Yamaha Drums Celebrates 40th Anniversary With Two Historically-Themed Kits

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of handcrafting the world's finest drum sets, Yamaha Drums has poured its considerable expertise and artistry into two new drum sets. One kit honors the Temple of the Golden Pavilion and the other commemorates the Temple of the Silver Pavilion, both located in Kyoto, Japan.

The new Golden Temple and Silver Temple sets conform to the original specifications of the famous Recording Custom Drum Set, introduced by Yamaha in 1976 and considered to be the most recorded kit in history.

The Golden Temple and Silver Temple sets feature 100 percent Hokkaido birch shells from northern Japan, which produces a deep fundamental and low-end punch that is ideal for recording.

The only differences between the kits include the finishes, Temple Gold and Temple Silver, which are hand-buffed to a lustrous sheen, and the lug casings, chrome on the Golden Temple set and anodized black on the Silver Temple kit. Each drum set features precision-machined Yamaha's hi-tension lugs, which provide noise-free control due to their springless casing design. Manufactured as genuine one-piece units, Yamaha's high-tension lugs have established one of the principal trends in modern drum design.

The bearing edges on both sets are cut at sixty degrees with a round profile, which gives the drum heads more surface contact with the shells, enhances their low fundamental and provides a deep, warm tone with a punchy attack.

"The 7-ply bass drum and the 6-ply toms on these kits emit what can be described as a naturally EQ'd sound that is ideal for the studio," said Jewell. "Like the Recording Custom, they provide a perfect balance of attack, sustain and tonal spectrum."

The Golden Temple Kit comes in two configurations, one with a 22" bass drum and two floor toms (MSRP: $7,999), the other with a 20" bass drum and one floor tom (MSRP: $5,999). The Silver Temple Kit also comes in two configurations, one with a 22" bass drum and two floor toms (MSRP: $7,999), the other with a 24" bass drum and two floor toms ($7,499).