HELP: Pearl Masterworks or DW Collector's

[Vichen]

Hello! I'm buying a new kit and finally there are only two kits on my head:
Pearl MasterWorks and DW Collector's.
So please, can anybody tell me something about these kits.
The fact is that I have a lot of references about Pearl but not so many about DW.
So Thank you anyway!

[gretsch223]

dw collectors - because they are much better. You see more pros with dw's than pearl masterworks right? That makes it evident to me that the dw's are better drums- plus all of my experiances with dw's have been great.

[rmandelbaum]

I personally own 2 DW collectors kits, that being said here is my opinion.

I would guess the craftsmanship on the Pearl kit is as good as the DW, I would also think the quality of the kit them selfs are comparable.

So here is what I would consider in this situation.

1. The ability to communicate and work with the builder, before during and after the building of your kit.

Here I am sure DW is going to be a far better choice if you live in the US where as Pearl would most likely be better if you live in Japan.

2. Retention of value of your investment. DW kits retain their value very well. I am not sure how well a Pearl kit, even the absolute top of the line will..


I have all the original boxes, samples and documentation for both my DW kits. I am confidant I can get almost all of my investment back if I had to.

[PdoubleE]

dw collectors - because they are much better. You see more pros with dw's than pearl masterworks right? That makes it evident to me that the dw's are better drums-.
I am sorry... and no offense meant.. But this seems like a very ignorant opinion to me.
The Pearl Masterworks are Completely Handmade and Totally Custom. I have played Many DW kits.. And I now own a Pearl Masterworks. The Masterworks sound as good if not better than the DW .. The build quality is also just as good if not better And You can most likely get a comparable Masterworks kit for a less amount of money than a DW.(I did) Also you can mix and match different woods into your shells resulting in a different sound. I dont think DW does this.. I honestly dont think they use anything else but Maple.. But I am not positive. I know an Artisan Masterworks kit.. if well cared for... will retain its value.. Any high end musical instrument will.. And will actually gain value with time. Please Dont knock something you know nothing about.

[harryconway]

A choice like this, you can't go wrong with either kit. Top quality stuff. If your looking for total or almost total custom build choices, I think the Pearl wins. The order form for the Masterworks http://www.pearldrum.com/mworder.asp lets you select how many plys and what wood types for your interior, middle, and exterior shell construction. Great if want something that trick, not such a big deal if you want just a 100% "name your wood" shell. The same reason some people would buy DW (you see so many) would make me want to drive a Pearl Masterworks. I'd rather drive a Lotus than a BMW. I'd rather ride a Ducati than a Honda. Being you're in Spain, I don't know which kit you'd see more of.

[bojangleman]

true that. but from my experience, i have played a DW kit. and wow. it was soo amazing sounding. but ive never played a Pearl masterworks before. so i dont know, and i know it will be good quality. cause they have been around forever. so its up to you! play them both, if you can. then make your disicion.

Alex

[Unix]

I have to say pearl by a miles. For many reasons, for their innovations, the quality of their finishes (way better then DW), and the ingenering of their shell. If you look carefully to their scarf joint, it is a piece fo art.

[metal overlord]

With Masterworks, you choose EVERYTHING on the kit. Lug style, finish, 3 wood types (Maple, Birch, African Mahagony), lets you mix woods, choose plys, offset lugs, hardware color, and near everything else.


But, in this case it's a win-win. Whichever kit you choose, you'll love.

[Class A Drummer]

I would choose Pearl Masterworks over DW's anyday. They just sound so amazing. The quality is just amazing. Ditto to everything Metal Overlord said about it.

[gretsch223]

