Insane to sell a Renown to get a Club Date Fab 3?

drumdevil9

Platinum Member
Would it be crazy for me to sell my Gretsch Renown maple to get a Ludwig Club Date Fab 3 (13-16-22x14)? I'm so in love with these CD downbeats that I'm thinking a set with the bigger sizes but with the shallower bass drum might fit the bill for me. My Renown is a fusion 10-12-14-22x18. I hardly use the 10". I could even get it in the same finish as my downbeat (silver sparkle) and have a shell bank to make whatever combo I want. Or I could get a different wrap and have two separate kits. Hmm...tempting.

I don't have my Renown with me to make a sound comparison. Maybe I'll have a chance this week. If I'm not hearing a huge sound difference (or if the Ludwig flatly sounds better) I may do it.
 
I don't think that's crazy. But then again, I'm not a big fan of Gretsch drums in those pretentious 'fusion' sizes ;)

I'm sure at least one person would call you crazy here.
 
The Renown' have a greater tuning range. The Club Date SE drums do not have the mid range tuning ability. As long as you are good with that then I say go for it.
I am also a big fan of the 14" deep bass drum.
5 of my kits currently have 14" deep bass drums.
I own bass drums of 18" 20" and 22" diameters with14" depths.
 
I haven't heard club dates so I can't compare, and I have too much else to worry about than someone selling a Renown set. After all, I bought my set from someone that was selling a Renown set for 650.00
My drums actually have some dust on them. Something Bo can't say.
 
The Renown' have a greater tuning range. The Club Date SE drums do not have the mid range tuning ability. As long as you are good with that then I say go for it.
I am also a big fan of the 14" deep bass drum.
5 of my kits currently have 14" deep bass drums.
I own bass drums of 18" 20" and 22" diameters with14" depths.

I usually tune in the lower ranges and with a 13-16-22 this would surely be the case. I tried my Fiberskyn heads tuned medium on my CD and they sound fine to me.
 
I haven't heard club dates so I can't compare, and I have too much else to worry about than someone selling a Renown set. After all, I bought my set from someone that was selling a Renown set for 650.00
My drums actually have some dust on them. Something Bo can't say.

Of course, I'm just joking around. You sure did get a great deal on those!
 
I don't think that's crazy. But then again, I'm not a big fan of Gretsch drums in those pretentious 'fusion' sizes ;)

That's the one thing that bothers me about Gretsch as much as I love them. Though they're starting to come around in that respect. But the new Renown still has that 22x18. I guess it's the new standard but I just think it's too long. The tom lengths don't bother me though. 12x9 is fine for instance.
 
I haven't heard club dates so I can't compare, and I have too much else to worry about than someone selling a Renown set. After all, I bought my set from someone that was selling a Renown set for 650.00
My drums actually have some dust on them. Something Bo can't say.

I keep mine clean ;)
 
I have the maple renowns in the concrete or gunmetal sparkle in the pretentious sizes....don't remember the color name exactly. This is all personal preference so if you find the Ludwigs sound good, it's not crazy. The only thing I would mention is that the gretsch was my first reasonable kit....and I find myself tuning other kits to try and approach the gretsch sound....mostly the 10, 12, 14. I'm not a gretsch fanboy so to speak, but they sound awfully good to me next to my other kits
 
I usually tune in the lower ranges and with a 13-16-22 this would surely be the case. I tried my Fiberskyn heads tuned medium on my CD and they sound fine to me.
I tend to crank my Club Date kit up pretty tight. It gets to boomy when it is loose. Renown's, I like at any tuning range. They are a great studio drum.
You could have your Renown bass drum cut down...
 
@shemp: Oh yeah, I know full well that Renowns sound good. I just need to figure out if the size difference (bigger toms) will outweigh the loss of the maple tone and if it's a loss at all. TBD.
 
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I tend to crank my Club Date kit up pretty tight. It gets to boomy when it is loose. Renown's, I like at any tuning range. They are a great studio drum.
You could have your Renown bass drum cut down...

True, I could get it cut. I would have to inquire where to get that done up in my area. Still, I had the EC2s real fat on the 12 and 14. Would love to hear the 13-16 with those. We might just have different taste.
 
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If you sell the Renowns and get the Fab 3 and the Jazzette, then you'll really have all your bases covered.

LOL
 
Haha, yeah. But I'd be repeating some toms as the jazzette has the same size toms as the the downbeat. And I really have no use for an 18 anymore. 20" is perfectly versatile.
 
Not at all crazy. I just offloaded a set of Renowns in 10, 14, 20x14 retro sizes in oyster. It seemed like THE dream kit, but I have to say they are hugely overated for what you get and the lack of a bass drum tom mount was infuriating.

I got a much better tone from my Yamaha Stage Custom. That means resonance, attack, sensitivity. The renown was so numb and pseudo in it's makeup. No offense anyone here who plays renowns. Maybe mine was a dud. You'd be better off getting the Catalina Jazz than a renown if your looking for the old school vibe.

I'm actually considering getting a club date kit myself but I am concerned about the lack of bass drum height in the 18". Is there anywhere that sells longer legs for the 18 to lift it up so the beater hits the middle? Also I'm thinking the wrap is susceptible to bubbling
 
Not at all crazy. I just offloaded a set of Renowns in 10, 14, 20x14 retro sizes in oyster. It seemed like THE dream kit, but I have to say they are hugely overated for what you get and the lack of a bass drum tom mount was infuriating.

I got a much better tone from my Yamaha Stage Custom. That means resonance, attack, sensitivity. The renown was so numb and pseudo in it's makeup. No offense anyone here who plays renowns. Maybe mine was a dud. You'd be better off getting the Catalina Jazz than a renown if your looking for the old school vibe.

I'm actually considering getting a club date kit myself but I am concerned about the lack of bass drum height in the 18". Is there anywhere that sells longer legs for the 18 to lift it up so the beater hits the middle? Also I'm thinking the wrap is susceptible to bubbling

Yeah, I like a tom mount on the bass drum too but some people prefer virgin. Either way they can't please everyone. The sound of the Renown is not an issue for me as I think it sounds great. It's really just an issue of sizes.

I think Bermuda got some longer spurs somewhere for his CD 18" so it's possible. Not sure what you mean about the wrap. It's pretty standard Delmar stuff. Unless you're referring to wrap in general.

Anyway, this is probably not something I would be doing any time soon. I hope the Club Dates aren't discontinued before I decide, lol.
 
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