Best mass produced kit for about $2500

[gmrakich]

I don't like this kit and GC said they would give me 2500.00 for the shells, so I'm thinking I'll just TRADE it for something. What do you think I should get in a 10 12 14 16 22? No snare or hardware. I kinda like the Gretsch stuff...........

[hateplow]

Could you afford a USA Maple shell pack for 2500? Maybe a 4 piece. Those would be a wonderful addition to your museum of kits.

[AronMapex]

That kit is very cool ;D You can get a very good drumset for that

[GRUNTERSDAD]

Gretsch renown maple.......

[Drummer30]

Here's a list of a few I'd be looking at (in somewhat of an order):

1) Yamaha Absolute Maple Nouveau

2) Sonor S-Class

3) Pearl Masters (MMX would be my choice)

4) Ludwig Maple Kits

There are probably others but these are just a few that I found that would appeal to me the most.

[osamasgoat5467]

My top choices:

Pearl Masters MMX

Tama Starclassic Performer or Maple

Mapex Orion Burlwood

Gretsch Renown Maple

Sonor Designer

[Skitch]

Originally Posted by gmrakich

I don't like this kit and GC said they would give me 2500.00 for the shells, so I'm thinking I'll just TRADE it for something. What do you think I should get in a 10 12 14 16 22? No snare or hardware. I kinda like the Gretsch stuff...........

I can't tell you what to do, but I can tell you what I would do. Iw ould try to sell this kit on Ebay. This is a stunning drumkit and I imagine that it would do really well! That way, you would have cash, which is king, to bargain with, and maybe more than $2500. What do you not like about this drumkit?

Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com


http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=drummermikemccraw

[gmrakich]

Originally Posted by Skitch

I can't tell you what to do, but I can tell you what I would do. Iw ould try to sell this kit on Ebay. This is a stunning drumkit and I imagine that it would do really well! That way, you would have cash, which is king, to bargain with, and maybe more than $2500. What do you not like about this drumkit?

Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com


http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=drummermikemccraw

What I don't like is that "great DW sound." I will play the Brady kit and the Pork Pies and its OOOO BABY, but the sound of the DW leaves me flat. I got this kit as payment for a recording session I did with a guy who owns a music store. The kit is worth far more than what I normally get, but the situation worked out for us both. This kit has be gigged twice and is perfect....I just don't like the way it sounds.

[Fat Elvis]

Originally Posted by gmrakich

What I don't like is that "great DW sound." I will play the Brady kit and the Pork Pies and its OOOO BABY, but the sound of the DW leaves me flat. I got this kit as payment for a recording session I did with a guy who owns a music store. The kit is worth far more than what I normally get, but the situation worked out for us both. This kit has be gigged twice and is perfect....I just don't like the way it sounds.

i love my DW sound. Now mind you that it is mostly kellar shells, but i do have two that have are the new DW shells, and honestly they sound every bit as good as the others to my ear.

personally i think most of the kits that have been mentioned are not at the level of a DW -- why not sell it and get another pork pie? Or a C&C or something you dont have? A Renown or a MCAN seems so *pedestrian* compared to your other kits.

i will say that personally i cannot stand the look of that dub. I would pass on it because i think the paint is gaudy (not in a good way) and i am not a fan of the brushed lugs. But im sure you can find someone who would love that kit. If i had $2500+, i would only personally be looking at a deedub at GC -- nothing else there i would really want.

[aceman]

MCAN, Renown, Starclassic maple, Ludwig maple, Mapex Orion etc..." Not in the class of DW????" Give me a break! Not to start (another) DW thread here but... Have you spent a reasonable amount of time on any of these kits mentioned? Or maybe I should ask... What is it about DW that makes you think they are in a "class" of their own? Sound... Nope, Finish...hardly, Hardware...not on your life! They do make fantastic drums but to make such a statement is laughable.

[Ozzy Biz]

I think he's calling the maple custom and Renown pedestrian in Comparison to Greg's other kits; the Brady and Pork Pies. I don't that's a completely unfair comment to make either.


