Gretsch Catalina Club jazz kit?

[parksung]

i've got a vintage Sonor kit that sounds deep and warm but is damn heavy to lug around...so i want to downsize...i play guitar based instrumental indie rock (2 guitars/1bass/keys). from what many have said, no matter what size the kit, if the sound tech is good enough, they can make me sound big enough, so why waste energy on carrying around huge, heavy kits?

so here are my questions:

1. would this jazz kit be a midget (18/14/12) and sound tiny in comparison to the guitars?

2. are these mahogany kits not full of enough punch? should i shop for maple, oak or ash?? i want warmth but with enough depth and punch to meet my guitarists

3. 30degree bearing edges...i don't know what that means and how it affects the tone...

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Gretsch-Drums-Catalina-Club-Jazz-4-Piece-Shell-Pack?sku=445682

[harryconway]

from what many have said, no matter what size the kit, if the sound tech is good enough, they can make me sound big enough




http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Gretsch-Drums-Catalina-Club-Jazz-4-Piece-Shell-Pack?sku=445682

A sound guy who knows what he's doing can make roto-toms sound like cannon fire. I know, I've played roto's with great sound guys at the board. Unfortunately, I've also had the opposite happen, where the part-time bartender/sound guy is not quite up to the task. A little kit is a great addition. And if you keep your Sonor, you're covering your bases. The issues to think about? Band dynamics. Are your band mates disciplined in volume control or is everybody on 11 all the time, with "everything louder than everything else"?

[parksung]

A sound guy who knows what he's doing can make roto-toms sound like cannon fire. I know, I've played roto's with great sound guys at the board. Unfortunately, I've also had the opposite happen, where the part-time bartender/sound guy is not quite up to the task. A little kit is a great addition. And if you keep your Sonor, you're covering your bases. The issues to think about? Band dynamics. Are your band mates disciplined in volume control or is everybody on 11 all the time, with "everything louder than everything else"?

well, i'd sell my Sonors and just depend on 1 kit, so it'll be all or nothing...but yes, the lesser knowledgeable sound people will kill me if i get the Gretsch won't they?

my bandmates? they're pretty well controlled, luckily...

[kacperivo]

http://media.putfile.com/W-drodze-do-pracy

http://media.putfile.com/messin-around-16

these are two mp3's played by me on the very same kit. the only difference is the snare which is maple. you can say anything about the kit but surely not that it's not enough punchy or too 'tiny' :).

[parksung]

http://media.putfile.com/W-drodze-do-pracy

http://media.putfile.com/messin-around-16

these are two mp3's played by me on the very same kit. the only difference is the snare which is maple. you can say anything about the kit but surely not that it's not enough punchy or too 'tiny' :).

thanks for the sound files....i'm still not convinced the bass drum will have enough presence with 2 guitars and a bass and only a halfway decent sound tech:/

[gretsch223]

I have the gretsch catalina club and it is capable of many sounds. I use it for jazz mostly and rock gigs sometimes. It depends what heads you have on them...For jazz I have fiberskyns and for rock i use pinstripes and cs black dot. So, I definetly think you will have a great sound for your band out of it.

[Synthetik]

I played one at the local GC. It was out of the box with coated Evans G-1's. I was stunned. I mean low priced Philippine mahogany kits are NOT supposed to sound this good!

I hate to say it for those who one more expensive drums, but IMO, the Catalina club sounded MUCH warmer and nicer than the new Tama superstar or Pearl export.

[Drummer Karl]

Amazing Jazz kit for the price, I like Gretsch in General and especially this kit. I like the quality of Gretsch and this sound.
Would be a gooood choice! (just listen to kacperivo`s recordings :-) )

Karl

[Jusstickinaround]

I in the same situation, playing with a rock cover band. I'm also thinking of selling my Ludwig kit in favor of the Gretsch kit because it would be easier to gig with. I heard one at GC and the kick had a Evans head on it and it sounded very punchy, although not real loud. I suppose good mikes would fix that, but I was impressed with there overall sound.