I am sorry... and no offense meant.. But this seems like a very ignorant opinion to me.
The Pearl Masterworks are Completely Handmade and Totally Custom. I have played Many DW kits.. And I now own a Pearl Masterworks. The Masterworks sound as good if not better than the DW .. The build quality is also just as good if not better And You can most likely get a comparable Masterworks kit for a less amount of money than a DW.(I did) Also you can mix and match different woods into your shells resulting in a different sound. I dont think DW does this.. I honestly dont think they use anything else but Maple.. But I am not positive. I know an Artisan Masterworks kit.. if well cared for... will retain its value.. Any high end musical instrument will.. And will actually gain value with time. Please Dont knock something you know nothing about.
No offense taken....DWs are available in Maple or Birch...Masterworks are Maple, Birch, or Mahogany so there are more options. Both are custom, so you can get what you want. And the finishes are unique for both the pearl and dw. So it is pretty even. My preference would be DW just because of its experience and craftsmanship. For DW, each individual shell is tested for the exact note that its resonates. The note is stamped inside after the test is finished. After the tests, the drums are put into the set according to what pitch they are. This enhances the sound and is one of the reasons for DW's success. I am not as experienced with the pearls so correct me if i am wrong but I am don't think that pearl does the tests that DW does.

[Jason Dorn]

I used to work next door to a guitar center so I got to play alot of kits. When it came time for me to buy my new kit it came down to four choices Dw collectors, Pearl Reference or masterworks and Yamaha Maple custom absolute . Knowing I was actually getting one of these kits I really looked at finer details. DW was quickly ruled out because of price and I noticed several quality control issues Loose parts sloppy seams and I'm not crazy about the lugs or mounting system. These issues may have been resolved now but I got pretty close to some of the guys who worked in drums there and they confirmed what I suspected at the time. I decided I wanted all maple so that ruled out the reference. I was equally impressed with the Masterworks kit and the Yamahas they both sounded great the craftmanship was top of the line I liked the lugs better on both as well as the finishes compared to Dw. When I tried setting these kits up I noticed a huge difference. The Yamaha mounting system was IMO by far the best of all of them so easy to set up and so adjustable. So I decided on the Yamahas the fact that I got a far better price on them was a bonus. So I guess I would say Pearl over DW unless you decide to add Yamaha to your equation.

Good luck and enjoy.

[harryconway]

My preference would be DW just because of its experience and craftsmanship.

You might want to check out the history of both companies before you make a statement like that. Pearl was making drums back in 1950 http://www.pearldrum.com/education/history/index.html DW bought Camco in 1977 http://www.dwdrums.com/about/index.htm That would give Pearl about a 17 year jump on DW as a drum manufacturer.

[Unix]

You might want to check out the history of both companies before you make a statement like that. Pearl was making drums back in 1950 http://www.pearldrum.com/education/history/index.html DW bought Camco in 1977 http://www.dwdrums.com/about/index.htm That would give Pearl about a 17 year jump on DW as a drum manufacturer.

And DW used Keller shells for many years too don't forget this part lol...So I guess it make it more then 30 years.

[Jason Dorn]

Actually 1950-1977 is 27 years add the keller years and its over 30.

[JRH7]

Hello! I'm buying a new kit and finally there are only two kits on my head:
Pearl MasterWorks and DW Collector's.
So please, can anybody tell me something about these kits.
The fact is that I have a lot of references about Pearl but not so many about DW.
So Thank you anyway!

I don't think you can go wrong with either kit. Both sets are custom, both well made and both have a lot of options. I do like the fact that you have choice of what shell material you want with the masterworks. I know that DW is coming out with a new shell construction that sounds interesting, I think it is similar to how the Sonor makes their S-Classixx, Delite, SQ2 shell. Do not listen to these other cats telling you that one is better than the other, some of these folks don't know what they are talking about. I will tell you that when ever you get into the high-end drum line of most of these companies, you are getting a quality a drum. It doesn't matter who endorses them. What matters is that you like the hardware, finish, sound, look, badge or what ever it is your looking for. I will tell you to look at other brands other than the two. I own a set of Sonor Designers and as of tonight a Brady set. I like Sonor sound and over the engineered hardware, I bought a set of Brady drums because I like that the sound that a Jarrah shell makes and that they are rare. I am not a studio drummer nor do I play in a famous band. As matter of fact I bet that 90% of the drummers who post in here are better than me. I just like really nice drums. So if it were me, I would get the kit of my dreams! Get a finish that you will like 20 years from now in sizes that are versatile because your playing style will change. You do not want(for example) a Purple fade to Brown sparkle finish in sizes that are 10x5, 12x6, 15x11, 17x13.765 with a 22x21.2578 Bass drum. I would go with a unique but classic finish in very usable sizes like 10x8, 12x9, 14x14 with 20x16(maybe 18)or 22x16(maybe 18) kick. If you ever get strapped for cash you can get rid of your drums a lot faster if it is a classic finish with standard sizes. If you don't believe me, just look at some of the kits on Ebay that were very expensive new but because of some crazy finish like Vomit Sparkle fade accented with glowing flying pickles and a 24x24 Bass Drum, you are really limiting yourself to maybe one buyer in the world. Lastly, remember it is just a set of drums, they are not going to make you play better, they will get beat up a little and the newness will wear of. Oh, one more thing don't listen to people who don't know what the hell they are talking about. Listen to folks who have owned different high-end kits. Okay, I lied, one more thing. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY DO NOT BUY THEM! Only buy a set of expensive drums unless you can pay for them in the next 4 months with out having a negative effect on you personal expenses like eating or a roof over your head. GOOD LUCK!

