Crush Chameleon Ash Kit!

  • Thread starter Joseph "Stix" Davis
  • Start date
I think they look fantastic. I really like everything I've seen about crush. I haven't tried them though. I dig the orange myself, but green would be my number 2.

The drum shop had orange, black, and green. Even with the wood grain, black is too plain. My Pearl kit is metallic orange, so I wanted something different from what I already had.

I love the juxtaposition of a basic 4 pc kit with roto-toms!
And mounted over the ride cymbal too, the opposite of where most people have them.
It just screams this is a unique drum set!

Congrats.

Thank you! My Pearl is a 7-piece. I wanted a smaller kit, so I added the rototoms to give me more versatility.

OK, If the kit wasn't finished in a transparent green stain It would be much better looking. That shade of green clashes with the woodgrain. A lacquer sparkle green finish would be really nice.

I dislike any bass drum that is over 16" deep. I think that they look ridiculous.

I would lose the RotoToms and substitute a pair of 8" & 10" timbales.

The throne should be black to match the hoops and lugs on the drums.

You have a mess of stands all bunched up on the right side of the kit. You should find a way to simplify the hardware so that it looks neater.

I don't think a lacquer sparkle green finish would look as good. I like the finish of the kit because it brings out the wood grain. A sparkling finish might also contrast with the black hardware. Maybe a blue sparkling finish with chrome hardware, but I like the dark shades and black hardware combo of this kit.

I've never played a bass drum that was 16" deep. I don't think they would project enough unless they were played in a small room. How do they sound?

I'm not a huge fan of timbales. I like rototoms because I can get more different sounds out of them without having to add more equipment.

I bought that throne a few years ago. It probably would look better with the color scheme of the kit, but a black throne wouldn't go with my other kit very well. Comfort over color in any case.

I had no problem putting all of the stands where I wanted them. I have a curved rack that I use with my 7-piece kit. I may use it for this one.

Nice kit! My sizes, too. I do wish Crush would make a 20x17 or 20x18 bass for their chameleon lines.

How do you like the Pork Pie throne?

Crush does have a 20 x 18 bass drum option.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/drum...hameleon-ash-4-piece-shell-pack-w-free-10-tom

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/drum...cussion-chameleon-ash-trans-lacquer-bass-drum

What I have is the Chameleon Ash Trans Satin. Crush just came out with the Chameleon Ash Trans Lacquer series. I couldn't find a trans satin bass by itself, but there's a link to a trans lacquer bass drum. I'm not sure how different it looks compared to the trans satin. I'm guessing the trans lacquer is shinier while the trans satin is more natural looking.

The Pork Pie throne is amazing! It's extremely comfortable. I prefer the bicycle seat to the standard round seat.

hey I dig the kit and would play it anyday even though I dont care for square bass drums but thats not a big deal.

This is the first kit that I've seen with a square bass drum. I like it. What don't you like about square bass drums?

I think it's a pretty cool color also. Apt name, chameleon... Definitely unique setup. Rock on Stix!!!!

Thank you! Rock on!!

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Thank you everyone for your feedback! This is how I set it up after I brought it home. I'll play around with the setup a dozen times before I settle for something, then I'll change it again after a few shows. :)
 
The drum shop had orange, black, and green. Even with the wood grain, black is too plain. My Pearl kit is metallic orange, so I wanted something different from what I already had.



Thank you! My Pearl is a 7-piece. I wanted a smaller kit, so I added the rototoms to give me more versatility.



I don't think a lacquer sparkle green finish would look as good. I like the finish of the kit because it brings out the wood grain. A sparkling finish might also contrast with the black hardware. Maybe a blue sparkling finish with chrome hardware, but I like the dark shades and black hardware combo of this kit.

I've never played a bass drum that was 16" deep. I don't think they would project enough unless they were played in a small room. How do they sound?

I'm not a huge fan of timbales. I like rototoms because I can get more different sounds out of them without having to add more equipment.

I bought that throne a few years ago. It probably would look better with the color scheme of the kit, but a black throne wouldn't go with my other kit very well. Comfort over color in any case.

