good semi-pro kit. any suggestions?

[AveyTare]

hello

I was going to buy taye studio maples, but unfortunately I can't buy them. so I'm going to buy some semi-pro kit. any thoughts? I'm from Poland ant here are some problems with getting some rare things... I was thinking about:

sonor force 3007
mapex pro m
ddrum dominion <either ash or maple - I really LOVE the look of ash pocket kit>

any other suggestions? what do you think will be the best?

cheers

[bonzolead]

hello

I was going to buy taye studio maples, but unfortunately I can't buy them. so I'm going to buy some semi-pro kit. any thoughts? I'm from Poland ant here are some problems with getting some rare things... I was thinking about:

sonor force 3007
mapex pro m
ddrum dominion <either ash or maple - I really LOVE the look of ash pocket kit>

any other suggestions? what do you think will be the best?

cheers
ddrum makes some decent semi-pro kits for the price,How much are you willing to spend?

Bonzolead

[AveyTare]

ddrum makes some decent semi-pro kits for the price,How much are you willing to spend?

Bonzolead

hard to tell, cause I'm from Poland :p the prices here are totally different than in the US. however, something in a price tag of pro m, force 3007 and dominion ash <they are all almost the same price here>

[max77]

If it was me I'll choose the Sonor ...

If you can , try the Ddrums and the sonor at your music store ...

I'm a Sonor addict but it's my choice héhé ...

[GRUNTERSDAD]

Sonor are great and great looking.. Why not the Taye set, what happened with that?

[AveyTare]

Sonor are great and great looking.. Why not the Taye set, what happened with that?

well... I thought I would get far better price due to the fact that the dealer is a relationship of my dad's coleague. unfortunately, their prices are BAD. and their customer service is AWFUL. definitely don't recomend Taye to anybody.

[Doug Masters]

Gretsch Renown Maple.

[d.c.drummer]

Gretsch Renown Maple.

i agree hands down. the dddrum would be my next choice.

[rendezvous_drummer]

Look no further than the Yamaha Stage Custom Advantage Nouveau or Yamaha Tour Customs. These two kits are the best semi-pro priced kits with high end sounds. Check them out.

[MadJazz]

A 2nd hand pro kit will do you better than a new one in medium range. Change the heads and it's as good as new.

[bonzolead]

Look no further than the Yamaha Stage Custom Advantage Nouveau or Yamaha Tour Customs. These two kits are the best semi-pro priced kits with high end sounds. Check them out.
if you do go with Yamaha don't. get the Nouveau lugs there no good and they wear out after a while.The Gretsch Renown Maple kits are nice.don't. mean to put down Yamaha I own a 1984 Tour Custom kit with a 24" bass drum(nice) and I love the kit but my friend has a Yamaha kit with the Nouveau lugs and has nothing but problems with them.Yamaha just isn't. the same since the original owner retired a few years ago what Yamaha did with Rogers drums is a prime example(pitiful).enough bashing Yamaha there new Tour Customs look nice for a good mid-range kit but I still like my old Tour Customs better.pretty much all major drum companies(DW,Tama,Ludwig,Gretsch,Premier,etc.)make good mid-range kits.Maple kits are becoming more affordable nowdays.

Good Luck,
Bonzolead

[MadJazz]

if you do go with Yamaha don't. get the Nouveau lugs there no good and they wear out after a while.The Gretsch Renown Maple kits are nice.don't. mean to put down Yamaha I own a 1984 Tour Custom kit with a 24" bass drum(nice) and I love the kit but my friend has a Yamaha kit with the Nouveau lugs and has nothing but problems with them.Yamaha just isn't. the same since the original owner retired a few years ago what Yamaha did with Rogers drums is a prime example(pitiful).enough bashing Yamaha there new Tour Customs look nice for a good mid-range kit but I still like my old Tour Customs better.pretty much all major drum companies(DW,Tama,Ludwig,Gretsch,Premier,etc.)make good mid-range kits.Maple kits are becoming more affordable nowdays.

Good Luck,
Bonzolead

Nonsense. I ve got nouveau lugs and never had a problem. The only downside is that you can't finger tighten the lugs when tuning.

