Is ddrum really as bad as people say?

jondrumming

Senior Member
I'm talking about their mid-level stuff, particularly their Dominion AMX line. Reviews on Guitar Center and Musicians Friend say great things about them, but when I look elsewhere, the reviews are TERRIBLE! People bash ddrum everywhere; hardware, bearing edges, shell quality, everything.

I've heard that since 2006/2007, ddrum has been stepping up their acoustic drum products, but have they improved them enough? I'm looking at the AMX kits as a possibility for a new kit, but I don't want to be replacing it in a few years...
 
Most of the one's I've played have sounded kind of "boxy". They lacked the overtones to really bring them to life. The only kit I had any fun on was (I believe) the Dominion Maple ... the one with the 14x10, 16x16, 18x16, 26x16 configuration, but with sizes that big, there's always enough tone to have fun.

The Tama Superstar is probably right up your alley. A student of mine bought one recently and I went over to tune it up for him, and even with the stock heads had a pretty decent tone all around. It has the starcast mounting for the toms, so they sing out well. The 22x20 bass drum is a freakin monster and the only thing you might eventually want to switch, is the snare. I had no real complaints with it, but it isn't anything special. Swap that snare out with a 6.5x14 Metal works snare and your rockin!

Or save up for a little while longer and invest in the Tama Starclassic B/B. They sound absolutely incredible, are decently priced, and could essentially last you for the rest of your life.
 
Yeah, they're not very good kits, unless you like a "dull and lifeless thud" sound. I've actually been on the search for a good-sounding one so I can say, "Well, that ONE I played sounded okay...", but, about 20 or so kits later, I still haven't found it.

Oh yeah? Hmmm. I have the Maple Dominator and it happens to be the best set that I have ever owned in my 30 years of playing. The hardware isn't that great but it doesn't look bad and it works. Try getting the same set up in maple from Tama or any other big company for the price Ddrum sells them for. I don't know where your hearing bad reviews from .............

http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50539
 
Oh yeah? Hmmm. I have the Maple Dominator and it happens to be the best set that I have ever owned in my 30 years of playing. The hardware isn't that great but it doesn't look bad and it works. Try getting the same set up in maple from Tama or any other big company for the price Ddrum sells them for. I don't know where your hearing bad reviews from .............

They certainly look impressive! Even I did a double-take when I saw a new maple kit for $650. When I played them, and tried tuning them, I could tell right away that this was definitely NOT the kit for me.

Maybe wolfmoon has "the one" I'm looking to play...
 
I'm talking about their mid-level stuff, particularly their Dominion AMX line. Reviews on Guitar Center and Musicians Friend say great things about them, but when I look elsewhere, the reviews are TERRIBLE! People bash ddrum everywhere; hardware, bearing edges, shell quality, everything.

Well, GC owens Musicians Friend, and I was told at one point GC would pay their employees to go on forums like Harmony Central (owned by Musicians Friend) and give good reviews of new products. I wouldn't put it past them to do the same on their retail websites.

Anyway, I don't think ddrums shells are that bad. The quality of woods goes up with price but the hardware is junk. The lugs, tension rods, hoops, snare throw-offs, all that stuff seems cheap. Even the wing nuts on the Tom mounts and Floor Tom brackets are hallow, unlike everyone else who uses cast parts.
 
Yeah, they're not very good kits, unless you like a "dull and lifeless thud" sound. I've actually been on the search for a good-sounding one so I can say, "Well, that ONE I played sounded okay...", but, about 20 or so kits later, I still haven't found it.

My dad (wolfmoon) plays the dominator like he says. I can feel his floor toms rumble while i sit across the room while he plays. They aren't lifeless at all, and he uses Aquarian Performance 2's on them. I can't even imagine how loud they will be if he ever puts a single ply head on them.
 
Well, GC owens Musicians Friend, and I was told at one point GC would pay their employees to go on forums like Harmony Central (owned by Musicians Friend) and give good reviews of new products. I wouldn't put it past them to do the same on their retail websites.

Anyway, I don't think ddrums shells are that bad. The quality of woods goes up with price but the hardware is junk. The lugs, tension rods, hoops, snare throw-offs, all that stuff seems cheap. Even the wing nuts on the Tom mounts and Floor Tom brackets are hallow, unlike everyone else who uses cast parts.


Thanks for being honest Nick. Don't you work for the G.C. in the Buffalo area?
 
Yeah, they're not very good kits, unless you like a "dull and lifeless thud" sound. I've actually been on the search for a good-sounding one so I can say, "Well, that ONE I played sounded okay...", but, about 20 or so kits later, I still haven't found it.

Well, I don't know what kits you've been playing, but this little ddrum D- Bop kit I have sounds great. This kit is made from basswood, the finish is suberb, the hardware on the kit is fine, no problems. I checked the bearing edges and they are flawless. If I didn't know better I'd think this kit would cost twice as much as it cost. I think you guys are a bit biased and a wee be picky. In my opinion ddrum is making some of the finest kits out there.

Check out the finish. Now if you want to talk about crappy kits, Peace would be a good place to start.
dsc01969.jpg
 
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Well, GC owens Musicians Friend, and I was told at one point GC would pay their employees to go on forums like Harmony Central (owned by Musicians Friend) and give good reviews of new products. I wouldn't put it past them to do the same on their retail websites.

