Sonor Force 2007 Studio-1

bobdadruma · #1 11-01-2009, 03:04 PM

I've been looking at this kit for light rock, fusion, and Jazz use.
There has been a big price drop!
If you own one of these kits, Feedback would be appreciated. I'm torn between this kit and the Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz.
http://drums-percussion.musiciansfri...ack?sku=490522

TTNW · #2 11-01-2009, 03:49 PM

I have the CatJazz and I love it. Very different sets you're comparing.

Overall the Sonors are a better deal. The Sonors have better mounts and tuning rods and you get a six piece. The 20" BD will be more versatile. I hate those cheap plastic Sonor badges but for $500 you can't have it all.

With the extra 8" tom and mount in that deal, you could remove the bass drum mount for a more streamlined look, mount one rack on a cymbal stand and have a sweet 4 piece rig. It would be just as portable as the CatJazz except that the BD is a little bigger.

bobdadruma · #3 11-01-2009, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TTNW

I have the CatJazz and I love it. Very different sets you're comparing.

Overall the Sonors are a better deal. The Sonors have better mounts and tuning rods and you get a six piece. The 20" BD will be more versatile. I hate those cheap plastic Sonor badges but for $500 you can't have it all.

With the extra 8" tom and mount in that deal, you could remove the bass drum mount for a more streamlined look, mount one rack on a cymbal stand and have a sweet 4 piece rig. It would be just as portable as the CatJazz except that the BD is a little bigger.

Thanks, TTNW, All of the points that you made follow the logic that I was using.
The Sonor was $800 yesterday. It fell $300 over night to $500.
I have never had an 18" bass before, But I am very familiar with a 20" bass.
I almost ordered a Cat Jazz yesterday, I know that I would like the Gretsch kit, but I think that I would be a fool to pass up the Sonor in this case!
More versatility
Better hardware
Nicer finish
More drums
Less Ching!

I have never owned a birch kit before. Perhaps it is time to try one!

#4 11-01-2009, 06:47 PM

Those Sonors are fantastic. Any Sonor kit is. I would snap that up in a second.

As an example, I recently had a chance to have a very close look at a 3003 'Jungle' kit (16" Bass Drum). Superb quality, all around and on one of the lowest kits in their range!

GRUNTERSDAD · #5 11-01-2009, 06:47 PM

I love Gretsch but Sonor is also German so you can't loose. Bigger bass drum but two other toms for the same money which give versatility. Free shipping I say do it.
As per the drum selection, I hope you like blue!!

bobdadruma · #6 11-01-2009, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GRUNTERSDAD

I love Gretsch but Sonor is also German so you can't loose. Bigger bass drum but two other toms for the same money which give versatility. Free shipping I say do it.
As per the drum selection, I hope you like blue!!

I thought that Mr Gretsch was a German emigrant who began his company right here in the USA. That makes Gretsch as American as apple pie!
I do like the blue stain. Its different from anything that I have ever owned. My antique Gretsch is Rosewood. My Pearl is black. My first kit was 68 Slingerland which I no longer own, It was Blue Satin Swirl wrap. God, I mis that kit!

I just bought new tires for my truck today so I'll wait a few weeks and I'll probably order the Sonor.
I'll post when I order it. If you stop seeing me on DW, That means that my wife found out about the new kit and she killed me! She still hasn't recovered from the purchase of The Pearl Rhythm Traveler that I bought a few months ago! Which I also love!

max77 · #7 11-02-2009, 03:43 PM

Force 2007... Best kit I ever owned for now. Good choice.

I owned in past :

Catalina Club Jazz
Yamaha Stage Custom All Birch

Pavlos · #8 11-02-2009, 07:38 PM

That is a great deal. I love my 3003s but all birch 2007s for $500? Plus I've been wanting a 20" bass drum. I might have to start shopping too.

