Is Premier back?

[equipmentdork]

Yamaha RC's are designed for controlled sound for the studio - not Maximum Thumpification, surely?

I'm not sure what "controlled sound for the studio" means, as I've used all kinds of drums in all kinds of tunings in the studio, and I've had RCs since 1986(actually an RS first). The RC was my go-to set for years. The Genista bass drum, though I have not recorded with it, has a fuller, deeper, more powerful sound just by itself, with next-to-no effort dialing it in and I prefer it. I recently re-acquired the RS kit after a mere 35 years and I plan on dialing in a good sound much like I did when I had it in the 80s.


Dan

 

[mpthomson]

some one there has to know what they're doing

Home - Premier Drums

Expand your Premier setup with practice pads, drummats, a drumstick bag, and other useful accessories.

www.premier-percussion.com

I'd point out that Premier haven't managed to sell 100 of those snare drums worldwide in over a year. They're still readily available from G4M.

 

[mpthomson]

Now that I think of it, the Genista that "translates extremely well under microphones" I've heard was likely a last-generation maple reissue. It's less undersized than the original and current versions, and may have been closer to Signias than original Genistas?

It was a maple Artist in reality with different lugs, no relation at all to the original Signia.

 

[mpthomson]

Calm down boys. The Premiers, if they are well made and sound good, will have a place in the heart of someone for sure. Nostalgia rules. Where they are made, is secondary. It is the craftsmanship and sound that counts. And if the Premiers are midline drumsets at an absurd price, they won't survive. It's that simple. If they have a fair pricepoint, then they will probably stay. And we all know, that a well made midline-Drumset, even an affordable lower level drumset like the Yamaha Stage Custom is more than capable of performing adequately in almost every situation. Comparing the new Premiers to anything is ... well... rather pointless. They are good drums - or they are not. I am pretty sure, that they are quite good.

The real issue they have, as I've said before, is that unless you live in the US the only place you can look at a new one in the flesh is in G4M's HQ in York.

That's going to significantly impact their potential sales. G4M aren't going to change that selling model either.

 

[brushes]

I'd point out that Premier haven't managed to sell 100 of those snare drums worldwide in over a year.

If you don't market them properly, they won't sell. Basics of marketing.

 

[mpthomson]

If you don't market them properly, they won't sell. Basics of marketing.

They marketed them widely and heavily at launch point, including social media, YouTube, websites etc. G4M still have at least 5 of them in stock. I suspect the issues are that;

a) this drum wasn't a Premier at all, it was built by another UK builder (there's only realistically one, possibly two, that could deal with a build of 100) and just had a Premier badge put on it.
b) and, to repeat, unless you live in the US there's only a tiny %age of likely buyers who can clap eyes on one. Given the cost, £1500GBP, that's a big ask for a drum of unknown provenance. I'm sure the quality is absolutely fine but spending £1500 on trust and on something unknown isn't an easy decision.

 

[jda]

wasn't Petrez considering one Page 6 post #103 and he's in Norway So I thought there was some exposure-accessibility- globally
I was "all for" someone playing a new Premier

 

[mpthomson]

wasn't Petrez considering one Page 6 post #103 and he's in Norway So I thought there was some exposure-accessibility- globally
I was "all for" someone playing a new Premier

They were advertised all over the place, but would you drop $1750 on a drum of unknown provenance from what was effectively a start up with an old name at that point?

 

[jda]

No I have 3.5 Gretsch sets and just a soft spot for Premier

$1649

Premier GENISTA MAPLE 2023 - PISTACHIO | Reverb

Premier Genista Maple 20" 3pc Shell Pack, Pistachio OverviewKey FeaturesThe Premier Genista Maple 20" 3pc Shell Pack is unmistakable in sound and character. Its premium all-maple ply shell construction provides great versatility. The 5.6mm 7-ply tom shells offer exceptional warmth and resonance, ...

reverb.com

Premier ELITE 2023 - Gun Metal Sparkle | Reverb

Key FeaturesNew blended shell formula4.8mm, 4-ply thin shell construction2-ply North American birch and 2-ply North American maple1” beech support rings3mm undersize tom diameter45-degree precision cut bearing edgeElite tension lug designLow-profile ISO mounting systemTom bracket with integral me...

reverb.com

Premier ARTIST 2023 - Blue Burst | Reverb

Key FeaturesAll-birch shell7.5mm, 6-ply shell construction45-degree bearing edgeNew ‘Deco’ style tension lug designISO mounting system Tom bracket with integral memory lock design1.5mm triple-flange steel hoops Wooden bass drum hoopsMatching wooden snare drumTom holder with memory locks...

reverb.com

Premier GENISTA MAPLE 2023 - PINK | Reverb

Premier Genista Maple 20" 3pc Shell Pack, Pink OverviewThe Premier Genista Maple 20" 3pc Shell Pack is unmistakable in sound and character. Its premium all-maple ply shell construction provides great versatility. The 5.6mm 7-ply tom shells offer exceptional warmth and resonance, whilst the slight...

reverb.com

one dealer shows four on the floor in his store on Reverb

 

[DutchDrummersDreams]

They marketed them widely and heavily at launch point, including social media, YouTube, websites etc. G4M still have at least 5 of them in stock. I suspect the issues are that;

a) this drum wasn't a Premier at all, it was built by another UK builder (there's only realistically one, possibly two, that could deal with a build of 100) and just had a Premier badge put on it.
b) and, to repeat, unless you live in the US there's only a tiny %age of likely buyers who can clap eyes on one. Given the cost, £1500GBP, that's a big ask for a drum of unknown provenance. I'm sure the quality is absolutely fine but spending £1500 on trust and on something unknown isn't an easy decision.

