My Pearl World-Series (WX) 4-Piece in Blue-Sparkle

Cakco Drums

Member
Hey guys. After a thread of help and some annoying research, I have discovered that these drums are not the DX or DLX that I was told, but are in fact of Pearl's WX "World-Series", from the late 80's.

The shells are 7-ply Birch, Mahogany, and Super Lamin. They were originally a solid white wrap (which can be seen on the hoops still because I like the look), but I chose to wrap a blue sparkle-brite film over top of the white. This is not real drum wrap, but looks just as good, if not more reflective of light. It's only flaw is that, once tensioned up, some slight bubbling occurs, which have to be pin-pricked and smoothed out. I am still on the search for a sealant that will perfect this method, as the wraps are very cheap, decently durable and can just be put on over the old wrap.

I bought this "Pearl DLX" kit (as I was told), for $250. That was just for the 22" 10-lug bass, a 14" x 14" (unoriginal, essentially crap-wood with extra holes), and an 18" kick. The 18" and 22" were both original, so $250 isn't such a bad deal = $125 per drum.
I had a 13" x 10" tom from a lot of shells and drum stuff I bought, with what appears to be a maple shell, lacquered on the inside. It looked very similar to the wood and grain of the (later discovered to be) WX kit, so I wrapped it to match, put on the hardware from the crappy large tom, and here it is with a 14" x 5.5" all-maple-shell Pearl Free-Floating snare, and a needing-to-be-replaced floor-tom head.
 

Attachments

  • drums 030.jpg
    drums 030.jpg
    312 KB · Views: 4,631
  • drums 024.jpg
    drums 024.jpg
    275.4 KB · Views: 2,353
  • drums 022.jpg
    drums 022.jpg
    317.4 KB · Views: 2,393
  • drums 025.jpg
    drums 025.jpg
    301.7 KB · Views: 2,260
  • drums 026.jpg
    drums 026.jpg
    376.6 KB · Views: 2,397
  • drums 028.jpg
    drums 028.jpg
    324 KB · Views: 2,311
  • drums 031.jpg
    drums 031.jpg
    307.6 KB · Views: 2,181
  • drums 027.jpg
    drums 027.jpg
    409.8 KB · Views: 2,257
  • drums 029.jpg
    drums 029.jpg
    268.8 KB · Views: 2,388
Last edited:
Well done on finding out about your drums, i had a bit of an issue finding out what my drums were when i first bought them too. I also re-wrapped them! (sort of)
 
Re: 18" heads

hey does anyone have any good 18" head combo's for a birch/mahogany drum?

Those drums sound best with Aquarion Studio X heads. My brother-in law has a set of maple Ludwigs and a custom Keller set and my World series with those heads sound better than both of his kits. His opinion and mine.
 
I've heard lots of great things about the punch and tone of those heads, but the general consensus seems to be that they dent easily, and in my heavy barrages of drumming fever, I would probably destroy them.
What kind of music do you play on them? I definitely want to try an aquarian head though..
maybe the super-2's? They supposedly have the tone of the X's but with more durability. I'm going to have to go browse my local music shoppe soon, don't know what their aquarian stock is like now, but I don't remember it being to hefty last time I was there..
 
I've heard lots of great things about the punch and tone of those heads, but the general consensus seems to be that they dent easily, and in my heavy barrages of drumming fever, I would probably destroy them.
What kind of music do you play on them? I definitely want to try an aquarian head though..
maybe the super-2's? They supposedly have the tone of the X's but with more durability. I'm going to have to go browse my local music shoppe soon, don't know what their aquarian stock is like now, but I don't remember it being to hefty last time I was there..[/QUOT

I play moslty Rock and I hit hard. I have not dented one of the Studio X's yet though. Right out of the box, you can tell they are made really well and they dont snap, crackle, and pop when installing them for the first time.
 
I've heard lots of great things about the punch and tone of those heads, but the general consensus seems to be that they dent easily, and in my heavy barrages of drumming fever, I would probably destroy them.
What kind of music do you play on them? I definitely want to try an aquarian head though..
maybe the super-2's? They supposedly have the tone of the X's but with more durability. I'm going to have to go browse my local music shoppe soon, don't know what their aquarian stock is like now, but I don't remember it being to hefty last time I was there..[/QUOT

I play moslty Rock and I hit hard. I have not dented one of the Studio X's yet though. Right out of the box, you can tell they are made really well and they dont snap, crackle, and pop when installing them for the first time.

