HELP: Catalina maple vs. catalina ash

[gretsch223]

I've had my heart set on the catalina maple because of the 16" floor tom but I have heard about the quality issues and I am thinking about catalina ash. I've played the catalina maple and like it alot but I don't want them to start falling apart after I get them. If I get the catalina ash I might look into adding the 16" floor tom on if it is possible. But, the wood on the catalina maple is better....Please Help!!!!!!!!!

BTW I'll be playing rock, funk and some other stuff.

[dom]

i have a catalina maple and the only problems i have had with it were shipping problems. My floor tom box got here looking like they tied it to the back of the truck and draged it down my driveway. The stock heads really suck on them as well. I changed them out for some aquarian proformance IIs and SKII on the bass and they sound amazing. The other day my band director asked me how i managed to get drums better then one of our drummers from a few years ago. he had a mapex orion but didnt know how to tune to well. anyways the catalina maple is a great set. i love mine to death and it is put together very well.

[gretsch223]

i have a catalina maple and the only problems i have had with it were shipping problems. My floor tom box got here looking like they tied it to the back of the truck and draged it down my driveway. The stock heads really suck on them as well. I changed them out for some aquarian proformance IIs and SKII on the bass and they sound amazing. The other day my band director asked me how i managed to get drums better then one of our drummers from a few years ago. he had a mapex orion but didnt know how to tune to well. anyways the catalina maple is a great set. i love mine to death and it is put together very well.
If I get the set i'll be the one taking it home...haha

[Miggle]

I own the gretsch catalina and i tell you, you'd be happier with the tama superstars.

both sound great but tama's hardware pulls away. Better lugs, better hoops, better bearing edges, better mounting hardware, better everything hardware.

[gretsch223]

I own the gretsch catalina and i tell you, you'd be happier with the tama superstars.

both sound great but tama's hardware pulls away. Better lugs, better hoops, better bearing edges, better mounting hardware, better everything hardware.
the gretsch catalina what? How much does a superstar cost? One of the big reasons i want this set cuz its 700 for MAPLE GRETSCH

[Miggle]

catalina maple.

And no, its not so bad that it will fall apart. And maple isn't necessarily better than ash either. I think you wouldn't really be able to tell the difference if you had same heads with same tuning.

I believe that the ash has the same hardware as maple. Birch has the better hardware among the catalinas (which justifies its higher price too i guess).

Where I live, the tama superstar complete fusion set costs $660. Add $100 for an extra 16x16 floor tom. The catalina maple costs $800. Both complete with hardwares.

If I could buy the sets again, i'd choose the Tama superstars. Don't fall for that maple is better than birch and that the superstar has basswood so that makes it sound bad. They are not true. I've heard a Superstar upclose. Those who say those things dont really know much about drums. They just ride along with what they read/hear and magnify.

[XeroX]

I have to agree that superstar (custom)s are great kits. I've never played any gretsch kits, but I'm sure the catalinas are all fine. I honestly cant believe that a superstar would be $660 inc hardware, or that a 16" floor tom would be $100, but if that deal was available in the UK, I think the superstar would be by far the best selling kit. Compared to similarly priced kits like the Pearl ELX and the Pacific CX/MX, the superstar is an awesome kit. Far better build quality, hardware and overall sound (in my opinion).
Like I said, I cant comment on the catalina kits, but you wouldn't be disappointed with a superstar.

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

Superstars are good kits. As are the Sonor Force 2005/3005 kits. Those are my leading names in this market.

As for the sonic differences between Maple and Ash, I actually play an Ash kit and it's somewhere between Maple and Birch. It has attack, but it also has a good amount of warmth and my drums sound pretty great out front. Ash is definately a quality wood for making great sounding drums.

[radiofriendlyunitshifter]

i have a catalina maple. awesome sounding kit, and as you mentioned before, "$700!".

and as far as quality issues: i did indeed have my own. nothing major, only one hoop

(14" floor tom), and it was a bit warped which inhibited seating the head properly. not a

big deal, but very much a downer, having to wait for another hoop to come in. since then,

however, everything has been very solid. it's a nice kit.

[Gibbersticks]

I just bought a 6 piece Catalina maple yesterday $950 (No hardware). I replaced the stock tom heads with Evans G2 clear, Gen Dry snare, and EMAD2 bass. I think they sound amazing. The tom holder and Rim mounts are kind cheap as are the bass drum legs(very minor) but I have ordered pearl opti-mounts for the rack toms to mount to my Icon rack. The finish on these drums is just beautiful! Now obviously I am fully aware of the fact that these aren't high quality, top of the line drums but for the price they are pretty sweet. I have been playing a Pearl Export kit for the last eight years so pretty much anything is better.

[drozzy]

I have the catalina birch, and couldn't be happier!

Whats the major differences in the catalina line in terms of hardware?

[Gibbersticks]

No hardware with the catalina maple, just tom holder. It's my second day having them and they just tune up so nicley! They bass drum is warm & boomy!!! New drums are alway so inspiring. No wonder everyone loves maple drums.

[Miggle]

its been a while since my last posts. Lately, i've grown to love my Catalina Maple kit more and more. I've replaced the G2 heads on 10 and 12" with stock.. YES, STOCK!

I think it sounds better than ever.

[Drummer X]

yo dude...i got a gretsch catalina ash....and im tellin you..you should just get the catalina ash...i was in the same position as you..i even went to falcettis (where i got my kit), with the intentions of getting a catalina maple...but the drum tech there showed me the catalina ash...and when i played it, i couldn't believe it...and you have to look at your options here...the ash is cheaper then the maple...and the fact that the maple is only 700 bucks...is nice..BUT...maple shells need really good bearing edges to come out nice and warm...the problem is with a 700 dollar kit is that you're really not going to get the high-quality sound you would get out of a more expensive maple..like the gretsch reknown maple...i know im typing alot..my personal opinion..just get the catalina ash...you will be extremely happy with it..it has this unique sound..kinda like..the warmth of maple but the punch of birch..in my opinion..and i got it for like..600 i think? use the extra 100 and buy a cymbal or soemthing haah..hope this helped..