[dirtyharry]

I can´t deceide between the Catalina Club OR the Premier Artisth Birch Heritage Bebop kit. Help!

[dirtyharry]

Sorry, just a problem with with the submit button

[skinner]

Hello All,
I have a question for you Catalina Club Jazz players out there. It is my understanding that the kit comes with a riser for the bass drum. Do you have to use this ? Will the pedal function properly without it ? The reason I am asking is that I am thinking of buying this kit for some little kids and I want to be able to get the drum heights adjusted as low as possible.

Thanks

[Garvin]

Yeah, it works fine without it... It is completely removeable and the pedal would easily attach to the hoop without any other equipment.

[caddywumpus]

1. would this jazz kit.......sound tiny in comparison to the guitars?

2. are these mahogany kits not full of enough punch? should i shop for maple, oak or ash?? i want warmth but with enough depth and punch to meet my guitarists

3. 30degree bearing edges...i don't know what that means and how it affects the tone...

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Gretsch-Drums-Catalina-Club-Jazz-4-Piece-Shell-Pack?sku=445682

1. Not tiny sounding at all. 18" bass drums don't have the huge boominess that 22" drums do, but they have a much more focused sound that is punchy and full of resonance. 12" and 14" toms should be able to be tuned to a large enough range to cover all of your bases.

2. If you're looking for punch, yes. If you're looking for depth, no. Miked up, these kits sound like any regular drum kit. By themselves or with a jazz band or acoustic guitar, they sound great as well. With a rock band, though, the mahogany shells "absorb" a lot of the cutting frequencies. They do have warmth and resonance, but not the kind that cuts through all of the guitars' sound. Once again, though; miked up, they sound great!

3. I think the more important thing is the rounded part of the bearing edge. It gives them the warmth you're looking for, but it won't allow them to cut through as easily. Different heads and different tunings can give you many different results. I would go with double-ply clear heads if you want the most "present" rock sound (more attack, lower pitch).

I like these kits a lot, but if you have the budget to get one new, then I'd look around for a used maple bop kit. I see them on craigslist at least a couple of times a month for around the $600-$800 range. Good luck, and let us know what you decide/get.

V V V V V

[Gretsch'em]

I've got a Gretsch Catalina Club jazz kit, with Bosphorus Cymbals. It took a bit of getting use to, only because I was use to playing a Pearl Kit 22x16 kick opposed to the 18x14, but hey its Jazz not Rock.

[figure_02]

I have one, and use it for everything. I used it once on a huge outside stage, for about 4000 people. The kick was Bonham, really. The soundguy is all that matters, as have been said.

[MAO]

If you need boom and punch but smaller sizes....look at the DDrum pocket kits. Great sound, but smaller. Then again, depends on what you are going for.

[buttstastic]

I finally get to post a reply here! Just alittle background- I found this website and forum cause I was buying a Gretsch Catalina Jazz set and I wanted to see what drummers thought about it. I did a Google search and found this forum. But I found there were so many useful topics that I decided to stay. BOO YEAH!

Anyway, I love my Gretsch drum set. I bought it cause I wanted a small/compact/easy-to-set up drum set to play in small clubs and acoustically and that's exactly what I got! The price was great, the drums are great and I think any gigging drummer needs to take a look at this kit!

The ONLY problems I have with this kit are that I can't get the bass drum tunned just how I want it (though that's mostly my fault) and the bass drum riser isn't the bast (it'll dig into the hoop if not careful). Other than that, BUY THIS KIT NOW!!!

[mattsdrums]

I got one of these bop sets for ease of transport & my 22" x 14" vintage kick was a little big (believe it or not) for some gigging situations I found myself in!!! (I play all kinds of music by the way)

The kit is fantastic - the evans heads don't really do them justice so I put fibreskyns top & bottom of the toms and a Powerstroke 3 on the kick batter - it sounds awsome! I have since used this kit in front of thousands at outdoor festivals, 1,500 seat theatres, cavernous clubs, in the studio and on live broadcast sessions for BBC radio and it always performs amazingly well. The sound engineers are always really impressed with the sound of the kick drum!