[bonzolead]

Nonsense. I ve got nouveau lugs and never had a problem. The only downside is that you can't finger tighten the lugs when tuning.oooooo I knew that reply would strike some nerves in the Yamaha family.if you can't. finger tighten the lugs that slows you down right there.so what's the use for having them?there trying to reinvent the wheel.but everybody knows american-made drums are the BEST just like our cars and trucks you can probably tell i'm from Detroit.oh well different strokes for different fokes.

Keep Swatting,
Bonzolead

[bonzolead]

A 2nd hand pro kit will do you better than a new one in medium range. Change the heads and it's as good as new.

Great suggestion,
Bonzolead

[altered_beast]

oooooo I knew that reply would strike some nerves in the Yamaha family.if you can't. finger tighten the lugs that slows you down right there.so what's the use for having them?there trying to reinvent the wheel.but everybody knows american-made drums are the BEST just like our cars and trucks you can probably tell i'm from Detroit.oh well different strokes for different fokes.

Keep Swatting,
Bonzolead


Sorry?! American made drums the best?! Tama?! Yamaha?! Sonor?! I beg to differ my friend, and don't even get me started on the cars!!

[rendezvous_drummer]

2 things:

1) You can finger tighten the nouveau lugs...of course you can! I do it all the time.

2) USA doesn't make the best drums....or cars. IMO, Japan makes the nicest drums (Canada too in reference to Ayotte) and the best cars go to DEUTSCHLAND! Love VW.

[bonzolead]

Sorry?! American made drums the best?! Tama?! Yamaha?! Sonor?! I beg to differ my friend, and don't even get me started on the cars!!
I guess you never played GMS or OCP or a set of Gretsch or Ludwig or Fibes or Pork-Pie or well you get the point I could keep going.and I bet you never drove a Z06 Corvette either.
anyway that's why we have choices you make your and i'll make mine.oh by the way what did that english drummer John Bonham play that's right American-made Ludwigs he also like american cars better.

Bonzolead

[bonzolead]

2 things:

1) You can finger tighten the nouveau lugs...of course you can! I do it all the time.

2) USA doesn't make the best drums....or cars. IMO, Japan makes the nicest drums (Canada too in reference to Ayotte) and the best cars go to DEUTSCHLAND! Love VW.

sorry to hear that.nice car where do you hide the Batteries LOL

Bonzolead

[AveyTare]

this is one of the most stupid offtopics I've ever read. do me a favour and just stop talking about american and german cars and drums. that's ridiculous.

well, it's pretty hard to get a good condition used pro kit of the good price here in Poland. prices of used gear are very high here. internet shops have some pretty good offers for new sets, and that's why I'm looking for them.

are gretsch renown maple or yamaha tour customs in a price range of pro m? I thought they're in a price tag of saturns... which are unfortunately out of my range :(

[rendezvous_drummer]

this is one of the most stupid offtopics I've ever read. do me a favour and just stop talking about american and german cars and drums. that's ridiculous.

well, it's pretty hard to get a good condition used pro kit of the good price here in Poland. prices of used gear are very high here. internet shops have some pretty good offers for new sets, and that's why I'm looking for them.

are gretsch renown maple or yamaha tour customs in a price range of pro m? I thought they're in a price tag of saturns... which are unfortunately out of my range :(

No. The Tour Customs are well within your price range. I've seen Tour Customs go for as low as $1300 Canadian. Don't know what that is in Polish money, but definitely look into them.

[bonzolead]

this is one of the most stupid offtopics I've ever read. do me a favour and just stop talking about american and german cars and drums. that's ridiculous.

well, it's pretty hard to get a good condition used pro kit of the good price here in Poland. prices of used gear are very high here. internet shops have some pretty good offers for new sets, and that's why I'm looking for them.

are gretsch renown maple or yamaha tour customs in a price range of pro m? I thought they're in a price tag of saturns... which are unfortunately out of my range :(

Sorry i'll stop talking about that but if I were you the Gretsch Renown Maple and you also said the ddrum ash kit those kits are really nice .sorry for being over patriotic.those kits are around $1,000.00 to $1,500.00 U.S.D range.

