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Hybrid Oak Shells with Traditionally Rooted Finishes





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Yamaha has taken oak to new levels of beauty, response, and projection with the Live Custom Hybrid Oak shell pack. Each 7-ply handcrafted shell in this series features an inner phenolic resin ply, chosen by drummers in blind trials, for a purer fundamental and enhanced dynamics across the kit. The Live Custom Hybrid Oak's outer oak plies have been treated to a Japanese uzukuri-inspired finishing technique for added luxury and elegance. Beyond its shells, the Live Custom Hybrid Oak features the very best of Yamaha's flagship hardware, including inner bass drum weights for heightened low-end response, single-post Absolute lugs for maximized shell integrity, and Yamaha's latest YESS III suspension system for a sweet, toneful tom sustain. Shells come equipped with dark silver 2.3mm triple-flanged DynaHoops and a choice selection of Remo batter and reso heads.





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Synthetic-core oak shells





Yamaha has helped pioneer oak as a shell wood with its Oak Custom and Live Custom kits. It's little wonder why ? both as a core wood and finish ply, oak exhibits qualities not found in any other species. Oak's massive output and crisp, dry sensitivity are more than matched by its exquisite figuring, with grain so deep it can be felt with the fingers. Now, Yamaha has improved on traditional oak shell recipes with the Live Custom Hybrid Oak series. Phenolic hyper-core sheets sandwiched between multiple plies of choice oak give these shells enhanced resonance and dynamics along with a purer fundamental for better performance translation.





Phenolic resin cores give the Live Custom Hybrid Oak clean fundamentals and enhanced dynamic response.


Uzukuri-inspired finishing techniques





The Live Custom Hybrid Oak's finish plies draw inspiration from traditional Japanese uzukuri finishing techniques, whereby the shell's exteriors are coated in black paint then sanded down so that only the inner grain remains darkened. The result is an enhanced grain pattern that really brings out the characteristics of the wood. This technique, paired with Yamaha's premium color and finish options, gives the Live Custom Hybrid Oak shell packs at Sweetwater a look that demands to be experienced in person.





Flagship Yamaha hardware





In addition to its groundbreaking shell architecture and finish options, the Live Custom Hybrid Oak celebrates the latest in Yamaha's tone-enhancing hardware advancements. These include:





Bass Enhancement Weights increase mass at the lug points, resulting in deeper, punchier, more powerful tone


Single-post Absolute lugs maximize shell integrity for increased resonance


YESS III tom-mounting system enhances sustain while reducing sympathetic vibrations from surrounding drums


2.3mm DynaHoops, in moody dark silver, yield a versatile response and exciting visuals


The Live Custom Hybrid Oak's internal bass drum weights increase punch, power, and low-end resonance.


Yamaha Live Custom Hybrid Oak 5-piece Shell Pack Features:


7-ply oak shells with synthetic phenolic resin cores


Uzukuri-inspired shell exteriors


Beautifully finished and figured


Outfitted with dark silver hoops and hardware


Matching oak bass drum hoops


Internal kick drum weights provide power, punch, and low end


2.3mm triple-flanged DynaHoops


YESS III suspension system enhances tom sustain and reduces sympathetic vibrations


Single-post Absolute lugs maximize resonance


Remo batter and reso heads


Tom/floor tom thickness: 7.33mm


Bass drum thickness: 8.80mm


Shell sizes (depth x diameter): 7" x 10" and 8" x 12" toms, 13" x 14" and 15" x 16" floor toms, 18" x 22" bass drum