[Les Ismore]

Of the two I would go with Pearl. Not only is Pearl the largest drum manufacture on the planet, they produce everything they sell. Pearl lugs are far and away better than DW, not even close.

Pearl has much more experience with everything drums. DW not long ago were (and to some extent part still are) just assembling parts. DW has a great advert campaign, hence most of their popularity.

Tone matching shell's is done before the hardware is put on, they don't tone match their lugs, rims, or balance their screws etc. A shell's weight in correlation to its size has more to do with evenness of tone. Don't need to tap, just weigh. Amount of glue, moisture in wood plys, ply density etc. affect weight.

Any quality set should sound good. Pearl better hardware, better construction, you'll need to decide on the look which could be a big determining factor..

[Jason Dorn]

I don't think you can go wrong with either kit. Both sets are custom, both well made and both have a lot of options. I do like the fact that you have choice of what shell material you want with the masterworks. I know that DW is coming out with a new shell construction that sounds interesting, I think it is similar to how the Sonor makes their S-Classixx, Delite, SQ2 shell. Do not listen to these other cats telling you that one is better than the other, they don't know what they are talking about. I will tell you that when ever you get into the high-end drum line of most of these companies, you are getting a quality a drum. It doesn't matter who endorses them. What matters is that you like the hardware, finish, sound, look, badge or what ever it is your looking for. I will tell you to look at other brands other than the two. I own a set of Sonor Designers and as of tonight a Brady set. I like Sonor sound and over the engineered hardware, I bought a set of Brady drums because I like that the sound that a Jarrah shell makes and that they are rare. I am not a studio drummer nor do I play in a famous band. As matter of fact I bet that 90% of the drummers who post in here are better than me. I just like really nice drums. So if it were me, I would get the kit of my dreams! Get a finish that you will like 20 years from now in sizes that are versatile because your playing style will change. You do not want(for example) a Purple fade to Brown sparkle finish in sizes that are 10x5, 12x6, 15x11, 17x13.765 with a 22x21.2578 Bass drum. I would go with a unique but classic finish in very usable sizes like 10x8, 12x9, 14x14 with 20x16(maybe 18)or 22x16(maybe 18) kick. If you ever get strapped for cash you can get rid of your drums a lot faster if it is a classic finish with standard sizes. If you don't believe me, just look at some of the kits on Ebay that were very expensive new but because of some crazy finish like Vomit Sparkle fade accented with glowing flying pickles and a 24x24 Bass Drum, you are really limiting yourself to maybe one buyer in the world. Lastly, remember it is just a set of drums, they are not going to make you play better, they will get beat up a little and the newness will wear of. Oh, one more thing don't listen to people who don't know what the hell they are talking about. Okay, I lied, one more thing. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY DO NOT BUY THEM! Only buy a set of expensive drums unless you can pay for them in the next 4 months with out having a negative effect on you personal expenses like eating or a roof over your head. GOOD LUCK!


Noone here knows what they are talking about ?
Look he asked for opinions on which kit to buy the issues I presented about dw were fact not opinion they were coborated by people I got to know as friends that were looking to sell me a drumset. I know for a fact they would have made more selling me the dw than the Yamahas. As far as finishes and hardware yes I agree that is personal preference.
I have not seen any threads like this regarding Pearl or Yamaha. Not on top end kits anyway.

