What drum kits do you consider to be "legendary"?

Are the recording customs considered legendary?. I know they were super popular for a long time. Lots of legendary (drummers) playing them but I haven't heard alot of talk from drummers saying man..if I could get my hands on an 80's yamaha R.C. kit. Just wondering.

Recording Customs are probably the most recorded drums in history. Consider how many recording studios globally still have a Recording Custom kit in their line up.

But then again, I'm biased towards the vintage Recording Customs.
 
Just checked with N&C. It's a mistake on their website. CD Maples came along in 1993.
I thought I was going mad.
The steam bent kits were their first, mid to late 80's, which were very innovative, then the Horizon with the horizontal ply (1990-ish onwards).
CD Maples were their attempt at a more affordable, mainstream kit. I recorded with them and they were excellent.
 
I guess Bonham’s Ludwig Vistalite is the stuff of legend now. It’s funny how what a famous drummer plays also becomes famous -like Ringo’s Classic maple Fab kit.
 
I was reading an article about Hal Blaine’s famous kit with line of concert toms ( he would tune to a song-easier with one head and less overtones) with the classic sound in huge number of recordings , but in person they sounded like a line of shoeboxes just dead and boxy. Sounded great on recordings though. I have no idea if article has merit
 
I was reading an article about Hal Blaine’s famous kit with line of concert toms ( he would tune to a song-easier with one head and less overtones) with the classic sound in huge number of recordings , but in person they sounded like a line of shoeboxes just dead and boxy. Sounded great on recordings though. I have no idea if article has merit
My very first kit was a Slingerland concert tom kit. Nowadays, I don't really like how concert toms sound in person, but I've heard recordings where they sound amazing. Phil Collins and Nicko McBrain come to mind.
 
Premier Resonators with the double shell. Used to rehearse at a place donkeys years ago which had a set in Pete Kircher blue. Fab iconic drums.

Never played a Resonator, but that kit is indeed legendary to me as well. My first kit was a Pearl Export in Deep Blue and i was so happy to have a kit that was similar to Pete's.
Wasn't even born when they did the NEC gig in 1982, but watching that VHS tape had me drooling over drums haha
Very happy with my Pearl Master BCX kit (birch), but think that in a few years time a will get a new kit and that needs to be in a blue color as well. And big tom sizes as well :p
Have found the drum sizes, but the cymbal sizes are lost to time I'm afraid (Paiste doesn't have it on record anymore)

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I like Saturns. Actually, I like them a lot. But I don’t think I would consider them to be legendary. I wouldn’t consider Exports or Stage Customs to be legendary either.

To me, being a legend means you’ve stood the test of time, you have an instantly identifiable sound, and you’ve been toured and/or recorded countless times. And by toured and recorded, I mean by pro (preferably first-call) drummers, not weekend warriors. Bonus points if you can readily associate a brand of drums with a well-known drummer, like Recording Customs with Steve Gadd.

That said, I don’t think Saturns are that far off from legend status. But they’re not quite there.

I have recorded waaaayyyy more Exports and Stage Customs than Ludwig Classics and Yammy Recording Customs in my time in studios....and have heard more of them live than many other kits, with thje possible exception of DW's...

I DO believe that those 2 deserve legendary status because of their "workhorse" nature
 
Gretsch Round Badge for sure
Camco Oaklawn kits
Slingerland from Niles
Ludwigs pre-Ringo
Yamaha Recording Custom
Sonor Horst Link Signature
Tama Starclassic
N&C CD Maples (specifically those from the 90s and 00s with the die cast hoop)
Anything made by Chris Brady

And maybe I'll get some flak for it, but DW Collectors Series have solidly placed themselves as legendary drums. Ubiquitous, reliable drums that are absolutely everywhere.

this pretty muchh hhits what I was going to put in...
 
"Legendary" to me would be the Pearl Export, Slingerland Radio King & the Ludwig amber Vistalite.
All 3 of those kits are immediately identifiable & 2 are still made today.
 
I have recorded waaaayyyy more Exports and Stage Customs than Ludwig Classics and Yammy Recording Customs in my time in studios....and have heard more of them live than many other kits, with thje possible exception of DW's...

I DO believe that those 2 deserve legendary status because of their "workhorse" nature
I'm not knocking Exports or Stage Customs (well, I did knock the mid-90s Exports in an earlier post), but to me they don't qualify as legends. It would be like asking Enzo Ferrari to create a list of legendary cars and he came back with the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.
 
I'm not knocking Exports or Stage Customs (well, I did knock the mid-90s Exports in an earlier post), but to me they don't qualify as legends. It would be like asking Enzo Ferrari to create a list of legendary cars and he came back with the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.

well, again, those are legendary in a way...they have set standards for the industry, but I get what you are saying

and the mid 90's Exports were definitely junk compared to the recent ones...possibly one step up from CB-700's only in that they were made of real wood...
 
well, again, those are legendary in a way...they have set standards for the industry, but I get what you are saying

and the mid 90's Exports were definitely junk compared to the recent ones...possibly one step up from CB-700's only in that they were made of real wood...
Another reason not to count Exports as legendary. A truly legendary line of drums would have never had any iterations that were "one step up from CB-700s."
 
Another reason not to count Exports as legendary. A truly legendary line of drums would have never had any iterations that were "one step up from CB-700s."
See...I'd respectfully disagree with this mainly because the Export series (while VERY entry level), is the go-to for pretty much every drummer just starting out.
Pearl learned long ago that if you make a quality entry level kit, those at the entry level will buy it. Word of mouth has been their greatest advertisement of this kit.
 
Another reason not to count Exports as legendary. A truly legendary line of drums would have never had any iterations that were "one step up from CB-700s."

yeah...

so we need to further define legendary - in this case - as something that was created, led the activity for a while, went away, and now can not truly be re- created....like "breaking the mold" legendary...
 
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