I also agree on trying eBay for a better price than GC has offered. You could always place the reserve at $2600 or something so you can't make a loss. See if you can put together enough cash for a Gretsch USA Maple or USA custom, or maybe something from C&C.

Biz

[baz]

...If the drums were payment, or overpayment for a job that you did,then why not just sell them ?

Why trade them for an inferior kit when you already have so many others that suit your needs?

Barry

[osamasgoat5467]

Originally Posted by Fat Elvis

i love my DW sound. Now mind you that it is mostly kellar shells, but i do have two that have are the new DW shells, and honestly they sound every bit as good as the others to my ear.

From what I've been told all of DW's shells are made in their factory there except the 26" bass which is made by keller.

[gmrakich]

Originally Posted by baz

...If the drums were payment, or overpayment for a job that you did,then why not just sell them ?

Why trade them for an inferior kit when you already have so many others that suit your needs?

Barry

Because drums are crack, and this would be a quick easy high.
I have heard too many stories of things going wrong on ebay etc. I need a kit that is, for lack of a better word, a beater I can just throew in my truck and just stote in my garage and not worry about it too much. I'm doing 6-10 fill in/temp gigs a month right now and the cases thing in getting to be a real drag. If you had a Brady would you bring it to a belt buckle yahoo bar to play Willie Nelson and The Scorpions???

[Fat Elvis]

Originally Posted by osamasgoat5467

From what I've been told all of DW's shells are made in their factory there except the 26" bass which is made by keller.

My DW was made in 1995 -- when they used Kellar shells exclusively for production.

[Fat Elvis]

Originally Posted by aceman

MCAN, Renown, Starclassic maple, Ludwig maple, Mapex Orion etc..." Not in the class of DW????" Give me a break! Not to start (another) DW thread here but... Have you spent a reasonable amount of time on any of these kits mentioned? Or maybe I should ask... What is it about DW that makes you think they are in a "class" of their own? Sound... Nope, Finish...hardly, Hardware...not on your life! They do make fantastic drums but to make such a statement is laughable.

No i think they are all professional kit and all wonderful. I happen to own a starclassic birch as well and absolutely LOVE it. I gig on it exclusively. Personally I do love starclassic's and would never hesitate to buy another one.

I do personally feel that DW is the highest line that GC carries. GC does not carry Mapex (at least none that I have been to), so that excludes them. The Renown I do not feel is a pro kit on the same level as the others you mentioned. Good kit -- absolutely.

And no, the starclassic maple, MCAN and Ludwig Maple do not even come CLOSE to the finish options, wood options (i.e. DW exotics), size options and lug options as the dubs. Now I have never ordered one of these other kits, so you will have to forgive me, but it seems at least with DW you can completely customize your order -- choosing your wood choice, finish choice, drum sizes (including depth), lug finish (4 i think are availble), etc.

Plus, its just an opinion. I had said that I personally would not want any thing else in GC. However I personally forgot about Starclassics -- which i am a huge fan of -- so I recant my statement. I would at LEAST buy a starclassic or a Ludwig Maple. And yes i would walk past the MCAN.

[Mike Firth]

In my opinion...

I would have to say a Yamaha Absolute Maple or a Pearl Masters MMX. Both awesome kits for what pricerange you are looking at.

[Class A Drummer]

My best bets would be:

Yamaha Absolute Maple

Pearl MMX or Pearl Reference

or Gretsch Renown Maple Set.



All excellent drum sets.

[tmv31]

Originally Posted by Fat Elvis

. And no, the starclassic maple, MCAN and Ludwig Maple do not even come CLOSE to the finish options, wood options (i.e. DW exotics), size options and lug options as the dubs. Now I have never ordered one of these other kits, so you will have to forgive me, but it seems at least with DW you can completely customize your order -- choosing your wood choice, finish choice, drum sizes (including depth), lug finish (4 i think are availble), etc.

I'm pretty sure that these three have a pretty good span of finishes none the less. I also like dw, but there are many people who wouldn't even think twice about getting a yamaha over a dw. Also, a new yamaha is about 1/2 the price of a new, custom dw kit.