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33979

I havent seen any of them regarding Sonor or Brady for that matter.
I love Dw pedals but have seen issues with their drums and stands. I am not a dw basher I am a drummer who is trying to help a fellow drummer.

I agree with your point that he shouldnt buy a kit he can't afford.
There are people here that are pro drummers there are people here who have been drumming for their whole lives there are people here who are intelligent and can look at products and make an objective comparision. In the end you are correct it is his decision which kit he will buy but for you to imply that noone here knows what they are talking about is ludicrous. I again want to state the issues I have with Dw were 3 years ago and may have been resolved by now.
BTW I play a DW Craviotto snare and have had no issues with it but that is a snare and the shell wasnt made by DW.

[JRH7]

Noone here knows what they are talking about ?
Look he asked for opinions on which kit to buy the issues I presented about dw were fact not opinion they were coborated by people I got to know as friends that were looking to sell me a drumset. I know for a fact they would have made more selling me the dw than the Yamahas. As far as finishes and hardware yes I agree that is personal preference.
I have not seen any threads like this regarding Pearl or Yamaha. Not on top end kits anyway.

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33979

I havent seen any of them regarding Sonor or Brady for that matter.
I love Dw pedals but have seen issues with their drums and stands. I am not a dw basher I am a drummer who is trying to help a fellow drummer.

I agree with your point that he shouldnt buy a kit he can't afford.
There are people here that are pro drummers there are people here who have been drumming for their whole lives there are people here who are intelligent and can look at products and make an objective comparision. In the end you are correct it is his decision which kit he will buy but for you to imply that noone here knows what they are talking about is ludicrous. I again want to state the issues I have with Dw were 3 years ago and may have been resolved by now.
BTW I play a DW Craviotto snare and have had no issues with it but that is a snare and the shell wasnt made by DW.

Okay you are right there a lot of folks who know what they are talking about when comes to gear. I was referring to the guys who make comments like "Go with DW because they endorse more drummers" or "Go with Pearl because my friends brother's, sister's boyfriend's cousin had a DW and the finish peeled off and their dog Fido caught on fire". When we make statements like the above, it confirms that we don't really know about the quality of the drum just because we hear some rumor or Jon Bigstick plays those drums and that makes them the best. So I am sorry that I spoke out of line and you are correct that there are many people in here that know gear. I am sorry for making a generalization. Peace- J.

[metal overlord]

Okay you are right there a lot of folks who know what they are talking about when comes to gear. I was referring to the guys who make comments like "Go with DW because they endorse more drummers" or "Go with Pearl because my friends brother's, sister's boyfriend's cousin had a DW and the finish peeled off and their dog Fido caught on fire". When we make statements like the above, it confirms that we don't really know about the quality of the drum just because we hear some rumor or Jon Bigstick plays those drums and that makes them the best. So I am sorry that I spoke out of line and you are correct that there are many people in here that know gear. I am sorry for making a generalization. Peace- J.


None of us said that, read over the posts (no offence, just saying none of us said that).
That's the worste reason to buy drums, people who buy Tamas because Dave Lombardo uses them, or people who buy Pearl cause Vinnie Paul use them are just...lazy!

[JRH7]

None of us said that, read over the posts (no offence, just saying none of us said that).
That's the worste reason to buy drums, people who buy Tamas because Dave Lombardo uses them, or people who buy Pearl cause Vinnie Paul use them are just...lazy!

Quote-

"dw collectors - because they are much better. You see more pros with dw's than pearl masterworks right? That makes it evident to me that the dw's are better drums- plus all of my experiances with dw's have been great."


Okay..................! Maybe you should read the post again (no offense, just some friendly banter) Again, my point is if you are buying the custom line of any top drum company you are going to get a great drum. I don't understand brand loyalty, its not like Tama, Pearl, Yamaha.....etc. is going to stick up for you if someone says you suck. Just find the drums you like and play them!

[gretsch223]

Honestly, I am just trying to help someone out who wants to buy a new drum set. I was giving my opinion - and if I gave out any wrong facts, I apologize...The forum used to be about helping people, instead of proving people wrong. This is not a place to show people that they know more than other person, either. Show your opinion and correct people nicely if necessary, but don't be disrespectful.

