More PDP Stories...

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

Took a trip over to Denmark Street with my girlfriend yesterday and I had the good fortune to go into The TinPan Alley Drum Company's shop. They had several Pearl sets on display (one of which I swear had the worst sounding snare I'd ever heard in my life, on top of the fact it hadn't been tuned properly, only an EX though so nothing unexpected) until I happened across a few PDP kits at the back. Several different series, starting off with the FS Series (birch) and I remembered the stories that I'd read over here and decided to come to my own conclusions.

It took me ten seconds to realise the poor quality of the shell construction on two kits.

I looked at the 10-inch toms, and fortunately they'd supplied clear heads. I checked around the bearing edge and there they were, the ubiquitous dents and chips ALL over one of the 10" tom's edges, the other kit I had a look at had some very suspicious sawdust trapped between the head and the shell, as well as a number of fairly serious dents in the bearing edge. Whereas I can live with one or two small dents in bearing edges (Hell, mine aren't perfect) I don't understand how or why a company would let a kit ship with bearing edges THAT bad. They were appalling. A five year old with ten minutes and a router could have probably done a better job.

I didn't have much chance to test out the hardware, but it really didn't look either sturdy or durable. Sorry to all you PDP lovers out there, but just not impressed in the slightest.

[pdp 9091]

Ive looked at many pacifics in the guitar center. The ones that I have looked at had nothing too too major with the bearing edges or shells, wrap, ect. But what I did notice was the quality (or lack of quality may i say) with the hardware - especially the mounting hardware. They had a cx blue onyx set already set up and I started jamming on it. The drums sounded ok but what i noticed was the unstablness of the mounted toms. I made sure they were tight as i can get them but still i did not feel that conifidence that comes along with sturdy hardware. I own 2 pdp stands and for the price (30 usd) they are decent. They could have a longer boom arm though with cymbal arm weights on the end to prevent tippage.

and as for my user name:

My name my be very missleading. Back when i wanted a pacific kit, I made this name. Now i own nothing of pacific except for a few stands. So dont no one get me across as a pdp guy by no means. haha


ps. bernhard..... anyway i can get my name changed to like....um....idk. Maybe tRavIs_bArKeR_iS_gOd182

[reeber]

I have the PDP LX in the Cherry Fade and love it... I had a slight imperfection on my 14" tom's bearing edge, but nothing that will kill the ability to tune it right. I have the 7 piece kit. 8,10,12,14,16 with 22 BD and replaced my PDP snare (didn't like the sound) with a DW aluminum snare drum.

I am very happy with the shell kit. I play out very often and the only issue with the hardware was that a mounting screw walked itself loose and I lost it. I am waiting for the screw to come in. They sent it to me for free.

For the money, you can't go wrong with the LX series.

[Paradiddle my snizzle]

Took a trip over to Denmark Street with my girlfriend yesterday and I had the good fortune to go into The TinPan Alley Drum Company's shop. They had several Pearl sets on display (one of which I swear had the worst sounding snare I'd ever heard in my life, on top of the fact it hadn't been tuned properly, only an EX though so nothing unexpected) until I happened across a few PDP kits at the back. Several different series, starting off with the FS Series (birch) and I remembered the stories that I'd read over here and decided to come to my own conclusions.

It took me ten seconds to realise the poor quality of the shell construction on two kits.

I looked at the 10-inch toms, and fortunately they'd supplied clear heads. I checked around the bearing edge and there they were, the ubiquitous dents and chips ALL over one of the 10" tom's edges, the other kit I had a look at had some very suspicious sawdust trapped between the head and the shell, as well as a number of fairly serious dents in the bearing edge. Whereas I can live with one or two small dents in bearing edges (Hell, mine aren't perfect) I don't understand how or why a company would let a kit ship with bearing edges THAT bad. They were appalling. A five year old with ten minutes and a router could have probably done a better job.

I didn't have much chance to test out the hardware, but it really didn't look either sturdy or durable. Sorry to all you PDP lovers out there, but just not impressed in the slightest.

You shouldn't go to Denmark Street - you should go to Denmark! and visit ME!!! lol... :)

Anyways i bought the pdp birch kit and i'm very happy with it. It says "made in china" on mine and not mexico - i dont know if that has anything to do with it the quality.

[Tama Player]

Took a trip over to Denmark Street with my girlfriend yesterday and I had the good fortune to go into The TinPan Alley Drum Company's shop. They had several Pearl sets on display (one of which I swear had the worst sounding snare I'd ever heard in my life, on top of the fact it hadn't been tuned properly, only an EX though so nothing unexpected) until I happened across a few PDP kits at the back. Several different series, starting off with the FS Series (birch) and I remembered the stories that I'd read over here and decided to come to my own conclusions.

It took me ten seconds to realise the poor quality of the shell construction on two kits.

I looked at the 10-inch toms, and fortunately they'd supplied clear heads. I checked around the bearing edge and there they were, the ubiquitous dents and chips ALL over one of the 10" tom's edges, the other kit I had a look at had some very suspicious sawdust trapped between the head and the shell, as well as a number of fairly serious dents in the bearing edge. Whereas I can live with one or two small dents in bearing edges (Hell, mine aren't perfect) I don't understand how or why a company would let a kit ship with bearing edges THAT bad. They were appalling. A five year old with ten minutes and a router could have probably done a better job.

