Product details
Weight Without Brightness
Brass is the heaviest of the three Recording Custom metals, and it behaves accordingly. The 1.2 mm brass shell with its centre bead formed on the outside produces a dark, intense voice: lower fundamental, more body, and none of the glassy top end that makes some metal snares hard to place.
Yamaha is blunt about the ambition behind the line: the metal Recording Custom snares represent the addition of Yamaha's finest snare drums, using Steve Gadd's input to its maximum, adding a consistency that lets a drummer use the whole kit's sound. On brass, the weight comes from the material rather than the size — so even the standard depth keeps a fast response and real sensitivity.
At a Glance
What You Get
- 1.2 mm brass shell with the centre bead formed on the outside of the shell — see below for why that matters.
- 2.3 mm steel Dyna Hoops — 10 tension on the 14" drums, 8 tension on the 13". Heavier and stiffer than a standard triple-flange hoop, they tighten the sound and sharpen the response without the hard clamp of a die-cast hoop.
- One-piece lugs with an internal lug lock mechanism, which resists the slow detuning that comes from sustained hard playing.
- Q-type strainer on the release side, DC3-type butt side — heavy-duty hardware built for stable, smooth operation and quick wire changes.
- Remo US Ambassador Coated batter and Remo US Ambassador Snare side heads, fitted at the factory.
- 45-degree bearing edge and a 2.4 mm snare bed, on all three sizes.
- Developed with Steve Gadd, whose playing defined the original Recording Custom sound on countless sessions.
Three Details That Define It
Snare Wire — and Steve Gadd's own set in the box
Each size carries its own wire: the 14 × 5.5" a 20-strand SN1420H, the 14 × 6.5" a 25-strand SN1425H, and the 13 × 6.5" a 20-strand SN1320H. More strands means a denser, more even wire response under the head.
The 14 × 5.5" also arrives with a second wire in the box: the SN1410H “SG type”, the wire Steve Gadd himself prefers. It is a 14-strand wire with the middle four strands removed, which sharpens how abruptly the sound stops — a crisper, more staccato note. On a shell this dark, that extra cutoff is a genuinely useful second voice, and it is included at no extra cost.
Centre Bead — on the outside, for the first time
A centre bead is the ridge pressed around the middle of a metal shell; it stiffens the shell and focuses the fundamental. Yamaha has always formed that bead on the inside of its snare shells. After repeated rounds of evaluation with Steve Gadd, this drum moves it to the outside.
The result, in Yamaha's own words, is a more open sound than their conventional drums, with crisp and articulate response. On brass it matters more than on the lighter metals: it keeps a heavy shell from sounding closed in.
Q-Type Strainer
The heavy-duty Q-type strainer is the throw-off you engage and disengage every time you switch between snares-on and snares-off. Yamaha built this one for robustness: solid, stable and smooth in operation, with fine adjustment that holds where you set it.
It also makes changing the wires quick — which matters more on this drum than most, because on the 14 × 5.5" you have a second set of wires in the box and a real reason to swap them.
Hear It
Yamaha's own sound demos, each size recorded at three tunings with Ambassador heads. Press play — the 13" is the clearest illustration of how much of this drum's weight comes from the brass rather than the size.
RRS1455 — 14 × 5.5"
20-strand SN1420H wire
RRS1465 — 14 × 6.5"
25-strand SN1425H wire
RRS1365 — 13 × 6.5"
20-strand SN1320H wire
Audio: official Yamaha sound demos.
Choose Your Size
14 × 5.5" — RRS1455
The standard depth, and the most versatile of the three — brass already supplies the weight, so you do not need extra depth to get a heavy note. Fitted with the 20-strand SN1420H wire, and it is the only one of the three that includes Steve Gadd's 10-strand SN1410H signature wire in the box.
14 × 6.5" — RRS1465
The same shell an inch deeper, with a denser 25-strand SN1425H wire. More body again and a lower fundamental — the heaviest, darkest backbeat in the range. Take it if weight is the whole point.
13 × 6.5" — RRS1365
A smaller diameter at the deeper 6.5" depth, on 8-tension Dyna Hoops and a 20-strand SN1320H wire. Tighter, higher-pitched and faster to speak than the 14" drums, but with brass weight underneath it — the one to reach for as a second snare, for tight funk and studio work, or when you want a crack that sits above the backbeat rather than under it.
Which Metal?
