True-Pitch® Tuning (pdp drums)

[13enson]

i am looking into a new drumkit and in one of the shops i ended up in they had a PDP kit (i think it was an fs series). the man waffled on about how it was so brilliant and how it had "True-Pitch® Tuning" but couldnt tell me much more than "that it makes tunning easier".

the kit was going for £540 and the kit sounded pretty good for the price. it had 10/12/14/16 toms with 22 bass + snare + hardware. he also said he would let me have a set of zxt rock titaniums for £150 and some pearl bags for free...

does this sound like a good deal? that is pretty much all the man said so any more information about it and this "True-Pitch® Tuning" the man was on about would be good. he couldn't tell me the model and i can't seem to find much on the internet.

cheers...

[mofle]

I don't know much about the True-Pitch® Tuning system, but I can tell you that you should stay far away from the ZXT Titaniums, they are awful. Check out the PDP site for info (?).

[Rhythmic Disciple]

He's made the True Pitch stuff sound a LOT more than it actually is! In DW terms, True Pitch Tuning simply refers to the tuning rods which have a slightly different thread to other industry standard rods. Alledgedly, it makes tuning a more accurate and precise process...and I mean ALLEDGEDLY!!!

They market it as True Pitch Tuning, but it sounds like the guy was using it as a big selling point when really it's not. He's made a bit of a mountain out of a molehill! I'm sure it has some benefit, but how much is debatable, check out the Drum Workshop website?

As far as the deal goes, it sounds okay to me because I believe those drums are 100% birch (I think!). However, I'd really give the drums a thorough examination especially the bearing edges and state of the finish.

You need help from a PDP owner, any out there?

[rendezvous_drummer]

PDP's are usually known to have alot of faults with the bearing edges. The construction of PDP's are poor. I'd hold out on that kit and look for other kits such as the yamaha stage custom, tama superstar or one of the sonor numbers (2005 and higher I think). Stay away from PDP's and Pearl Exports...i'm dead serious.

[13enson]

thanks,
ever since i played one at a local venue i have had my heart set on a mapex pro m. i have also played a tama superstar and a ludwig (i think) accent and the mapex was my favorite, i think really i just prefer the maple sound. there is a tabacco fade rock set up for sale in a local shop for £599. although i am not sure if it comes with the black panther 12x7. is the black panther snare worth me paying the extra £100 for one with it + it will be my desired set up and colour?

while i was in the shop i got the man to demostrate the difference between the zxt and the zxt titanium, and they sounded identical (if anything the ti where slightly better). isnt the only difference the ti are painted with titanium stuff?...

[rendezvous_drummer]

Yea the Mapex is a great kit and the snare's are great. As for colour, it all depends what you like, and the mapex kit is great for any style of music. I'd say go for it if you can get a good deal on it. Talk to the sales people and try to strike a deal.

[Afrolicious]

The FS series is one of the cheapest of PDP, although it's 100% birch in fact (at least that's what PDP say it is). That ture pitch tuning is nothing too special, you can find similar features in other drumsets in that price range. At least the Sonor Force 2005 I own has the same thing.
I think I even saw a PDP FS in a drumshop here in Frankfurt for 500€, which is far less money, so I guess it's not that good of a deal, and as mofle already said, the ZXTs are nothing you'd wanna go for.

[SketcHyRollin564]

i LOVE my FS. they sound amazing, and i have no issues with the bearing edges. With the newer pdp kits, they pretty much fixed the bearing edge issues, so you dont have to worry too much about it, but its always good to check. As far as mapex, they are great drums. I might have got them over the PDP's if i could find a place where i could try them out. The hardware on mapex hower, is rock solid

[TheArchitect]

PDP's are usually known to have alot of faults with the bearing edges. The construction of PDP's are poor. I'd hold out on that kit and look for other kits such as the yamaha stage custom, tama superstar or one of the sonor numbers (2005 and higher I think). Stay away from PDP's and Pearl Exports...i'm dead serious.

PDP 3 years ago maybe. This is internet lore that was true at one time but I don't believe it to be the case today. Unfortunately with the internet this sort of thing is constantly parroted by people with no experience whatsoever with the product and never dies.

I checked out more than a few PDP kits before getting my CXR set and not one of them had an issue. You should inspect the bearing edges and check shells for round with ANY kit no matter who the mfg is or the price point.

[TTNW]

PDP 3 years ago maybe. This is internet lore that was true at one time but I don't believe it to be the case today. Unfortunately with the internet this sort of thing is constantly parroted by people with no experience whatsoever with the product and never dies.

I checked out more than a few PDP kits before getting my CXR set and not one of them had an issue. You should inspect the bearing edges and check shells for round with ANY kit no matter who the mfg is or the price point.

Tru Pitch tuning rods have more threads per inch than standard tuning rods. Conceptually it makes sense that "finer" tuning would be an advantage. Practically speaking there is only a small benefit to more incremental tuning. I thought when I got my PDP kit that it would mean that drums wouldn't go out of tune as often. I have found this to be the case with my bass drum and 16" floor tom, but occasionally my 12" rack tom will detune a bit. Nylon washers sometimes help and those tuning rods with the nylon insert are supposed to be good. (I'm not sure if they're available in the Tru Pitch threads-per-inch size).

