Sonor, Mapex or DW...

Well dude, you can't even put the Sonor Prolites in this group of drums... If you were to maybe put their hi end Force line, maybe... But the Prolites are superior and belong in comparison to Collectors, Starclassic Bubinga, Maple Customs, etc... The Prolites are the best of the group if you have the cash to spend. If you're looking for a budget kit, that's a different story.
 
petrez said:
Very valid, true points. Thing is, I'm buying this kit, most probably, from a german webshop (www.thomann.de, for those that know about them), so the prices vary to some degree compared to american ebay prices. There is a difference pricewise between the two kits, but it's not really that much, compared to what usually high-end Sonors go for in the states (at least that's what I've seen so far). DW Collectors for example, are priced higher than a SQ2 kit in the same configuration...

But I'm started to lean more towards Prolites now I think, allthough now the choices in finish is between nussbaum and piano black. The silver sparkle will be too flashy, hardly works good in a metalband setting, I think... I could wait until NAMM next year and see if they come out with something really good looking, but until it hits the stores 3-4 months later, it will take way too long for me.
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I didn't realise you'd be buying from Thomann.

With a small price difference, I'd get the Sonors without a second thought. I quite like the nussbaum finish - I've always though piano black was a little bland but it would work well in a metal band.
 
LanceMCA said:
Well dude, you can't even put the Sonor Prolites in this group of drums... If you were to maybe put their hi end Force line, maybe... But the Prolites are superior and belong in comparison to Collectors, Starclassic Bubinga, Maple Customs, etc... The Prolites are the best of the group if you have the cash to spend. If you're looking for a budget kit, that's a different story.
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Here is like.. One individual of 2 or 3 on this thread who know's WTF is really going on. Seriously..
 
keep it simple said:
Erm - Henri & I say Noooooo!!!!! Sonor all the way between these choices, unless finish is your top priority. In every other respect, the Sonor is the superior instrument. The initial fascination with your new finish soon fades away. The sound of your drums however, endures.
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Each to it's own I guess :)

But OP said...

I'm a bit a*** like that, I sold a kit before that was excellent in every way, I just didn't like the finish.
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I guess he really cares about the finish? Hmm

Arky said:
Ok, I'll stay at home then. Playing my Sonor ;-)

My view also. My experience is very limited though. I agree that unfortunately, many Sonor finishes are so-so - but that's subjective.
To the OP: You don't want to save a few bucks if this makes a noticeable difference in the sound. Do you? haha
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Yeah you already got your Sonor so you can stay at home ;)

TBH mine is also limited, I haven't played a Sonor yet but I've only heard one as a audience member, that was when Gavin was behind the kit. Of course it sounded good because it's Gavin, though it was during a drum clinic and it's mic up and all, not really natural sounding I guess.
 
Well I have thought a lot over the last days, thinking about the possibility for a custom kit etc., but I always get drawn somehow back to buying the kit at Thomann (or maybe Musicstore) in Germany, to me it seems like the best prices, when you add in shipping and all that (to Norway, remember...). UK stores have higher prices in my experience, and getting one from the US will have a much higher shipping price. So in that case, I would be a little limited to what these stores sell (but they have quite a lot!)

I might concider an european custom company though, but haven't found one yet that I really wanted to buy from. I'm a bit concerned about resale value and getting spare parts easily if something breaks... Should be easier with a big brand name...

As for other big names I have considered, Yamaha could have been a choice until they just dropped all the high-end lines. Who knows what they will release, I don't think I have time to find out... Pearl Reference could be something, but never liked them that much (heard them live several times, never really got me hooked). Tama, as said, I have owned their entire Starclassic lineup (every woodtype). Very good drums, but now I want something different.

I think I've almost decided on the Prolite though, I have checked out the ebony stripe finish more an more, and might go with that instead. Seems more interesting than all black. Nussbaum is nice too, though.

