Yamaha Tour Custom/Gretsch Cat Ash?Advice

[Giltkitguy]

I just spent the last six months getting a great guitar rig together for the band I put together, and then our drummer bailed. We couldn't find a good replacement for him, but managed to find another guitar player, so I'm the drummer now. (I'm actually a better drummer than guitar player anyway). I don't want to sell off any guitar gear to raise the money for drums, but need to get a decent quality gigging kit together. I'm trying to stay under $1,000, so my best option is to buy a used kit from the local Long and Mcquade music chain, where I can buy on a payment plan. I'm trying to decide between:

-Yamaha Tour Custom maple kit for $799 with hardware.-10/12/16/22/with a14x5.5" snare
- Gretsch Catalina Ash for $575, no hardware-8/10/12/14/22, no snare (I have a serviceable Acrolite) This will allow a bit of money for hardware.
- OR, they tell me at L&M, that I could get a new birch Mapex kit with hardware for under a grand.

I picked up the Yamaha's and played them at rehearsal last night. They sounded good, but I wish the 10" tom was a 12". Not lovin' the kick, but it still has the original head, which I doubt is very good.I liked the snare quite a lot. The finish on them is Sakura White, which shows the wood grain, but looks quite pink - a bit like the light colored maple flooring that was in style in the 80's. I think I'd want to refinish them. The Yammies seem to be a pretty good deal, but I like the sizes of the Gretsch's and am hearing a lot about the Mapex being a good bang for the buck. I'm not familiar with Mapex at all. They weren't on my radar back in the days when I played drums professionally, so I like the old school appeal of the other two kits.

BTW this is my first post here at DW. I've enjoyed lurking for a couple months. I now spend more time here than at my former forum haunt, Gear Page. Those guitar players! What a bunch of grumpy middle aged gear-heads! Sheesh!

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

[Doug Masters]

IMHO, the Tour Custom would be the best choice.

[Giltkitguy]

Wow! 106 views and only one person bothered to offer an opinion. Was it something I said? Was it my joke about Gear Pagers? I feel like the new kid at school that no one will play with......

[eric_B]

There are a lot of active threads each day around here, not sure why some get more replies than the others. Being a newbie, a regular or veteran may have something to do with it...

Anyway, I own a Catalina Ash and think it's pretty decent for the money. With good heads and tuning, the toms and kick can sound OK. You wouldn't want the snare anyway, never got it to sound good.

I play a Yamaha Tour Custom at band rehearsal and it sounds and records OK (although that one is setup dead as dodo). It appears more sturdy than the Ash kit, so that is a benefit if you use it for gigging.

About Mapex: never played them but almost only heard and read good reviews. They seem kind of an underdog.

I hope this helps a bit.

[tracer]

You can also check Guitar Center used gear. they are often negotiable and generally throw in shipping. You can search nationwide,incidentally.

I would decide what size drums,number of cymbals and hardware you need,and work your budget based on that. Single braced Yamaha hardware is reasonable and very durable. All the manufacturers make a mid line birch or maple kit,so you have to be an opportunist,and see what appears. if you don't mind the risk,(or use Paypal) you can use AD Hunter and search craigslist nationwide every day.

I like the Sonor,Tama, Mapex or Yamaha lines for mid line kits and would start there. If you are uncertain as to the sound you want- YouTube is obviously a big help, as is this site.
Good Luck
tracer

[Drumolator]

I would have to see them to tell you for sure. All three of those are good drums. I have more experience with Gretsch and Mapex. Look at them, play them, and listen to someone else play them. Mapex makes great drums; do not be concerned about them. I like the Mapex tom mounting system better than anyone else's. Good luck.

[Giltkitguy]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'm feeling more welcomed now. I'm Canadian, and it's a national insecurity complex that makes us all want to be liked and accepted. Someone in the U.S. media could say " Canada sucks! I wouldn't live in Canada if my life depended on it".
And we'd say " Hey! He said Canada! Twice!"

[Agd8]

You might wanna check out the Mapex Meridian maple.
I've had a Gertsch Catalina ash, and I have a Mapex meridian maple in my studio (where I teach). The Gretsch was ok but I think the Mapex is better sounding and it's definitely better built.