Hi everyone, my first post here. Maybe you can help me out with something....
I bought a 5 piece DW all-birch shell kit in 2004. I bought it virtually-new from a guy who had to sell it quickly at a fire-sale price. I had a Mapex maple kit that I was very happy with, and I had no prior experience with birch shells, but when the opportunity came up to buy a DW kit at an affordable price, I jumped...
Unfortunately, I've been disappointed with the DW's. It's been 5 years, and I just can't get a good kick drum sound, or a good snare sound. Tried all different kinds of tuning techniques, heads, but to no avail. At this point, I wish I had kept the Mapexes.
Has anybody here had any experience with DW birch shells? Is there a special tuning secret? Should I just sell it and go back to maple shells for the kind of music I play? (I play in a straight-ahead rock band, Springsteen, Stones, Petty, Peal Jam, etc.)
Thanks for any help or insight...
Bob
Dude, you got a fine kit.
Birch is an acquired taste if you come from a lower end Mahogany kit, or from a High end African Mahogany or Maple, there is a difference in tone that it is difficult to get used to.Their tuning zone is not the same, to get to their sweet spot is more time consuming, because you are looking that Low end resonance and warmth that you were used to in the MAple.
It happened to me with my BRX.
But once you understand the quality and characteristics of the sound, its priceless, for live or recording.
All the gossip about the Naturally EQed sound, comes from the fact that, if you have ever recorded, in close mic situations, there is the proximity effect, that actually accentuates, some times too much, the low end from the toms, making them sound muddy, or too boomy ,and sometimes, even if in the room, the toms sound warm and nice, there is just a low rumble in the recording, because of this.
The Birch has naturally less reproduction in the lows and a more clear tone, thus not needing the roll off in the lows, that usually takes place in the sound board, to handle the proximity effect in the Maples. Its one of the few, if not the only, that can be recorded flat, because the same EQ that the sound guy needs to do in a Maple, the Birch has in it naturally, a nice reproduction of the mids, controlled lows and beautiful highs.
Mine is really outstanding when playing live without mics, they cut through like anything else, they are loud, focus and with a very clear tone.
Gadd, uses a Maple kick and Birch toms. Weckl uses Maple Customs and Oak Customs for live but exclusively Birch in the studio, this is after using the most recorded kit, The Recording Custom, which are thick Birch Shells, as his main kit for years.
Their tuning range is great, and they sound good tuned low, med or high, but the tension needed to achieve such tones is different in it than in the Maples.
Mine likes to be tuned very resonant, and open, where the true tone comes out, and the low end actually is a very nice, not overpowering tone, accompanied of beautiful high and mid overtones. When tuned med to med-hi, they sound wonderful, cutting, clear, resonant with a lot of punch and still the element of bottom end is very present, but not overpowering the tone of the drum. Its the perfect studio drum. And for live, you wont even need mics with it, because they are loud and will cut through anything!
Its a jewel to record, the mic just loves them, no muffling of any kind needed. I use Coated Emperors on mine for the studio, and coated or clear Ambassadors for live, clear if no mics, because there is nothing more resonant and cutting than the tone I get from that.
A 10" Birch will sound very different than a 10" Maple, and that was my main issue. I wanted to get the nice low resonant warm tone that I used to get from my Yamaha 10", in the Birch, and its never going to happen, it will sound more bright, with still enough bottom end, but not the same as Maple. It sounded higher, more cutting, different. More clear and defined tone, less low rumble.
I used to tune my resos too high for them, and in the 14, there was times it just would not tune. But when I understood their high pitched anture, I tuned the resos lower, and their tone came through nicely, plus gave me an idea of the large tuning range they got.
Do not attempt to get the same tone from them as from a MAple kit, you will reach the point of frustration. Just recognize their tone and learn how to tune to their sweet spot, because when you achieve it, the clear tone and bright overtones is something unique and works perfect for any genre.
Pearl Jams drummer uses Birch!
Listen to any Weckl's recording, you will find plenty of low end, but a very defined tone with beautiful highs and mids, that is Birch.
I find them more versatile than Maple, and for gigs, they just work awesome, plus in the studio, the record by themselves.
I hope this helps and Good Luck!
The Ryctor!