I didn't have much chance to test out the hardware, but it really didn't look either sturdy or durable. Sorry to all you PDP lovers out there, but just not impressed in the slightest.

To tell you the truth, I am completely disatisfied with there quality. I know exactly what you mean. There was one on sale at Sam Ash and I was completely shocked at it. My little 8 year old sister even said to me. "Why are those drums all messy?" I was telling that I really dont know. If its the shipping company, than they DEFINTLEY need a better one. Besides, I doubt that the shipping company could do all of that. I do not like them, not at all.

Peace
AGR

[Paul_Klein]

Hmm. My 2005 CX model has flawless bearing edges on every drum, both sides. I've never understood it when people complained about pdp's bearing edge quality.

Mine are fine :)

[kung_f00]

I too am unsure of all the pdp hatred. When I went to Alto Music in NY today (12/12/07) and looked at three kits -- one MX and two LX kits -- I saw no issue with bearing edges. I also didn't notice any issues with mounting on the LX.. I actually shook and gave a tug on the rim mounts for the toms, much to the dismay of the store clerk. He asked me why I was doing that, and I told him I had heard the hardware for pdp was shotty. He actually owns a pdp, and told me that his set had no problems, and he hasn't heard complaints from buyers.

Also, I quite like the pdp BOA pedals.. they were actually a little more responsive than the DW 5 series pedal, and they were pretty lightweight.

[drumzac]

I too am unsure of all the pdp hatred. When I went to Alto Music in NY today (12/12/07) and looked at three kits -- one MX and two LX kits -- I saw no issue with bearing edges. I also didn't notice any issues with mounting on the LX.. I actually shook and gave a tug on the rim mounts for the toms, much to the dismay of the store clerk. He asked me why I was doing that, and I told him I had heard the hardware for pdp was shotty. He actually owns a pdp, and told me that his set had no problems, and he hasn't heard complaints from buyers.

Also, I quite like the pdp BOA pedals.. they were actually a little more responsive than the DW 5 series pedal, and they were pretty lightweight.

A word of advice...salesman own one of everything they sell. They really don't but they will say that to make sales or to land a potential sale. It's actually a tactic you learn in sales, whether retail or higher up.

[fourstringdrums]

I have a PDP CX (which I still have yet to sell). I was lucky with the QC on mine. There are no real issues although one of the drums has slight seam seperation and the bearing edges on the snare seem too flat. The stock snare is lousy. Hardware wise, I only have tom mounts and they're pretty sturdy although the memory locks are a pain to use. My Gretsch is a much better buy as far as tone and, durability, and QC go compared to the PDP's, for pretty much the same price. Actually I think I spent about $20 less for the Gretsch's than the PDP's.

[Frummer]

i think the sawdust is in fact chips off drumsticks after heck loads of people been trying the set...haha << edit: ooops i thought you meant head and rim...ok ignore this then haha

about the bearing edges...perhaps Pacific solved it already?older models for the display kit? maybe a new set will have better bearing edges?

actually its kinda hard to say...we cant really judge from 1 shop and a couple of kits...:)

[drozzy]

A lot of these bearing edge chips may be transportation and assembly fumbles, particularly from unattentaive store clerks who dropor miss handle things while quickly building them for display models.

[larlev]

i think the sawdust is in fact chips off drumsticks after heck loads of people been trying the set...haha << edit: ooops i thought you meant head and rim...ok ignore this then haha

about the bearing edges...perhaps Pacific solved it already?older models for the display kit? maybe a new set will have better bearing edges?

actually its kinda hard to say...we cant really judge from 1 shop and a couple of kits...:)


Why is it my FS 2 years ago had same issues........

I would say YOU can judge...Pacific lower end kits are of terrible quality......

I have nothing nice to say about pacific......customer service, quality...so I wont say anything

[Mediocrefunkybeat]

A lot of these bearing edge chips may be transportation and assembly fumbles, particularly from unattentaive store clerks who dropor miss handle things while quickly building them for display models.

Finding sawdust inside your drum isn't usually a good sign. It may be true that some of the bearing edge issues are due to mishandling, but I'm under the impression that these kits ship with the heads already installed, so that would be utterly irrelevant and purely as a result of poor manufacturing. I'm still to be convinced that the general level of quality with PDP is good.

[da cheese walks]

i played a PDP kit,and honestly i found it felt the same as my PP kit at teh time!!but i did get a free PDP single pedal off the friend who bought teh kit,as he had a double pedal alrady...an i still use it!!i think its one of teh smoothest pedals ive owned!!real sturdy...an i suppose i did tinker with it for a week or so to get it totally in tune with my foot,and the way i move...but i still think its a real good pedal...

[drozzy]

Depending on the supplier - most drum packages are shipped with two toms assembled, and the bass and floor tom unnassembled - the supplier themselves normally package the kits at their plant in the specific country, where more handling of the shells occur.

Occasionally you'll unwrap a brand new box of drums in store and both rims will be on the same end of the durm to save on time screwing in tension rods. Therefore the other bearing is left exposed during transport.