My new Saturn IV's arrived :) Pics

Negative...no dampeners, pillows, moongels. I like to keep the natural sound of the woods with the heads.

That's the way it should be, wide open!!!! Very good looking kit and setup. Good luck with those. If I had to point out a negative, I wouldn't say the bages, I would probably say the teddy bears maybe?
 
Utterly beautiful kit! I also love the interior of those shells :) Shame the badge slightly ruins the kit but other than that, a real beaut!

I don't mind the badges. The sound and look really overshadow those.

That's the way it should be, wide open!!!! Very good looking kit and setup. Good luck with those. If I had to point out a negative, I wouldn't say the bages, I would probably say the teddy bears maybe?

LMAO...that would be the fiancee's bears. She was kind enough to let me put the drums in there I will be kind or should I say grateful enough to let her keep her teddys there too : )
 
You know at first glance, I thought they were gold sparkle. Gorgeous set. Sticks would approve.
 
Man...those are really sexy. I had an "old Saturn" kit and there were enough things I disliked about them, even though they sounded GREAT. Mostly, I hated the suspended hardware which prevented them from fitting in the correct size bags, and also choked the sound of suspended toms. Looks like they listened to customers and offered a bunch of improvements! I like the new badge better, myself...though it's not a very attractive logo. :\

I hear the exotic shells are thicker than the standard finishes...is that true? Also, did you find that the heads fit pretty tight down onto the edges? I might have gotten a lemon...but mine fit so tight I had to crank the heads and leave them overnight, just to stretch the heads and get them to seat correctly. Every shell was too big! Someone here backed me up on that but most Saturn owners didn't know what I was talking about.
 
My new Mapex Saturn IV Exotic finally came in. It is the Natural Ash Burl. And I must say they sound amazing! Deep, warm tones. Very lively sounding!

Hopefully the pics will attach since first time I have ever attempted to do so.

Toms - 10, 12, 14, 16
Bass 22"

Snare is a Mapex Black Panther Phat Bob 14x7 maple snare

Heads are Evans EC2's batters & EC Reso's on all toms
Bass is Aquarian Super Kick II batter & Aquarian Regulator reso
Snare is Evans Genera Dry batter & Hazy 300 reso

Cymbals all Sabian

HHX Evolution 16" & 18" crashes
HHX custom shop 10" splash
HHX 20" Zen China
HH 21" Raw Bell Dry Ride
Paragon 16" crash
AAX 14" stage hats

NightRaider.......those are flat out gorgeous.........I've never owned a Mapex kit, but they are definitely impressive looking

If they sound half as good as they look, your a lucky man.
 
NightRaider.......those are flat out gorgeous.........I've never owned a Mapex kit, but they are definitely impressive looking

If they sound half as good as they look, your a lucky man.

They sound even better than they look which says a lot for sure. My fiance said I have 4 hours to clean house and mop hardwood floors. Next thing I know I looked up from my cockpit and thought oh crap...she's gonna be home in one hour...uh oh lol
 
Man...those are really sexy. I had an "old Saturn" kit and there were enough things I disliked about them, even though they sounded GREAT. Mostly, I hated the suspended hardware which prevented them from fitting in the correct size bags, and also choked the sound of suspended toms. Looks like they listened to customers and offered a bunch of improvements! I like the new badge better, myself...though it's not a very attractive logo. :\

I hear the exotic shells are thicker than the standard finishes...is that true? Also, did you find that the heads fit pretty tight down onto the edges? I might have gotten a lemon...but mine fit so tight I had to crank the heads and leave them overnight, just to stretch the heads and get them to seat correctly. Every shell was too big! Someone here backed me up on that but most Saturn owners didn't know what I was talking about.

Only difference is the exotic series has an additional ash veneer of same thickness on outside and has black hardware. For $300 more I thought its a no brainer. And the heads fit perfectly on the shells. No complaints whatsoever.
 
You know at first glance, I thought they were gold sparkle. Gorgeous set. Sticks would approve.

Fortunately I've never encountered sticks. Heard he's got serious protective issues on Saturns. To each his own I guess. I like lots of drum manufacturers and couldn't imagine bashing others...just not good practice. I too would love a Guru kit (lucky man Larry) and would love some Sonors too.
 
Nice kit! The finishes on the new Saturn line are quite impressive. Just curious about the sound you get with EC2's over EC Resonants. I'm going with EC2's as well when I replace the stock heads on my Starclassic but haven't decided out a reso.
 
Nice kit! The finishes on the new Saturn line are quite impressive. Just curious about the sound you get with EC2's over EC Resonants. I'm going with EC2's as well when I replace the stock heads on my Starclassic but haven't decided out a reso.

The EC2's over EC Reso's is the way to go with that particular head. I tightened the reso's much tighter than the batter's and it delivers a deep, warm, focused sound with low resonance (not dead or flat). I don't know if your SC's are birch or maple. My last kit was birch and I used the same combo and sounded fantastic. These Saturns with this combo sound phenomenal. I'm extremely pleased with the batter/reso combo. I'd give it a shot if I were you. Good Luck and let me know how it sounds.

Steve
 
The EC2's over EC Reso's is the way to go with that particular head. I tightened the reso's much tighter than the batter's and it delivers a deep, warm, focused sound with low resonance (not dead or flat). I don't know if your SC's are birch or maple. My last kit was birch and I used the same combo and sounded fantastic. These Saturns with this combo sound phenomenal. I'm extremely pleased with the batter/reso combo. I'd give it a shot if I were you. Good Luck and let me know how it sounds.

Steve

Mine is actually bubinga. What I'm thinking of doing is getting a Genera and EC Resonant and see which one has the right amount of muffling/sound control for what I want. I was afraid the EC2/EC Reso combo would be too much muffling but I'll have to give it a try. Thanks!
 
That is a wonderful looking kit. Nice cymbal choices as well.
Have fun!
 
Mine is actually bubinga. What I'm thinking of doing is getting a Genera and EC Resonant and see which one has the right amount of muffling/sound control for what I want. I was afraid the EC2/EC Reso combo would be too much muffling but I'll have to give it a try. Thanks!

I've used the EC2 with several bottom heads, including the EC reso on both of my kits and I really don't think of the EC reso as muffling as much as EQ. It tends to cut highs and mids a little, which can leave some drums sounding a little TOO scooped in the midrange. On my Ludwig kit I love the EC2/EC Reso combo, but on my birch kit it kills mids too much, so I prefer using a Strata 1000 on the bottom, which brings back a lot of mids and makes the toms sound really balanced.

I can imagine the walnut in a Saturn shell (or the bubinga in a Starclassic) also brings enough mids into the sound that the EC2/ECReso combo probably sounds clean, but still pretty full.
 
Beautiful kit! Seeing a beautiful kit like that makes me want to upgrade my cheap Stage Customs with a high end kit!
 
Stunning Kit !! glad to see another Saturn owner on board! I am loving my new Saturns too, got the Granite Sparkle 22,12,14,16. Enjoy and Rock On !!
 
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