Members dean320 Posted January 10, 2009 Members Share Posted January 10, 2009 I asked for some help a month or so ago to decide between Yamaha Oak Custom versus Yamaha Maple Absolute. I went with the Oak Customs and could not be happier. Here are my thoughts, reasons and opinions on this kit. I have standard kick and snare with 10 and 12 mounted toms and 14 and 16 floor toms. 1. Cost - 1/3 less for the configuration I wanted than maple.2. Finish - Although Oak gets fewer finishing steps than Absolute series, the finish is still better than any other drums I have ever owned. Plus, I went with the Musashi Black which lets you see the grain of the wood through the color - they are absolutely beautiful.3. Reputation - Some feel Yamaha are the best, others don't. I will say though that I will never buy any kit other than Yamaha in the future. 4. Overall build quality - these things are flawless. Hardware, finish, wood quality, whatever - these things are awesome.5. Sound - These sound better than any other kit I have ever had (mostly Tama Starclassics - multiple kits). The kick is nothing short of amazing. My dealer helped me get it the way I like it and I could not be happier. The toms are beautiful sounding as well. I like a fat punchy sound and my dealer again helped me to get my sound and I love it. The standard snare is great as well, and although I would say it is an exceptional product, it seems like the least impressive of the whole kit. I cranked it tight and am using it as a secondary snare and it is serving its purpose very well. I am a huge Sevendust fan so I am now using a Pearl Morgan Rose signature snare as my primary. So far so good. Not a huge fan of Pearl (no offense to Pearl lovers, just my opinion) but I had to get the Morgan Rose snare. Have not really put it through any serious work, but will very soon. Overall, I would recommend Yamaha Oak customs to anyone. They have a great tone with the right blend of attack and resonance and can be tuned to most people's preferences. I am 100% satisfied with my purchase and would not hesitate to make the same decision again. Sorry for the length, but when I was doing my research, it was sort of hard to get a good number of people who had first hand experience with the Oak Customs. Bottom line, like many told me when I was doing research is that heads and tuning actually play a larger role in overall sound than many other things like wood, size, etc. What it really comes down to is each of us deciding on the drums that will make us happiest. If anyone out there looking comes across this post, do as much research as you can as it relates to the sound you want, but in the end, you have to live with your purchase decision so combine the findings from your research with you gut instinct and jump in with both feet. Hope this helps someone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mraia1 Posted January 10, 2009 Members Share Posted January 10, 2009 It certainly helps me! Im thinking of getting a Tour Custom, and having not really considered the Oaks, this is making me rethink my position. I know the Tour Customs are $1000 for a 5 piece shell pack, but do you mind telling us what you paid for your configuration? Thanks for a great review, and I hope you enjoy that kit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mikestix78 Posted January 10, 2009 Members Share Posted January 10, 2009 woohoo! Go Oaks! I love mine what heads do you have setup? so far i've tried coated ambassadors and clear emperors. the emps. had that nice punchy, fat tone. The ambs. have a little 'thinner' sound, but they're great for the jazz/fusion stuff i'm playing at the moment. I don't know what heads to try next... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dean320 Posted January 10, 2009 Author Members Share Posted January 10, 2009 I paid $1910 plus tax for 10,12, 14, 16 toms, 14 snare and I think 17 kick (not your typical size, but the best kick I have ever heard). No hardware. According to my dealer, who I fully trust and actually buys the entire Yamaha booth and the NAMM show every year says, the Oaks are made in Japan like the Maple and Birch Absolutes, but the reason they cost less is due to the Oaks getting a few fewer steps in the finishing process. I am not sure on the exact steps, but the Maple and Birch get like 14-15 steps and the Oaks get 9-10 (or something like that). Regardless, these drums have the best finish of any kit I have ever had, and I have owned other pro level kits. I will be happy to answer any other questions. Feel free to post them here or email be directly at dean_lazenby@yahoo.com Like I mentioned before and based on what others have told me, the difference between Maple, Birch and Oak is very minor. You have to have an exceptional ear to hear it and the head choice and tuning will play a MAJOR role in the final sound you get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ermghoti II Posted January 10, 2009 Members Share Posted January 10, 2009 1. That's 17" deep, I believe.2. That finish is gorgeous (based on my snare).3. Totally jealous.4. Oak is loud as a mofo, regardless of tonal differences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sirskatealot066 Posted January 11, 2009 Members Share Posted January 11, 2009 heres my review of the oak customs. effing amazing. especially the snares from my experience. they work very well in a jazz/fusion type setting and they are pretty versatile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dean320 Posted January 11, 2009 Author Members Share Posted January 11, 2009 Regarding the "which heads" question, I have Remo Powerstroke 3's on the toms and powerstroke 4's on my snares. As for the volume, I have not really noticed they are louder than other drums I have had. Maybe they are and I just don't see it, but could it be that they have a stronger low end which makes them seem louder? Maybe it's just my cymbals, Zildjian A Customs, which are pretty loud that might be masking some of the volume of the drums. Plus I am a hard hitter, which is something I am trying to work on, so any drums I hit seem loud. Either way, they are awesome. One of the main reasons I considered and evaluated these drums was that I found no one who had anything negative to say about them. And I agree, they are AWESOME!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ermghoti II Posted January 11, 2009 Members Share Posted January 11, 2009 Did you always use the PS3s? When I put an Emporer on my Supra, the difference in volume was unmistakable. The PS3s essential have a built-in zero ring, so they aren't as loud. I hear more highs in Oak drums, all things being equal, which adds to the overall loudeness. Among the snares I use, a supra, an Acro, a vintage Gretsch maple, and a Musashi, the Yamaha is clearly far louder than the others. I have to hold back a lot on the snare to keep it from dominating the mix. I might not notice as much, if my other drums were oak as well though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 2bsticks Posted January 12, 2009 Members Share Posted January 12, 2009 I have both the Absolutes in birch, maple and beech but I also play the oak customs and love them. I use the clear Emperors, no muffling on the toms, an EMAD single ply on the kick and I use either the Ludwig Supraphonic 402 snare or my Yamaha copper snare. For the money you can't beat the oaks...well I guess you can beat them right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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