What do you think of GMS drums?

[Drummertist]

What do you think of GMS drums?

[Nineball]

What do you think of GMS drums?

I'm think I'm gonna go with Sonor Force 3007, but I also looked at Mapex and GMS seriously, but wasn't sure how great the GMS CL is. I know the SE and GM line are incredible, but I don't have that kind of money right now.

[Garvin]

Not to be mean, but I think there were seriously like a half a dozen threads on GMS drums last month if you do a search... Maybe it just felt like it.

GMS makes awesome drums though....

Oh, sounds like the search for those may not be working, my bad.

[Nineball]

Not to be mean, but I think there were seriously like a half a dozen threads on GMS drums last month if you do a search... Maybe it just felt like it.

GMS males awesome drums though....

I just searched GMS and got nothing at all for some reason, which is odd because I remember a few threads about them. Sort of wish I could find them again because I was interested in buying a CL series, but for now will probably settle for the Sonor 3007.

[harryconway]

GMS, like so many custom drum makers, uses Keller shells. And they've been making great drums for 25 years.

[Rickk]

I was at a concert by a group called Cademons call and the drummer Todd Bragg used GMS that was the first time I was so impressed by the sound that I had to ask him what drums he was playing and it was GMS not sure of the model but before I bought my DW set I was looking at GMS but there was a long waiting list for the set I wanted, love the DW though.

http://www.gmsdrums.com/

[Nineball]

I was at a concert by a group called Cademons call and the drummer Todd Bragg used GMS that was the first time I was so impressed by the sound that I had to ask him what drums he was playing and it was GMS not sure of the model but before I bought my DW set I was looking at GMS but there was a long waiting list for the set I wanted, love the DW though.

http://www.gmsdrums.com/

Oddly enough I have heard GMS nicknamed the DW Killer lol. Their high end lines really do seem outstanding.

[hateplow]

I think they are your typical run of the mill Keller drum company, ie:

Spaun
Pork Pie
OCDP
Noble Cooley
Ayotte
Maryland
Moondrum
Drum Daddy
Conaway
Donaho
Phattie
Mapleworks
Saluda
SJC
Grover
Allegra
Bison

GMS drums have been pushed pretty hard on this site in the past couple months...they might be in the top 50% of this list as far as quality.

[RobertM]

GMS drums sound pretty good--mainly the SE and GM series. The CL series are made abroad and do not have the same quality control checks that the SE and GM series have, in my opinion. (I almost bought a CL jazz kit a while ago, but I noticed some poorly affixed badges and wood stringy strands on the inside of the shell--basically, someone did not finish their sanding job. The drums still souned good, but I did not feel confident investing in a kit with sloppy finishing.)

As someone else pointed out, GMS is very similar to other top quality, Keller-shell using companies such as Pork Pie and Spaun. While they all make great sounding kits, it is hard to justify the expensive cost. Most 4- or 5-piece GMS or Pork Pie kits cost at least $2200-$2500, and that's just for a wrapped or satin oil finish. If you want lacquer, price goes up; if you want sparkles, price goes up even more. So, in the end, you are basically paying for an average Keller shell with a fancy paint job. Great drums, but you could always just get a Pearl or Tama high-end kit for a bit less and have it sound about the same.

[Drummer Karl]

Boaah, a GMS CL Jazz shellpack (18" bass, 12", 14" toms, 14" snare drum) for $1,125!!
For first that seems to be a great deal. Just informed myself a bit about this line...the shells are made from high-quality maple, the quality seems to be good...at least for the price. Have to check those out.

When I`m 18 I think I know what to do first.

Karl

[bonzolead]

Everybody talks about the shells which are great but what sets GMS apart from other drum companies is their lug design only in their SE & GM series through the lug swivals so it has a better set on the shell so the drums resonate better & are easier too tune.the lug is machined out of one piece of brass.that's probably why they're so pricey.you get what you PAY for.IMO GMS is one of the most underated drum companies out there.

Keep Swatting,
Bonzolead

[harryconway]

Exactly, you get what you pay for. You take quality drum shells (why mess with non-quality drum shells) and throw a $2K lacquer paint job on 'em, and you're gonna get a $4K drum kit. Drum building is not so much rocket science as it is an art. Craftsmanship. Detail, and attention to. And it's labor intensive. A 4x8 sheet of exotic veener wood can cost $400. (Carpathian Elm Burl anyone). You can't expect your paint guy to work for 14 cents an hour. Even $10 an hour is not a "living wage - least not here in So.Cal. So say $800 labor to the painter. On a kit (shells and hardware cost $1000). Shipping. Brand new boxes and packing materials can cost $200. Freight charge can cost $200. So we're at $2600, and the drum company hasn't made a penny yet. Just covered cost. Of the kit. Factor in operating costs of a business (gas, electric, trash, water bills and taxes), and employee bennies (maybe a health plan and bottled drinking water), easy to see why drum kits can cost $3-4K.

[davidgray]

i've heard a lot about gms. i'd love to try some out since i'm shopping for a new kit. i need to see if i can find a dealer close by....

[JakeB LLC]

I LOVE my GMS drums. I have had 3 GMS kits and they have all been wonderful live and in the studio. I hate to post this here but I am kinda desperate because my wife is demanding the room!... I am letting my beautiful kit go for dirty cheap with free brand new hard cases. Check em out even if you aren't interested just to give you an idea what the GMS kits look like. If you have any questions feel free to hit me up.

http://detroit.craigslist.org/msg/740080470.html

here are just pics... http://photobucket.com/GMSDRUMSET

[pasta]

Pat Petrillo plays a white ash GMS kit on his HGF DVD and it sounds fantastic.

[hwy145]

I was playing a show in Kalamazoo, Michigan about 10 years ago in a small club, and during a soundcheck (no mics at that point) the drummer did a slow roll around his 7 piece GMS kit. About 6 of us stopped and did a double take. Tuning and heads aside, it was just about the most amazing drum sound I'd ever heard. It appeared to be a power tom set, and it was thunderous. I spoke with the drummer a few moments later, and the kit was equipped with ambassadors up and down- tuned equally top and bottom. He and I spent a while tuning my pearl session kit similarly, and there was no comparison. The GMS drums were a cut above.

[Mapex Drummer]

I've just recently discovered them and from what I've read they seem like nice drums, and one of my favourite drummers Jean Paul Gaster uses them. But 8 ply North American Maple is what it is whether it comes from GMS, Pork Pie, OCDP, or SJC so its your decision.

[autonomos]

I've just recently discovered them and from what I've read they seem like nice drums, and one of my favourite drummers Jean Paul Gaster uses them. But 8 ply North American Maple is what it is whether it comes from GMS, Pork Pie, OCDP, or SJC so its your decision.

I think JP switched to Gretch. He was playing them back in Dec. last time I saw them. I looked it up on line back then out of curiosity, and also because I've had a thing for gretch. There was nothing official on the gretch site, but there was some talk of it on Clutch's message board. Check it out since that was a while ago.. BTW it was a red sparkle, only a 4 piece without his 2nd floor and the 13" tom was on a snare stand.

[TheIronCobr4]

I think JP switched to Gretch. He was playing them back in Dec. last time I saw them. I looked it up on line back then out of curiosity, and also because I've had a thing for gretch. There was nothing official on the gretch site, but there was some talk of it on Clutch's message board. Check it out since that was a while ago.. BTW it was a red sparkle, only a 4 piece without his 2nd floor and the 13" tom was on a snare stand.

JP seems to be known to do stuff like that, playing other brands and all, but he is still a GMS man. He seems to rent kits every once and a while. While not positive I think the second floor tom is the give away.