YAMAHA Power V Special--What Type of Wood?

May 17, 2011
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Power V special
by: Martijn

Hi Gene,

my answer may be a bit late but the type of wood your Power V special is made of is not birch wood, as Lynne told you!

It depends on where your kit was made. As you are living in Texas I presume your kit was made in Japan, in that case your kit consists of 9 ply basswood with a Philippine mahogany outer layer for the BD and 18"FT and 8 ply for the TT's and 16"FT.

My kit was made in England (in the early 90's Yamaha owned the Premier drum factory, they installed their machines and instructed the Premier production workers how to manufacture the Yamaha's) and has 9 ply poplar and Philippine mahogany for the BD and 6 ply for the TT's and FT's. Obviously the English kit consists only of a 22X16" Bassdrum, but the specifications says there was a 20X16" available as well.

Furthermore most sizes are the same but the Japanese made kit has an extra option for a 8x8" tom (according to both brochures I received from Yamaha Holland after years in their archieve!)

So:
Specifications and components for Japanse Power V Specials:

9 ply Basswood/ Mahogany for BD/ 18"FT
8 ply " " " TT/ 16"FT
BD 22/20x16" (Mahogany/Basswood hoops)
FT 18/16x16"
TT 8x8"/10x9"/12x10"/13x11"/14x12"/15x13"
Steel SD 14x6.5"
High tension lugs
Round ball clamps
Jet Black/ Red Granite/ White Granite

English Power V Specials:

9 ply Poplar/ Mahogany for BD
6 ply " " " TT/FT
BD 22/(20)X16" (Birch/Mahogany hoops)
FT 18/16x16"
TT 10x10"/12x10"/13x11"/14x12"/15x13"
Steel SD 14x6.5"
High tension lugs
Edged ball clamps
Jet Black/ Marble Red/ Marble White

Both kits are produced with the famous "Air seal system" technology

The specific high tension lugs can only be found on the Power V Special and the Recording Custom series!!

Don't get mixed up with the Yamaha Power V and the Power V SPECIAL. The first one was a budget kit with ofcourse Yamaha quality but has no high tension lugs and the inner shells are painted in black. Which type of wood and the dimensions they used for that kit I don't know. ThePower V Special has bare inner shells.

I still play on my Power V special. The sound is very warm and powerfull but it can also be played with sense.

DON'T EVER SELL YOUR KIT!! it slowly turns into a vintage kit with very good quality and playing skills.

Keep on Playin' that Power V special!

Best regards,

Martijn

Arnhem, the Netherlands

YAMAHA Power V Special--What Type of Wood?

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YAMAHA Power V Special--What Type of Wood?