Compact Kits

Theo H

Member
I took a bunch of gigs this summer playing wineries/ local venues. This is great news! However, my main kit (Gretsch Brooklyn with some percussion add-ons, complementary cymbals etc..) is mic'd up and happy where it is. I have been trying to research an affordable ($900 or less) kit that travels well but doesn't sacrifice quality of sound or projection. I have found lots of opinions on what to buy, but I have seen no one say: "this is the one, single best travel kit". The three I am interested in are the Sonor AQ2 Safari Maple, Drum SE Flyer and the Taye cocktail kit. I know there is a DW compact kit, but the snare sounds bad from the videos I have seen. Is there one I am missing that really has more cahones than the rest? Right now I am leaning towards the Sonor Safari Maple, but I would really love to hear some opinions or suggestions.
 
Most likely 16" or 18". If there was a 14" that was longer and sounded spectacular, I could work with that. For most of the gigs I play there is a sound guy/ kick is mic'd.
 
Forgot to mention, the Pearl Midtown is very much on my radar. However I have never owned a poplar kit before and have heard mixed reviews.
 
You'll get a bunch of responses on this post but there are literally dozens of threads about bop/travel/compact kits and if you search each of the kits you mentioned I know they've been discussed before going back years. That way you'll have a lot of input right away and can avoid having your thread bogged down in the inevitable bass drum measuring contest.
@roncadillac summed it up pretty well the last time this question came up.
Ton of recent threads about this that I can quickly sum up for you:

You'll get 20 responses pointing you in the direction of $2k Gretsch kits.

You'll then get 20 responses telling you to get a yamaha stage custom birch bop kit.

Then you'll get a bunch of responses comparing the Ludwig breakbeats, pearl midtown, sonor safari and martini, and Gretsch catalina jazz.

If you are on a super tight budget you can get a pearl roadshow in bop sizes with hardware for about $400.

Those are all great starting points that fit into different budgets and will end up in the 'bop' sound, especially with the proper heads, tuning, and cymbals.




And eventually, by like page 3, it will just become another debate about big vs small bass drums lol
 
Stage Custom Hip is very nice and even has a strainer on the floor tom. That would be my second pick, right after the DW Frequent Flyer. Can't imagine having something less than 20" as a bass drum not meant for light jazz.
 
Forgot to mention, the Pearl Midtown is very much on my radar. However I have never owned a poplar kit before and have heard mixed reviews.
It's fantastic. If you want something small, sounds good, is well built, and wont break the bank, the Midtown has it all. And it has a lifetime warranty for the original owner too.
 
I don't have any experience with the mid town - but I do own a Sonor Safari and it's fantastic. And I'm talking about the SSE $500 dollar version - that little set sounds amazing for the price and I love how compact it is. Great little kit with the right heads.
 
Forgot to mention, the Pearl Midtown is very much on my radar. However I have never owned a poplar kit before and have heard mixed reviews.

Yes, what @MrInsanePolack said above... You can't go wrong with the midtown. Don't be off put by poplar. It's affordable, light weight, moisture resistant, and shell construction to Pearl's modern standards really make these drums sing.

Something else that seems to be commonly overlooked when people first consider/discuss 'downsizing' their kit: using less pieces. I am an advocate of both smaller drums and smaller set ups. Use this as an opportunity to reevaluate your setup. You are playing small wine bars and cafes... Do you really need several toms, cymbals, and percussion? I bet you could play most of that same music with a 3pc, hats, and a ride.
 
I had a Sonor AQ2 Safari kit and was very impressed with the sound and build quality . I had the Titanium quartz sparkle finish .
 
I heard Tyler Stewart of Barenaked Ladies play a Sonor AQ2 in front of 4,000 people at the St. Augustine Amphitheater just before Covid hit, and it sounded (and looked!) fantastic. The Sonor AQ2's are a tremendous value in mid-level kits IMO.
 
I heard Tyler Stewart of Barenaked Ladies play a Sonor AQ2 in front of 4,000 people at the St. Augustine Amphitheater just before Covid hit, and it sounded (and looked!) fantastic. The Sonor AQ2's are a tremendous value in mid-level kits IMO.

Hey hey, Daytona here! It's nice to see some other members in my general area.
 
I have a DW Frequent Flyer kit, with a Gretsch Brooklyn Snare. It's a 20" kick, but only 12" deep and sounds fantastic. Still, maybe a little big to be called a compact kit, but it sounds great, it's light, and would probably gig well.
 
I have a DW Frequent Flyer kit, with a Gretsch Brooklyn Snare. It's a 20" kick, but only 12" deep and sounds fantastic. Still, maybe a little big to be called a compact kit, but it sounds great, it's light, and would probably gig well.
I think they definitely qualify, but unfortunately, they're about $400 over OP's budget.

I love that finish on your kit, btw.
 
Im a fan of compact set ups however and I have a few..... most brands mentioned and a few not like PDP or Gretsch have compact kits that are anything but. Look at the size of the foot pint a kit takes up, not the size of the bass drum. If you dont mount the ride and the tom on the bass drum, the ride stand is in the same place as a 22 inch bass drum sized kit. add a crash by the hi hats and everything starts to spread out like a full sized kit.
All the compact kits i see take up the same floor space as mu kit with a 24 inch bass drum. my kit, with hi hats and me sitting behind it takes up a 4 x 4 mat. same as a compact kit so why bother sometimes?
 
I love the Yamaha Hip Gig, but I'm not sure if those are still around anymore.
 
+1 for the Sonor AQ2 Safari kit, nice build quality and sound.
I had changed the heads on toms and for regular Ambassadors which really improved the sound. For the BD I ported the front head and put an Evans Emad. With that the drum sounded killer and could also be used without mic.
Cheers.
 
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