I thought it was made by Keith (former Premier, now BDC).

 

[mpthomson]

I thought it was made by Keith (former Premier, now BDC).

They've never said either officially or otherwise and I'm sure whoever did build them will have signed a NDA. As I said previously there are only really 2 builders who could have done it in the UK, one of them is BDC. It does look like a Keith drum, but I don't know for sure.

 

[Tamaefx]

No I have 3.5 Gretsch sets and just a soft spot for Premier

$1649

Premier GENISTA MAPLE 2023 - PISTACHIO | Reverb

Premier Genista Maple 20" 3pc Shell Pack, Pistachio OverviewKey FeaturesThe Premier Genista Maple 20" 3pc Shell Pack is unmistakable in sound and character. Its premium all-maple ply shell construction provides great versatility. The 5.6mm 7-ply tom shells offer exceptional warmth and resonance, ...

reverb.com

Premier ELITE 2023 - Gun Metal Sparkle | Reverb

Key FeaturesNew blended shell formula4.8mm, 4-ply thin shell construction2-ply North American birch and 2-ply North American maple1” beech support rings3mm undersize tom diameter45-degree precision cut bearing edgeElite tension lug designLow-profile ISO mounting systemTom bracket with integral me...

reverb.com

The gun metal kit is quite appealing

 

[petrez]

wasn't Petrez considering one Page 6 post #103 and he's in Norway So I thought there was some exposure-accessibility- globally
I was "all for" someone playing a new Premier

Yes, I feel they have pretty good advertising on their kits online and on social media, at least I got ads popping up all over the place when I visited G4M and looked at their kits. I don't know if that happens everywhere else in the world, but Norway and Britain are not so far apart geographically... Might have been different if I didn't check out the website to begin with, though.

Sometimes I still regret not going with a new Genista kit, as it was my first original thought when I was considering a change. One big reason might be that I have to wait some months for the Tama kit, but still. Long enough time to have buyers remorse . They still seem to me like really good kits at a fair price, everything considered. I really like Tama though, and looking forward to going back with them, after at least 12 years since my last Starclassic.

 

[Woolwich]

No I have 3.5 Gretsch sets and just a soft spot for Premier

$1649

Premier GENISTA MAPLE 2023 - PISTACHIO | Reverb

Premier Genista Maple 20" 3pc Shell Pack, Pistachio OverviewKey FeaturesThe Premier Genista Maple 20" 3pc Shell Pack is unmistakable in sound and character. Its premium all-maple ply shell construction provides great versatility. The 5.6mm 7-ply tom shells offer exceptional warmth and resonance, ...

reverb.com

Premier ELITE 2023 - Gun Metal Sparkle | Reverb

Key FeaturesNew blended shell formula4.8mm, 4-ply thin shell construction2-ply North American birch and 2-ply North American maple1” beech support rings3mm undersize tom diameter45-degree precision cut bearing edgeElite tension lug designLow-profile ISO mounting systemTom bracket with integral me...

reverb.com

Premier ARTIST 2023 - Blue Burst | Reverb

Key FeaturesAll-birch shell7.5mm, 6-ply shell construction45-degree bearing edgeNew ‘Deco’ style tension lug designISO mounting system Tom bracket with integral memory lock design1.5mm triple-flange steel hoops Wooden bass drum hoopsMatching wooden snare drumTom holder with memory locks...

reverb.com

Premier GENISTA MAPLE 2023 - PINK | Reverb

Premier Genista Maple 20" 3pc Shell Pack, Pink OverviewThe Premier Genista Maple 20" 3pc Shell Pack is unmistakable in sound and character. Its premium all-maple ply shell construction provides great versatility. The 5.6mm 7-ply tom shells offer exceptional warmth and resonance, whilst the slight...

reverb.com

one dealer shows four on the floor in his store on Reverb

I'm not in the market for a kit, I'm a Premier aficionado so my eyes are fully open to what these new Premiers are and are not....but that pink Genista doesn't have scratch a near 40 year old itch created by Tama and their Cherry Rose Granstar!

 

[jda]

more if I understand you correctly- dealer choice on what to stock- those two and the granite sparkle- to be frank- wouldn't be my color choices either.
He's the only dealer I saw that has and is advertising- actual stock; controversial colors I agree. Some tho like Dark Sparkles.

 

[Woolwich]

more if I understand you correctly- dealer choice on what to stock- those two and the granite sparkle- to be frank- wouldn't be my color choices either.
He's the only dealer I saw that has and is advertising- actual stock; controversial colors I agree. Some tho like Dark Sparkles

The dark sparkle is not so dissimilar to the early 90s Platinum Black as seen on the Projectors of the time, it's more eye popping and I wonder if it's an informed nod to the past or just coincidental.

 

[mpthomson]

The dark sparkle is not so dissimilar to the early 90s Platinum Black as seen on the Projectors of the time, it's more eye popping and I wonder if it's an informed nod to the past or just coincidental.

There was previously a gun metal sparkle finish available on the Gen X and Elite kits of the mid 2000s, and I suspect that's what it's an homage to.

The original versions of these sparkles, including those used on the Genistas (I have a large mid 90's red 'Moon' sparkle Genista) was notably fine and it never really popped. To give Premier credit, these sparkles look much better than the original ones.