Good Luck,
Bonzolead

[AveyTare]

Sorry i'll stop talking about that but if I were you the Gretsch Renown Maple and you also said the ddrum ash kit those kits are really nice .sorry for being over patriotic.those kits are around $1,000.00 to $1,500.00 U.S.D range.

Good Luck,
Bonzolead

I've heard only good things about renown maples... if I could get one for the price of pro m, I'll for sure do it.

thanks everyone ;)

[Butch Axsmith]

SONOR .... YOU will be very happy/////
Butch Axsmith

[AveyTare]

well, I was looking for the prices of renown maple and tour custom and they are FAR more expensive than pro m and force 3007 drums. what a pitty :( cause they <especially renown maples> look GREAT.

I don't know which new kit should I buy. I'm thinking about ddrum dominion ash pocket <perfect sizes, die casts and LOOK> and sonor force 3007 with 20 inch bass drum <well, it's sonor>

what should I choose?

[Johnny from the block]

A 2nd hand pro kit will do you better than a new one in medium range. Change the heads and it's as good as new.

Be critical when you buy a second hand kit! Changes are slim that there isn't something wrong with it you won't notice at first. At least go check it out first, and buy it afterwards.

[AveyTare]

Be critical when you buy a second hand kit! Changes are slim that there isn't something wrong with it you won't notice at first. At least go check it out first, and buy it afterwards.

yeah, that's why I'm afraid of buying used things...

I really like ddrum dominion ash pocket kit. and the problem with force 3007 kits are that I can't find them ANYWHERE. so I'd rather go with ddrum... I hope it won't be the bad choice...

[SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ]

I'm currently in the process of buying a ddrum diatribe kit. Basically the same as the dominion but with birch/basswood shells. I think they are great. ddrum has new finishes out for '07. I forget the exact new colors for the dominion line, but they are sparkle lacquer finishes which you may be more interested in than their current finishes. I'm not positive about the dominion line, but I haven't seen any online retailers selling the '07 diatribe kits. They are still selling the older models. I'm going through a local shop who is ordering my '07 kit for me. So, if you want an '07 model you may have to order it directly through a local shop.

[AveyTare]

I'm currently in the process of buying a ddrum diatribe kit. Basically the same as the dominion but with birch/basswood shells. I think they are great. ddrum has new finishes out for '07. I forget the exact new colors for the dominion line, but they are sparkle lacquer finishes which you may be more interested in than their current finishes. I'm not positive about the dominion line, but I haven't seen any online retailers selling the '07 diatribe kits. They are still selling the older models. I'm going through a local shop who is ordering my '07 kit for me. So, if you want an '07 model you may have to order it directly through a local shop.

thanks, sleepy bright eyez ;) actually, I LOVE their "something orange" finish with black chrome hardware, so I think I'll stick with it.

[GRUNTERSDAD]

well... I thought I would get far better price due to the fact that the dealer is a relationship of my dad's coleague. unfortunately, their prices are BAD. and their customer service is AWFUL. definitely don't recomend Taye to anybody.

Sorry you had problems with Taye, or that the deal with your dad didnt work out. I have a set of Tayes that I got about a year ago, and I had questions about the drums I didnt think that Musicians Friend could answer, so I emailed Taye. I got a call from their President Ray Chin, who has now moved on, and he gave me his personal phone number which I called twice and he answered. He was very up front with me and answered my questions honestly as far as I could tell. He mad no pretense that the set I bought, Pro_X, wasn't their best but told me that if I had problems even beyond the 1 year warranty period to call or email him and he would see that it was taken care of. As for their prices, in the U.S. anyway,they are more than competitive with other brands I have seen, and heard which is why I bought them. Sorry your deal didnt work out.

