Craviotto Drum Kits

The pictured kit is not a Craviotto but a Summit drums steambent single ply curly maple drums set . The idea of a single ply kit like a Craviotto intrigued me but the co of the Craviotto was just not feasible to me . The Summit was very reasonably priced and the build quality was very nice . The drums were very lightweight (thanks to the shell and wood hoops ). The drums really were nice sounding but not noticeably more so than my Gretsch USAC or Ludwig Classic Maple. I ended up selling the Summit kit . If you absolutely are set on a steambent kit this might be a more prudent option compare to a Craviotto. Something else about steambent kits to be aware of - climate changes can affect these Tom and bass drums shells . IMG_0573.jpegIMG_0573.jpeg
 
Owned three Craviotto kits.

First was a sparkle lacquered Walnut in 10/12/15/20. Second was a 12/15/20 maple in satin oil. Third was a 12/15/20 mahogany.

All were fine kits, superb craftsmanship though I did not care for the tube lugs.

Soundwise, they were not outright sonically superior in any way discernible to me. Some folks hate to hear that, but I'm calling it as I heard it. In fact, the maple was way too bright for my taste and was not around for long.

Sold them all (to collector's) and had 12/15/20 Afircan Mahogany shells built by Summit, which I had wrapped in Vintage Marine Pearl and topped off with nice older Slingerland-style rounded bearings edges. Love that kit.

If someone is into Craviotto drums for whatever reason, I have no qualms with it. They are very nice drums. Just don't let the hype get too elevated on them being at the pinnacle of drum sounds.
 
8 of 10 owner majority comments echo mine
parlez-vous 😁
 
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Neal Pert said:
At this point, I'm honestly curious and I haven't found as much as I'd have though about these drums given how fancy they are.
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Seems to me they are made in the U.S. from the species that is announced by a U.S Company , not some hidden market malarkey ..Phillipine Mahogany comes to mind Ha! Beautifully built with quality hardware no lug splay even. They play beautifully and you can hear a difference between species selected in isolation.. I don't consider them fancy compared to other over the top creations. They are quite simply not generic or one dimensional at all. This is my opinion only .. They're just really good drums , what do you expect them to be? Built offshore maybe? like most things these days.
 
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I'm shallow and yet self-aware; therefore, I'm willing admit that I would probably think they sound fantastic based on looks alone. I would have a difficult time giving an honest review of them because they are absolutely stunning to look at.
 
Yes I owned an original solid shell Johnny signed 20/14/12 kit plus a Birdseye maple snare. I sold the drums many years ago. Snare was nice. But the least expensive Canopus snare sounds better. The kick (bass for you jazz cats) and toms didn't have all that much in the way of musical qualities. The $700 Gretsch Cat kit I practice on in basement sounds better it's more tunable and more musical. So is the MIJ stencil kit I use at our blues band practice place. The Tama Superstar Classic kit I gig with sounds better. Now, the Crav kit and snare looked amazing and build/ hardware was good (Trick throw on the snare) but for sound you can do better with low priced kits. I think they're a status cymbal kinda like buying an impractical sports car because you can buy it.

I do always wonder (and I have started threads on topic) if they're good investments. Most of feedback shows they are poor investments. You see them pop up every now and then used on Reverb, and they go unsold for a long time even when the asking price is about what they originally sold for or a bit less. I think the same of newly issued Ludwig Vistalites if I should buy a kit just for the investment. Doesn't seem the case. If I had money to burn I'd have them all, but being practical and focused on my actual needs for gigs, there isn't anything an expensive Crav kit can do that a $1,000 kit can't do.
 
IMHO a competently built maple kit will sound great paired with the right heads and hardware......once that is done, it is very hard to justify the additional expense of some of the highest priced boutique kits from a sound perspective.

So if you are someone that puts sound above all else, I would imagine the additional expense of one of those Crav kits or anything similar would be a waste of resources that could be invested elsewhere.

Not that it is the same beast, but I have a DW Craviotto maple steam bent snare and it is "OK"......sounds like a maple snare, and I would say it is about #8 or 9 on my depth chart of my 12 or 13 snares to grab

EDIT: For the record, I would gladly pay for a Noble & Cooley in the sizes I want as I think that fits the competently made kit comment above, however that is a $3500-3800 proposition for a 3 piece shell pack while a Craviotto of similar stats is $6500-$7800.......and I personally don't hear an additional $3500 worth of benefit or see $3500 in eye appeal to my taste......
 
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The old not worth the money rave surrounds this Brand, with a little I don't hear the difference between them and anything else. Occasionally you get their snares are stellar but bass and toms Meh.. They are built the same , how can a snare be good and not the toms and bass ? Huh? I don't get it. I'm keeping mine I think they are head and shoulders above most..I'm not trying to convince anybody , if that's you're truth believe it. But I am not convinced that they are just ordinary drums. Not by a long shot. I'm talking drums alone , not in a skanky barroom not on a miced up stage . So if I'm to walk into a room with a crav kit and a stencil kit both set up I'm going to choose the stencil kit .. every time.. Yeah Right!
 
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my difference with them is philosophical @Z26R-#
the philosophy of solid shell being_______ fill in the blank.
Z26R-# said:
Occasionally you get their snares are stellar but bass and toms Meh.. They are built the same , how can a snare be good and not the toms and bass ?
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Might be a matter of a little bit of season is Ok a whole plate not?
Like Gene Krupa swore by them in the snare as an example
was known for; could be heard from him; that sound..
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In the text of the ad here, tells a little how gretsch broke free and how long ago it was)
I subscribe to : my conclusion is the sound was primitive one-dimensional (no pun) and corresponds that ply introduced a new chapter

gretsch BK Harvey.jpg

"I like one-ply in a brass snare"
but don't desire that in an all-brass drum set 😁
I think +/-
Drums accompany but not overwhelm

"Ply mellowed the scene man"
- Cheech (1972) Los Angeles

" ...and don't tell me they're Superior (pun) because I'll retort "they're as old as the hills"
- Mark Twain (1889) Virginia


That's about as far as I've thought about it.




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MAPEX always in Gold please/thank you/ old net tradition from Killian
 
jda said:
my difference with them is philosophical @Z26R-#
the philosophy of solid shell being_______ fill in the blank.

Might be a matter of a little bit of season is Ok a whole plate not?
Like Gene Krupa swore by them in the snare as an example
was known for; could be heard from him; that sound..
~~~~
In the text of the ad here, tells a little how gretsch broke free and how long ago it was)
I subscribe to : my conclusion is the sound was primitive one-dimensional (no pun) and corresponds that ply introduced a new chapter

View attachment 141203

"I like one-ply in a brass snare"
but don't desire that in an all-brass drum set 😁
I think +/-
Drums accompany but not overwhelm

"Ply mellowed the scene man"
- Cheech (1972) Los Angeles

" ...and don't tell me they're Superior (pun) because I'll retort "they're as old as the hills"
- Mark Twain (1889) Virginia


That's about as far as I've thought about it.




​

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I played Gretsch for a very long time , I no longer have them . too one dimensional. I'm not convinced guys. but please continue to convince each other .It's amusing..
 
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