I wasn't impressed with the snare drum but am fortunate enought to have a few to choose from depending on the gig..

you can hear some of the BBC stuff I did with Jimmy Thomas at http://www.myspace.com/thejimmythomaspage

[onemat]

I've got a set of Cats in Natural finish a few weeks ago. I have 3 vintage kits, but I can't stop playing these. I've done 3 gigs with them and the sound guys like them. I played a coffee house gig unmiked in a very live sounding room and they sounded great. The only mod I've done is go for a better (wider) riser. The trick to the snare is to tune it high. It sounds surprisingly good.
GC will sell 'em for around $525.00 if you ask.
Matt

[evolving_machine]

Ok, I ordered the kit and they came. The two K's I ordered will be here tomorrow. I like the sound of this kit. Still playing around with the tuning. I read the reviews and tried them out, and I am happy. After many years I am a drummer again.

There is something weird and strange though. The tom mount can rotate around the drum to any of two lugs. Why did they put two vent holes in my over-head tom?

Evolving_machine

[evolving_machine]

Today I got the two K's I ordered. WOW, I got a 20" Custom K, Session Ride, and an 18" Custom K Session Crash. I am really impressed with the sound.

I had a pair of old Zildjian Hi-hats that I do not think I can duplicate the sound of, and I am using an old Zildjian 16" crash that I bought used a thousand years ago. There are holes in the 16", and they look like factory holes only because they are spaced evenly and symmetrically. I have a pair of pre-ludwig Ghost pedals and an old very heavy duty Slingerland Hi-hat stand. Other than that I am set.

The overall sound of the kit blends well together.

I have to admit something here. I went to the Zildjian site to explore the sounds of their cymbals and made my selection of the K's based on that web site. All the stores I visited did not have the Session K's, and a few had not even heard of them before.

But, I was able to compare what other Ks sounded like on the web site to what they actually sounded like in the store. This was a good bench-mark for me to judge how accurate the web site duplicated each cymbals sound. So what I am saying is that I never touched a K session until I opened the box today.
You would think the other cymbal makers would do the same thing as Zildjian, unless Zildjian has some intellectual property rights on that practice.

Evolving_machine

[enforcerdrummer]

I played one in natural today and it was really nice. In 2009 I need a new drumset for rock or jazz. Does anyone have any pics of what the kit would look like with the added 10 inch tom that comes with 3 of the colors?

[Cymbalrider]

I've got a Catalina Rock set (26,13,16,18) that I use with a swing band and it's a great set. I also occasionally use the 18" tom as a bass. The catalina series is quite amazing really. It has a nice simple warm tone and sturdy hardware. It's just as solid as my Mapex Pro M.

[evolving_machine]

I just recently found the Gretsch part number for the 10" add on tom, CT-0710T-SN. It seems to be a good idea. I sent out a few requests to some of the stores to see if they can get this part.

[pearlygates]

I have had two of these little monsters..I've got pix up somewhere on this forum..and I have to say that I really-really miss them. I just scored a Renoun Purewood African Mahogany shell pack., and it is making me wonder why I ever strayed away fron Gretsch in the first place!?! Next kit on my list is gonna be the Catalina Club jazz!...again..This time for keeps!
I have used mine for mic'd and unmic'd gigs and even did 2 tracks on our new cd with them! They are fabulously cost effective and awesome souning little kits no matter what style you are playing!!
heres a few shots of my last CCJ
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff68/X7drums/burn12808011.jpg
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff68/X7drums/Worship/IMG_0547.jpg
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff68/X7drums/burn12808012.jpg

