Pro level kit

Hey guys, I'm new to the forums here. Just looking for some input on a pro level kit. I'm 20, and have been drumming for 9 years now. I play at my church, 8,000+ people, so that gives me an awesome opportunity to play for a large amount of people on a regular basis. The church as an awesome yahama kit, but I feel like after all these years I deserve something for myself the play at my house or wherever I would need a kit.

I currently have a Yamaha Rock Tour kit, an intermediate kit, I got it around $1,200 new I believe around 5 years ago. It's been Alright, but I am ready to upgrade to an awesome kit that I can keep for a long time.

When it comes to pro level kits I am at a loss at what to get. I mostly play rock music, and love some progressive rock, some metal occasionally, got a Speed Cobra coming for Christmas! I absolutely love some deep booming toms with good tuning range and a powerful kick to accompany the toms. I've never really had good toms and that's what I would mostly want as an upgrade from the kit.

I am not near any big drum shops and have plenty of time before I get a kit as I'll need to save up for a few months at least, I just want to get some good input back to narrow down some decisions.

Thoughts so far are
TAMA bubinga or b/b
Or Mapex Saturn

Pretty narrow and would love input on those kits from people who know how they play, and any other pro level kits that you can suggest. Thanks!

I have the Saturn and the SCp B/B. I love both of those kits; the finish and the quality imo are stunning. I'm playing the Saturn now...I was playing the B/B last month. It would be your preference as to which sounds better. To me they both sound great; different, but great.

My question for you though is this: The Rock Tour kit you have is a great kit. I understand that we all want new gear; trust me I get that...but if you can't make the Rock Tour sound awesome, then a new kit is not going to sound awesome. Even my Yamaha Stage Customs sound awesome and can be used in any situation at any time where a birch tone and decay is wanted.

You will encounter folks that tell you to choose the Saturn...and it is a killer kit and I have no complaints at all. You will encounter an equal amount probably that would say choose the B/B....you will not have problems with either of them

If I absolutely was forced at gun point to choose, I would go with the Tama and thats only because it tunes faster and the thing just stays at pitch..all drums.

But like I was saying, don't think you will magically have pro kit...the rock tour kit should be able to be tuned to sound Pro and Yamaha stuff is very high quality; pro quality

Thanks for the quick reply, Schemp! I agree there, the thing that has been the biggest issue is that my kit now seems to easily come out of tune. I can get it sounding pretty good, but after just a few songs the snare or floor tom will be way out of tune. I tried getting some locks for the lugs but it still finds a way to get out of tune, not sure how, I just can't seem to keep it for more than a couple songs. That's mostly what is driving me to want a higher end kit.

I have heard nothing but high praise for the Saturn and b/b kits. I have played on a Saturn a few times and I really do like it a lot, never had a chance to play a b/b or full bubinga but from what I have heard both sound awesome.

I suspect you would be very happy with either the Saturn or the b/b...it's really up to you which one sounds "better" or more to your liking.

I wouldn't worry about the snare on your yamaha rock tour....throw it in the closet and get a ludwig acrolite or something. Take both heads off the floor tom; put a new reso head and batter head of your choice. While the heads are off, check your bearing edges and the internal lug fasteners.

If you still want a new kit, just remember you already have one that can do the job...but nothing wrong with acquiring more gear simply for the fun of it...if money is not an issue

I think both would be great kits. Not sure if I love Tama just because a lot of artists that I like use Tama or not, but I definitely feel myself leaning that way. I will most definitely travel to a shop and get ahold of one first before making such a serious decision.

My toms now could use some new reso heads, who knows maybe replacing all of those will help me fall in love with the kit, if it's still not doing it for me then I'll keep up my search.

I'm not sure how your drum comes out of tune with lug locks, but I can see how that would be frustrating. Maybe it's worth trying some cast hoops. Also, as long as you're changing heads, maybe go a different direction. If you use clear, try some coated or something just to get a different sound to see how you like it.
I don't have experience with the kits you mention, but I certainly understand the lure of new gear. It can inspire you to play more and may even bring a new vibe to your playing. On one hand, it's a great time to be a drummer since we have so many choices of high quality gear. On the other hand, it can be sensory overload trying to narrow it down.

I've never played the Mapex, but the Tama's are really good drums. Heck, after a certain price point, they're all good - it just depends on what you want. technically, any of them will do - but do you like maple? Birch? Oak? Walnut? Bubinga?

It sounds to me, in a church that big, you must be mic'ed up. At that point, then it doesn't matter. Heck, I'd just continue to use what they have, and borrow it if you actually did gigs outside of the church and spend your money on something you might really need

But I do remember what it was like to be a drummer in his 20s

Redbeard,

It may have been the locks I had for it. I have been playing on different kits recently and mine could use some work, maybe it just needs some more attention and it'll be where it should be. However, it's never really been a kit to blow me away like I would like you have, you know? So many options out there for sure... Hard to know where to begin.

Bo,

I've haven't actually come into contact with very many different woods. Just maple, which I do like, and birch. From what I've heard of bubinga, it sounds pretty sweet. I've never played oak, as far as I know, as well as walnut. Do I am at a but of a disadvantage. Wish I were in a larger city to try these out. They're definitely mic'd at church, amazing tech guys working there, but this would be more of an at home kit/gigs outside of home kit.

mhudsonfarmer said:

..... but this would be more of an at home kit/gigs outside of home kit.

