1st post, bit of help please?!?!

[tomhollywood]

Hello everyone.
Im just after a bit of advice :)

I currently own a '2000 tama rockstar custom 22" kick, 12", 13", 14", 16", toms.

I have been contemplating using fusion sizes as my new band isn't as noisy and i think they would could through better in the mix.

So, i now face a few dilemmas.

The standard fusion superstar kit. OR the new hyperdrive sizes, mainly because the finishes look beautiful.However, i don't know how they sound?? I

'm also 6"6 and fear i won't be able to hide behind them like i do my rock sizes!! ha ha

But, just curious if anyone has any info or experience of the 2 mentioned kits?!?

Thanks :)

P.S. you can see my kit on here

www.myspace.com/tomhigginbottom

[KarlCrafton]

In playing those kits in a shop, the shorter hyper toms sound cool, and the bass drums are nice.

If you don't want to tower over the drums, then I'd say get a 24" kick, and being 6'6, you wouldn't have a problem with it.

Bigger drums might work for you anyway, as you could easily get everything out of them that they offer easily, and you wouldn't be 'crushing' small toms.

'Bigger' doesn't have to mean 'louder', what I mean is, since you are bigger, you can use 'touch' to get more or less sound out of a drum, than someone who is smaller.

You aren't going to have to 'work' to get the sound out of a bigger 24" bass drum.
And a 24 can be played quieter (if you need to) and sound great too.

I'm sure you could make an 18X24 sound great for example, and your band mates will like being able to hear your kick in rehearsals and on stage.

Personally, I'd stay away from "fussion" sizes with the 10-12-14 sizes.

Not just for the 'towering' issue (I don't know if you think there is), but unless you need smaller drums for transport, stage sizes, just like them better, etc... a 14 as your last tom size--you low tom note, is not beefy enough (IMO) unless you are playing jazz or are in a small combo or something like that.

For anything in the rock vein, I'd use at least a 16.

To my ears, standard, or traditional sizes come through the mix cleaner than power sizes, as they have a more solid overall sound.

Traditional sizes can sound just as 'big' as power toms too.

There are several kits out now that have 18X22" & 18X24" kicks, with trad, fast, or shorter toms and 'regular' FT's that sound great, so you aren't limited to just the Tama offerings.

[Cypriss]

Dude, you look rock and roll?I think you looking for an excuse to buy a new Kit lol. i would say what the other dude said just get standard sizes. It sucks that tama opnly wants to make the superstars in hyper drive sizes you can make a normal size sound smaller (tuning) but you cant make a shallow sound deeper .

[razorx]

superstars are only offered in the hyperdrive set up now

[tomhollywood]

thanks guys!! thats great.

tbh i love the feel and size of my kit it's just that, im not the best at tuning and thought maybe the smaller ones would be easier to tune.

i like the point about being able to make a standard size sound higher by tuning but not a hyperdrive sound deeper. makes sense. better to have more than not enough i guess!

i get tama at a good price though ;)
tbh my only reasoning for the hyperdrive is the finishes available. think they look beautiful!

if only they did the standard rock sized superstar with those finishes. i'd be well happy!!