[human71]

this forum really helped me a lot as far as what everyone's been saying about the sound of this kit..i gig quite often and was looking for a small kit that i could use for my acoustic classic 60's-80's rock and funk band..the boys seemed to complain that my vintage luds were too loud for smaller venues , such as pubs small clubs..this kit would be perfect for just such a situation..i'd still have to try one out for myself just to be sure, but unfortunately they are quite scarce up here in my neck of the woods..(montreal, canada) most of the big music shops over here have to special order them from gretsch or some other music establishment...i wouldn't buy them on e-bay because i'll just end up paying more for the kit due to shipping costs...the whole purpose is to get a great sounding , compact , and economical drumkit for myself..hopefully one will turn up sooner or later..the nicest finish that i've seen so far on these kits is the blue pearl one..it looks like velvet !!
cheers !
http://en.woodbrass.com/images/woodbrass/GRETSCH+CATALINA+CLUB+JAZZ+18+BLUE+PEARL.JPG

[pearlygates]

Again, I would highly recommend these!

[dkdrums]

Just bought one. I'm very happy. Bought as 2nd kit to a Tama Starclassic B/B. No where near quality of the Tama but good enough for its purpose i.e., easy to tote and for small gigs/stages. 18" bass out of the box caused extreme residual beater bounce until I ported front, stuffed with small blanket and loosened pedal spring. Also tightened snare lugs to the max to lesson buzz. Moongel on snare and toms. Played gig already (funk & blues) with this set and was impressed at the overall tight sound (aided by aforementioned adjustments). Others were impressed with sound also. Great little kit.

[mont_man22]

Just bought one. I'm very happy. Bought as 2nd kit to a Tama Starclassic B/B. No where near quality of the Tama but good enough for its purpose i.e., easy to tote and for small gigs/stages. 18" bass out of the box caused extreme residual beater bounce until I ported front, stuffed with small blanket and loosened pedal spring. Also tightened snare lugs to the max to lesson buzz. Moongel on snare and toms. Played gig already (funk & blues) with this set and was impressed at the overall tight sound (aided by aforementioned adjustments). Others were impressed with sound also. Great little kit.

Thats crazy i too was looking into the Catalina Club kit because i play a starclassic which im sure u know is loud as all hell. Anyways good to ur your review it was VERY helpful!

[maddrummr]

WOW. Epic necro-post.

Sorry had to say it.

[azdiscovery]

The sound of the Catalina Club kit was alot louder than I expected. What I am shopping for is something for a very small jazz / quiet funk venue. I need people around to be able to carry on a conversation and other instruments (violin included) to play acoustic at same level. And honestly - this kit with the mahogany was too loud.

I find birch and maple kits to be overall quieter than the mahogany kit - and pretty much excluded the Catlina Club kit for me because in Maple or Birch it comes in 5 piece only (I need 4 piece). With brushes or quiet sticks - the maple kits had really nice depth and character without being overpowering in the setting.

Might get a GMS CL kit or something else.

[max77]

The sound of the Catalina Club kit was alot louder than I expected. What I am shopping for is something for a very small jazz / quiet funk venue. I need people around to be able to carry on a conversation and other instruments (violin included) to play acoustic at same level. And honestly - this kit with the mahogany was too loud.

I find birch and maple kits to be overall quieter than the mahogany kit - and pretty much excluded the Catlina Club kit for me because in Maple or Birch it comes in 5 piece only (I need 4 piece). With brushes or quiet sticks - the maple kits had really nice depth and character without being overpowering in the setting.

Might get a GMS CL kit or something else.

Why you don't look into the Force 3007 Jungle? Tiny kit in asian maple with the Sonor sound. Warm, resonant but controlled.

[bfrancese]

I made the switch to a GMS SL Jazz. The review in this thread:

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59375

It sounds absolutely phenomenal. Less sustain as you would suspect from a big kick, but I cannot complain about the overall sound. If you have a good sound guy you'll have people saying "how'd you get so much sound out of a little kit?" which is the greatest question one could be asked.

