Maple kits

A simple question that may not have a simple answer, "what makes high end maple kits from different companies sound different"? Especially if they use the same kind of shells or similiar ones. I believe most companies use very similiar cuts on the bearing edges, and most have some sort of rims system. I'm not sure if there is that much difference in newer high end maple kits, please voice your opinions.

[d.c.drummer]

lots of threads on this. but i wont be a loser and leave you answerless.

CONSTRUCTION

If yo go to any high-end drum manufacturing company, each (at least claims) to have thier own way for making shells. They are bent different and layered differently (for example, DW makes it's shelll's 3 different ways)
-Vertical Low Timbre
-Built-in Bottom
-Enhanced Sound Edge

If you got to any manufacturer's website they will give you a run-down of how the y make their shells and the benefits of how they do it.

There are other factors such as shell thickness which is very important and bearing edges but construction is an important and often overlooked facit of drum sound.

[Skitch]

The bearing edge cut is also key as Gretsch has a different bearing edge than DW. Sizing is also another element in conjunction with the construction mentioned before. And I don't mean to sound like a DW endorser here, but DW is the only company to date which timbre matches their drums. And this is also a DW patented process. Shell thickness and not just a number of plies, reinforcement rings or lack thereof. The hardware on the drum can make a difference. Much of what you are paying for is experience and attention to detail - craftmanship.

Mike

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


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

All good points, however, it does not answer the question, do maple drums from different companies sound that much different? I know about the timbre matching that DW does, but after all the hardware is applied does it really make such a big difference? I think maybe head selection and tuning would make a bigger difference than anything else. I've played many high end kits that all sounded pretty similiar with the same head selection. I tend to believe it's just a matter of what lug design you prefer or if your drums are American made or made elsewhere. I've heard some very good sounding Tama drums, DW's, Ludwig's, and Yamaha's but if I had to choose one to buy I would pick the DW's or Ludwig's, just because they are both American made and I prefer there lug designs. I personally do not feel that one company can make a maple shell sound or look any better than another, the competition is too great for any well known company to produce inferior products.

Originally Posted by Jusstickinaround

All good points, however, it does not answer the question, do maple drums from different companies sound that much different? I know about the timbre matching that DW does, but after all the hardware is applied does it really make such a big difference? I think maybe head selection and tuning would make a bigger difference than anything else. I've played many high end kits that all sounded pretty similiar with the same head selection. I tend to believe it's just a matter of what lug design you prefer or if your drums are American made or made elsewhere. I've heard some very good sounding Tama drums, DW's, Ludwig's, and Yamaha's but if I had to choose one to buy I would pick the DW's or Ludwig's, just because they are both American made and I prefer there lug designs. I personally do not feel that one company can make a maple shell sound or look any better than another, the competition is too great for any well known company to produce inferior products.

To answer your question....YES they do.....there are different grades of maple, along with different shell thickness for each manuf.

Now if you took the same shell thickness and same quality of maple..then the answer would be NO...you wouldn't be able to tell the difference...at least not by my ears.
The hardware and reputation are what you are paying for, along with finish options.

You can build your own kit with Keller shells..(which a lot of companies use) minus fancy finishes for thousands of dollars less, than you can buy from most manuf.

And as far as timbre matching.....Mapex for example sonically matches there shells...they just don't stamp them....DW owns the rights to doing that....

[Salicete]

Sonor stamps their high-end drums as well, did it long before DW. Just look through the air hole of each drum to see the stamp.

Larlev hit the nail on the head with what he said. I can't improve on it; I would only add that there is a difference, not necessarily "better" or "worse," just different.

Anything you put on a drum shell changes its sound. What is best? That all depends on what sounds best in your ear.

Yeah there are different grades and types of maple, but I don't think company's are required to tell you where the Maple comes from. I think North American Maple is the most expensive.

Also I read somewhere that the glue and whether or not the seams are staggered can have a small effect on sound. Reinforcement rings also effect the sound because they are thicker than the shells themselves so they resonate differently than the shells. These are what are on most every set with thinshells.

[2d-chris]

Often the sound of a drum is more influenced by the heads, tuning and playing technique. If you played 4 pro maple toms with the same head setup by yourself then you would be hard pushed to hear the difference in most playing situations.

That said there are players out there that would claim to know a major difference, but after a tom has been processed by tons of recording equipment or washed out by a wooden floor bar it really doesnt sound anything like the standard tom anyway!

Best advise IMO is to pick a drum brand for the sound you like, but even that is almost impossible unless all top brands want to endorse you :) Typicaly just pick a well respected brand and you will get a good drum, the rest is up to you.