All three Recording Custom metals share the 1.2 mm shell, the external centre bead, the 45-degree bearing edge and the Q-type strainer. Two things change: the metal, and the hoop. Brass is dark intensity — heavier, with more body and a lower fundamental. Stainless steel is a cutting crack, built to be heard over loud guitars. Aluminium is open and woody, the warmest of the three, and the only one fitted with die-cast hoops rather than Dyna Hoops.
| Shell | Models | Sizes | Hoops | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brass 1.2 mm | RRS1455 / RRS1465 / RRS1365 | 14 × 5.5", 14 × 6.5" or 13 × 6.5" | 2.3 mm Dyna Hoop | Dark intensity, weight and body |
| Stainless steel 1.2 mm | RLS1455 / RLS1470 | 14 × 5.5" or 14 × 7" | 2.3 mm Dyna Hoop | Cutting crack, loud stages |
| Aluminium 1.2 mm | RAS1455 / RAS1465 | 14 × 5.5" or 14 × 6.5" | 3.0 mm die-cast | Open and woody, all-rounder |
FAQ
Q. What is the Steve Gadd snare wire, and do I get it?
It is the SN1410H, a 14-strand wire with the middle four strands taken out, leaving 10. Removing the centre strands sharpens the cutoff so the note stops more abruptly — a tighter, more staccato sound. Yamaha bundles it with the 14 × 5.5" (RRS1455) only. The 14 × 6.5" and the 13 × 6.5" do not include it.
Q. Which size should I choose?
14 × 5.5" if it is your only snare — it is the most versatile and it comes with the extra Gadd wire. 14 × 6.5" for the lowest, fullest backbeat. 13 × 6.5" if you want something tighter and higher-pitched that still carries brass weight, typically as a second snare. Listen to all three above before you decide.
Q. Dyna Hoops or die-cast — what is the difference?
The brass and stainless snares use 2.3 mm steel Dyna Hoops; only the aluminium uses 3.0 mm die-cast. Dyna Hoops tighten and focus the sound and sharpen the rim shot, but leave the shell a little more room to breathe than a die-cast hoop does. On a heavy brass shell that is the more musical pairing. The 13" uses an 8-tension hoop, the 14" drums a 10-tension.
Q. Brass or one of the wood snares?
Brass gives you weight with metal projection and consistency; a wood snare like the birch RBS1455 gives warmth and a drier decay but less carry. If you want darkness that still cuts through a band, brass is the answer.
Q. Does it come with a snare stand?
No. This is the drum alone, in any size. Ask us and we will add a suitable Yamaha snare stand.
Why Buy from YMS?
YMS For Music is an authorised Yamaha Premium Retailer. Every drum is genuine Yamaha stock with full manufacturer warranty.
Play the metals side by side in Bengaluru or Mangaluru — aluminium, steel and brass are genuinely different instruments, and ten minutes with all three settles it faster than any description. Secure delivery across India.
Specifications
Overview
| Models | Yamaha RRS1455, RRS1465 and RRS1365 |
|---|---|
| Series | Recording Custom Metal |
| Type | Brass snare drum |
| Sizes Available | 14 x 5.5 inch (RRS1455), 14 x 6.5 inch (RRS1465) or 13 x 6.5 inch (RRS1365) |
How the Sizes Differ
| RRS1455 - 14 x 5.5 inch | SN1420H wire (20 strands); 10-tension Dyna Hoops; includes the bundled Steve Gadd SN1410H wire |
|---|---|
| RRS1465 - 14 x 6.5 inch | SN1425H wire (25 strands); 10-tension Dyna Hoops; no bundled wire |
| RRS1365 - 13 x 6.5 inch | SN1320H wire (20 strands); 8-tension Dyna Hoops; no bundled wire |
| Everything else | Shell, centre bead, lugs, strainer, heads, bearing edge and snare bed are identical across all three |
Shell
| Material | Brass |
|---|---|
| Thickness | 1.2 mm |
| Centre Bead | Outward - formed on the outside of the shell |
| Bearing Edge | 45 degrees |
| Snare Bed | 2.4 mm |
Hardware
| Hoops | 2.3 mm Dyna Hoop, steel - 10 tension on the 14 inch drums, 8 tension on the 13 inch |
|---|---|
| Lugs | One-piece lug with internal lug lock mechanism |
| Strainer - Release Side | Q type, heavy duty |
| Strainer - Butt Side | DC3 type |
Heads
| Batter | Remo US Ambassador Coated |
|---|---|
| Snare Side | Remo US Ambassador Snare |
Character
| Tone | Dark intensity - weight and body rather than bite |
|---|---|
| Best For | Studio work, ballads, soul and R&B, anywhere a heavy but unaggressive backbeat is wanted |
| Design Background | Developed in partnership with Steve Gadd |
Supplied
| Included | Snare drum with Remo heads fitted; RRS1455 also includes the SN1410H Steve Gadd signature snare wire |
|---|---|
| Not Included | Snare stand, sticks, case |
Sold as a snare drum only - a snare stand is a separate purchase. Choose your size on the product page. Specifications from Yamaha's official Recording Custom Brass Snare Drums product data.
View specification source Opens in a new window.Videos
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