[azdiscovery]

My real question on the GMS SL kit - is can you carry on a conversation beside it if playing light jazz with brushes or quiet sticks? Trying to decide between birch and maple - and which wood and kit would be the quietest.

That's why I was so surprised about the mahogany Catalina - it just boomed and was very difficult to control volume.

[bfrancese]

Hey AZ

Responded to your message, but for everyone else, simply yes. The ALL birch shells of the SL are much quiet than the Catalina, and to me they seem much more versatile. Easily could play these in your living room during a party with brushes or hot rods + you wouldn't disturb anyone.

One the flip side, if you want to tune the toms down and the snare up, you can get a great crack out of the snare and plenty of low end for blues or rock. Especially in small venues I would guess. Hence my "versatility" comment.

-b

[buttstastic]

Anyone know anything about the Gretsch Catalina Club 1964 Reissue? I've been thinking of selling my Gretsch Jazz Club (which I still love!) to "upgrade" to the Reissue. I'm only worried about the tom-rail system, sound and portability. All I can find online is the price, not pics of anything

[Frost]

I'm thinking of purchasing one myself, mostly for acoustic work with brushes and sticks, not quite jazz, call it acoustic post rock I suppose you could say. The bass player will be playing an electric (old RG Ibanez) I'm not cruel enough to make him play a double bass and the guitarist will be using an acoustic through an amp.

Now correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding about these Jazz kits is that providing you possess some understanding of dynamics they shouldn't be as overly dominating as a rock kit as they should have a much warmer sound.

I'm currently playing a Pearl Forum and the kick drum is mean but everything about the kit lacks subtlety, the head on the snare just isn't suited for brushes.

I'm also looking for advice on symbols, I own a set of zildjians (cheap planet z's) and I've been wanting to upgrade for ages but again, more into the warmer, chiming kind of sound then having them roar like Phill Rudd's 18 crashes (I rarely use crash symbols myself).

[MontyC]

I see that the 10" tom is available as an add-on - but the kit comes with a single tom holder. Is there a special double tom holder for the Catalina series?

[pearlygates]

I see that the 10" tom is available as an add-on - but the kit comes with a single tom holder. Is there a special double tom holder for the Catalina series?
Yes. Google, Gibraltar double tom holder.

[MontyC]

No need to be smart ass about it - you are assuming that I know that a Gibraltar part would work. Some of us on this forum are not experienced, so please keep that in mind when responding to what you may perceive as a dumb question. I sent a note to Gretsch, and they said their part number is GTH-DL.

[Funky Crêpe]

I have quite abit of money, but don't want to waste it all...looking at getting a set of agop sigs, but what kit?..looked into kumus, fidock, hard bop...you name it, but all in all how would the calalina match up, looks like a real simple kit, i would be planning to get a new snare as i have heard bad reviws of it

[pearlygates]

No need to be smart ass about it - you are assuming that I know that a Gibraltar part would work. Some of us on this forum are not experienced, so please keep that in mind when responding to what you may perceive as a dumb question. I sent a note to Gretsch, and they said their part number is GTH-DL.
Monty..Monty..Monty.. A little hyper sensitive are we?

I 'm sorry that my crystal ball was in the shop for repairs and it should also be known that I flunked mind reading.. Pardon me for not sensing from the tone of your post that you
are a tad wet behind the ears, shall we say??.

By posting to "google" Gibraltar..., I had the intent on at the very least, pointing you in the right direction. Just so you know.. Gibraltar is a Kaman company as is Gretsch...
Gretsch kits are sold as shell packs and Gibraltar HW packs are shown and offered as options in the Gretsch catalog. I was merely putting two and two together.

[janszman]

how do you guys think the toms cut through the sound of guitars etc, do they work well unmic'd?