Pass.of.E.r.a. · #9 11-02-2009, 11:10 PM

I have the 2007 "Rock" set, so same line just different sizes. oh and since i live in Canada i had to play 2x as much for half as many drums.....

anywho fantastic kit, the toms sing, and they sing with clarity. bassdrum imo sounds best unmuffled and has a nice richness to it without sounding too heavy. although mine is a 20"x22", not a 17.5"x20" so....
only thing i dont like about the kit is the thin sounding snare drum and the cymbal stands. the cymbal stands are very hard to get in just the right spot for me, but i have a bunch if unused hardware after i switched over to my Pearl Rack, so i just use that instead. And the snare is very hard to tune without getting a bunch of hideous overtones, but i just use my Warlord Masai Snare so I don't actually use it that much.

so if i was in your position i'd return those tires, and buy that Sonor kit!

jk

but seriously the sonor kit seems like a much better deal, the birch sounds great! nice attack, great tone and a sharper sound than maple, which is what I perfer in my drum sound. I'd say it's definitely time to try one. ;)

Hope that helped!

-Jonathan

Mr. Brownstone · #10 11-04-2009, 06:44 PM

That special indicates hardware is sold separately. Does that mean nothing at all? Not even anything to mount the toms on the base drum?

TTNW · #11 11-04-2009, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Brownstone

That special indicates hardware is sold separately. Does that mean nothing at all? Not even anything to mount the toms on the base drum?

No, it means no cymbal stands, bass pedal or hi-hat stand and throne. The kit will include the tom mount(s).

Mr. Brownstone · #12 11-05-2009, 08:26 PM

Ok thanks. That's still a good deal.

Filthy · #13 11-06-2009, 06:20 PM

I own both of the kits you are thinking of.

I don't care what anyone says about the Sonor 2007's, they are far from being "advanced-beginner/intermediate" drums. These are a players kit - you don't have to baby them or be worried about absing them because of how much you paid for them, but at the same time they look and sound killer. Shells are heavy and well made and the hardware included will last a very long time - no plastic short-cuts like other kits. Everyone is always so horny for maple, but birch is the way to go for me. Live they are killer, especially if you are not mic'd and have to cut through a room. I've recorded with them and they sound great.

The Gretsch kit is great too, I love mine (had it for 2 weeks now) but for the money, they are a little pricey without any hardware included adn an 18" kick is fun but it may be limiting as your only kit.

Get the Sonor's first, then buy yourself a Christmas present and get the Gretsch's - use the great Sonor hardware when you are bebopin' it up on the Gretsch's.

R

bobdadruma · #14 11-26-2009, 03:35 AM

I didn't buy the Sonor Force 2007 or the Gretsch Cat Jazz. I wound up finding this Tama Stagestar used for an excellent price.
I'm very happy with this little kit. Five piece shells were $200 with no hardware. (I found the kit locally on craigslist) I put new batters on the toms and two new heads on the bass. I made a 2" riser for the 18" bass to accept a standard pedal.
5x13 steel snare
8x10 and 8x12 rack toms
12x14 floor tom
14x18 bass drum
Aquarian SK II
Aquarian Studio X Coated on tom batters
Evans Genera G1 coated on snare batter
Zildjian K Custom Hybrid crashes and hats. 13 1/4 hats, 11" splash, 17" and 19" crashes
Paiste 2002 20" ride.
Vintage Tama bass pedal from the mid 80s. It was once a slave for a double pedal.
Pearl hat stand from my Rhythm Traveler kit.

bobdadruma · #15 12-07-2009, 01:37 AM

I played my Stagestar today with my band for the first time at practice. The kit exceeded my expectations by a long shot! It was simply wonderful! I am so pleased with my low budget choice in kits. I recommend this kit to anyone wanting a low priced, quality, small dimension kit.
The 18 inch bass with the SK II had a nice thump and I could play fancy foot things easily. The toms were both warm, melodic, and also punchy and powerful when I wanted them to be. The Aquarian Studio-X heads were a good choice for the toms. The Genera G1 coated does wonders for the cheap little snare. It was crisp and not choked at all!

I live for finding inexpensive things that work well! It really makes my day when this sort of thing happens.
I use the SK II on all of my bass drums now. Sizes are 18" 20" and 22" I have noticed that the SK II does not sound that great when you first put it on. It gets better and better with age. The head has a rather long break in period, but once it locks in, it never wears out. My oldest SK II is two years old and It sounds great.

THIRSTY93 · #16 12-14-2009, 03:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Filthy

I own both of the kits you are thinking of.

