Gretsch Maple for Gretsch Cat. Jazz

witchcraftery

Senior Member
Dear internet,

I've been playing drums for 8 years, and I'm starting to resent my 6 piece Gretsch Catalina Maple. I'm thinking about trading it for a Gretsch catalina jazz.

Why?

I like the simplicity of the kit. The drums look nice as well.

It just seems like everytime I read about a gretsch fanboy soiling himself over it, the next post is someone totally ruining the Cat. Jazz image. I've never played on this kit, nor will I have the chance in the near future. Give me your opinions on this trade, or on the kits in general.
 
I'm not sure what you mean by, resenting my Cat Maples. The Jazz sets are mahogany and I have not heard them, so can't comment. I have Renowns and love them. There must be some place close to try them out. If not go to eBay and search Drums, Sets, Gretsch, and you will find many listed. There is one seller, Ziegler that has video of the sets so you can get an idea at least.
 
It's not really resenting the kit. I love this drum set. It is high quality, very nice wood, easily tunable, but just not what I'm looking for.

Kinda like, I know John Bonham and Buddy Rich are great drummers, just not my thing.
 
It's not really resenting the kit. I love this drum set. It is high quality, very nice wood, easily tunable, but just not what I'm looking for.

Kinda like, I know John Bonham and Buddy Rich are great drummers, just not my thing.

What is your thing? What are you trying to achieve? If you love your set why trade?
Do you want smaller sizes? do you play mostly jazz?
 
What is your thing? What are you trying to achieve? If you love your set why trade?
Do you want smaller sizes? do you play mostly jazz?

My 'thing'... I guess just grooving. I'm not really a flashy drummer. I'm not playing drums to impress people, I'm doing it because I love it. I just love the feel, the groove.

I also like simplicity, which is why I'd trade down from a six piece. There's some quote, probably Gene Krupa, "If you can't do it with a few toms and some cymbals... you can't do it."

I do want smaller sizes for easy movement, and like I saw somewhere else in this forum, "a good sound guy can make roto-toms sound like cannonfire."

I don't play mostly jazz, though I get a fair share. I play a lot of funk, progressive, and just... generally different things. I love to experiment. Most of my live situations are indie or soft, ben folds-ish.

I'd also like to add my primary concern for even posting on a forum, instead of just going into Guitar Center and being an assertive andrew... The wood. Mahogany. Phillipine Mahogany. I know maple is fantastic, highly sought after, and some people bash on Mahogany. I've also got this idea in my head that it's all about drum heads and tuning. Any ideas there?
 
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If it's "your thing", then by all means go for it!

There's more to it than just mahogany vs. maple. It has to do with the hardness of these woods. The luann (philipine mahogany) is very light and porous, so it absorbs a lot of the sound, while the maple is harder and reflective, so you get more out of the drums (volume, tone, nuance, etc...). Depending on your tastes, desires, and musical situation, these differences might not be all that important. Also, different heads (and their age and tuning) have a HUGE effect on the sound.

The Cat. Jazz is a great little kit. If it's what you want, then go for it. I wouldn't trade straight across for it, though.
 
If it's "your thing", then by all means go for it!

There's more to it than just mahogany vs. maple. It has to do with the hardness of these woods. The luann (philipine mahogany) is very light and porous, so it absorbs a lot of the sound, while the maple is harder and reflective, so you get more out of the drums (volume, tone, nuance, etc...). Depending on your tastes, desires, and musical situation, these differences might not be all that important. Also, different heads (and their age and tuning) have a HUGE effect on the sound.

The Cat. Jazz is a great little kit. If it's what you want, then go for it. I wouldn't trade straight across for it, though.

Wouldn't trade for it? Why not?
 
Give your smaller toms a holiday and play your kit as a 4 piece. Then you won't have to swap. They say a change is as good as a holiday. I don't know who they are but you can't go wrong with a good 4 piece..
 
Give your smaller toms a holiday and play your kit as a 4 piece. Then you won't have to swap. They say a change is as good as a holiday. I don't know who they are but you can't go wrong with a good 4 piece..

I've played all the different combinations I can :D
up-down, or one-tom (floor) are my favorites.

great quote by the way.
 
Wouldn't trade for it? Why not?

Is it a Catalina Maple? If so, you could probably trade it straight across for a NEW Cat. Jazz. I wouldn't though. I'd trade for a used one, and maybe some cymbals, or a nice pedal. Or, sell it on craigslist, and then buy a used Cat. Jazz, and have some dough left over.

It's not a square trade. That's all I'm sayin'.
 
Is it a Catalina Maple? If so, you could probably trade it straight across for a NEW Cat. Jazz. I wouldn't though. I'd trade for a used one, and maybe some cymbals, or a nice pedal. Or, sell it on craigslist, and then buy a used Cat. Jazz, and have some dough left over.

It's not a square trade. That's all I'm sayin'.

Yes, it's a Gretsch Catalina Maple 6 piece. I honestly consider them equal, but different. What's worse about the Cat. Jazz that would make it unfair to trade it straight for a 6 piece Maple?
 
What he is saying is that yours is worth more money than the Catalina Jazz. You would be getting ripped off in a straight trade. You should get the kit plus something (i.e. money, cymbals, hardware).
 
What he is saying is that yours is worth more money than the Catalina Jazz. You would be getting ripped off in a straight trade. You should get the kit plus something (i.e. money, cymbals, hardware).


Read my previous post... WHY would I be getting ripped off? Is the cat. jazz somehow defective in direct comparison to the maple?
 
You would be getting ripped off because YOURS IS WORTH MORE MONEY. I thought that was made clear.

EDIT: There is no defect. If you prefer the cat. jazz, then it's better for you. Maple is generally thought of as a better drum wood than mahogany, so that is the only "defect".
 
Read my previous post... WHY would I be getting ripped off? Is the cat. jazz somehow defective in direct comparison to the maple?

Maple drums are worth more than luann drums. And, there are more pieces to the kit.

I noticed that they sell for only a $100 difference at a drum shop in L.A. today. I think it's the same up in Portland, now that I think of it. It must be the novelty of the 18" kick and the matching snare that drive the price up, and the maple shells built overseas that drive that kit's price down...
 
hey, if i could offer me advise,
i currently own a 5 piece sonor force kit, and i love it......i have been playing it as a four piece set, just taking out the 12" tom and using the 10". I play mostly jazz, but i dont want to sell my kit, incase i cant get used to using a 12" tom instead of my 10". I'm saying that i have to use a 12" because i want the Catalina Gretsch club Jazz series kit like yourself. But one thing i don't know is, is a sonor force 2003 ment to be a better kit than the Catalina Gretsch Jazz??

but for you i would say just take apart your kit if you don't like it's size, use fewer drums, i don't really want to use my kit for jazz due to its 22" bass drum!! all you have to do is tune your drums higher, not buy new ones.
 
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