[pearlygates]

how do you guys think the toms cut through the sound of guitars etc, do they work well unmic'd?
Cutting thru amplified instruments is no easy feat for the Club Jazz.. or most any kit with an 18" bass drum. The CJs are Philippine mahogany with 30 degee bearing edges, and as such are going to have a more subdued attack and rounder, less projecting tone..due to the round 30 degree edge and the porosity of the lower grade mahogany woods.
I am not at all saying that the kit won't be heard. I had 2 of these kits in the past, and found that they work best in small venues or mic'd up at larger ones.
I just bought a Custom Classic Birch shell jazz kit in the identical configuration of the CJ.
Now that little kit just punches you on the head.. You may want to check one out!
Here's a link to a video I made top demo my kit on YouTube..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAUUvV6kpi8

[limlim26]

Hey guys, I'm looking for some advice on a Gretsch CCJ kit. I've done a bit of research and think that this kit is for me, I love the configuration and simplicity that it offers. Plus ease of transport is always a good selling point.

Just wanted to know if anyone has any advice on cymbals for this kit... I play in a Folk-Rock band with some heavy parts and need to find the right cymbals for the job.

If anyone could help me here please have a listen to the tracks at www.theportlands.net/tracks

If anyone has any objections to me buying such a kit for this type of sound, please let me know before I go ahead and waste a lot of time and money.


Cheers :)


Lim.

[JMalriat]

This set seems perfect for a small jazz trio type of thing, but how would it do with a few more? I play in a quintet with trumpet, alto, piano, and bass. The piano and bass are both electric and we usually play small gigs (bars, restaurants, etc.). I'm not looking for "attack", just something that blends well, but at the same time doesn't get drowned in the other instruments. I've never had the problem of not being loud enough, because I play pearl forum drums. They seem like they were made for rock (and they suck for jazz, but they worked after some tweaking) and they're a bit too loud for my situation. From what I'm reading about these, they don't seem loud enough. I know there are a lot of heavy-hitting rock musicians posting on this, who need drums that cut through distortion and loud guitars, but I don't really need that. Are these what I'm looking for? I've been researching a lot and keep ending up back at these. How is the dynamic range? can they be played loud and soft without sounding bad? If there is anyone else in my situation with these drums, let me know what you think. Thanks.

[Bo Eder]

I borrowed a set of these from a friend once and they're very fun to play, and sound great. Yes, the volume thing is a slight challenge for the bass drum, but in most situations you'll probably want to mic' em up anyway.

Gary Chester recommended that everyone have a small PA system to at least mic your snare and bass drum just to keep up with the other amplified instruments around you. It fills out your sound and gives the audience more of what they're used to hearing.

I know, lots of us are poor so it might not be an option, but you might want to consider budgeting for it. Hell, if you did budget for a PA system, you can use those little drums for everything - as opposed to having a "rock" kit and a "jazz" kit And remember, Bernard Purdie plays an 18" bass drum all the time!

[mrfozzy]

I have ordered my Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz in Red Sparkle, and hope to get in within the next week, also purchased all gibraltar hardware and Sabian Cymbals. So should be good,

Any one know where i can buy an extra 10" tom for it though?

Thanks

[pearlygates]

I have ordered my Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz in Red Sparkle, and hope to get in within the next week, also purchased all gibraltar hardware and Sabian Cymbals. So should be good,

Any one know where i can buy an extra 10" tom for it though?

Thanks

Did you by chance order your kit from Sigler music center online? The reason I ask is that Sigler is the only retailer that has the CCJ in Red sparkle.

I would try eBay for your 10" tom. I have seen that add on drum listed there on more than one occasion. The red sparkle wrap could be a tad tough to find, but who knows..

[mrfozzy]

Actually i didnt buy it off sigler lol,

I live in UK, and bought it off a local drum company, ill probably try get it off them but im hoping to get it cheap.

Thanks

[pearlygates]

Actually i didnt buy it off sigler lol,

I live in UK, and bought it off a local drum company, ill probably try get it off them but im hoping to get it cheap.

Thanks

Ahh.. well then, I stand corrected! Enjoy them mate!

