Yamaha Drums Marks 40th Anniversary With the Hand-Engraved Phoenix Snare Drum

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For 120 years, Yamaha has been manufacturing quality musical instruments, beginning with reed organs in 1887. Yamaha started manufacturing western-style drums in 1967 and to honor the company's long tradition of innovation, Yamaha Drums is offering a new 40th anniversary Phoenix snare drum (model number SD4365PH) that is hand-engraved with part of the same logo that adorned the company's early organs. Only 20 units will be offered for sale in the United States.

The drum's brass shell, chosen for its clear, well-balanced tone, measures 13-in. x 6.5-in and features an aluminum die-cast hoop and a one-piece lug. The engraving, similar to the intricate designs that now appear on Yamaha's saxophone bells, is applied to the drum shell's black lacquered finish using the same custom hand-engraving technique that the company's craftsmen have nurtured for more than a century of instrument-making.

"Not only does this snare drum have a crisp sound, it's also got a sharp look," said Dave Jewell, marketing manager, Yamaha Drums, Pro Audio & Combo Division. "The care that goes into engraving the drum is comparable to the workmanship that marks all of our drums."

Nippon Gakki, the predecessor to the Yamaha Corporation, adorned its organs with the Phoenix logo, which it registered as its official trademark in 1888. The design embodies the spirit of the company's founder, Torakusu Yamaha, whose goal was to produce instruments of world-class quality. The interlocking triple tuning fork logo used by the company today derives in part from the tuning fork prominently featured in the Phoenix logo from yesteryear.

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From its origins, Yamaha has grown to become the world's largest manufacturer of a full line of musical instruments - including some of the most respected drum sets in the world.

The SD4365PH (MSRP: $1,799.99) is expected to ship in July, 2007.

For more information, visit their web site at www.yamaha.com.