Thanks again for the comments :)
 
petrez said:
I might concider an european custom company though, but haven't found one yet that I really wanted to buy from. I'm a bit concerned about resale value and getting spare parts easily if something breaks... Should be easier with a big brand name...
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European custom company? There is a custom option down there if you really need it ;)

Guru Drums
 
petrez said:
Well I have thought a lot over the last days, thinking about the possibility for a custom kit etc., but I always get drawn somehow back to buying the kit at Thomann (or maybe Musicstore) in Germany, to me it seems like the best prices, when you add in shipping and all that (to Norway, remember...). UK stores have higher prices in my experience, and getting one from the US will have a much higher shipping price. So in that case, I would be a little limited to what these stores sell (but they have quite a lot!)

I might concider an european custom company though, but haven't found one yet that I really wanted to buy from. I'm a bit concerned about resale value and getting spare parts easily if something breaks... Should be easier with a big brand name...

As for other big names I have considered, Yamaha could have been a choice until they just dropped all the high-end lines. Who knows what they will release, I don't think I have time to find out... Pearl Reference could be something, but never liked them that much (heard them live several times, never really got me hooked). Tama, as said, I have owned their entire Starclassic lineup (every woodtype). Very good drums, but now I want something different.

I think I've almost decided on the Prolite though, I have checked out the ebony stripe finish more an more, and might go with that instead. Seems more interesting than all black. Nussbaum is nice too, though.

Thanks again for the comments :)
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Those Prolites are truly beautiful drums. When they debuted at the NAMM show, it was interesting to find out that the price depended on the finish you chose. I believe the more mundane (like the Nussbaum or regular black or white) were cheaper then the more exotic finishes. I understood the concept, but that was kind of a turn off to me because basically the drums didn't sound different because of the more complex finish. But if you can get a good price on a finish you like, that's cool. Are you considering new hardware too? I was floored by how heavy the 600-series is. The 400-series seemed a bit much for my usage as well, but the easier to deal with of the two ;)
 
I own a Sonor Designer series and Im about to pull the trigger on a second kit - A DW Collectors.

Ill let you know once I get a chance to compare the two in person for a period of time.

For me, these kind of decisions are never clear cut, and when youre gigging the gear, it becomes more important than just the sound - Ease of setup and weight become key issues, for example.
 
Very true points. I have a lot of hardware at the moment so I only really need the shells. It's a bummer that the more exotic finishes costs more, but I guess some companies just do it like that. I did consider Collectors for a while though, the lugs have started to grow on me. But not sure if it's really worth that much more, I could maybe afford the cheapest finish options (like ebony, grey marine etc.), but then again, a high end Sonor might be the best way to go when ordering from Germany anyway...
 
If your buying from Thomann ( a great company, I have myself purchsed from them over the years, when the Euro was weaker against the GBP) you will find that there is a small differential between the DW/Saturn/Prolite. That's because their prices for the DW and Mapex are much higher than usual. The equivalent kits in the UK are much better value where as the Prolite is very, very expensive in my opinion (around double) for the same sized kit. While they are very nice drums, I doubt that they are twice as good, particularly in a gigging context. Depreciation is likely to be high too, as it is with most premium brands.

That said, if you have the money, fill your boots!
 
BabyBob said:
European custom company? There is a custom option down there if you really need it ;)

Guru Drums
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Thanks BB, but we're not really a custom company. We make defined series of distinctive character, although there are some options available (mainly sizes & bearing edge combo's plus wood species on some). I suspect we're beyond the OP's budget with Origin series, but maybe the new In-Tense series (due for launch early October) is a possibility. We don't offer any finish options however. It's the pure natural beauty of finest solid woods, or nothing ;)

DamoSyzygy said:
For me, these kind of decisions are never clear cut, and when youre gigging the gear, it becomes more important than just the sound - Ease of setup and weight become key issues, for example.
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So true, it's a complete package.

petrez said:
It's a bummer that the more exotic finishes costs more, but I guess some companies just do it like that.
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It may be a bummer, but of course, there's obvious production cost reasons. That said, exotic veneers cost much less than you think, but there is additional work involved in layering them up on a ply shell.
 
Thanks for the info :). I will take some time to think this through, don't really need the kit right away. I haven't completely ditched the Saturn route yet, because in my situation (not playing in a major band, no touring yet just occasional gigs), the Saturns might be all I really 'need' at an affordable price... But there is right now at least 75% chance that I end up with Prolites. I always wanted a high-end Sonor, I've owned several Force kits before.
 
