Thinking of getting my dream kit.

Almost every brand’s high end kits are pretty comparable sound wise IMHO . I think it is more a decision on what finishes you like that are available , what time mounts are available you like and whatever hardware fittings you like . Most people cannot possible tell the difference from drums with different woods . Just find a kit that sounds good to you that is available in sizes and finish you like with hardware you also like . Really not that hard a decision. We try and make it that way but it just isn’t.
 
enormitydave said:
The fact that you say things like Gretsch is "stuff for jazz people" and Ludwig's high-end offerings aren't as high end as DW tells me that you might want to open your mind a bit and admit that you're just going off some marketing hype and ignorant opinions formulated by yourself or others. Basically any of the major brands' high end stuff is going to be comparable. Just because DW hypes up their gimmicks as some evolutionary step in drumcrafting and they pay out the big bucks to have everyone endorse them doesn't mean they are actually the be-all end-all. I've tried a lot of different kits from a lot of different brands and price ranges and at the end of the day they all sound like drums. To me, the only ones that have stood out as something truly unique are the steambent solid shell kits and metal shell kits. I'm not saying those are better, just that they actually have a more pronounced difference in the character of their sound compared to traditional plywood. Yes you can hear a difference between poplar, maple, mahogany, etc. and different bearing edges and such, but I find it to be quite minimal, particularly in a live music setting with everything else going on. Anyway, I guess my point is that I agree with the other guys saying you should go out and try some stuff and just try to keep an open mind. Heading to Portsmouth doesn't sound like a bad idea. You never know, all of those high end kits are gonna sound good - the deciding factor might come down more to a certain finish on a certain kit or form or function of a certain brand's hardware.
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Guy told me Gretsch don't even make their own shells and that 5 lug tom stuff is too weird for me. Ludwig's been selling the same stuff for 60 years and their hardware is terrible. I'd probably buy a Tama China kit before I'd buy a ludwig.
 
Jim Bob said:
5 lug tom stuff is too weird for me.
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whoa whoa whoa.....
😁 If no one told you they were 5 lug you'd never know the difference

Jim Bob said:
Guy told me Gretsch don't even make their own shells
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not since about 1958 when Jasper began making (6P) them for Gretsch. Keller makes them today to the same 58 spec as the Jasper were and it's proprietary- no one else
Gets the same lay up formula mixture. Broadkaster reissues are a Keller take on what was an in-house Gretsch 3P shell.
Again same no one but Gretsch gets them

Other than that Follow Your own Heart and Head! GO!
 
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jda said:
whoa whoa whoa.....
😁 If no one told you they were 5 lug you'd never know the difference


not since about 1958 when Jasper began making (6P) them for Gretsch. Keller makes them today to the same 58 spec as the Jasper were and it's proprietary- no one else
Gets the same lay up formula mixture. Broadkaster reissues are a Keller take on what was an in-house Gretsch 3P shell.
Again same no one but Gretsch gets them

Other than that Follow Your own Heart and Head! GO!
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Gretsch is a drum assembler. Remember those commercials "parts is parts" ? LOL, Heck those Renowns of mine are on the same level as a US Custom. No real difference other than mine are made in China. I hear if you want a lacquer finish on a Gretch kit that you have to wait like 75 weeks! Ain't happenin' here bro. Nobody has to tell me they have 5 lugs. I seen it myself on my buddy's catalina.
 
Jim Bob said:
Gretsch is a drum assembler.
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they're a designer; original designs going back to the 20s- 30s-40s forward
Jim Bob said:
those Renowns of mine
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are made in the "image" of Gretsch design
Jim Bob said:
I hear if you want a lacquer finish on a Gretch kit that you have to wait like 75 weeks!
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find on the floor in dealer stock plenty out there look at ebay
Jim Bob said:
Nobody has to tell me they have 5 lugs. I seen it myself on my buddy's catalina.
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Couldn't just see it on your own renowns? or your renown has no 10 or 12?

Hey Buy what You want GL! 😁
I ain't messin with this dynamite!
 
jda said:
they're a designer; original designs going back to the 20s- 30s-40s forward


are made in the "image" of Gretsch design

find on the floor in dealer stock plenty out there look at ebay

Couldn't just see it on your own renowns? or your renown has no 10 or 12?

Hey Buy what You want GL! 😁
I ain't messin with this dynamite!
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My Renowns are 24-13-16. I think your a Gretsch PR man. There owned by DW anyway.
 
"the last good one since Phil Grant"

Here's the first decision need to make if Going whole hog on a DW set.
decide if you do or don't - want your 8x12 to sound like an 11x14 or your 9x13 to sound like a 12x15

Decide- or take the standard- Grain Orientation
(tid bit- since 1955- the Gretsch 6P shell has it's 3rd ply in stacked vertically - different from the other remaining 5 plies..

So be aware of and pay attention to how Good constructs or the spec of the kit


Or on any in-person DW set you're looking at -Grain Orientation-of that particular drum- will be on the inside Tag
That much I know.
 
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Mate this is me have a look at the Ludwig Classic Maple drums there's various configurations or you can make your own they are fantastic sounding drums full stop.
 
Jim Bob said:
I've got 30,000 free miles on United from a flight they cancelled on me so I thinking about heading up to Drum center Portsmouth for a day to check some stuff out. Do they let you hit stuff?
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Do this and it will change your life ( maybe) . It is such an amazing place with more stuff than you can hit in a day, and yes they will let you hit everything. I can't wait till next summer when we drive by that area again so i can stop in.
 
Jim Bob said:
I don't think Ludwig is high end. Kind of like Ford or Chevy to me.
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I’m kinda 50/50 on this. I love my Ludwigs, but it’s nice because they’re kind of unassuming too - like it leaves it up to the player to make them shine. I used to show up at gigs with my DW Collectors kits and people would assume my music (or playing) would be awesome before they heard it (believe me I’ve seen a lot of bad players with really killer sets too). Maybe I just like the working man concept behind my Ludwigs - they’re so common that you only notice if I’m playing them ok. So they are like Fords and Chevys in a way.

DW’s are maybe a step up, so it was different vibe for me when I took them out. Like I had to play better or something - and what I play is determined by the band and the music. How disappointing it must’ve been to see a beautiful DW kit and all you got was “Freebird” 😉
 
At this point I'm looking DW Cherry Mahogany or Sonor Beech. I know I said made in USA but Germans are pretty cool these days and I like the way their drums look and sound.
 
Jim Bob said:
I've been listening to the drumcenter SQ2 reviews and I like the sounds of thin birch and medium beech. My Renown is a maple so I'd like something different.
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Thin birch is King IMO.. Sounds incredible ..

Sonor takes quite a while.. like over a year I believe.. where as DW is around 5 months last time I checked. .. Cymbalfusion.com gives the best discounts on both IMO , but you have to do it on the phone.. you won't get as good a deal on email.
 
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Just FYI…..I’m getting all kinds of Black Friday messages in my email box from my “sound engineer“ from Sweetwater….just flat out saying call him before buying….don’t pay the internet price 😆 And somehow they seem to know I’ve purchased a kit just recently from another source (and I did just that from EBay). How the hell do they know these things?! Weird.

Another thing of note…..I was cruising thru CymbalFusion web page and holy smokes….several of the SQ2 kits they had only a week ago are SOLD OUT. Damn! I mean like 7 different sets they just had in stock very recently. Beech and maple. Poof, gone
 
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