[Mr. Mark]

I'm thinking about buying one of these kits too.
I have a question regarding the finishes. Are the shells the same for the wrapped
shells as they are for the wood finishes or do the latter get an additional veneer
that gets stained (instead of a layer of plastic wrap)?

Really on the fence regarding the color choice. I like them all.
Been seeing many colors offered on ebay that is not shown on the Gretsch web site.

Are the plastic wrap finishes of lesser quality that what's available on higher price drums
or do they use the same stuff that's available everywhere?

Thanks
Mark

[ptp]

I was on the fence about picking up one of these kits, ultimately deciding a smaller (bop sized) kit was the way to go. It came down to the Gretsch vs. a (remarkably $250 less expensive) Sonor bop kit. I wound up getting the Gretsch in copper sparkle and couldn't be happier. I found the workmanship solid, the tones (and range - will address that momentarily) top shelf and the finish impeccable. Overall, I find this to be an all around solid purchase.

Now, as to the range of this kit. Working as a musician is my livelihood; it pays my rent, puts food on my table, etc.; therefore, I have (as many of us do) a number of concurrent (and sometimes consecutive!) gigs across a range of styles and this kit has covered them all handily. Naturally I swap out heads appropriately and tune accordingly. This kit has covered 600 outdoor seats on a noisy post-rock instrumental gig, 200 seats on a straight-ahead jazz gig, 50 seats on an acoustic coffeehouse gig and everything in-between. I figured out what heads worked for me fairly quickly and have that down to a relative science now. As heads are very much a matter of taste, I'll shy away from that aspect. This kit has effectively replaced my other kits as the "quick and easy to load, sounds great always" kit ahead of even my DW (22"/12"/16"). I've never had issues with volume, power and depth of the kick, tone or timbre of the toms. It is worth mentioning I have been the beneficiary of the sound man's skill, however a solid kit makes that job easier.

The only portion of this kit which I found to be slightly underwhelming out of the box was the snare. However, having the good fortune to own a few "go-to" snares, I go with what I know and have admittedly not spent really any notable time trying to pull a good sound from it.

I'm just digging the hell out of this kit.

[Hercules]

I see that the 10" tom is available as an add-on - but the kit comes with a single tom holder. Is there a special double tom holder for the Catalina series?

There's also a genuine Gretsch double tom holder - with the Gretsch logo cast into it - looks nicer than the Gibraltar if you want to keep your kit looking "Gretsch".

I got the 10" tom and it's a bit more "choked" than the rest of the kit when tuned deep - tuned high it sings.

Be careful that you order the right L-rod diameter - and it's hard to get the memri-locs.....


and stay tuned - my custom Cat Big Band kit is nearly due - combined with the Cat Jazz it will make a great double kit :-)

[Hercules]

I'm thinking about buying one of these kits too.
I have a question regarding the finishes. Are the shells the same for the wrapped
shells as they are for the wood finishes or do the latter get an additional veneer
that gets stained (instead of a layer of plastic wrap)?

Really on the fence regarding the color choice. I like them all.
Been seeing many colors offered on ebay that is not shown on the Gretsch web site.

Are the plastic wrap finishes of lesser quality that what's available on higher price drums
or do they use the same stuff that's available everywhere?

Thanks
Mark

I have the walnut finish kit - the veneer is a thin layer of basswood (as it has a nice grain compared to the PI mahogany) and it is an additional layer.

Personally I prefer the gloss timber finishes .... but the maple finish does look nice on stage and the plastic wraps look good under lights....

[drumdevil9]

Edit: Oops I didn't realize this was an old thread. Sorry.

[Piebe]

My apologies for bumping such a dated topic, but i have ordered this kit and am happy to read so many positive reviews. Can't wait to finally play those drums.

