Canopus or INDe?

RobertM

Platinum Member
Just wondering what folks think about the Canopus Ash kits versus the INDe Maple or Studio Mod kits? I'm trying to assess which kit I'd rather go with (18/14/12 configuration).

They are both roughly the same cost (roughly $2200, which is uncomfortably high for me). The pros of the INDe are customizable for finish/color and tunable mount; the pros of the Canopus are reputation for jazz sound, brass lugs, leather washers.

I welcome critical opinions. Thanks!
 
those canopus ash are wicked looking!
what's an "Inde" look like- less familiar with those
 
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The INDe are ~$1700 from what I'm seeing. Here is one for $1500 as a demo. Cost and quality ratio is excellent.

I'm hardcore Canopus fan, love my RFMs...just ordered the 15" BD as an add on. The 'Gretsch Killer' is a nickname I keep hearing. I haven't heard much of a tuned up bop Ash config but I found a sample. Actually Ash/Poplar. They are more no doubt, $2200 would be a great deal but for price alone, INDe wins and adding leather washers is pretty cheap too. But to be competitive, a Canopus Yaiba is a relative price range as the INDe and a killer jazzer kit...my first choice if price an issue.


 
Thanks for the feedback so far, folks.

I quoted $2200 for INDe because if you want a Maple kit but with premium satin lacquer finish or custom solid paint finish, the cost goes from $1700 to $2200/$2300. That puts it in the range of the Canopus Ash bop. According to Canopus online store website, it appears you can order the Ash kits in natural oil, black or olive, a dark crimson and indigo--that is, I'm assuming they are spreading some of the Yaiba finishes to the Ash series.

The Ash finishes leave much to be desired, for me at least, but Canopus knows how "to do jazz" and I have liked the many tuning samples I have heard of the Ash, Yaiba, and RFM/Neo kits.

The INDe Studio Mod kit (I think it is six or seven plies with core being poplar and outer inner plies being your choice of Cherry or Walnut) sounds very nice, too--kind of a comparative rival to the Ash in terms of shell. I think INDe can offer some color on the Cherry finish Mod kits because the Cherry wood is brighter/lighter than Walnut.

The lower price choice I've considered is the Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch. I could either order a 18/14/12 or get the 20/14/12 and add on the cool Tama 12x16 bass drum. Lacquer finishes there, of course, plus the awesome Starcast/diecast hoop tom system, but I am not sure the Tama W/B can tune up well for jazz compared to Canopus or INDe.

A lot of folks here on the forum seem to really like the Tama SC W/Bs, but for genres other than jazz (rock, fusion, metal, country, etc.). Theoretically, any kit should tune up for jazz, but I remember my old-now-gone DW Collectors Maple kit not sounding great when tuned up for jazz.

A note on the Yaiba: I like the Yaiba kits, but $1900+ is a lot and the finishes are quite boring. INDe can do more with finishes for just a bit more coin.
 
those canopus ash are wicked looking!
what's an "Inde" look like- less familiar with those
I found that Ash kit online, too, and the pricing is absurd. They want $2650 for a used 2013 kit, and Canopus will ship a new one to me for $2300 at most, I think. No brainer--go new.
 
Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch
Now we’re talking. I appreciate the Canopus and INDe kits, however their finishes are not something I would want to spend much on.

I can’t speak directly to the W/B kits, but my Starclassic Maple 20/10/12/14 tunes way up into bop territory and beyond beautifully. I had a B/B, but it was a 24/10/12/16 so it was typically tuned more on the medium-low side. If I had to get down to only one kit, it would be the Starclassic Maple.

If you could get the 20/12/14 and add the 16, oof, your set.

My Collector’s don’t like high tuning and have sat for years.
 
This was discussed on another thread, but the W/B while a great package and value, tuned high does not seem what they want to do (sample below and judge for yourself). Would get a Starclassic maple for anything higher tuned if it were me.

For thin shells like the ones being discussed here, the finish makes a sound difference (a reason why I prefer oil/matte). In fact, anything touching the shell that doesn't belong has a notable tone difference IME. One thing I like about INDE and Canopus, lightweight lugs and no gaskets and in Canopus's case, a brass lug is even more ideal for a thin shell.