[JRH7]

Honestly, I am just trying to help someone out who wants to buy a new drum set. I was giving my opinion - and if I gave out any wrong facts, I apologize...The forum used to be about helping people, instead of proving people wrong. This is not a place to show people that they know more than other person, either. Show your opinion and correct people nicely if necessary, but don't be disrespectful.

Sorry, was not meaning to be disrespectful to anyone. I should have thought about how my post sounded before posting. Let me say, that I think when someone is going to spend anywhere from $2500-$5500 + on a custom kit they shouldn't be overly effected by marketing and hype. Too me, saying that you should buy a kit because all the pros play them, is falling into the hype. I am not saying I am immune from it, I have purchased many things because someone whom I respect uses that product. We are in a world of marketing and hype and a lot of time we have to sort through it to find the answers we need to make our purchase. I am in sales for a very large company and it amazes how hype is out there in my industry. I do my best to sort through the hype and give my customers the facts, feature, benefits and the downsides. My customers thank me for honest approach and say it is refreshing to hear someone pitching the truth instead of the hype. You are entitled to your opinion and I think not all people endorse products because they are being reimbursed for their name. Look at Peter Erkskine, he left Yamaha after decades of playing their drums and went to DW because in his opinion they have incredible resonance and they do. I guess it comes down to personal preference and that is the point I am trying to make. If the most important thing to someone is that their favorite player plays a certain brand, then they should buy that brand. I don't think Peter Erkskine went to DW because of his favorite drummer plays DW. So you are right it is a matter of opinion but many times do people get confused when everyone is throwing in their 2 cents. I think people should do their research based upon facts like shell construction, finish options, hardware, price, sound and resale value. Not all based upon who plays what. So anyway back to some facts.

If your between DW and Pearl they are both great drums. DW has a new X-Shell construction that they say gives lower fundamental pitch by using diagonal twisted plies. Pretty interesting stuff, but only your ears will tell you if that is the sound your looking for. Unix did bring up a good point about the attention to detail Pearl puts into their Masterworks shell. I like Pearl hardware but in my opinion the Tom arms seem a bit over kill and that coming from someone who owns a set of Sonor Designers. DW has great hardware too! They are both great sets. I will admit I don't own either kit but I would be happy with either one! Go out and play the drums, what sounds the best for your style of music? Which kit is more versatile? Do you like the look of the hardware? Have fun with buying your kit, if your going to drop that much coin, enjoy the process.

J.

[Jason Dorn]

JRH7

I hope you didnt feel I was attacking you I actually agree with most of your points. I think a huge one is dont go by what most pros play all that really means in most not all cases is which company gave away the most free drumsets that year. Last year I saw so many pros playing Yamahas which I thought was cool but it was after I bought my kit and would never factor into the decision of what I would buy. My Favorite drummer plays DW Neil.
Be that as it may its all good there aint no hatin here were all brothers and sisters if we can help eachother I think thats great. Do you have pics of your sets posted? I would love to even see much less play a Brady someday. I am a little confused by the fact that DW keeps changing what the cutting edge is last year it was vlt now you say they are looking at another new process. I just hope they always keep former technology available it would stink to pay all that money and not be able to replace or add to a great kit. The newset technology isnt always the best ask anyone trying to record 16 digital channels of audio onto a laptop running Vista.

[hyperdrummer]

I think you should let me build you a kit.

Nuff said.

[JRH7]

JRH7

I hope you didnt feel I was attacking you I actually agree with most of your points. I think a huge one is dont go by what most pros play all that really means in most not all cases is which company gave away the most free drumsets that year. Last year I saw so many pros playing Yamahas which I thought was cool but it was after I bought my kit and would never factor into the decision of what I would buy. My Favorite drummer plays DW Neil.
Be that as it may its all good there aint no hatin here were all brothers and sisters if we can help eachother I think thats great. Do you have pics of your sets posted? I would love to even see much less play a Brady someday. I am a little confused by the fact that DW keeps changing what the cutting edge is last year it was vlt now you say they are looking at another new process. I just hope they always keep former technology available it would stink to pay all that money and not be able to replace or add to a great kit. The newset technology isnt always the best ask anyone trying to record 16 digital channels of audio onto a laptop running Vista.