[Jack Boyd]

Thanks for the bump, I enjoyed reading it.
Just picked up a CCJ kit and plan to play classic rock covers with it. I left the G1's on the toms, for now, but replaced the reso's with clear Ambassadors. Replaced tne bass beater with a Powersonic. Interestingly, the snare sounds fine, as is, so I left it stock.
Everything sounds great! I don't hear any reason why the kit can't be used in a wide variety of situations (plenty of punch, not overpowering). But, I will let you know after playing it somewhere other than my practice room.

[Drumolator]

Here is what Gretsch said when I asked about the shells.

Hi Mark,
Thanks for the email and thanks for playing Gretsch. The shells are indeed mahogany but it is a proprietary formula. The outer ply is Basswood. We use that for aesthetics. It takes the finishing process much better. Gives it a nice clean look. Glad you enjoy the drums.

Regards,
Gretsch Drums


The guitarists in our band both know much about wood, and both of them agreed that the inner ply is not luan. I really like my kit, so what kind of wood it is really does not matter. But it is fun to discuss. Peace and goodwill.

[Drumolator]

By the way, I used to own an 18" Gretsch floor tom that was made in the 70s. I used it with some Slingerland mounted toms and bass drum. The first time I tried to record it, there was a strange buzzing sound. So I had to remove all of the lugs and pack them with cotton. The floor tom leg brackets were kind of lame too. For those reasons, I never even considered Gretsch for a long time, even though they sounded very good. I am playing Gretsch now, even though now my bass drum is a little smaller (18x14) than that floor tom (18x16). Peace, love, and blues.

[Piebe]

Somebody told me that the lugs of this kit suck and i better be handy with the blue removable loctite. I am still waiting for my set to arrive and this has gotten me a little worried. Can anybody who owns the kit confirm this?

[nickjd]

I'm not a massive fan of the plastic spacers on the kick lugs. I'd really apreciate if someone here could post a pick of the bearing edge, I'm worried its too sharp and soft.

I can get the silverstar in dark mocha for $999, and the cats go for $1200, here anyway. Seriously considering shipping in a Mapex Manhattan.

On paper, the cats look so good.

[Piebe]

That sounds not good at all, if i hadn't ordered my kit yet i would very seriously reconsider getting it.

[TTNW]

I have this kit and the lugs are fine. I havent found any of them to come loose. Just check them when you get your kit and snug them up gently if you need to. Otherwise you shouldn't have any problems.

[Piebe]

I have this kit and the lugs are fine. I havent found any of them to come loose. Just check them when you get your kit and snug them up gently if you need to. Otherwise you shouldn't have any problems.
That is comforting, but how about when tuning? Do you have to reapply the loctite? And can i perhaps change them with lug locks (http://www.luglock.com/luglock.htm)?

[Drumolator]

There is NOTHING wrong with the lugs. Mine stay tuned just as well as any other drums I have owned, which includes Mapex Saturn, Pearl Export, Ludwig (Suprapohic and Acrolite snares), Slingerland, and Corder (Fibes).

I really like my Catalina Club Jazz drums. The only thing that bothered me was the tom mount for the 12" tom. I drilled two holes in the shell and put the tom mount directly on the drum. These are good drums. Right now that set is the only one I have. The nearest city to me is Alexandria, Louisiana. The best drummer there sold his other gear and bought a Catalina Club Jazz drum set to be his only set. I have seen him live twice with it, and it sounded great.

I hope you like yours as much as I like mine. Peace, goodwill, and blues.

[Piebe]

Thank you Drumolator, that takes away my worries. As soon as i get mine and played with it i will post my review. Can you please show a pic of how your set looks now with the tom?

[nickjd]

Pics, from both of you!

[Piebe]

Today the kit arrived in the store so i went and played it. I didn't like the heads and wasn't enthusiastic at all about the sound and frankly i changed my mind and bought a Mapex Horizon instead. That doesn't mean the Catalina kit isn't a good kit, it just isn't the sort of kit i am looking for. I realized that the best thing is just to go to the store and play them, cause then you will know if the kit is the right choice for you or not.

[Drumolator]

Even though I have posted pictures of this kit on this forum, here they are again.