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