Renown Maple or what? help!

AveyTare

Senior Member
hello

i've been out of playing for a year or so. i sold my drums, but i can't stand living without drums, so i'm coming back.

so, my question is:

i have to choose the drums. my price range is something about Gretsch Renown Maple. i know they're great, but maybe you know something better in this price range? preferably used, but that's not very important.

i'd like them to sound pretty versatile - i'm playing everything from jazz to alt rock.

best regards :)
 
anybody? come on, this is an urgent request :p

what do you think about Peace Kahuna? i can buy them for the price of Renown Maple shells, but the bigger kit <5 pieces instead of four>.
 
The Peace are a respectable effort on their part, but you will just never be able to sell them, imo.

The Renowns are top shelf, but becoming VERY common, but for a reason. They are that good, and made in Taiwan.

If I were you, I would get any used birch Yamaha I could get a hold of, cause they are timeless, and the kick will beat most anything out there. The toms are just easy to get a killer sound out of, and you always feel proud sitting behind an Icon manufacturer.

If you still want the mid-level Gretsch; get the other model from Taiwan called "New Classic". This is more of a real Gretsch with the Gumwood in the shell, HOWEVER, the toms are SUPER thin. Thinner than Renowns, and then the floors thicken up, and then the kick REALLY thickens up at 9mm.

I'm telling you. They are better than a Renown, and much more representative of a real Gretsch. Basically, they are a USA Custom with graduated thickness, like a Reference.
 
The Renowns are great drums for the money. However, I would suggest you also look at the Peal Masters MCX. Both kits are maple with die cast hoops etc, but the Pearls sound fantastic imho. The best thing to do of course is to play them both and decide for yourself. Just keep in mind that Gretsch outfits the Renown with Evans G2s from the factory, so if you do a head to head, try to make sure that both kits have good quality skins on them. Good luck.
 
The Gretsch Renown is a great kit for the money (providing you get it on sale, which you usually can). I've owned two different Renown kits in the past, and they had a great sound. There are some plusses and minuses, as with any kit. Plusses--die-cast hoops, great finishes, booming sound (especially with that interior shell coating). Minusses--only five lugs on the smaller toms instead of six (strange money-saving decision which can make for tricky tuning), Evans heads on top of toms, but no-name heads on the bottom (again--kind of cheap), snares only so-so (in my opinion), hardware is a bit old-fashioned, especially the snare throw. I just picked up a Pearl Masters MCX, and it just looks and feels like a more modern kit and design. With the two being in the same price range, I think (again--just my opinion) that you get more for the money with the Pearl. Also, in the same price category would be the Tama Starclassic, which I think also has a more modern feel than the Renown. At the end of the day, though, go with your own ears. They're all great drum sets.
 
That's starclassic efx... the sc maple costs a lot more than renowns.

True. Good point. The Starclassic Performers, frequently on sale lately (perhaps because they are supposedly being discontinued), are 100% birch, and run roughly the same in price as Renowns. I've seen brand new shell packs for less than $1000. The new Starclassic Birch/Bubinga Hybrids are are a bit more, but also have a great sound and great quality. The Starclassic Maples are considerably more expensive, and would put you in the range of a Gretsch New Classic or maybe even a USA Custom. They're all good drums, but they're going to give you a slightly different sound and quality--and, of course, price.
 
If you still want the mid-level Gretsch; get the other model from Taiwan called "New Classic".

I thought the New Classics were built in the USA. Not making a matter-of-fact statement, was just wondering?

I am guessing the only thing made in the USA by Gretsch is their USA Customs?
 
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