Hey! Guess what?! I found a pic online! (of the Slingerlands I mentioned before)
 

Attachments

  • slingerland.webp
    slingerland.webp
    29.7 KB · Views: 197
Last edited:
My old drum instructor had a set of North drums. Apparently, someone called him up and asked to buy them because they needed a set in some movie or something. (I don't think it was a big Hollywood movie, but some movie for something or another.)

But those were some cool looking drums.
 
Just figured I'd leave an update...Turns out the drums were custom....and not yamaha custom. They were flat out custom done. They are pretty hard to explain but you will most likely see them yourselfes before long, as they are now his main drums.
 
This is pretty stoopid. I assumed they were designed for projection, but then they put them in a plexi booth.
 
I love the sound of North Drums. I almost bought a 7pc kit 20 years ago or so, but opted against it, because the cases were damn near as much money as the drums. I'd love to have a set now though. Pearl still makes concert toms, and I know HB can make them custom, and Tama makes Tymp-toms (like concert toms but half depth like a timbale).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top