[wnameth]

I was in your position, and well i went with the yamaha stage customs.
reasons:

i tried the sonor 3005 kit, and well it was maple, but i honestly didn't like the sound of the bass drum nearly as much, and i didn't think the hardware was as sturdy.
I tried the pacific CX i believe which was also maple, i found they were made pretty cheap, they looked pretty good, but there sound wasn't too too good, and there hardware was not up to snuf (mainly the tom mounts)

i also tried tama, but i'm just not a fan of tama drums. The three sets i mentioned above were what it came down to.
I went with a yamaha stage custom 6 piece (10,12,14,16,22, snare) it was the Nouveau kind. in a nateral finish. I love the way it looks, i still have stock heads on the toms, they sound awesome! even with stock, i stuck an emad with a ring on the bass drum and put a plastic hole ring on the reso yamaha head, i play shows with them, they are amazing i can set it up as 10, 14, 22, or 12, 16, 22 or all of them together depending on the style of play.
THE THING I LIKE MOST ABOUT THEM IS: the hardware, when i had a pearl kit, I was so frustrated setting them up, trying to get them the same every-time, but it was near impossible. Now i just keep the tom mounding system locked and i don't fold the arms that go into the toms, because there so small. I now setup my kit the EXACT SAME way every-time, i LOVE the bassdrum sound, i didn't care much for the snare, i use my ludwig supraphonic not the stock one, but i'll tell ya, i found that tama and pacific had MUCH worse stock snares.

hope that helps
oh and what are ppl talking about american cars for? honestly they SUCK, thats why ford is losing sooooo much money and closing plants left right and centre. lol.
-Wes

[altered_beast]

I guess you never played GMS or OCP or a set of Gretsch or Ludwig or Fibes or Pork-Pie or well you get the point I could keep going.and I bet you never drove a Z06 Corvette either.
anyway that's why we have choices you make your and i'll make mine.oh by the way what did that english drummer John Bonham play that's right American-made Ludwigs he also like american cars better.

Bonzolead

No disrespect to John Bonham but he's been dead for what 25, 30 years (forgive me for not knowing his life and times well enough to know when he died), but just because he drove an American car doesn't mean it's better. Sit yourself down in, say, a BMW M5 or an Audi RS4 and run your hands over the dashboard, now tell me the interior is of lesser quality than the bargain bin plastics in pretty much any American car you car to mention. Ludwig's were the big name at the time John Bonham would have started playing, and guesses why? Ringo Starr anyone? Anyone care to do some research on what the cheapest drums of the time would've been? Cos I'd put my money on them being Ludwig's. I could be completely wrong and when someone can prove that I am I will gadly apologise, but to put a statement forward that just because something is American it must be manufactured to a higher standard is possibly one of the most ludicrous (yet highly patriotic) statements I've ever read on the interweb.

[the.tree]

No one seems to have anything to say about the mapex. M pros are great kits for the money all maple with some solid hardware is hard to beat plus a free black panther snare. But what about the tama starclassic performers. Those are really nice and you should be able to find one within your budget they are a little more than the sonor and the mapex. As for the sonor vs mapex, they both sound really good, but the mapex has better drum sizes and color options. What kind of music do you play and what sizes are you looking for?

[the.tree]

No one seems to have anything to say about the mapex. M pros are great kits for the money all maple with some solid hardware is hard to beat plus a free black panther snare. But what about the tama starclassic performers. Those are really nice and you should be able to find one within your budget they are a little more than the sonor and the mapex. As for the sonor vs mapex, they both sound really good, but the mapex has better drum sizes and color options. What kind of music do you play and what sizes are you looking for?

-Toyotas and Hondas are the best stock cars out there. Chevy and Ford doesn't compare I'm afraid. Espcially not VWs.

[YAMAHA DRUMMER]

hey ,
you must hear Premier Artist Maple or Birch , they have a great sound and they look great , the hardware are the bad part , but you can buy hardware from other manufacture .
as others worte ... the Yamaha Stage Custom is also a great set .
bottom line - go and hear Yamaha Stage custom , Premier Artist and Sonor Force 3005 3007 and choose the one that fits your needs .
take care

[SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ]

thanks, sleepy bright eyez ;) actually, I LOVE their "something orange" finish with black chrome hardware, so I think I'll stick with it.

