Would you get a Starclassic B/B or a Mapex Saturn?

[UpandIn]

I posted a while back about the Mapex Saturn and tried to get some input on them. I mainly want to find out which kit people would go for between the two and why? I'd really like to hear from people that have a Mapex Saturn kit or maybe even have both....What's good about them, what's bad about them, etc.

Please don't respond and say that I need to play them and go with what sounds best. I know that already. Unfortunately, I'm trying to get as much input as possible about Mapex Saturn's because I am not able to actually play them, there isn't a dealer near me that has one. Thanks everyone!

[Tamascb10]

I'm stuck between the 2 kits (actually more than 2), too =(

[sXeDanimalsXe]

I LOVE the sound of the bubinga/birch. That would be a no brainer for me.

[eddiehimself]

B/B without a doubt. Just a really nice set of drums.

[Andy@MIT]

My vote is for the saturns, on the basis of sound alone (and you can get black chrome hardware, which I dig)

[AcoS]

For me the Saturn, but its a matter of wood choice/preferance. i own a set for about 6 years ago and never be disapointed.

[RobertM]

Even though I love Tama drums--particularly the SC Maples and Bubingas and B/Bs--I think I would vote for Mapex Saturn. Of course, as many others have stated already, YOU must decide based on the sound you want to hear from your drums, and these kits will sound very different: birch/bubinga shells in the Tama, North American maple/walnut in the Saturns.

I think Tama's hardware is awesome and their tom mounting device is great. But Mapex also has a great tom mounting device for the Saturns and Orions, and their hardware appears to be solid as well. Mapex has overcome their bad reputation for quality issues over the years, and all of their product reviews in Modern Drummer--from Orions to Saturns to Black Panther snares to Pro Ms--since 2003 have been very favorable, if not outstanding.

Where I think Mapex exceeds Tama is in their offerings:

1. The Mapex Saturns have WAY BETTER lacquer finishes than the Tama SC B/B kits--and a wider selection of finishes from which to choose.

2. The Saturns shells come in more customizable sizes than the Tamas. The B/B kits have toms in 10x6.5/12x7 or 10x8/12x9, for example. Basically, it is either hyperdrive toms or FAST-sized, larger rock toms (i.e., 10x8, 12x9, 13x10, etc.). The Saturn toms come in 10x5.5, 10x7, 10x8, 10x9; 12x6, 12x8, 12x9, 12x10, and so on.

Tama's biggest flaw in their Performer series kits (which include the B/Bs), in my mind, has always been the lack of finish options and the rigid, small selection of tom sizes. The hyperdrive series has addressed this somewhat, but, overall, Tama CANNOT compete with Yamaha, DW, Mapex, and some others when it comes to the variety of finish options and shell sizes. I wish someone in their marketing and/or R&D department would realize this.

Good luck with the kit choice--both the Saturn and the SC Performer Birch/Bubinga are cool, nice-sounding kits!