No I did not think you were attacking me. Good things come out of challenging ones thoughts. No offense taken at all. I have not got the drums yet, they will ship out on Monday and I will get the snare and the kit sans the 10x8 Tom(Brady is making me one) that I get in March. Here are the links to the shop where I bought kit. You can actually hear exactly what each drum sounds like and there are some cool pictures too. I didn't get the matching snare with the kit I got a 13x7 Jarrah Block snare instead. You can click on the second link to see and hear my drum. Enjoy! This is my dream kit. I have always wanted a Brady and came across a great deal.

http://www.indoorstorm.com/Brady_3pc_Jarrah_Ply_Drum_Set_Finish_Walnut_Elm_Bu rl_Gloss-p-3417.html

http://www.indoorstorm.com/7x13_Brady_Jarrah_Block_Snare_Drum_Satin_Finish-p-1198.html

[rmandelbaum]

How beautiful is that kit?

WOW!!

[JRH7]

How beautiful is that kit?

WOW!!

It is beautiful! My wife is the best! I certainly do not deserve it! I will post pics when it gets to my house. It is a great addition to my Sonor Designers and vintage Slingerland. I never imagined owning such amazing gear.

J.

[Mendozart]

It is beautiful! My wife is the best! I certainly do not deserve it! I will post pics when it gets to my house. It is a great addition to my Sonor Designers and vintage Slingerland. I never imagined owning such amazing gear.

J.
I thought this thread was about DW and Pearl Masterworks, lol. Brady drums, to me, are in a different class. I can't wait to see some pics of those beautiful Bradys.

[hateplow]

Dw has better finish options, and they are superior...IF...you are looking for a thin maple shell with re-rings.
I also prefer the DW Edge snare to any Pearl snare.
However...
Pearl has way more shell construction options, and have the luxury of offering African Mahogany.

[bojangleman]

hahaha..good one. but what i think you should do, is go with someone that is totally custom.(not saying DW and Pearl masterworks arent custom) but i mean someone like Unix, for example.. Brady,Dunnett,Craviotto,Unix...etc all those companys do something special with the shell, like steambent,stave..etc. that is my 2 cents tho..

I think you should let me build you a kit.

Nuff said.

Alex

[macmarkus]

as you can see in my gallery thread (http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21720&highlight=collector%27s&page=2) i'm very happy with my dw collector's set. it sounds and looks just like something i always was looking for (sorry, bad english) ... and so my sonor designer set had to go.

[metal overlord]

Dw has better finish options, and they are superior...IF...you are looking for a thin maple shell with re-rings.
I also prefer the DW Edge snare to any Pearl snare.
However...
Pearl has way more shell construction options, and have the luxury of offering African Mahogany.



Pearl does custom finish options if it isn't listed.

But, They also do thin shells with re-rings.

[rmandelbaum]

Ah so many options , don't you lust love it? ;-)

[furbeedog@gmail.com]

Personally, I prefer the Masterworks series. I'm sure that DW, or for that matter, any set in that price range, will be of comparable quality, it mostly comes down to preference. I like the Pearls because they have more options for shell construction, and I like having personalized/unique (at least fairly) things. That being said reselling unique things is often difficult. I also prefer Pearls hardware because it is less bulky that DWs, and the drums generally are not as weighty and difficult to schlepp around. I have not ever contacted Pearl to purchase a set, so I cannot speak to their 'consumer friendliness', however, I have had the experience of contacting DW and I can only praise their costumer service. I spoke with an informed, knowledgeable person who gave me thorough answers. They even let me drop by the factory to look around at all their goodies ;-)...

just some stuff to chew on.

[sssssssss]

I'd go for the Pearl as well... You can customize them even more than you can with the DW's. I guess Masterworks is the ultimate kit you can play (/design :P). You should maybe also look into Sonor Designer or SQ2... They might have something interesting for you as well!

[zambizzi]

Wow, lots of votes for the Masterworks! I've never played one but you can't go wrong w/ Pearl...even their low-end kits are made w/ better quality than some higher-end kits I've seen.

I bought a DW because ultimately, when I bought my kit, I made the assumption that all high-end maple kits are going to sound similar. I may get pooh-pooh'd for that one but it's the truth. In the end I wanted something I knew was made with exceptional quality control, great customer service, and good looks (the last being the least important part of my decision.) I like the Camco-style lugs, myself - they're unique and distinctive.