Cool! I think you'll be happy. ddrum needs a posse around here. hahah!

[groovemaster_flex]

Ludwig CS Custom.
Or Sonor Force 3007.

I've tried both.
And own a CS Custom.

For 800$ Canadian, you get the ring mounting system (I think that's what it's called...), 100% birch kit, great hardware (except the bass pedal... I'm having problems with that), and a nice sounding snare.

I don't know much about the Sonor Force 3007, but my friend owns one, and he's quite content with it. And Sonor comes with nicer finishes IMO.

And I believe both kits are in the same price range.

[rendezvous_drummer]

well, I was looking for the prices of renown maple and tour custom and they are FAR more expensive than pro m and force 3007 drums. what a pitty :( cause they <especially renown maples> look GREAT.

I don't know which new kit should I buy. I'm thinking about ddrum dominion ash pocket <perfect sizes, die casts and LOOK> and sonor force 3007 with 20 inch bass drum <well, it's sonor>

what should I choose?

None of those...pick the Yamaha Stage Custom. Unbelievable drums for an unbelievable price! Hardware and shell construction are all excellent quality. The only thing that you might have problems with is the finishes, but I had no problem with them. The Cranberry Red finish is KICK ass! Dude, I really, strongly consider you check them out.

[smalltownsideshow]

No one seems to have anything to say about the mapex. M pros are great kits for the money all maple with some solid hardware is hard to beat plus a free black panther snare. But what about the tama starclassic performers. Those are really nice and you should be able to find one within your budget they are a little more than the sonor and the mapex. As for the sonor vs mapex, they both sound really good, but the mapex has better drum sizes and color options. What kind of music do you play and what sizes are you looking for?

Couldn't agree more.... I brought my Pro M a little while ago and enjoy it more and more every time I play it.

Not knowing what your budget is specifically but have you considered importing from a neighboring country - is that a viable option - or are the prices pretty similar to Poland?

[rendezvous_drummer]

True, if you are going to buy a sonor or mapex, definitely get the mapex. I've played on a mapex M-Birch, Pro M and Saturn kit and they blew me away! They are up there with Yamaha in terms of quality of shells, and the hardware isn't as great as Yamaha, but it's still pretty good.

[AveyTare]

yes, it is possible to import drums, but I think it won't be cheap.

I'm playing alternative-postrock-triphop-acidjazz something. definitely not heavy rock drumming.

and I really don't like premier artist birch. the kick is really great, but the snare and toms were awful. anyway, thanks :)

[Rickk]

I believe the currency conversion for the US Dollar and Polish Zloty is 1= .3380
So $1500 USD = $4437.87 ZLOTY

This may help when shopping online.

Rick

[Rickk]

Check this out?

Copy and paste to your Browser

http://cgi.ebay.com/Gretsch-Renown-Maple-Drum-Set-Drums-Blue-Burst_W0QQitemZ180091963842QQihZ008QQcategoryZ6443 9QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item180091963842

[AveyTare]

Check this out?

Copy and paste to your Browser

http://cgi.ebay.com/Gretsch-Renown-Maple-Drum-Set-Drums-Blue-Burst_W0QQitemZ180091963842QQihZ008QQcategoryZ6443 9QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item180091963842

thanks very much, Rickk :) they are sooo beautiful. maybe my father will give me some extra money for the drums... but they are 1500$ without hardware. in comparision with pro m, they are almost two times more expensive.

[Fat Elvis]

personally, i would say get the best you can afford. Of those mentioned, the starclassic and the renown would be worth whatever you spent of them. The rest of the drums are somewhat of a comprimise, but should serve you well -- all the major drum companies all have good mid-range drums, all will be finished pretty well, will sound okay and will have descent hardware. I would say go for the company that has the finishes you want, extras (like cast hoops, good heads, etc). If you can afford it, though, try for a renown or starclassic -- even used. I buy a lot of used gear and rarely do i ever see a problem.

