Gretsch Brooklyn Micro Kit

They look really good, and at first I thought it was just going to be a better version of the Cat Jazz. It's more of a Ludwig Breakbeats (* in comparison to sizes, not build quality) 16" kick and 10, 13, 13. I then saw they are $1,900.

They sound and look great, but at that price point, I just don't know how much market share they will get. There are loads of other options out there in those sizes, and all of those options are significantly cheaper. Let's face it: most drummers aren't going to use a kit in those sizes as their main kit; it will most likely be a secondary kit or "fun" kit for almost everyone, and that's A LOT to spend on a secondary kit. Plus they are not even all Maple. They are maple/poplar.

It's funny, in that video, Mark Guliana (whom I really respect) says he loves the direct to shell mount and experiences no negative effects from it. Um, on a small 7" x 10"? I think if he took it off the mount, suspended it from the hoop by his fingers and hit it again, he might change his mind! Especially with that large Gretsch diamond bracket that literally takes up the entire depth of that shallow shell.

Having said all of that, that snare sounds absolutely golden when in the "high tuning" segment. They mic'ed and mixed that thing perfectly. Plus Mark Guliana could make a crappy Excel kit sound great.

vyacheslav said:

Plus they are not even all Maple. They are maple/poplar.

Click to expand...

Well poplar seems to be in style these days as a "retro" tonewood. Funny because it used to be in the "mystery wood" category along with basswood and luan/philipine mahogany during the long "all drums must be maple"-era...

Agree that this kit is probably overpriced for the current market though.

VitalTransformation said:

Well poplar seems to be in style these days as a "retro" tonewood. Funny because it used to be in the "mystery wood" category along with basswood and luan/philipine mahogany during the long "all drums must be maple"-era...

Agree that this kit is probably overpriced for the current market though.

Click to expand...

It's all coming back around... Poplar in the shells, mounts directly on the drums... What were once cost-cutting measures, are now "features".

I thought Mark’s demo of them was really great.
I agree that they are perhaps overpriced given the competition...

But then it seems to me that Gretsch is enjoying a revitalization that has them being sought after simply because they are well made, sound great, lots of finish options (ok maybe not this kit) and they are made in the USA ....not unlike a luxury brand.
All of that has them commanding higher prices - and it’s ‘what the market will bear’. I’m sure they won’t sell as many kits as the Breakbeats...and I’m sure they know that. And I’m also sure they will sell every one of these they make.
I’m in line for a kit myself....eventually. Ditch a few snares that I don’t really ‘need’ and I’m going for it. Too much fun.

Oh yeah...and quality wise , comparing these to Breakbeats ? Come on ! Not even in the same universe.

evilg99 said:

Oh yeah...and quality wise , comparing these to Breakbeats ? Come on ! Not even in the same universe.

Click to expand...

I was just speaking to the sizes in comparison to a Cat Jazz. I'm sure the build is excellent.

ineedaclutch said:

I was just speaking to the sizes in comparison to a Cat Jazz. I'm sure the build is excellent.

Click to expand...

OK, I see. Yes....the other kit that comes to mind that would be in between a Breakbeats kit and this Brooklyn Micro Kit - would be a Yamaha Manu Katche HipGig.

They certainly look and sound good. Peace and goodwill.

I love my Brooklyn kit, but I would not pay $1900 for that set up. Sonor makes a couple of micro kits which sound good and are significantly cheaper.

The Brooklyns have a great vintage vibe, but as someone else pointed out, these sized drums are typically not going to be someone’s main kit. To spend $1900 on a second, “fun” kit seems...unlikely.

vyacheslav said:

They sound and look great, but at that price point, I just don't know how much market share they will get. There are loads of other options out there in those sizes, and all of those options are significantly cheaper. Let's face it: most drummers aren't going to use a kit in those sizes as their main kit; it will most likely be a secondary kit or "fun" kit for almost everyone, and that's A LOT to spend on a secondary kit. Plus they are not even all Maple. They are maple/poplar.

It's funny, in that video, Mark Guliana (whom I really respect) says he loves the direct to shell mount and experiences no negative effects from it. Um, on a small 7" x 10"? I think if he took it off the mount, suspended it from the hoop by his fingers and hit it again, he might change his mind! Especially with that large Gretsch diamond bracket that literally takes up the entire depth of that shallow shell.