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I understand that. My question was if you actually did enough outside gigs from the church. If you aren't, you can get away with a cheaper kit, and continue to use the Yamaha's at the church.

You have to understand, I'm in my later 40s now, and pretty much whenever I go out to play, kits are provided (there are actually fewer gigs where I bring my own stuff). At this point in my life, if people want to provide me with things to play, I'm there!

But I do own a nice kit to play at home, and occasionally out. It doesn't sound like you'd be able to use your new amazing pro-level kit at the church if the techs arehappy with what they have, so that means your amazing new pro kit will only be playing local gigs where you're un-miked, yes?

you can buy an awesome kit for 1200.00 now. 1200.00 five years ago should have been a great kit. How old are the heads on this kit that keeps coming out of tune?

GRUNTERSDAD said:

you can buy an awesome kit for 1200.00 now. 1200.00 five years ago should have been a great kit. How old are the heads on this kit that keeps coming out of tune?

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Right. Yamaha just blew out the Rock Tours this year for $550-600 brand new. Ouch. Still a great drum kit. Just saw Kenny Aronoff live playing some Tama Starclassic maples and they were awesome. Or give the Saturns a try. Make Shemp/Sticks happy ... Good luck.

Bo Eder said:

I understand that. My question was if you actually did enough outside gigs from the church. If you aren't, you can get away with a cheaper kit, and continue to use the Yamaha's at the church.

But I do own a nice kit to play at home, and occasionally out. It doesn't sound like you'd be able to use your new amazing pro-level kit at the church if the techs arehappy with what they have, so that means your amazing new pro kit will only be playing local gigs where you're un-miked, yes?

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Usually I only play out during the summer for some camps, where I could take my own kit, other than that it would just be at home. I always use the kit at the church when I play, the techs have it mikes wonderfully and every drummer plays on that kit. So it would just be an at home kit to spoil myself. This kit would be much like the one you keep at home and play out with occasionally.

GRUNTERSDAD said:

you can buy an awesome kit for 1200.00 now. 1200.00 five years ago should have been a great kit. How old are the heads on this kit that keeps coming out of tune?

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Like Larryz said, the kits are now only about $600 new, and I think they belong more in that price range. They aren't of the high quality of a Yamaha as I expected when first buying the kit. The heads are old now, and do need replacing, but even new ones come out of time quickly die to the lugs on the set. Just seems cheapish to me.

larryz said:

Right. Yamaha just blew out the Rock Tours this year for $550-600 brand new. Ouch. Still a great drum kit. Just saw Kenny Aronoff live playing some Tama Starclassic maples and they were awesome. Or give the Saturns a try. Make Shemp/Sticks happy ... Good luck.

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I'm glad you understand my viewpoint! They're good drums, they just don't belong in the same level with the starclassics or mapex saturns. I have heard great things about the starclassic maples as well. Thanks so much for the feedback! I really am liking what I find about the tamas, not too pricy either. DWs are awesome as well, just seem to be twice the price for just about the same quality as these kits.

Like they've all said, after a price point they're all built well and its a matter of wood choice and cosmetics. I've got a set of Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute in the Vintage Natural finish and they sound dynamite. I've also owned Pearl MCX, DW Performance, Gretsch Renown, and Pearl Master Studio... All sounded great, but out of that group the DW Performance were the most fun to play as a whole kit. When I first heard the DW Performance I compared them to the MCX... While the MCX drums sounded better f comparing tom to tom, the DW sang much more as a whole and had far more attack and presence than the MCX. The MCX had a very fat low tone... The DW had more mids and really cut through the mix. After trying all these kits, I eventually ended up with the Yammies due to the incredible amount of range and diversity the kit offers. Hope this helps.

LanceMCA said:

Like they've all said, after a price point they're all built well and its a matter of wood choice and cosmetics. I've got a set of Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute in the Vintage Natural finish and they sound dynamite. I've also owned Pearl MCX, DW Performance, Gretsch Renown, and Pearl Master Studio... All sounded great, but out of that group the DW Performance were the most fun to play as a whole kit. When I first heard the DW Performance I compared them to the MCX... While the MCX drums sounded better f comparing tom to tom, the DW sang much more as a whole and had far more attack and presence than the MCX. The MCX had a very fat low tone... The DW had more mids and really cut through the mix. After trying all these kits, I eventually ended up with the Yammies due to the incredible amount of range and diversity the kit offers. Hope this helps.

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Thanks for the input Lance! I never realized that most kits really do sound just about the same once you get up there. I really feel that it's time to just step it up and grab one of these for my own. I haven't looked much into pearl at all, so it's good to hear about them as well. A friend of mine has a Gretsch and it sounds pretty awesome. The info with the DW also helps. I really want something that will cut through the mix but also have the deep and powerful toms that I am looking for.

Would you say a full bubinga would be worse than a maple/birch because of the low notes that they naturally tune to?

I can't speak for the bubinga shell... I've never played them. But if you're looking for powerful toms my best suggestion would have to be the DW Performance kit or the Yamaha Live Custom with the Oak Shell... Another thing, be sure to buy used... Places like Guitar Center have crazy good deals.