Drum Workshop Worth The Cash?

Rogers, what kind of tweaks do you think they could do with the Reference series? I'd be interested in knowing this indeed.
 
WEll I think the finishes on The DW's are untouchable no other company comes close, but my question was is the sound far and away better than the kits I mentioned at the start of the thread IMO they are not when it comes to sound, but the finishes are as I said untouchable.
 
jamsjr44 said:
Well all of these drummers kits on DW on the recordings I have heard sound just as amazing to me: Marco Minnemann , Neil Peart, Matt Chamberlain(also plays DW), Matt Sorum, Gerald Heyward, Tony Royster Jr. etc...
Click to expand...

See, this is where we get down to taste. None of those guys apart from Matt C have ever really stuck out as having great drum sounds for me, and the recordings where I thought he had the best drum sounds were the ones where he was playing Ayotte rather than DW. Neil Peart, Marco Minnemann etc... just doesn't do it for me. Sounds well-produced, but not awe-inspiring.

To my ears DW kits just record a bit generic. Nice, but ordinary. I'd rather hear Joey Baron making some pile of junk with knackered old heads sound really personal and unique than hear yet another clean, boring DW drum sound. And while I play Yamaha that's probably true of their stuff too. But Yamaha does have the advantage of being cheaper and sounding good in an unmiked live environment, unlike the DW kits I've encountered.
 
finnhiggins said:
. . . What else is available for the same price? . . .
Click to expand...

Or less, and sound better:

Yamaha MCAN's BCAN's (the most recorded drums in pop music)
Gretsch USA Customs
Fibes (Maple and acrylic)
Tempus (fiberglass and carbon fiber)
Sonor Designers (OK, these are more expensive, but actually worth the $)
Ludwig Classic Maples
Premier (Premier Series)
Keller Kits that Totally Kill: GMS, Pork Pie, Spaun
 
It all boils down to taste. Sound and visual. That awesome finish on the DW kit. You pay for that. It's not like you can discount the $2000 lacquer job and exotic wood outer ply. It's part of what you pay for.
 
this whole argument is just getting stupid.... maybe it always has been.

If you like mapex, cool.
If you like Yamaha, cool.
If you like DW, cool.

It was said once in this thread and it is the only REAL mark of good drum sound -- the person holding the sticks sitting behind the kit. If Carter Beuford sat behind my Tama Rockstar and i sat behing my DW or ANY of the kits we all hold near and dear to our hearts, Carter would make that Rockstar sound like a million bucks and we all would sound pathetic in comparison... no matter what exotic wood your kit is made out of or what sticker adorns the front of the kick.

a suburu sti can beat my porsche boxster S -- unless michael schumacher is driving my porsche. Then you had better get a MUCH faster car and a WHOLE LOT of talent.
 
Fat Elvis said:
this whole argument is just getting stupid.... maybe it always has been.

If you like mapex, cool.
If you like Yamaha, cool.
If you like DW, cool.
Click to expand...
Agreed. Walk tall. Be proud of the drums you own. If not, aspire to one day own a set of drums you can be proud of.
 
harryconway said:
Agreed. Walk tall. Be proud of the drums you own. If not, aspire to one day own a set of drums you can be proud of.
Click to expand...

Just got a DW Exotic 5 piece today....24 12 14 16 snare celtic band....woohooo I guess.
 
I play dw drums and I am getting a second dw kit in just a month from now. Lots of people don't take into consideration that DW is not mass manufactured. Mass manufactured drums will of course cost less. Going with a custom drum company like dw, which has an outstanding reputation, means you won't have to worry whether your drums will sound as good as they should for the money you spend. DW has extras you won't get with a mass manufactured kit, pitch matched shells, chrome, gold, satin, or black lugs, mini lugs or standard lugs, custom sizes, attention to detail, more finishes, and reinforcement rings.

Is DW worth the cash?

No, if all you are looking for is a kit in standard sizes with a standard finish.
Yes, if you are looking for a kit with more bling appeal, custom sizes, more choices for finishes, and a superior sound.

000_0615.jpg

awesomedwkit.jpg
 
freakin' sweet kit, inspite of the roses...

I love DW finishes and that pewter hardware is great.
 
I screwed a bottle opener on the side of my Exotic 24 kick. Now it is UBBER custom.
DW wrapped kits ( finish PLY my ass) I think are worth the cash.
3 to 4 thousand extra for the tatoo artist or custom chopper tank painter to do foffy art all over the kit seems like a waste, IMHO.
I don't have gold plated gutters on my house. I bought a boat with the saved money. Any one want my 10K tribal for 4500, new & unplayed, it's yours.
 
I don't think so. Don't get me wrong they do Maple very well. The right shell thickness, and the right bearing edge for an ultra smooth tone. However, other hi-end kits sound just as good for less cost. Also I can't get passed DW's ugly hardware design. Yes, asthetics shouldn't matter.. but (to me) those giant non functional looking buttons for lugs look like something from a toy clown drum set. Those big chunky lugs also look even more off balance when accompanied by the hoops that are thin and cheap looking like something off of an entry level kit.
I recently considered buying a four piece with a finish I liked and planned on swapping the hoops, but then I came to my sences and plan on ordering Yamie custom absolute that sound comparable and cost less.
 