I'll definitely have to contrast and compare then, make an opinion for myself. Thanks for the help! Can't wait to see how this kit sounds with new floor and kick batters. It's in my band hall, and the massive big-room pixie-esque acoustics of the hall combined with these drums is very powerful, for our post-punk/garage music.
 
I listened to your stuff on myspace, I really dig it. It's very ethereal, your singers voice is haunting. Reminds me of Sigur Ros a little bit.
 
I listened to your stuff on myspace, I really dig it. It's very ethereal, your singers voice is haunting. Reminds me of Sigur Ros a little bit.

Thanks a lot man.
That nice compliment saddens me a little though, because that gal you heard has been ignoring us for the past week, and is most likely going to break up the band.
Does anyone else find it impossible to work with girl vocalists? We've had 4, and all have not worked out, and the last two have ended the same way; ignoring, impossible to get ahold of, acting really sketchy.. and at the worst possible moment too.
The one quit before our biggest show to date, with our first big payoff and publicity, and this time we just finished recording our new 10 song LP, payed first and last on a band hall, and she's nowhere to be found or heard from..

GAH. sorry for the rant. very angry.
 
Thanks a lot man.
That nice compliment saddens me a little though, because that gal you heard has been ignoring us for the past week, and is most likely going to break up the band.
Does anyone else find it impossible to work with girl vocalists? We've had 4, and all have not worked out, and the last two have ended the same way; ignoring, impossible to get ahold of, acting really sketchy.. and at the worst possible moment too.
The one quit before our biggest show to date, with our first big payoff and publicity, and this time we just finished recording our new 10 song LP, payed first and last on a band hall, and she's nowhere to be found or heard from..

GAH. sorry for the rant. very angry.

I've only had one bad experience with a female singer/songwriter before. She was an absolutely control freak, wouldn't let anyone else in the band make any suggestions about the songs or anything like that. A real pity because when she wasn't around the guitarist, bassist and I would have these huge jams, but they quit before I did and I haven't really heard form them since.

I hope she doesn't end up bailing on you, especially if it's going to break the rest of you guys up.
 
I've only had one bad experience with a female singer/songwriter before. She was an absolutely control freak, wouldn't let anyone else in the band make any suggestions about the songs or anything like that. A real pity because when she wasn't around the guitarist, bassist and I would have these huge jams, but they quit before I did and I haven't really heard form them since.

I hope she doesn't end up bailing on you, especially if it's going to break the rest of you guys up.

Yep, I think it's a chick singer thing. In our case it's more of a "They need me" sort of thing that she uses to her advantage. She's never been on time once, and doesn't talk to us for weeks on end and essentially just eff's off all the time, but she's basically a prodigy singer (sang for the prime minster, at bluejay games, etc.) so she never messes up live, and she can make harmonies in the studio in seconds so she's great to have in that sense. However I can assume it's over, because she won't talk to us, so if she doesn't quit we might as well kick her out. It's getting insane.
DEPRESSING.
our only game-plan is to mix our album without vocals, and look for a good guy singer/guitarist, who won't pms 24/7.

sigh.
 
I've heard lots of great things about the punch and tone of those heads, but the general consensus seems to be that they dent easily, and in my heavy barrages of drumming fever, I would probably destroy them.
What kind of music do you play on them? I definitely want to try an aquarian head though..
maybe the super-2's? They supposedly have the tone of the X's but with more durability. I'm going to have to go browse my local music shoppe soon, don't know what their aquarian stock is like now, but I don't remember it being to hefty last time I was there..

I wouldn't get them if you play metal. Lol my dad dented them while tuning then and he doesn't hit hard.
 
I wouldn't get them if you play metal. Lol my dad dented them while tuning then and he doesn't hit hard.

Nah, don't play metal. I'm actually in the loft in my band hall listening to my guitarist play 'metal' with his new band, and I want to gouge my ears out. Ahhhhhh...
I do hit hard though, and I'm sure I could work on my technique, so I think I'm going to try the Super-2's before the X's.
 
I do love the 18", but I really wish there were 17" floors. I sometimes smack my hand on the rim when playing the ride, which is set to my right, a bit above the floor. Also then I could tune it a bit higher than a 16" for more response, but still have the lower punch of an 18".

does anyone make 17" heads or skins? that'd be neat. If they have 15" then why not 17"?
 
Back
Top