I say Sonor, too!

Saturns ... Well, I won't comment that.
DW.. looks ugly, sounds bad.. I don't know what the hype is with DW. I have heard 2 DW sets I liked yet, but I find they always sound very muddy...


I have played a lot of sets already and I must say sonor drums are always the way to go..
The prolite btw is a pre-configured SQ2 drumset, same quality.
If oyu don't like their finishes, just go for a plain white or black or whatever.
 
petrez said:
the Saturns might be all I really 'need' at an affordable price...
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They would certainly fulfil that need, they're great drums at a very good price, but they're in very strong company when sitting alongside the Prolites. You're certainly not comparing apples to apples.

David Floegel said:
DW.. looks ugly, sounds bad.. I don't know what the hype is with DW. I have heard 2 DW sets I liked yet, but I find they always sound very muddy...
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They are generally on the "thumpy" side of things, but they make great live drums that engineers find easy to dial in. They're not that resonant, & offer a predictable close mic resolved sound, so fit in well with many fast setup modern pro music applications. They're easy to tune low with the right heads, but struggle (IMO) at higher tunings. They're limited compared to the Prolites, but they do big, low, & short very well.
 
Bo Eder said:
Those Prolites are truly beautiful drums. When they debuted at the NAMM show, it was interesting to find out that the price depended on the finish you chose. I believe the more mundane (like the Nussbaum or regular black or white) were cheaper then the more exotic finishes. I understood the concept, but that was kind of a turn off to me because basically the drums didn't sound different because of the more complex finish.
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It seems pretty straight forward to me. A more expensive, complex finish costs more. It actually makes more sense than a set price, because this way you are paying the same price for the sound and then whatever extra for your finish.

For example, if an unfinished snare costs $200 and a simple lacquer costs $50 your total is $250. If you want the same drum with exotic wood inlays and a tobacco sunburst it would cost $300 because the finishing work costs $100. Your still paying the same amount for the drum (and the sound).

However, what is ridiculous is auto industry. If you've ever gone car shopping you might have notice that regular paint jobs like bright red or yellow are a few hundred bucks more than black or silver. This is especially true on sports cars and motorcycles. They don't use more expensive materials or a more complex process; they just know people want fun cars to look a certain way.


Oh, and get the Sonor's if you can afford them.
 
I was looking at the cost of the Sonor Prolites online and although I'm sure they are fantastic drums (love the creme white) they are going for close to $6, 000 for 5 piece. Now I certainly am not comparing them to the Saturn iv's 5 piece exotic series is just under $2, 000. $4, 000 is huge difference unless money is no object. I would think if you set both up side by side with same heads and tuned exact same, play blindfolded, you probably won't differentiate which is which. Just MHO
 
I agree with everyone else, that Gretsch is the only way to go. 130 years and counting
 
nightraider43 said:
I was looking at the cost of the Sonor Prolites online and although I'm sure they are fantastic drums (love the creme white) they are going for close to $6, 000 for 5 piece. Now I certainly am not comparing them to the Saturn iv's 5 piece exotic series is just under $2, 000. $4, 000 is huge difference unless money is no object. I would think if you set both up side by side with same heads and tuned exact same, play blindfolded, you probably won't differentiate which is which. Just MHO
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Thank you for your post, but this isn't a valid topic for me, because in Germany (where the webshop I'm buying from is located), the cheapest Prolite kit is just a couple hundred euros more then a Saturn Exotic. I know Sonor are priced really high in the states though, and I can't really understand why. They are really nice drums, but not that much better...(IMO)
 
As someone who owns all three brands...
add another vote for Sonor. Hands down. German Sonor though, not Asian Sonor which is roughly the same as Mapex. IMHO, everything Sonor does is great, from Safari to SQ2/ Prolite.

My local Long and McQuade has an Ebony White Stripe ProLite kit in stock ...8/10/12/14/16/22...played by both Gavin Harrison and Benny Greb in recent clinics. A dream kit. The finish is very classy - where I find many of Sonor's exotic finishes too much.
They will ship to Norway...

Neal
 
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