For louder music, these details end up a wash but low dynamic jazz, my mind is tone, tone, tone within the budget I'm willing to fork if I really want it and to me that is the shell vibration with all attached the concept behind it. Somewhere very low on the list is finish and only if makes sense to the acoustics I want from the thin shell itself. Of course, drummers are inspired by the visuals of an instrument (I like it too) but nothing worst than a very pretty kit than you are not satisfied with sound-wise.

Something like the Collectors, they stated they want to make the lowest pitch shell possible and stack a ton of lug weight to the shell. By the time you put a lacquered hard candy shell finish, its already a 'solid' sound not really meant for shell vibration. Its just a different concept compared to above, that sound great it other settings but I haven't heard a high-tuned DW that I liked.

 
Now we’re talking. I appreciate the Canopus and INDe kits, however their finishes are not something I would want to spend much on.

I can’t speak directly to the W/B kits, but my Starclassic Maple 20/10/12/14 tunes way up into bop territory and beyond beautifully. I had a B/B, but it was a 24/10/12/16 so it was typically tuned more on the medium-low side. If I had to get down to only one kit, it would be the Starclassic Maple.

If you could get the 20/12/14 and add the 16, oof, your set.

My Collector’s don’t like high tuning and have sat for years.
Clutch,
You like the SC Maples. What do you and others think of the SC Performer maple/birch? More affordable, and I’m wondering if they’d tune up better than the W/B?
 
What do you and others think of the SC Performer maple/birch?
I have not played a set so I can’t give a first-hand opinion, however I don’t believe there would be an issue. I notice they have different spurs, but those are fine too. I toured a set of Superstars for a leg with those without incident. I would still go SC Maple, but any of your choices listed will be a quality kit.

I would pick a finish I love and run with it. You don’t want to be staring at a dull kit knowing you laid out 2k for it.

With finishes do you love?
 
Just wondering what folks think about the Canopus Ash kits versus the INDe Maple or Studio Mod kits? I'm trying to assess which kit I'd rather go with (18/14/12 configuration).

They are both roughly the same cost (roughly $2200, which is uncomfortably high for me). The pros of the INDe are customizable for finish/color and tunable mount; the pros of the Canopus are reputation for jazz sound, brass lugs, leather washers.

I welcome critical opinions. Thanks!

If you are playing jazz and have $2200, I'd get a vintage 3-ply kit and some cymbals. That's just me though.
 
If you are playing jazz and have $2200, I'd get a vintage 3-ply kit and some cymbals. That's just me though.
PP Guy: I was actually thinking today that it would be cool to have Bill D. build an Elvin kit: 12x16, 13x14, 8x12. I am not into vintage at all. These days, it is nicer to have newer equipment. Old hardware, too, is a pain.
 
I have not played a set so I can’t give a first-hand opinion, however I don’t believe there would be an issue. I notice they have different spurs, but those are fine too. I toured a set of Superstars for a leg with those without incident. I would still go SC Maple, but any of your choices listed will be a quality kit.

I would pick a finish I love and run with it. You don’t want to be staring at a dull kit knowing you laid out 2k for it.

With finishes do you love?
Oomph, finishes. The Tama finishes in the Starclassic line are actually boring these days. The old finishes from the early 2000s were awesome: British racing green, Coral Blue. Even the more recent metallic Jade/white burst was nice. If I could score a jazz setup in SCP, I'd probably go for the cherry fade. That weird blue strip finish is kind of okay, and I suppose clouds & silver linings finish is ok.
 
Oomph, finishes. The Tama finishes in the Starclassic line are actually boring these days. The old finishes from the early 2000s were awesome:
Agree 100%. They really were, and those gnarly green, marigold, and blue sparkle lacquer finishes were amazing as well.
 
The Tama finishes in the Starclassic line are actually boring these days. The old finishes from the early 2000s…
Agreed.

I don’t know if they go through a lot of painters at Tama, but the paint jobs from that era are fantastic. Whoever held the paint gun knew how to use it.

Edit: they have discontinued my finish (Scorched Copper Burst) and at first I was against it, but now that it has become somewhat of a unique finish I appreciate that Tama discontinues certain finishes.
 
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