Look at it this way -- if you buy a used piece of pro gear, you could have a quality problem. But if you buy a new piece of intermediate gear, you will have a quality problem (meaning it wont be as high quality as you could have otherwise had).

just my opinion.

oh, and another thing. the whole idea that one country makes better cars than another is dumb. Dont kid yourself, any country (or company) that has enough dollars for R&D can make a car far superior in every way to any car produced today. Ford makes the cars they do because that is what they feel their market demands -- and so does BMW and Merc. Ford proved this in the late 60's when they dominated Le Mans for 3 years. Enough dollars can produce any car and any drum set.

I currently own a DW (USA) and a Starclassic (Japan). Both are incredible and of equal quality in every way -- one is not necessarily better than the other. They are different, but equally as good on their own merits. The same would go for yamaha and sonor -- good kits are good kits.

Brady proved that enough time, money and talent can produce the finest drums available -- regardless of what the "made in" sticker says.

[AveyTare]

really thanks, Fat Elvis. I'm not afraid of quality problems. I'm afraid of sending money and not getting what I ordered.

[harryconway]

Ludwig's were the big name at the time John Bonham would have started playing, and guesses why? Ringo Starr anyone? Anyone care to do some research on what the cheapest drums of the time would've been? Cos I'd put my money on them being Ludwig's. I could be completely wrong and when someone can prove that I am I will gadly apologise

Lets use some good old common sense here. When did Led Zepps. 1st album come out. Anyone ever seen a late 60's Pearl, Tama or Yamaha kit? Or Sonor, for that matter. Bonham was playing Ludwig as early as 1963. 22, 13, 16. http://www.answers.com/topic/john-bonham Believe me, you could buy cheaper drums than Ludwig in the 60's. English drummers basically could play either Premier....or? American made drums. Look at Bernhard's kit. Beautiful 3 ply Ludwig kit. He's the original owner. Oh, and his other kit is a DW.really thanks, Fat Elvis. I'm not afraid of quality problems. I'm afraid of sending money and not getting what I ordered.

Regardless of whether you buy from on line or eBay, you're always gonna take that chance, to some degree. You can minimize your chances by being careful who you do business thru. Do you have a credit card? A checking account? Belong to eBay? Have a PayPal account? How do I, as an eBay seller with a 292 - 100% positive rating know that you're genuine and solid? We all take chances.

[Rickk]

AveyTare,
I can definitely say that it is worth waiting a while until you can get the Set of your dreams,
I waited almost two years before making the move and just received the DW set I bought from Ebay. WOW!!!!! well worth the money, I just replaced all the heads and it looks and sounds like a brand new PRO Kit no doubt about it.
I say save some money and wait , it will be worth it.

Rick

[Fat Elvis]

AveyTare,
I can definitely say that it is worth waiting a while until you can get the Set of your dreams,
I waited almost two years before making the move and just received the DW set I bought from Ebay. WOW!!!!! well worth the money, I just replaced all the heads and it looks and sounds like a brand new PRO Kit no doubt about it.
I say save some money and wait , it will be worth it.

Rick

agree totally...

and rick... diggin your avatar :)

[GRUNTERSDAD]

Check this out?

Copy and paste to your Browser

http://cgi.ebay.com/Gretsch-Renown-Maple-Drum-Set-Drums-Blue-Burst_W0QQitemZ180091963842QQihZ008QQcategoryZ6443 9QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item180091963842


You can buy the same kit, same price from Musiciansfriend.com, and the shipping is only 20 dollars. Any hassles, send them back. E-Bay you take your chances. Good Luck

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Gretsch-Drums-Renown-Maple-Fusion-Shell-Pack-with-Free-8-Tom?sku=445684

[Rickk]

Fat Elvis,
Thanks that was a Costume party I went to dressed as Elvis, it was a big hit, I changed my Avatar and lost the photo?


Rick

[Ozzy Biz]

Brady proved that enough time, money and talent can produce the finest drums available -- regardless of what the "made in" sticker says.

Well, I would have said they're the finest drums available because they're made in Australia, but whatever.



;)

[harryconway]

Well, I would have said they're the finest drums available because they're made in Australia, but whatever.





With that logic, I would recommend Szpaderski drums. Finest drums I know of made in Poland.