Gretsch Catalina Maple or Mapex Meridian jazz, help needed!!

[supermacaco]

I am about to purchase a drum set, I finally decided it will be one of these:

- Gretsch Catalina Maple MC-E825PT (floor Toms 16x16 and 14 x14 Toms de 10 x 8 - 12 x 9 snare 14 x 6 bass 20 x 18)

- Mapex Meridian birch Jazz series (Tom 14 x14 Toms de 10 x 8 - 12 x 9 snare 14 x 5,5 bass 20 x 18)

I would go with the Maple mostly for de measures and I think birch has a more controled sound. I read they are both very good.
What do you think?

[GRUNTERSDAD]

The Gretsch has one more tom obviously if that important. It's larger which you give you more bottom for heavier rock issues. The bass drum are the same so you can go rock fusion, jazz etc. How is the pricing and do you want birch or maple? Can you play both to see how they sound??

[volvoguy]

The Cat Maple will have a 22x18" bass drum.

I'd go Cat Maple. Maple is just all around a nice wood for drums.

-Ryan

[supermacaco]

The Gretsch has one more tom obviously if that important. It's larger which you give you more bottom for heavier rock issues. The bass drum are the same so you can go rock fusion, jazz etc. How is the pricing and do you want birch or maple? Can you play both to see how they sound??

No, I couldn't play them. Where I live (Barcelona) they dont let you play them, and consider yourself lucky if they have the drum set in the store, its a shame. Most of the time they have to have it send by the distribution store.
The pricing is basically the same, the catalina is arround 700€ and the mapex is 680€
I am not very familiar with maple, but I heard that it has a bigger sound. The birch is more controlled (which I think it is better for jazz and fusion)
But I am a begginer, so any thoughts or ideas are welcome.
(sorry for my terrible english!)