Just my .02

[Jookbox]

i would replace that horrible wrap and keep it.

[baz]

Originally Posted by gmrakich

Because drums are crack, and this would be a quick easy high.
I have heard too many stories of things going wrong on ebay etc. I need a kit that is, for lack of a better word, a beater I can just throew in my truck and just stote in my garage and not worry about it too much. I'm doing 6-10 fill in/temp gigs a month right now and the cases thing in getting to be a real drag. If you had a Brady would you bring it to a belt buckle yahoo bar to play Willie Nelson and The Scorpions???

...I understand the "crack" reference.

I just bought a used 20x16" bass drum, and I am a floor tom away from my beater kit. (want to sell that Fibes ?)

I took a four piece DW kit to a couple of local drum shops to see about trading it off on a Pearl reference kit. They would not give me what I thought was a fair price, so I sold it locally. I got what either drum shop would have sold it for, but rather than taking the moolah and buying the kit, I paid some bills instead. When I look at the kit that you are practically giving away, I cringe. If we were neighbors, that kit would already be mine.

I don't know what I would recomend as a high end beater kit. There are too many nice ones out there. If I had to go and buy a new kit and DW was not an option, I am sure that my head would explode trying to choose.

Good Luck.

Barry

[Fat Elvis]

well, i do understand the need for a gigging kit. Mine is a Starclassic, and certainly no beater, but it remains permenantly in cases while the DW remains set up in my studio. It does make things easy. So my first choice would be a starclassic. Maybe the Renown after that one.

unless you really want a beater, then i have an old rockstar for sale -- i can let it go within your budget ;)

[gmrakich]

Originally Posted by Jookbox

i would replace that horrible wrap and keep it.

Not a wrap...it's painted. the paint job added 3500 retail, mind you, to the cost of the kit. Some onw will like it...I like the finish OK...not my first choice.........

[moe.ron]

personally i would go with yamaha. they sound unbelievable and they are as tough as nails. i can't wait to buy my pro line yamaha kit.

[philiprst]

I am sure that all these suggestions are for great kits, but please don;t buy anything until you have sat behind a Tama Starclassic Bubinga. The sound is a bit different from your standard maple kit but you may find it hard to resist.

[2d-chris]

Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute or the birch/beech version, no better pro kit for the money in terms of flexibility for studio work.

Ofcourse you could custom pick tom sizes and finishes but you'd be looking at a good 6 month wait for it to arrive from Japan :P

[gmrakich]

Originally Posted by philiprst

I am sure that all these suggestions are for great kits, but please don;t buy anything until you have sat behind a Tama Starclassic Bubinga. The sound is a bit different from your standard maple kit but you may find it hard to resist.

I am leaning heavy in this direction...........................

[Fat Elvis]

i have to say, if i had the cash, i would bite as well. There is a purple sparkle one at my local GC that taunts me every time i walk in.

[harryconway]

I'd look at the Yamaha Oak Customs. Loud drums. Perfect for live gigs. And nice finishes, but not so nice you're afraid to take them out of the house. I gig'd all the time with my R.C.'s and never used cases, and they still looked great after 2 years that I had 'em. And oak would also add a new dimension to your stable of drums.

[gmrakich]

Originally Posted by harryconway

I'd look at the Yamaha Oak Customs. Loud drums. Perfect for live gigs. And nice finishes, but not so nice you're afraid to take them out of the house. I gig'd all the time with my R.C.'s and never used cases, and they still looked great after 2 years that I had 'em. And oak would also add a new dimension to your stable of drums.

I just put a padded bed liner in my truck that goes up the walls of the bed as well. Now the whole truck is like a padded case. : ^ P
Hey Harry..........I'll be out in Pasadena for three weeks or so in late Jan-Feb. We have to get together.

[d.c.drummer]

I would look at the Pearl Reference series. They are beautiful drums and they sound even better. Got to the Pearl website and watch the vid on them. THEY ARE AMAZING!!!