My kit sounds great, I got a great deal, and it looks pretty sharp. I probably wouldn't have been less impressed w/ a Pearl Masterworks, Sonar, etc. So, if Pearl offers more options and you really want something personalized, it sounds like it might be a better deal? I know for sure, next time around, I won't go w/ either...I'll have a stave kit custom-made instead.

[hyperdrummer]

hahaha..good one. but what i think you should do, is go with someone that is totally custom.(not saying DW and Pearl masterworks arent custom) but i mean someone like Unix, for example.. Brady,Dunnett,Craviotto,Unix...etc all those companys do something special with the shell, like steambent,stave..etc. that is my 2 cents tho..


I can do that too. Steam bent, hybrid, air brushing, stained, sprayed finishes, any color, bearing edge plys whatever you want. You dream it, I can handle it. I agree with your suggestion. If you are gonna lay down the cash, get a company to build exactly what you want.

But DW is just as customizable as masterworks. In fact, I've seen many more exotic DW kits than Masterworks. The lighter weight thin shells will offer more resonance, and the thicker shells will offer a little more punch, sometimes a little higher pitch tone, and better durability. DW uses the reinforcement rings to help calm down some of the overtones that are sometimes associated with thinner shells, and add strength without sacrificing the deeper drum tones. Pearl uses thicker shells to help with durability and punch without using rings. But a thicker shell can sometimes sound choked. A thicker shell will resist vibration which can sometimes choke some audible resonance. Pearl usually rides a fine line here. I personally think the older Pearl stuff sounds better than the newer. DW's older kits sound better to me too.

Check out the links below. This is of Eric Singer, and his drums sound amazingly huge. I personally don't think the new Pearl kits sound this good.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=6U5uBZU7amI

[metal overlord]

I can do that too. Steam bent, hybrid, air brushing, stained, sprayed finishes, any color, bearing edge plys whatever you want. You dream it, I can handle it. I agree with your suggestion. If you are gonna lay down the cash, get a company to build exactly what you want.

But DW is just as customizable as masterworks. In fact, I've seen many more exotic DW kits than Masterworks. The lighter weight thin shells will offer more resonance, and the thicker shells will offer a little more punch, sometimes a little higher pitch tone, and better durability. DW uses the reinforcement rings to help calm down some of the overtones that are sometimes associated with thinner shells, and add strength without sacrificing the deeper drum tones. Pearl uses thicker shells to help with durability and punch without using rings. But a thicker shell can sometimes sound choked. A thicker shell will resist vibration which can sometimes choke some audible resonance. Pearl usually rides a fine line here. I personally think the older Pearl stuff sounds better than the newer. DW's older kits sound better to me too.

Check out the links below. This is of Eric Singer, and his drums sound amazingly huge. I personally don't think the new Pearl kits sound this good.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=6U5uBZU7amI


With Pearl, you choose that, too. You can get think/thin/medium shells, plus re-rings on the thin shells.

[hyperdrummer]

With Pearl, you choose that, too. You can get think/thin/medium shells, plus re-rings on the thin shells.

That's why I said "just as customizable." I can see where I was misleading. Both are very customizable, neither much more than the other. There's a few trade offs between the two. But I personally do like the modern DW sound better than Pearl's

Here's a good DW kit;
http://youtube.com/watch?v=IMNVHVC2xl0
Here's Chad Smith and Ian Paice;
http://youtube.com/watch?v=6_COMJRaCZw

[-tarek-]

I had a DW on lay away at Guitar Center in my favorite finish and sizes. Was my dream kit. The day I went in to pay it off, I decided to try everything else there before making my final decision. I played a Pearl Masters Studio (6 ply birch), in a finish I hated at the time and it wasn't my first pick in sizes, and ended up liking it so much more than the DW, sound wise, that I bought it. I had tuned both and tried them both with the same heads (I'm friend's with the drum dept. manager), and the Pearl just sounded better to me, by a lot. I did like the DW 16x16 better, with that vertical grain and all... but overall, and the kick drum especially, I didn't like the DW as much. So I got a better sounding kit in my opinion and had an extra $2500 to play with.

Just my two cents.

My finish is growing on me, too :)