Finally got my first high-end snare!!! Mapex Birch Deluxe (early 90's) !!

My first high-end snare: Mapex Birch Deluxe (early 90's)

Hi everybody!!

Well, just wanted to share with you my new baby.
Like the title says, this is my first high-end snare, so you must understand how thrilled I am.

It's a Mapex "Birch Deluxe", from the early 90's. There's not much info about these snares, but basically these were Mapex's top stuff before they came up with the Black Panther brand. These snares are the ones that came with the Orion kits of that era.

Features:
14"x6,5", all-birch shell, 10 lugs, double strainer and diecast hoops.

Curiously, the shell is smaller than any regular 14" and the original snares are longer than common.
This particular drum is in pristine condition. However, it's original snares had some loose strands so I replaced them with some Puresound wires.

Sound: awesome. It's very easy to tune, sensitive to the lightest touch while keeping the snare rattle under control. Full bodied ("ooomp" feel) and loads of rimshot crack.

Well, anyway, just wanted to share this with you, I hope you like it.

Cheers!!

Congratulations! That looks like a great snare. Now the cycle begins for you....you'll begin to search for even more expensive drums to add to your collection. It's OK. We all do it

Bo Eder said:

Congratulations! That looks like a great snare. Now the cycle begins for you....you'll begin to search for even more expensive drums to add to your collection. It's OK. We all do it

Click to expand...

Haha, trust me, Bo, the cycle already started a while ago with cymbals... please don't tell me now I'll start to feel the need for collecting snares too!!!

Oh, man! I love drums but I'm getting tired of spending half of my salary on stuff every other month.
I'd better start looking for a second job. Lol.

Thanks for your comment.
Cheers.

diegobxr said:

Haha, trust me, Bo, the cycle already started a while ago with cymbals... please don't tell me now I'll start to feel the need for collecting snares too!!!

Oh, man! I love drums but I'm getting tired of spending half of my salary on stuff every other month.
I'd better start looking for a second job. Lol.

Thanks for your comment.
Cheers.

Click to expand...

Understood. What you need now is a Ludwig 5 x 14 Black Beauty. Look for the ones made in the '50s....

Bo Eder said:

Understood. What you need now is a Ludwig 5 x 14 Black Beauty. Look for the ones made in the '50s....

Click to expand...

Well, don't even mention it. The man I bought this snare from is a guy in his 50's with a house full of drums and cymbals. No kidding. He has drums piled up on almost every corner of the house. (and keeps his wife! He must be doing something right) lol.

Anyway.. on his drum room he has 2 kits set-up. On one kit, he had this snare for me to try, and on the other... a 1970's Acrolite... Oh, man, what a beauty.

This guy is gonna kill all my savings. Haha.

PS: Yesterday there was a "tax free day" on the mall.. I couldn't help myself and got a 20" A Custom EFX. Been wanting it for months and now it's mine. And I saved like $80!!

Money is meant to be spent anyway, and there's only one life, right?

Cheers.

Sweet looking snare! bet she sounds superb! Enjoy your new crash to go with your new snare!

Pics of the EFX are a must!

-Jonathan

diegobxr said:

Well, don't even mention it. The man I bought this snare from is a guy in his 50's with a house full of drums and cymbals. No kidding. He has drums piled up on almost every corner of the house. (and keeps his wife! He must be doing something right) lol.

Anyway.. on his drum room he has 2 kits set-up. On one kit, he had this snare for me to try, and on the other... a 1970's Acrolite... Oh, man, what a beauty.

This guy is gonna kill all my savings. Haha.

PS: Yesterday there was a "tax free day" on the mall.. I couldn't help myself and got a 20" A Custom EFX. Been wanting it for months and now it's mine. And I saved like $80!!

Money is meant to be spent anyway, and there's only one life, right?

Cheers.

Click to expand...

I had a black galaxy acrolite and loved that drum too. Go get it. Now.

What he said. Give me some pics of the kit with the snare and cymbal! Also, very nive looking snare, man! I really need a new snare.

Trommur said:

What he said. Give me some pics of the kit with the snare and cymbal! Also, very nive looking snare, man! I really need a new snare.

Click to expand...

Hey Trommur - it'd be interesting to see how much music gear is in Iceland. Apparently, down under in Australia it sucks buying gear - it's so expensive. Do you suffer the same thing up in Iceland?

And Diego, did you get the Acrolite yet?

Pass.of.E.r.a. said:

Sweet looking snare! bet she sounds superb! Enjoy your new crash to go with your new snare!

Pics of the EFX are a must!

Click to expand...

Thanks a lot, Jonathan! I attach some pics of the crash, I got home earlier today to play it and man, it's a BEAST!!!

Trommur said:

What he said. Give me some pics of the kit with the snare and cymbal! Also, very nive looking snare, man! I really need a new snare.

Click to expand...

Thanks, Trommur! I attach some pics of the kit for you too! lol.

Bo Eder said:

I had a black galaxy acrolite and loved that drum too. Go get it. Now.

Click to expand...

Well, that's just cruel, Bo! I'm broke now, no purchases for at least two months!

Bo Eder said:

Apparently, down under in Australia it sucks buying gear - it's so expensive.

Click to expand...

Well, don't think that down here is a great place to be a drummer either. In this whole country there's only one store that sells Remo heads.. really, just ONE. For a whole country.
SONOR drums??? The day a Sonor enters this country drummers are going to gather around and take pictures in amusement.
No store has a Sweet Ride. A damn Sweet Ride!!! Of course it's impossible to get a Constantinople, or any 24" ride..
And the list goes on and on and on.. :/

Bo Eder said:

And Diego, did you get the Acrolite yet?

Click to expand...

Ok, I've had it with you. Let's step outside.

Haha.

Some pics for you to enjoy now. Cheers.

Sorry to keep pushing your buttons! I guess Uruguay's not so hot on purchasing stuff either. What you need to do is befriend someone here in the States that you can safely give money to so they buy it and ship it out to you. I'm sure that's not some kind of a crime....

great looking kit, you should be very proud! Is that a 24"?

-Jonathan

Bo Eder said:

Sorry to keep pushing your buttons! I guess Uruguay's not so hot on purchasing stuff either. What you need to do is befriend someone here in the States that you can safely give money to so they buy it and ship it out to you. I'm sure that's not some kind of a crime....

Click to expand...

Yeah, that's a great idea and I think about it every time I check eBay.. you guys can get some really sweet deals there.

Shipping anything (legal, of course, haha) below $50 is OK. From $50 to $100 you can still pull it out but there's a chance that some &/()$·%/ customs officer doesn't like it, blocks it and you'll have to go explain what it is, how you bought it, etc. Anything above $100 don't even dream it, it won't pass., if you want it, you'll have to pay around 150% of it's value..

The problem is that customs in this country are a piece of work. They basically try to squeeze every penny they can out of everything. Import taxes are ridiculously high, and if they block something, be sure you'll spend at least two weeks going from office to office waiting hours and signing papers to unblock it.

Someday I'd like to try with something though, the thing is that anything worth getting is worth more than $100, so..

Pass.of.E.r.a. said:

great looking kit, you should be very proud! Is that a 24"?

-Jonathan

Click to expand...

Thanks, man. Yeah, it's a 24"x18" bass drum. 13" and 16" toms. Love this sizes. And of course I'm really proud of it, this is the first kit I bought for myself and I'm really happy with it!!

Cheers!