Product details
The One That Cuts Through
Stainless steel is the most direct and projecting of the three Recording Custom metals. The 1.2 mm stainless-steel shell with its centre bead formed on the outside produces a crisp, articulate voice with the cutting crack needed to stay present over amplified instruments.
Yamaha developed the metal Recording Custom snares with Steve Gadd's input, aiming for the consistency and wide tuning response demanded in the studio. The outward bead opens the shell compared with Yamaha's earlier inward-bead designs, while the Dyna Hoops focus the response without choking it.
At a Glance
What You Get
- 1.2 mm stainless-steel 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 RLS1455 and 8 tension on the RLS1470, as listed by Yamaha. 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 both sizes.
- Developed with Steve Gadd, whose playing helped define the Recording Custom sound.
Three Details That Define It
Snare Wire — and Steve Gadd's own set in the box
The RLS1455 carries a 20-strand SN1420H; the deeper RLS1470 uses a denser 25-strand SN1425H. More strands give the 7-inch drum a fuller, more even wire response under the resonant head.
The RLS1455 also arrives with a second wire: the SN1410H “SG type” Steve Gadd prefers. It begins as a 14-strand wire with the middle four strands removed, leaving 10. Yamaha says this sharpens the cutoff for a crisper, more staccato note. The nine demos below let you hear the RLS1455 with both wire choices.
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 traditionally formed that bead on the inside of its snare shells. After repeated evaluation with Steve Gadd, these drums move it to the outside.
Yamaha describes the result as more open than its conventional drums, with crisp, articulate response. On stainless steel, that openness keeps the shell lively while preserving the strong attack and projection players choose it for.
Q-Type Strainer
The heavy-duty Q-type strainer is solid, stable and smooth in operation, with fine adjustment that holds where you set it.
It also makes wire replacement straightforward — particularly useful on the RLS1455, where Yamaha supplies two distinct wire voices in the box.
Hear It
Yamaha's official sound demos, recorded at three tunings with Ambassador heads. The RLS1455 is presented with its fitted 20-strand wire and with the bundled Steve Gadd 10-strand wire, so you can hear the change in cutoff before choosing.
RLS1455 — 14 × 5.5"
20-strand SN1420H wire
RLS1455 — Steve Gadd wire
Bundled 10-strand SN1410H wire
RLS1470 — 14 × 7"
25-strand SN1425H wire
Audio: official Yamaha sound demos.
Choose Your Size
14 × 5.5" — RLS1455
The versatile choice: fast, sensitive and easy to place in a mix. It uses a 10-tension Dyna Hoop and the 20-strand SN1420H, and is the only size that includes Steve Gadd's 10-strand SN1410H signature wire for a shorter, more staccato second voice.
14 × 7" — RLS1470
An inch and a half deeper, with a lower fundamental and more air behind the note. Yamaha pairs it with an 8-tension Dyna Hoop and a denser 25-strand SN1425H wire. Choose it for the biggest backbeat and maximum body from the stainless shell.
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. Stainless steel gives the strongest attack and projection. Brass is darker and weightier, with more body and a lower fundamental. Aluminium is open and woody, and the only one fitted with 3.0 mm die-cast hoops rather than Dyna Hoops.
| Shell | Models | Sizes | Hoops | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stainless steel 1.2 mm | RLS1455 / RLS1470 | 14 × 5.5" or 14 × 7" | 2.3 mm Dyna Hoop | Crisp attack and strong projection |
| 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 |
| 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 removed, leaving 10. Yamaha bundles it with the RLS1455 only. Its shorter cutoff produces a crisper, more staccato note. The RLS1470 does not include it.
Q. Which depth should I choose?
Choose the RLS1455 if this will be your only snare: it responds faster, includes the extra Gadd wire and covers the widest range of work. Choose the RLS1470 for a lower fundamental, greater body and the biggest backbeat. Listen to both above before deciding.
Q. Does this use die-cast hoops?
No. Both stainless models use 2.3 mm steel Dyna Hoops. The RLS1455 is 10 tension and Yamaha lists the RLS1470 as 8 tension. In this metal family, only the aluminium models use 3.0 mm die-cast hoops.
Q. Stainless steel or brass?
Choose stainless steel when attack and projection matter most, especially with amplified music. Choose brass when you want more weight, a darker centre and less emphasis on the upper attack.
Q. Does it come with a snare stand?
No. This is the drum alone, in either depth. 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, stainless 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 RLS1455 and RLS1470 |
|---|---|
| Series | Recording Custom Metal |
| Type | Stainless-steel snare drum |
| Sizes Available | 14 x 5.5 inch or 14 x 7 inch |
Choose Your Size
| RLS1455 - 14 x 5.5 inch | 10-tension 2.3 mm Dyna Hoop; SN1420H 20-strand regular wire; bundled SN1410H Steve Gadd 10-strand wire |
|---|---|
| RLS1470 - 14 x 7 inch | 8-tension 2.3 mm Dyna Hoop; SN1425H 25-strand regular wire; no bundled alternate wire |
| Shared | 1.2 mm stainless-steel shell, outward centre bead, 45-degree bearing edge, 2.4 mm snare bed and Q-type strainer |
Shell & Hardware
| Shell Material | Stainless steel |
|---|---|
| Shell Thickness | 1.2 mm |
| Centre Bead | Outward |
| Hoops | 2.3 mm steel Dyna Hoop - RLS1455 10 tension; RLS1470 8 tension |
| Bearing Edge | 45 degrees |
| Snare Bed | 2.4 mm |
| Lugs | One-piece lug with internal lug lock mechanism |
| Strainer - Release Side | Q type |
| Strainer - Butt Side | DC3 type |
Snare Wires
| RLS1455 Regular | SN1420H - 20 strands, high-carbon steel |
|---|---|
| RLS1455 Bundled | SN1410H SG type - 10 strands, high-carbon steel |
| RLS1470 Regular | SN1425H - 25 strands, high-carbon steel |
| RLS1470 Bundled | None |
Heads
| Batter | Remo US Ambassador Coated |
|---|---|
| Snare Side | Remo US Ambassador Snare |
Character
| Tone | Crisp, articulate attack with strong projection |
|---|---|
| Best For | Rock, amplified pop and any setting where the backbeat must stay present |
| Design Background | Developed with input from Steve Gadd |
Supplied
| Included | Snare drum with Remo heads fitted; RLS1455 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 depth on the product page. Specifications from Yamaha's official Recording Custom Stainless Steel Snare Drums product data.
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