I need help!: Yamaha CL Drums

[Verdas]

Hi guys, I have truly exhausted the internet, or atleast my ability to search it! I have a kit available to me but I want to make sure I am not buying some beginner drums!

They are called Yamaha CL "Extras", the lady says they are "old skool" but sound good.

I am cursing Yamaha for naming everything like robots out of star wars, because I cannot find any info.

What kind of drums are these/were these?? They look half-decent in the small picture, atleast the lugs...

I am going to check them out either today or tomorrow.

All I have is this crappy pic!
http://images.craigslist.org/01010301160801030620080131ebb6cbb383294d5dda0076d0 .jpg

Any help is hugely appreciated

[ace76543]

play them. if you like them, buy them.

[Verdas]

I am wondering if anyone knows the woods, or if they might have die-cast rims, or any info like that, also the general era they were produced. Trust me I will be playing, but I want to go in a little pre-educated.

[Drum Phil]

Ive done some research and the only thing i can find that looks like those is recording customs.

Or the old 000 series.

Ive actually spent the last 20 minutes flicking through old catalouges.

[LoneStarDrummer]

i can't find anything on them either, nor have i heard of them. the lugs look much like recording customs, but doesn't necessarily imply that they are. if they are however, you've got yourself some top of the line 100% birch shells.

when you go there make sure to check for things like damaged bearing edges. then you'll want to have a tuning key handy so you can tune them in different ways to see how nice they sound. if you know your wood grains well, it may be possible to narrow it down by examining the inner ply of the drum.

[Drum Phil]

Ive been through catalouges from the 60's, 80's and 90's and the only thing that has those lugs is the recording customs.

The spurs are a little different on the bassdrum though, from what i can tell.

Also, CL is the designation for cymbal stands.

[LoneStarDrummer]

yeah exactly. CL is only used to designate stands and tom mounts from what i can tell as well. i have a feeling the lady went up to them and read something off the tom mounts rather than the actual drums.

if you've been through catalogs dating back that far and only RC use those lugs, then chances are they are indeed RCs.

it would be sweet if they were and the thread starter could get a good deal because RC are about as good as Birch drums get.

[Drum Phil]

So far as i can tell, every other series from the 20th century used an arced trianglular lug.

[LoneStarDrummer]

yeah from all the pics i can find, only yamaha's marching drums and RC used those lugs and those sure as hell aren't marching drums.

[Verdas]

Wow, this could be wicked. I am going to her house in about 20 minutes because we both have today off. If I score these drums and they are what you think, I will mail you guys my sisters or something!

[Drum Phil]

Dont let on that you think they're a gem ;)

[LoneStarDrummer]

just make sure you check the badges on the drums themselves. if they are indeed RCs they will have rectangular badges with rounded corners stating Recording Customs.


then act like you don't really like them and act like they aren't RCs and various other stuff in order to get her to offer a low price. don't act so eager to buy and you could get a good deal.

[abandonthetruth]

E-mail yamaha, .. they'll tell you. They're good for things like that. May take a day or two to get back to you though.

[Drum Phil]

First rule of haggling: Never show interest in something you want.

[Bonham#1!]

Second rule of haggling: Haggle.

[LoneStarDrummer]

no second is threaten with a knife/club/machete. third is threaten with a gun.

[billdrum]

There's a school near here that I've done some instructing at that has an old Yamaha kit with full length lugs like that, but it definitely is NOT a Recording Custom. If I had to guess, I'd say it was purchased in the late 80's/early 90's. I never looked closely enough to see what line it was. The kit in your pic looks very similar.

[Verdas]

Well I checked them out, they are called Power Special's, or possibly Power V Specials. Made in England. They were in decent shape. I will post the pics. I just got home and have yet to look them up.....

[OzzyTheDoggy]

Yamaha Power V Specials they do appear to be, early 80's kit made in the UK. Goes for around $400+/- US. If it's in good condition and within the given price range it's prob a decent deal. New heads and some good tuning, given the shells are still good, could prob yield a pretty cool sound. Maybe.

[bobby__johnny]

the major rule of haggling is insisting on what they're selling is junk, and that you can find better

[Verdas]

I have researched these now. They are a bit rare, but really nothing special. I thought the snare was crap, other stuff was alright. I think I will let the lady sell these to someone else because I would have to buy it as well as all of her B8 cymbals along with it, which would just be a headache. I am now stuck between the Gretcsh Catalina Maples and the Sonor 3007 Maple's. I think I will probably get the Sonor's.

[Verdas]

Oh sorry, for anyone who is curious, they are made in England when Yamaha owned Premier, so early 90's. Some kind of poplar and mahogany 6 ply it seems. The people online who own them are nuts about them, but I am not interested in something just because they are hard to find!!

[ludvista29]

It may be an old Tour Custom

[WyrmDL]

There are 3 possibilities (that I know of)

Yamaha Recording Customs
Yamaha 9000 Series
Yamaha Rock Tour Customs

Either they were the older versions of the RC's, which could explain the finish and possibly the bass legs, or even older ones, the 9000's. Yamaha rock tour customs were the only other yamaha sets with power lugs like that.

You can tell it is an RC or 9000 if the badge is rectangular and says some serial number, or if its a rock tour if it has a golden square badge that specifically says rock tour.

Or, they could be some rare model like you said, which then, good luck finding new pieces for them. If they really are poplar/mohagamy, it doesnt sound too pleasing. Its hard enough to find drums for my tour customs as is.

[Sammy_L_D]

the major rule of haggling is insisting on what they're selling is junk, and that you can find better

On the contrary, this is a recipe for disaster in haggling.

Never insult what someone is selling. Showing little interest or desire, or pointing out flaws (ie. condition) is good practice. But the moment you regard someones possession as "junk", with no factual evidence to back that up (let's not forget that many sellers know just as much, if not more than you), you've pigeonholed yourself as nothing but a pathetic cheapskate liar, and have lost all credibility for further negotiation on a price.

Haggling is a bit of a psychological process, and the moment you slip up, the seller knows they've won.

[TravisBarkerrules]

The people at my local drum shop said they just couldnt get a good sound out of the Gretsches.

[crazyguy832]

^^^
Not the first time I've heard that... but, at the same time, I've also heard many wonderful things about the Gretsch's.

My vote's for the Sonor, though, simply because I've tried em out and they're good kits.

[Verdas]

I think it will be the Sonor's. That is what my gut tells me.