I had no problem putting all of the stands where I wanted them. I have a curved rack that I use with my 7-piece kit. I may use it for this one.



Crush does have a 20 x 18 bass drum option.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/drum...hameleon-ash-4-piece-shell-pack-w-free-10-tom

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/drum...cussion-chameleon-ash-trans-lacquer-bass-drum

What I have is the Chameleon Ash Trans Satin. Crush just came out with the Chameleon Ash Trans Lacquer series. I couldn't find a trans satin bass by itself, but there's a link to a trans lacquer bass drum. I'm not sure how different it looks compared to the trans satin. I'm guessing the trans lacquer is shinier while the trans satin is more natural looking.

The Pork Pie throne is amazing! It's extremely comfortable. I prefer the bicycle seat to the standard round seat.



This is the first kit that I've seen with a square bass drum. I like it. What don't you like about square bass drums?



Thank you! Rock on!!

---------------------------------------------

Thank you everyone for your feedback! This is how I set it up after I brought it home. I'll play around with the setup a dozen times before I settle for something, then I'll change it again after a few shows. :)
They sound good if tuned properly but the stages I play a 20" long bass drum kinda gets in the way my Crush acrylic 22x18 sometimes does. Even if a got a 26" bass i'd go 16 deep at the most. it's all just personal preference I still like the kit regardless when deep bass aren't. tuned right they can get really boomy sounding, A 20" bass should have a nice punch IMO.

Keep Swattin'
Bonzolead
 
This thread got me thinking... I recently bought a Mapex Blaster kit, which comes in Transparent Walnut Burst, which I think is a beautiful color for a drum kit. When I set it up in my house, one of my closest friends (whose opinion I really value) commented to me when he first saw it "Oh, you got the retro 70's faux wood color...." I was pretty much floored, because the drums are maple (with walnut edge rings), and stained this beautiful dark walnut burst color.

A good friend of mine here in town has a Mapex Saturn kit in a dark green sparkle finish. It's a beautiful sounding kit, but the color just does nothing for me. In fact, I've never really understood the lust that guys have for kits in a sparkle finish of any kind. I appreciate it. I respect it. But I just don't get it. A sparkle finish just turns me off.

I've always been drawn towards the more natural wood tones. Even with other instruments. I've always loved the look of a Gibson Sunburst guitar, or an Ernie Ball Stingray bass guitar. There's just something that says "Look at me! I'm made of wood!".

I guess what I'm saying is that everyone gets to have their own opinion, and it's really about what makes you feel good when you play your chosen instrument. I think we have enough insecurities as drummers without having to worry about what other people think about the look of our kit.
 
Sorry, I am trying to be nice here, but if I came home and I saw that kit in my studio I would probably never play the drums again.
Nothing personal, just my honest two cents.
Even my friend the Sandy Hook Duck agrees.

Geez. Um, not very nice at all... no? More a lesson in how to rain on parades.
I don't get it.
OP, I quite like the finish and grain, very cool. Not my size bass drum either but to each his own....please enjoy your drums.
 
I think the grain in the bass drum especially is too wide.
Ash typically has a very wide grain figure (depending on species & cut). In a natural finish, it's all nicely in context, but the moment you add a stain, & especially a stain as prominent as this, there's a degree of visual overload. We use English ash. It's a slower growing tree compared to other ash types (mostly climate differences, etc), so the visual is not quite so vivid, but still unmistakably ash.

I've never played a bass drum that was 16" deep. I don't think they would project enough unless they were played in a small room. How do they sound?
Quite the reverse usually. A more shallow bass drum typically projects better than a deeper one. This is mainly due to a cleaner fundamental that offers distinction in a band mix. I say typically, because there are exceptions.

Anyhow, although the stain is not for me (I'm not a fan of stains generally) I think it's a good looking kit. Brave - yes, but if distinctive is your vibe, then you've certainly achieved that :) Congratulations! :)
 
Perhaps I was a bit harsh. For some reason when I looked at those pics that night I became anxious.
If you go to the Crush site you will see that they offer many stains for the bold grain ash kits that enhance the wood. I like all of the colors that they currently show on their site for the Chameleon Ash kits.
I think that that is why the green bothered me so much.
They also have gone to 18" depth bass drums. Smart move on Crush's part.
 