I have a 2003 PDP CX in a wrapped finish. I too heard about these quality control issues and when I bought my shell pack, I just inspected every shell for being round and that the bearing edges were right.

I've only heard good things about the birch drums and several members have them. TBMills and 805 drummer play the birch kits. You should ask them about their sound.

[TTNW]

you can find similar features in other drumsets in that price range. At least the Sonor Force 2005 I own has the same thing.

I didn't know this. Are there other Sonor lines besides the 2005 that have a higher thread-per-inch count on their tuning rods?

[TheArchitect]

Tru Pitch tuning rods have more threads per inch than standard tuning rods. Conceptually it makes sense that "finer" tuning would be an advantage. Practically speaking there is only a small benefit to more incremental tuning. I thought when I got my PDP kit that it would mean that drums wouldn't go out of tune as often. I have found this to be the case with my bass drum and 16" floor tom, but occasionally my 12" rack tom will detune a bit. Nylon washers sometimes help and those tuning rods with the nylon insert are supposed to be good. (I'm not sure if they're available in the Tru Pitch threads-per-inch size).

I have a 2003 PDP CX in a wrapped finish. I too heard about these quality control issues and when I bought my shell pack, I just inspected every shell for being round and that the bearing edges were right.

I've only heard good things about the birch drums and several members have them. TBMills and 805 drummer play the birch kits. You should ask them about their sound.

I was simply referring to the bearing edge issues in regards to the internet lore.

Finer thread lugs would theoretically make finer tuning possible than with a coarser thread but the differences would be minimal. I have had any serious tuning issues with my kit. Over time drums will go out of tune. The mylar stretches, the shells move a bit from temp and humidity changes. Just the nature of the beast

[trkdrmr]

One of the few things that can truly claim true pitch is a copper tympani.

[TTNW]

One of the few things that can truly claim true pitch is a copper tympani.

I play PDP and I like the concept but I agree that it's a little too much marketing hokum to call them Tru Pitch (true pitch)

whatever...

[trkdrmr]

I play PDP and I like the concept but I agree that it's a little too much marketing hokum to call them Tru Pitch (true pitch)

whatever...

Yeah, the PDP sound just fine. They sound pretty much like high end maple drums. They really don't need to try to establish an image of some melodic instrument. They have other merits to stand on, including (IMO) the recent improvement in quality with the new lines.

Taking a cue from Gretsch, PDP needs to go the class and performance route, not the pie in the sky promises route.

[TTNW]

Taking a cue from Gretsch, PDP needs to go the class and performance route, not the pie in the sky promises route.

I agree. Hopefully the Platinum line they are promoting is just that...

... I've been curious to play one of the new Platinum kits and haven't yet.

[TheArchitect]

Yeah, the PDP sound just fine. They sound pretty much like high end maple drums. They really don't need to try to establish an image of some melodic instrument. They have other merits to stand on, including (IMO) the recent improvement in quality with the new lines.

Taking a cue from Gretsch, PDP needs to go the class and performance route, not the pie in the sky promises route.

What pie in the sky? The sales dude was pitching that nonsense not PDP

[trkdrmr]

What pie in the sky? The sales dude was pitching that nonsense not PDP

Nonsense at any sales level... stay with me here...

Regardless of how you purchase a PDP, I'd like to see a classier approach than buzzwords and nonsense.

I have listened to GC guys sell PDP and Gretsch. IMO, Gretsch renowns are on equal footing as PDP platinum. But for whatever reason, they get a "soft sell" that doesn't involve any nonsense.

I want PDP sales to go that route.

[CaptainSticks]

dont get the ZXT titanium. i got the back like 4.5 years back, and they sounded awful then and one still remaining sound just as bad(even worse).

[TheArchitect]

Nonsense at any sales level... stay with me here...

Regardless of how you purchase a PDP, I'd like to see a classier approach than buzzwords and nonsense.

I have listened to GC guys sell PDP and Gretsch. IMO, Gretsch renowns are on equal footing as PDP platinum. But for whatever reason, they get a "soft sell" that doesn't involve any nonsense.

I want PDP sales to go that route.

I understand but I don't see how PDP can do anything about that. The same stores sell the stuff and its pretty much out of the hands of Gretsch, PDP and any other mfg. at that point.

[timmdrum]

My '03 Pacific CX kit is golden- no problems, and great tone. Pacific did have QC issues then, even with their upper lines, and I made sure I inspected my bearing edges for blemishes before I left GC. However, their QC has much improved. I may get some Platinums when I'm ready for a new kit, although a Trick aluminum kit or a Tempus fiberglass one would be freakin' sweet...!

[Mikecore]

The reality on Tru-Pitch is that they are not really practical as far as tunability and so forth, and they still back out of the same place as my standard 12-24 snares, so tune-locks are the real solution there. I think it does more to sell DW parts, and it makes it easier from a manufacturing standpoint, since DW only has to stock ONE kind of thread type and inserts.

As far as the sales monkey goes....

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say that he doesn't really know the product and was just quacking out whatever he could remember from the catalog or website or (fill-in-the-blank). It sounds nice to the untrained ear, but there are some pretty savvy drummers out there (and here), who can tell you there's more to it than a tuning peg. For all we know the guy knows guitars instead and could tell you all day what separates the men from the boys in "guitar-land".