Expensive Bop Kit Poll

RobertM said:
Great drums for sure, but I am not wowed by any of the finishes. Only "rosewood" satin finish, right, and the rest are wraps (black slate/oyster, California blue oyster, silver sparkle, red oyster)? If they offered this series with something closer to older Starclassic Maple finishes from early 2000s, I'd probably be more tempted. I know it may be stupid, but I like both sound and looks. I'd have a hard time enjoying a good-sounding kit with a marine pearl wrap finish. Not into vintage aesthetics.
Click to expand...
Nothing wrong with classic finishes, or for wanting something that looks and sounds great! Of all the Sonor Vintage series finishes, the Calif Blue is the only one I personally love -- it is even better in person. Aesthetics are a personal thing.
 
For the Tama Starclassic Walnut-Birch can't-do-jazz-tuning debate, I offer the following demo, which within the first 40 seconds suggests, I think, the possibility that the drums might sound good tuned up high (listen to 12 tom in particular). The heads are clear factor Evans and the drums not tuned high, but they sound tuned well and the sonic of the 12 suggests it could sound good in high bebop land:


Thoughts?
 
RobertM said:
For the Tama Starclassic Walnut-Birch can't-do-jazz-tuning debate, I offer the following demo, which within the first 40 seconds suggests, I think, the possibility that the drums might sound good tuned up high (listen to 12 tom in particular). The heads are clear factor Evans and the drums not tuned high, but they sound tuned well and the sonic of the 12 suggests it could sound good in high bebop land:


Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Personally, would not extrapolate for a purchase decision but to each their own. Not to say in the right hands it couldn’t sound well. And a quality kit should be able to tune high. But this kit sounds very far from traditional jazz for an acoustic situation. They round over the outerr edges more nowadays to help the lows and lower tunings which also cuts out high mids. Maybe re-cut like a N&C edge sharp profile, they would then favor higher tunings. They look nice, tama a grade hardware, nice price point.

Here are few either tuned high or in jazz context but still low. Not necessarily the best examples, but just seem far away from Star series examples in jazz or maple starclassics can do.




 
I have owned a lot of kits over the years and my choice was Gretsch USA Custom - it was a sentimental choice as I own one and these were my first pro kit back in the day and I have owned more Gretsch kits than any other brand . If you can find a used kit in great shape grab it . It will work for you .

Noble and Cooley is my 1B choice - I have owned a Horizon and CD Maples kits both with 20” bass drums 10/12/14 toms. Both are excellent choices but I would lean slightly towards the CD Maples as I liked the sound of them tuned higher than the Horizon . The CD Maples are very clean and articulate sounding drums and they have a very wide tuning range .
The Horizons have just a bit more of a smoother softer attack due to the interior mahogany ply . They still work tuned up for bop , but my preference is still for the CD Maples for jazz gigs.

I have played a few different Canopus kits , beautifully made drums , excellent quality but just did not strike a chord with me . I prefer the Gretsch and N&C to the Canopus .
 
RobertM said:
If you could let go of the coin (and obviously like bop kits), which high-end bop kit would you splurge on and why?

  1. Sonor SQ2
  2. Gretsch USA Custom
  3. Canopus RFM
  4. Noble & Cooley CD Maple
Note: I chose the following not only because of personal interest (to my ears) but also because of long-standing jazz industry (player/club) support of these brands. I know Pearl Masterworks or Ref Pure or Tama Star and the like are good, but they are not known historically for providing a "jazz sound."
Click to expand...

RFM. Nothing else on that list comes close.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top