Having said all of that, that snare sounds absolutely golden when in the "high tuning" segment. They mic'ed and mixed that thing perfectly. Plus Mark Guliana could make a crappy Excel kit sound great.

Click to expand...

I agree with everything you wrote there. I would never pay top dollar for a 10-13-16 kit. I think the $500 range is a lot more palatable for a kit this size and someone might be more likely to impulse buy one for fun at that price. I don't know why they discontinued the Catalina Street. That kit was cool.

Not saying they won't sell some but I wouldn't bet on it lasting. I expect a blowout deal in a year or two as often happens with Gretsch experiments. Then it'll be worth it.

Put some suspension mounts on the toms, and it would be a great kit for low-volume gigs. But not interested at $1900.

drumdevil9 said:

I agree with everything you wrote there. I would never pay top dollar for a 10-13-16 kit. I think the $500 range is a lot more palatable for a kit this size and someone might be more likely to impulse buy one for fun at that price. I don't know why they discontinued the Catalina Street. That kit was cool.

Not saying they won't sell some but I wouldn't bet on it lasting. I expect a blowout deal in a year or two as often happens with Gretsch experiments. Then it'll be worth it.

Click to expand...

I hear what you guys are saying about not wanting to pay top dollar for these sizes and that they wouldn't be practical as a 'main' kit. I get it.
But the $500 alternatives are not this quality of drum shells. Do they sound as good? That's subjective....some of the cheaper options do sound great, I've even had some myself. Sonor Safari and Yamaha Manu Katche Hipgig.

I did some research here - if you were to buy comparable sized Brooklyn component drums, the $1899 price tag is exactly right. Not saving anything by bundling the drums together as a kit , but thats the case with any USA Gretsch. Price of the kit = price of the individual drums added together.

So here's what I found :

Gretsch Brooklyn 10x7 tom Street Price $420
https://www.drumcenternh.com/gretsch-brooklyn-tom-10x7-satin-walnut-dcp-exclusive

Gretsch Brooklyn 13x11 tom - Street Price $468
https://www.drumcenternh.com/gretsch-brooklyn-tom-13x9-satin-walnut-dcp-exclusive

Gretsch Brooklyn 16 x 16 Floor Tom - Street Price $645
https://www.drumcenternh.com/gretsch-brooklyn-floor-tom-16x16-satin-walnut-dcp-exclusive

Gretsch Brooklyn 14x5.5 snare drum - Street Price $405
https://www.drumcenternh.com/gretsch-brooklyn-snare-drum-14x5-5-satin-walnut-dcp-exclusive

= TOTAL $1938, and keeping in mind that's for a 16x16 floor , not a 16x12 bass drum with a mount and wood hoops, a 13x11 rack tom vs. the micro kit's 13x12 with 3 floor tom mounts and legs, and 14x5.5 snare vs the micro kit's 13x4 snare.

I'm not saying they're overpriced for the quality. Certainly they're built better than a Breakbeats. I have a Brooklyn in bop sizes but I got it used for way less than I would ever pay for a drum kit. I would never pay new USA Gretsch prices for any sizes and I have trouble understanding why any non-wealthy person would.

Maybe I am saying they're overpriced. Oh well.

I'm struggling to see what the kit is trying to be. Too high end to be a micro kit, at those sizes the wood isn't being given the chance to show what it can do tonally, so it's a bit wasted here. The only good thing with the cheap poplar micro kits is they project.

Wouldn't you just get a bop kit for the price?

Top quality shells, the snare is really nice and very portable. Get the Midtown bag set and it's a 2 bag load in, however would you put a kit that expensive into bags?

The price for a portable kit puts me off. You want something cheap and cheerful that lives in the boot of the car. The hardware doesn't look as good as the midtown.

I think the main question to me is..............WHY?!?

Anyone can mix and combine those sizes if they want to.

Forget this and bring back the New Classic instead.

fwiw...i think canopus started this trend in the late 1990s with its club kit which was a hit in certain jazz circles (brian blade popularized the kits)...dcp has an rfm club kit without snare at around $3.5k list, $2.2k map...even tho the sizes are slightly smaller, the allocated costs are roughly the same as a bop sized kits...so i would think gretsch is aiming for the canopus market vs the breakbeat market which in any case should be rather small...