I actually found the memory locks themselves to be a pain. They are fine once set right, but if you have to move them around you almost need a tool set. Once you remove the tension on the memory lock with a drum key, the horseshoe shape of the memory lock stays bent around the slotted tom arm part and it takes at least pliers to move them. I had 2 Premiers on the go and would always grab the wrong corresponding tom tree then move the memory locks around once at the gig.My Yammies hardware on the other hand gave me nothing but joy! I love Premier drums though, and that 2000 flo-beam snare on your kit looks downright dangerous!

As mentioned in few replays,no other producer gives you that much quality in entry level drums like Yamaha.The hardware for example in Stage custom line can be compare to hardware of other producers in much expensive lines,as the overall built quality.And the entry level kit is not made somewhere in some factory where all sets look same with different badge for different producers and

Pearl like tom holders,and hardware which breaks and get rusty in year or so

You're probably not going to get "vintage" sound from Yamaha, but their stuff is superb.

I played on a 1986 Recording Custom for several years. Those things practically tune themselves. And I have to agree with the previous poster who complimented their tom-mounting system. Simple, effective, and sturdy.

I also own a fantastic Oak Custom snare. It was my No. 1 when I was playing the RCs ... it has a lethal rimshot.

I now alternate between four sets of Slingerland, but use Yamaha cymbal stands. They invented the hidden boom and they make the stands in the motorcycle factory, 'nuff said.

Yamaha are the middle of the road of modern drums. Totally Dependable, totally practical, highly durable. The hardware design isn't the prettiest but works. Studio engineers love them.

BE CAREFUL buying new Yamaha's today because they have just split from Sakae, the company that made all the shells(apart from the Taiwanese cheapy stuff). That is huge, I already know a top endorser who has moved over to Sakae that are now making their own Drums. This could spell the end of the Yammie sound as we know it, and spell the beginning of older Yammies being collectable i guess.

Two comments-In the early eighties a music store local to me was selling a Yamaha set-small diameters in a medium maple-ish color.The wood was finished in matte lacquer and was,up to that point,the most perfectly constructed drum set I'd ever seen.It looked more like a piece of Scandinavian furniture than a drum set.Interior/exterior no difference.More recently I picked up an entry level set,luan shells,with tension rods(all of them)in a thread pitch which did not interchange with ANY I'd encountered.All the bottom heads/rims were missing,so I converted the WHOLE SET to 12/24-a time consuming and expesive deal.

Last summer I bought a Rydeen (spelling?) kit because it was really inexpensive. I ended up selling it and made 50.00. But I kinda hated to see it go becuse it was a solid kit with sturdy hardware and it did sound very good. THe only thing I did not like was the floor tom legs had to be adjusted with a drum key, like my Fibes. And Im sure these are entry level drums. So the pro kits must be pretty dang good. Are the drums in question set up? Go play them, sound is the first test. But dont ya hate it when you go to somones house and the drums are eaither scattered around the room or set up all goofy,LOL!

If your going to buy a Yamaha kit , the only one that i would recomend and like is the Beech custom.

In my oppinon most Yamaha drum sound dry (boring) , i have friends and customers that swear by their yamaha's in every line that they sell. No matter what company you buy from each of their lines will have hit's and misses , Sound is subjective buy what sound best to your ears then go for the bling bling if that is what your after!.

If Yamaha is middle of the road what is better/worse, like where do you rank Tama, Pearl, DW, etc.??

I was not referring to better or worse. Just that you can do anything on a good set of Yammies. With the right heads, tuning and Mic'ing you can even make them sound quite vintage. Probably the best "all round" drums ever made. They sit there completely secure right in the middle of the road.

Put it this way, if I lost my collection of drums today I could turn straight around and blind buy a recent set of Maple Absolutes (and a 60's 400) in a heart beat to keep going. Nothing special, but I know what I'm getting, and I can tune them round to any style with ease. No they will never be Gretsch RB on a jazz gig, or a low tuned DW on a Rock gig etc etc, but they'll get me there despite that and I'll still get paid no problem.

I don't know about their drums, but their stands, integrated amps, motorcycles, pianos, soundboards, guitars, jet skis, outboard motors (prolly more items) seem to sell well.

Just messin'. A buddy of mine bought a kit a long time ago, I have no idea of the line, but it didn't sound or feel as nice as my mid-70's Gretsch Walnuts. I've heard their pro-line drums are fantastic. Maybe look at their website and see who they endorse and what the artists use.

Good luck!

B