I don't care what anyone says about the Sonor 2007's, they are far from being "advanced-beginner/intermediate" drums. These are a players kit - you don't have to baby them or be worried about absing them because of how much you paid for them, but at the same time they look and sound killer. Shells are heavy and well made and the hardware included will last a very long time - no plastic short-cuts like other kits. Everyone is always so horny for maple, but birch is the way to go for me. Live they are killer, especially if you are not mic'd and have to cut through a room. I've recorded with them and they sound great.

The Gretsch kit is great too, I love mine (had it for 2 weeks now) but for the money, they are a little pricey without any hardware included adn an 18" kick is fun but it may be limiting as your only kit.

Get the Sonor's first, then buy yourself a Christmas present and get the Gretsch's - use the great Sonor hardware when you are bebopin' it up on the Gretsch's.

R

I love my 2007 force had them about 2 years now

bobdadruma · #17 01-02-2010, 08:26 PM

Here is a sound sample of the Tama StageStar that I bought instead of the Sonor or the Gretsch and posted pics of in this thread. It was recorded with a single usb mic.

Fox622003 · #18 01-02-2010, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobdadruma

Here is a sound sample of the Tama StageStar that I bought instead of the Sonor or the Gretsch and posted pics of in this thread. It was recorded with a single usb mic.

Nice sound for a single USB mic. I'm not crazy about the drums, but they're alright.

Fox.

bobdadruma · #19 01-02-2010, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fox622003

Nice sound for a single USB mic. I'm not crazy about the drums, but they're alright.

Fox.

I'm open for suggestions on the drum tuning. I was going for a light pop sound for doing small cocktail party gigs with this kit. This is my first time with the Aquarian Studio-X's as tom batters. I'm still experimenting. I like the bass, and the snare is light, crisp, and not to fat, which is what I wanted.

drumhead61 · #20 01-02-2010, 10:50 PM

Hey Bob,

Congrats, I think you got a great deal on those Tamas! Nice job...great sound using just a usb mic...I too am looking at getting another kit, but I have been looking at sonor, gretsch, and pdp but I am going to probably make a decision after I go to the NAMM show later this month. I may even do the jump there on the last day we will see.

Thanks for sharing.

JIM

bobdadruma · #21 01-02-2010, 11:13 PM

Thanks Jim, Happy New Year to you and yours!
Good Luck with your new kit hunting!

drumhead61 · #22 01-02-2010, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobdadruma

Thanks Jim, Happy New Year to you and yours!
Good Luck with your new kit hunting!

Thanks Bob, I am so waiting for NAMM to see if I can catch something there

Fox622003 · #23 01-03-2010, 10:38 AM

The snare is alright in my opinion, maybe the bass drum could be a *little* less boomy, it's like it lacks some definition. But my main complain are the toms, I think they sound too plastic, I don't like the sound at all.
Hope that helps.

Fox.

bobdadruma · #24 01-03-2010, 03:22 PM

I agree about the toms Fox. I had the resos to loose. I cranked them up and they got better.
I'm looking for a warm jazz sound. I'll be playing this kit at low volumes. I may replace those stock thin resos with coated Ambassadors. I may also put coated Ambs on the tom batters.
I'll move the Studio-X's that are on the Tama toms now to my Rhythm traveler practice kit.

I left the boom in the bass for a jazz sound.

I don't want this kit to be loud and overpowering. This is new to me. My other kit is full sized, loud, and powerful. I know how to do that!

bobdadruma · #25 01-03-2010, 08:06 PM

I removed the thin plastic control rings from the undersides of the Studio-X's and I retuned the toms. I like this sound much better. The toms are more open and balloon-like. Thats more like the sound that I was looking for. I left the resos tight. What do you think? I still think that I should go with coated resos.

Fox622003 · #26 01-03-2010, 11:47 PM

That's much better, specially for Jazz. The cymbals sound great by the way.

Fox.

bobdadruma · #27 01-04-2010, 03:12 AM

Thanks Fox, it's getting there. I'll definitely try different resos when I get some cash.
Im also saving for an Agop ride and a maple snare.
My funds are low right now.
Being that this is an inexpensive kit, I may try sealing the inside of the shells with butchers wax. I'll do some more reading on this first. Some other members here have done this.