Last edited:
Fat Elvis said:
you know i get this exact same comment about my car from suburu owners. hmmmm....

you know, with all due respect (and that this point, very little is due) you always chirp on about how over-rated they are, yet you so rarely support your argument. Your "absolute" obsession with yamaha is only exceeded by your "absolute" hatred for DW. Many people find value in these drums. They are well made, well finished, use incredible materials. Since you play the suburu of the drum world, i guess we can all understand why you would hate the porsche of the drum world.
Click to expand...

That's your opinion, I don't think DW is the Porsche of the drum world. I know this guy who owns a drum shop and he told me that a lot of people trade in there DW's to him for one of his custom made kits or just because they want something else, you don't see many people who own a Porsche do that. I've played some Dw's at GC and tried tuning them and found that DW's like to be tuned low, they didn't seem to have much of a range, in fact when I tuned them up higher they sounded very thin. If I could buy any kit at GC it would be the black oyster Ludwig kit they have, just because I like Ludwig. DW is overated because of very good marketing and buying off a number of top players to endorse them in my opinion.
 
Jusstickinaround said:
That's your opinion, I don't think DW is the Porsche of the drum world. I know this guy who owns a drum shop and he told me that a lot of people trade in there DW's to him for one of his custom made kits or just because they want something else, you don't see many people who own a Porsche do that. I've played some Dw's at GC and tried tuning them and found that DW's like to be tuned low, they didn't seem to have much of a range, in fact when I tuned them up higher they sounded very thin. If I could buy any kit at GC it would be the black oyster Ludwig kit they have, just because I like Ludwig. DW is overated because of very good marketing and buying off a number of top players to endorse them in my opinion.
Click to expand...

As far as your tuning statement, I have been playing DWs for five years, and have found the tuning range on DW drums just fine thank you! I have mine tuned in a nice middle of the ground area and they sound great! This statement is a rumor started by some DW hater! It was the same guy who started the rumor that went like this..."The only good heads for a Yamaha Recording series drum set are Remo Pinstripes." Is it true? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

And Ludwig has has bought off a number of top players especially in the country market! So don't make DW sound like they are pure evil and nobody else gives gear away!

Hey, here's a thought:

Don't ever play DW even if they offer you free stuff. This shouldn't be a problem since you think that they suck so much!

"And I know this guy who owns this drum shop......"

this argument sounds like one of those "I know a guy who knows a few people who know this other person" third grade rants! If you like what you play, then go play them but don't try to argue with me that DW is overrated because your drums don't get the respect that DWs are getting!


Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com

http://www.youtube.com/drummermikemccraw
http://www.myspace.com/drummermikemccraw
 
Oh man this topic has got to be older than DW itself (the company).
Here's something a few of you kinda got close to.

How much do you think Yamaha absolutes, Tama Starclassics, Mapex Orions, ect. would cost if they were manufactured in the United States. A damn lot, that's how much.

As for the "custom drum makers" saying "yeah people trade DW's in for my stuff all the time"...yeah...sure.
I'm not saying people would not trade in DW's, I'm just saying I have heard that line from every salesman about everything.

I have never been able to understand peoples "loyality" to anything that is not directly benificial to them. (in this reguard).
Like football or something...people go nuts for their team and get nuts if you say "meh, their ok i guess" or something to that affect they flip out.

Same goes for people and bands.....Metallica for example....I'm sure a whole topic of some kind could be started on just the name alone.
So and so sucks, or so and so sold out or whatever. In the end does it really matter?
IMO, as long as a band/drum company makes a product I enjoy, it's worth the money.
Will I evey try to convince anyone else of my opinion..no, why would I want to, why would I even care to. Further more, why would they want me to convince them?

Bottom line, if you buy a DW set and are happy, cool.
If you buy a DW kit and you hate it, you got screwed (because that's all your going to tell everyone anyways) LOL sell it and move on.

Now let's all go play Private Idaho in double time.
Any misspellings are due to my crappy spelling, imagine that.


Drumowner says
"I don't "own" on drums, but I "own" some"
 
Jusstickinaround said:
That's your opinion, I don't think DW is the Porsche of the drum world. I know this guy who owns a drum shop and he told me that a lot of people trade in there DW's to him for one of his custom made kits or just because they want something else, you don't see many people who own a Porsche do that. I've played some Dw's at GC and tried tuning them and found that DW's like to be tuned low, they didn't seem to have much of a range, in fact when I tuned them up higher they sounded very thin. If I could buy any kit at GC it would be the black oyster Ludwig kit they have, just because I like Ludwig. DW is overated because of very good marketing and buying off a number of top players to endorse them in my opinion.
Click to expand...

If you actually think that more people trade in DW's everyday than Porsches, you are kidding yourself. Think about that statement for minute -- how many porsche owners are there in the country -- or world for that matter.... hundreds of thousands? At least.... do you really think that DW owners can even come close to approaching 6 figures?

seriously....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top