Phoenix Ash Bass Drum

This 22"x18" Phoenix Ash bass drum has a sharper edge cut toward the outer plies, which gives it attack and shortens the decay.

It has 11-ply hybrid shells, and the woods used are progressively harder from the center ply to the outer plies. The center ply is jatoba; this is a very hard wood and it anchors the fundamental of the shell. Sandwiched on either side of this is kapur. This wood is in the mahogany family and adds warmth to the sound of the drum. These drums use an outer half-ply each of maple and burled ash.

The Phoenix uses a redesigned version of the Nouveau lug. The new lug mounts on a square hook rather than a round post, which keeps the tension rod in perfect vertical alignment and eliminates the need to use two hands while tuning the drum. Yamaha used the aluminum die-cast hoops made popular on their Absolute series for the Phoenix. These hoops are very light but rigid, giving you the open, warm sound of a triple-flanged hoop and the accurate tuning of a die-cast hoop.