Did not know this!!!!!

Anyway, I don't think ddrums shells are that bad. The quality of woods goes up with price but the hardware is junk.

It's all plywood - lol!


Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com
http://www.patentcoachmike.com
http://www.youtube.com/drummermikemccraw
http://www.myspace.com/drummermikemccraw
 
I have played dozens of kits, and none are worse than the ddrums I have played. No matter what I tried, tuning-wise, they sounded like boxes. Some of their maple kits sound more like basswood. The hardware is mediocre at best, the sound has never been good (there may be some that sound good out there, but why buy a kit and take that risk?), and when I see that one is set up as a house kit, I always ask if I can bring my own kit instead...and I'm lazy...I'll almost always take a house kit over setting up my own stuff.
 
I have owned two Ddrum kits now. First one I bought was a dominion ash. Owned it for over a year. Gig'ed with it, recorded with it. It was a great sounding kit and I had no issues with hardware or bad bearing edges. I found a rare RMV complete 7 pc shell pack so I sold the Ddrums to buy the RMV's. Decided I wanted a second smaller 5 pc set up for small bar gigs, I liked the Ddrum's so much I bought another one. This time I got the dominion maple pocket kit and I could not be happier.

I don't know how to respond to these previous posts but my kits .. both of them .. definitely dit NOT sound like boxes. I think I like my maple kit more than the ash. The AMX line is a maple shell with one outer ash ply. Going on one yar now with my maple kit and not one issue to mention. I gig with it once a month on average. Sounds sweet live with good mic's. I recommend the 20x20 kick if your going to be mic'ed most of the time. It has a very nice punchy sound. Don't port the reso.
 
These are the ddrum defiant line made of basswood, they don't sound boxy to me. This was recorded with an inexpensive video camera.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eJggWl6J5o

WOW! they sound great. I beleived you before but they sound even better than what I had originally thought. So does anyone here think this set sounds like a box ? Mine actually do sound boxy but that's what I like and need for what I do. The difference is while mine are very low.. I still have plenty of volume and sustain even from pre muffled heads. Listening to this video though makes me want to try some single ply open heads just for the hell of it.
 
Yep, they sound like drums to me.

I like the raspy sound on the snare too.

I would have the bass drum more open sounding (personal taste), but mic'd that kick would sound pretty darn good.

I've always thought that if the edges were done well on any kit, you could make it sound good.
EXACTLY every nuance you'd like (which just might be on that particular day, but we all don't change things that often do we?), probably not on a kit made with lower cost materials, but it should perform within a reasonable frame of "good".

As long as a drum sounds like a drum (and I have played on some kits that should have sounded great for what they are, and have sounded like poop), I'm usually down with it.

I thought the kit in the vid sounded good, even with just a camera mic. Sounds like a good drum kit. Color is nice too.
Now, if the hardware (hoops, lugs etc...) is crap and will probably fall apart under any regular gigging use, then I'd say stay away from it. Other than that....

That's funny (and not surprising) about GC telling employees to talk up products online.
But hey, what other store has employees call you to see if you're in need of anything?
 
Yep, they sound like drums to me.

I like the raspy sound on the snare too.

I would have the bass drum more open sounding (personal taste), but mic'd that kick would sound pretty darn good.

I've always thought that if the edges were done well on any kit, you could make it sound good.
EXACTLY every nuance you'd like (which just might be on that particular day, but we all don't change things that often do we?), probably not on a kit made with lower cost materials, but it should perform within a reasonable frame of "good".

As long as a drum sounds like a drum (and I have played on some kits that should have sounded great for what they are, and have sounded like poop), I'm usually down with it.

I just looked at the pics of this set again... He's got the stock heads on them yet and they sound good! That's a shock. Imagine the sound if he replaces those heads. I know they are made by Remo but they are cheapies..

I thought the kit in the vid sounded good, even with just a camera mic. Sounds like a good drum kit. Color is nice too.
Now, if the hardware (hoops, lugs etc...) is crap and will probably fall apart under any regular gigging use, then I'd say stay away from it. Other than that....

That's funny (and not surprising) about GC telling employees to talk up products online.
But hey, what other store has employees call you to see if you're in need of anything?

I agree with your post. I likes the snare too. as far as GC goes, that doesn't surprise me either but in these times I guess you have to what you have to do to sell products. Sadly that may include fudging things such as product reviews.
 
These are the ddrum defiant line made of basswood, they don't sound boxy to me. This was recorded with an inexpensive video camera.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eJggWl6J5o

I do like the sound of the bass and the snare, but yeah, the toms have that same crap ddrum sound I've come to know and hate. Boxy and no resonance. When you go to the Krupa-style solo, it sounds horrible (despite being played well).
 
I do like the sound of the bass and the snare, but yeah, the toms have that same crap ddrum sound I've come to know and hate. Boxy and no resonance. When you go to the Krupa-style solo, it sounds horrible (despite being played well).

Ahh well, can't please everyone. They sound nice and open to me. Could be better with better heads after all he's got the stock heads on them yet. I know they are made by Remo but they cheapies. Hey, your a GOLD member now. lol!
 
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