Can you turn an "intermediate" kit into a "pro" kit?

StaggerLee

Silver Member
Ok, this will cause a stir i bet :p Continuing from my last post, i thought id pose a similar but different question. Could you TURN an intermediate kit into a pro kit? I go back to my old example:

Ok, i spent today being around a lot of drums (yay!) both vintage and new, and i came to ask myself what really makes a pro kit?
Something that really caught me were 3 kits in particular:
Hayman vintage
Hayman big sound (modern one)
Sonor Bop kit SE

First thing i noticed were what these kits represented. The vintage hayman was a pro kit, the big sound was marketed (and reviewed as in the mags i have) a semi pro kit. The sonor bop se as just an intro level kit. I then looked at the hardware, and the sonor by far had nicer and sturdier. Then the shells, all were poplar, the sonors were sharper and more in round and only difference were haymans had an interior coating. So i sat in wonder, why the better built sonor is so many grades lower in standing when its quality is far superior? So then i got out a c&c player date. Poplar shells, in round, sharp bearing edges like the sonor. And they sounded pretty darn similar. Im not sure if the sizes were the same id hear much of a difference, all i found were the c&c had some clear coating inside and projected more. So what, is the only difference in a pro kit here an interior coating? That if i go to my limited edition martini kit and give it an interior lacquer and ask either andy or highwood drums to do a full bearing edge redo it would be a pro kit?

So guys, what do you say to things like that?
 
Ok, this will cause a stir i bet :p Continuing from my last post, i thought id pose a similar but different question. Could you TURN an intermediate kit into a pro kit? I go back to my old example:



So guys, what do you say to things like that?

Yes you can. Play better and get paid for it ;)
 
Better heads, proper tuning, and and a professional attitude and the kit won't matter as long as it isn't garbage to begin with.
 
There are some few examples of mid level kits using the same shells as pro level kits.
They just installed different hardware (and maybe heads) on the shells.
Ran across a few, but can't think of them now.
 
Well, in the instance of poplar, its been known to be used in both intro kits (too many to name), intermediate kits (again too many), semi pro (haymans now), and pro (vintage haymans, c&c and a few other custom companies). Now the sonor hardware on this kit is solid, very well made with rubber washers and tunesafe and also has the central mount the higher end stuff use like ascent etc. So thats solid. The shells are poplar but in comparison to the haymans etc even the semi pro offerings of brand new they were identical in quality of wood (sonor had a bit rougher edges though). So surely if i got the bearing edges sorted and maybe coated the interior with a lacquer or "white coat" (obviously look up what they use) then ive gotten a "semi pro" kit for a little more than the cost of an intro kit. I know highwood drums redo bearing edges etc
 
.... So surely if i got the bearing edges sorted and maybe coated the interior with a lacquer or "white coat" (obviously look up what they use) then ive gotten a "semi pro" kit for a little more than the cost of an intro kit....

If it's a kit you're going to keep, and it makes you happy, then go for it.
If you ever plan to sell it though....
 
I have a Rockstar Pro. The difference between a Rockstar and a Rockstar Pro is that the Pro has a basswood inner liner and the bass drum hoops are wood. I upgraded the tom hoops to 2.3mm and changed the Tom mounts to the earlier Superstar\Imperialstar mounts.
 
You absolutely can.

Drums, in spite of all the marketing speak, are extremely simple instruments. Careful tuning, good heads and excellent playing can make even the cheapest kit sound great.

I'm not even convinced that perfect bearing edges are required for excellent, compelling, musical sound.

Play what you have, and work hard to improve technique. Educate yourself as to what is possible on your given instrument. Some of my favorite drummers play "crap" instruments.

Money is not required. Just a dedication to learning, and merciless self-critique.

That said, I have great appreciation for the drum makers who strive to build something special. I notice a distinct difference between carefully, artfully crafted drums and drums that are designed to hit a certain price point. There is no doubt in my mind that some drums have the capability of delivering transcendent sounds, and others .... Not so much.

For me the take home is: technique and hard work trumps expensive drums, but there's nothing like a finely crafted set of drums to play on.

Cymbals are an outlier. You really do get what your pay for. Don't be cheap. Buy good cymbals, and you won't regret it. A cymbal can't be tuned, so spend the money and enjoy the sound.
 
Many intermediate of today would be considered pro 30-40 years ago.

Many pro kits of 30-40 years ago would barely be considered above beginner today.
 
Why Not,before i had my reference ,i played years on a old Tama rockstar.
But you really need is a good snare ,bass drum and the best cymbals you can get,and thats a taste thing.
because if you play drums 95% is hihats, cymbals,snare and bass and good hardware,. toms are so overrated.
I play a lot of drumsets all the time from low budget ,and pro sets ,and on the bottomline is ,they all do the job fine with a little tuning and good heads.
Then you say why did you buy the pearl reference ,just because is was at so low price it was the deal of the year.
 
There are some few examples of mid level kits using the same shells as pro level kits.
They just installed different hardware (and maybe heads) on the shells.
Ran across a few, but can't think of them now.

The old Tama Imperial Star vs Swing Star from the 80's was a good example.

Pretty much the same shells,slightly different hardware and heads.
 
I did when I started gigging. Good hardware, good cymbals and a '65 Ludwig snare parked on top of a cb700. I stripped the wrap off the cb, sanded them and gave a light tung oil. Natural finish one up one down with a blue glass/glitter snare. I worked that kit for about a year and a half.
 
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