I need help identifying this Yamaha kit I bought a couple of weeks ago. I checked out some of the catalogs available from the '70's and '80's but I can't find it. The badges state model 295 series no. MX. I've found one reference to someone who claims he bought his model 295 in 1978. Can anyone shed some light on this?
[img]http://i.imgur.com/1whJQUY.jpg?1[/img]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/MszW6dP.jpg?1[/img]
Best guess is that your kit is late 70's. I have a kit that the original owner purchased in 1976 and it has the older "Y" badges. Your kit has the newer rectangular badges which I've seen in catalogs starting in about 1980. Also, your kit has a different tom mount than mine has and it's also different from the one seen in the 1980 catalog.
I've never seen that color finish on any Yamaha kit before either. Do the drums have grey painted interiors? Reinforcing rings?
They look like a nice kit and I'm sure they sound great. And they are also a piece of drum history.
Arjan,
Not sure if your Yammy set falls into this catagory but it may be of help.
Dating Yamaha Drums
1980-1989: The first letter in the serial number indicates the year of manufacture; the second letter is the month.
Example: OL = 1988/May, OM= 1988/June. • Indicates research model or first run in production
H I J K L M N O P Q S X Y Z
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 • 10 11 12
1990-Present: Drums are coded with three-letter prefix on the serial numbers. The first two letters indicate year, the third letter indicates the month (1=Jan, 2=February, etc.).
Example: PPI=February 1999(PP=99. I=Feb)
1 = H
2 =I
3 = J
4 = K
5 = L
6 = M
7 = N
8 = O
9 = P
10 = X
11 = Y
12 = Z
00 = Q
Info thanks to "Simbe" on drummerworld
Hope it's helpful.
P.S. Post a pic of your badges.
Dave
Arjan mentioned that the serial number on his badge was MX. However, the dating guide only works for drum made after 1980. If you look at the pictures of the drums they are older than that. The mounts, snare throw, etc. are definitely pre-1980.
Yes 1977-78 for that ... Here's a link to another on this site..
Cheers
John
http://www.vintagedrumforum.com/showthread.php?t=23382
(You will also see some of that hardware used on other 1978 natural wood finished kits)
Thanks for the information, I doubt I'll find out anything else about my kit. The 1978 catalog thats available online doesn't have anything like it, although some of the hardware matches. It does have kits with the new badges though but with different tom mounts.