OP, I quite like the finish and grain, very cool. Not my size bass drum either but to each his own....please enjoy your drums.

What's your ideal bass drum size?

Quite the reverse usually. A more shallow bass drum typically projects better than a deeper one. This is mainly due to a cleaner fundamental that offers distinction in a band mix. I say typically, because there are exceptions.

Anyhow, although the stain is not for me (I'm not a fan of stains generally) I think it's a good looking kit. Brave - yes, but if distinctive is your vibe, then you've certainly achieved that :) Congratulations! :)

Really? That's interesting. I'll have to try out a 16" bass when I get the chance. I played on a 24 x 18 bass before, that was beastly. 16" just seems too small to be a bass. Haha.

What is your preferred color and finish?

Perhaps I was a bit harsh. For some reason when I looked at those pics that night I became anxious.
If you go to the Crush site you will see that they offer many stains for the bold grain ash kits that enhance the wood. I like all of the colors that they currently show on their site for the Chameleon Ash kits.
I think that that is why the green bothered me so much.
They also have gone to 18" depth bass drums. Smart move on Crush's part.

It's all good. I was thinking about the red, but the green really stood out and I'm hooked on it.

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What I really like about this is kit is not only the color and the wood, but the drum sizes. It's distinctive. I have a Pearl Vision with a 22 x 18 bass and 14 x 5.5 snare. This kit has a 20 x 20 bass and a 13 x 7 snare.

The drum shop I go to is creating their own custom drum kits. My next kit will be a Coalition Custom kit, all maple, dark blue sparkle with chrome hardware, 2 up, 2 down, with a 14 x 6 snare and 22 x 20 bass. 3 kits, 3 setups, 3 woods, 3 colors. Why buy a new kit if it's like your old one? (Unless your old one is broken beyond repair, of course)

:)
 
What's your ideal bass drum size?

:)

for me, 14 x 20 is a good all around. Its funny you show up and a guitarist will say "oh thats a small bass drum eh?" but its got punch and actually with right heads and tuning can sound very big. Mic'ed its no difference anyway.

but the 20" deep loses the punch.
 
I guess it makes sense if the bass drum is deeper, the sound needs to travel farther before leaving the drum. It seems like it should be bigger cannon, bigger punch. But I guess bigger isn't always better. ;)
 
I have no problem with Green, it's just the wide grain. I'm not sure I would like any color with that wide grain but that's just me. Rock on.
 
I actually just had a 20x18 kick drum cut down to a 20x14 size. I much prefer the shallower size. Its easier to tune and it really cut down on the excess rumble and gave me a lot more punch.

I don't know what they're all griping about, I like that color and the wide grain. I had actually thought of buying a Crush kit and slicing the kick down.
 
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I actually just had a 20x18 kick drum cut down to a 20x18 size. I much prefer the shallower size. Its easier to tune and it really cut down on the excess rumble and gave me a lot more punch.

I don't know what they're all griping about, I like that color and the wide grain. I had actually thought of buying a Crush kit and slicing the kick down.

What did I just read?

20x18 cut down to 20x18?

Or is it just me
 
OK, If the kit wasn't finished in a transparent green stain It would be much better looking. That shade of green clashes with the woodgrain. A lacquer sparkle green finish would be really nice.

I dislike any bass drum that is over 16" deep. I think that they look ridiculous.

I would lose the RotoToms and substitute a pair of 8" & 10" timbales.

The throne should be black to match the hoops and lugs on the drums.

You have a mess of stands all bunched up on the right side of the kit. You should find a way to simplify the hardware so that it looks neater.

I think the finish is awesome, very bold and figured. As for shallow drums - what's the point? Might as well play roto toms.

Speaking of which, you could just pitch the roto toms. Agreed, put more things on fewer stands - and show off the spectacular finish more. I can pile three cymbals and two toms on a stand.
 
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