fourstringdrums
03-04-2008, 01:38 AM
--> MP3 - I'll take another once I change the stock batters. www.handidrummed.com/tayeprox.mp3 (http://www.handidrummed.com/tayeprox.mp3)
I'm on the verge of getting into a band (just waiting for the drummer they're auditioning tonight to not go well ;-) ) so I wanted to have a cheaper kit for leaving at the rehearsal space and taking on gigs. Even if I don't get into this particular band it's still a good idea. Musicians can't always come to me and I won't want to take my Unix (once it arrives) to certain places, I'm sure of it.
So thanks to Shane (Just Drums) at www.JustDrumsOnline.com I now have a Taye Pro-X in Blue Crush. The sizes are:
16x20
9x12
14x14
5.5x14
I got a great deal at $600 shipped and again I want to thank Shane and give a shameless plug for them. WWW.JUSTDRUMSONLINE.COM! :-) For anyone who was interested in these drums, let me just say that these drums are phenomenal for the price. First, they are as gorgeous in person as they are in the picture. I wasn't quite sure if I'd like the lugs before I saw them in person, but once I did I was hooked. The bass drum spurs especially are a favorite of mine because they have a vintage vibe to them. The kit came with a bass mounted tom holder and a RIMS for the 12" but I'm not using it.
I didn't go over the kit with a fine tooth comb but I did inspect the bearing edges on the bass drum and 12" tom and they're at least on par with any set in the $700+ price range. Nice and sharp and not the least bit rough. Not as smooth as my New Classics of course, but still very nice. The heads that came with the kit are Dynatone heads and Shane warned me before hand that they're not that great (even for a stock head) and I'd have to agree. They just feel cheap and the bass heads (typical pre-muffled) have a few small wrinkles no matter what I do. But I fault the heads for that and not the bearing edges. I have new batter heads coming in soon so for the time being I'm using the stocks. But amazingly regardless of how cheap they are, the drums tune up very easily and they sound VERY nice. Perhaps the best sounding kit in this price range that I've owned. Judge for yourself on the MP3 below. I did have to tweak the bass drum for about a half hour but I suspect it's because I've been playing an 18" since August and I'm not used to it, and again, stock heads. I know that once I even replace the batter heads it will improve the tone even more.
The snare is by far the best stock snare under $1000 that I have played. Usually I find them really hard to tension high, the lugs are creaky and sticky and the tone is just blah and boxy. Not so with this snare. It has nice sensitivity, a good amount of ring and overtone and a nice rimshot sound. It doesn't hold a candle to my McKenzie Steambent of course but I would have no problems using this snare on a regular basis. The snare strainer is interesting. It's just a simple (and I mean simple) drop lever strainer, which I think they refer to as a Flip Strainer. A lot of guys over at Ghostnote actually use them and they're highly praised. I like it for the most part, although it has a longer throw for the snares to be off, so that takes getting used to. Also the butt side is very strange. I didn't take a picture but it is one bent piece of metal that is connected to the shell and then curves upward. So, the snare strap (which is black nylon which I thought was a nice touch!) goes through the butt and follows this curve back to the shell, which makes positioning a nightmare. I wound up taking off the snares and putting the strap so it follows the curve up instead of down toward the shell. I don't know if that's how you're supposed to mount it, but the way it was was not working.
So without further a-do, here is there MP3 with pictures below. Let me know what you think!
--> MP3 - I'll take another once I change the stock batters. www.handidrummed.com/tayeprox.mp3 (http://www.handidrummed.com/tayeprox.mp3)
I'm on the verge of getting into a band (just waiting for the drummer they're auditioning tonight to not go well ;-) ) so I wanted to have a cheaper kit for leaving at the rehearsal space and taking on gigs. Even if I don't get into this particular band it's still a good idea. Musicians can't always come to me and I won't want to take my Unix (once it arrives) to certain places, I'm sure of it.
So thanks to Shane (Just Drums) at www.JustDrumsOnline.com I now have a Taye Pro-X in Blue Crush. The sizes are:
16x20
9x12
14x14
5.5x14
I got a great deal at $600 shipped and again I want to thank Shane and give a shameless plug for them. WWW.JUSTDRUMSONLINE.COM! :-) For anyone who was interested in these drums, let me just say that these drums are phenomenal for the price. First, they are as gorgeous in person as they are in the picture. I wasn't quite sure if I'd like the lugs before I saw them in person, but once I did I was hooked. The bass drum spurs especially are a favorite of mine because they have a vintage vibe to them. The kit came with a bass mounted tom holder and a RIMS for the 12" but I'm not using it.
I didn't go over the kit with a fine tooth comb but I did inspect the bearing edges on the bass drum and 12" tom and they're at least on par with any set in the $700+ price range. Nice and sharp and not the least bit rough. Not as smooth as my New Classics of course, but still very nice. The heads that came with the kit are Dynatone heads and Shane warned me before hand that they're not that great (even for a stock head) and I'd have to agree. They just feel cheap and the bass heads (typical pre-muffled) have a few small wrinkles no matter what I do. But I fault the heads for that and not the bearing edges. I have new batter heads coming in soon so for the time being I'm using the stocks. But amazingly regardless of how cheap they are, the drums tune up very easily and they sound VERY nice. Perhaps the best sounding kit in this price range that I've owned. Judge for yourself on the MP3 below. I did have to tweak the bass drum for about a half hour but I suspect it's because I've been playing an 18" since August and I'm not used to it, and again, stock heads. I know that once I even replace the batter heads it will improve the tone even more.
The snare is by far the best stock snare under $1000 that I have played. Usually I find them really hard to tension high, the lugs are creaky and sticky and the tone is just blah and boxy. Not so with this snare. It has nice sensitivity, a good amount of ring and overtone and a nice rimshot sound. It doesn't hold a candle to my McKenzie Steambent of course but I would have no problems using this snare on a regular basis. The snare strainer is interesting. It's just a simple (and I mean simple) drop lever strainer, which I think they refer to as a Flip Strainer. A lot of guys over at Ghostnote actually use them and they're highly praised. I like it for the most part, although it has a longer throw for the snares to be off, so that takes getting used to. Also the butt side is very strange. I didn't take a picture but it is one bent piece of metal that is connected to the shell and then curves upward. So, the snare strap (which is black nylon which I thought was a nice touch!) goes through the butt and follows this curve back to the shell, which makes positioning a nightmare. I wound up taking off the snares and putting the strap so it follows the curve up instead of down toward the shell. I don't know if that's how you're supposed to mount it, but the way it was was not working.
So without further a-do, here is there MP3 with pictures below. Let me know what you think!
--> MP3 - I'll take another once I change the stock batters. www.handidrummed.com/tayeprox.mp3 (http://www.handidrummed.com/tayeprox.mp3)