Mapex armory? Or... what else?

Even though I don't fully buy into the type of wood that a kit is built from argument, the poplar construction v the maple/birch of the Armory and the price of the Tama suggest to me it's not a comparable kit to the Armory or the Stage Custom
Yeah, that's my opinion too. And it comes with hardware and cymbals, both of which I would replace soon...
 
I’ve got no experience of this kit, but given that every company is delivering good quality at this price point nowadays and you specifically mentioned wanting a multiple Tom Tom set up how about this? As you’ve already found out, buying add on Tom Toms is disproportionately expensive so getting as many shells as you can included in the package from the start may be worth considering.

 
I’ve got no experience of this kit, but given that every company is delivering good quality at this price point nowadays and you specifically mentioned wanting a multiple Tom Tom set up how about this? As you’ve already found out, buying add on Tom Toms is disproportionately expensive so getting as many shells as you can included in the package from the start may be worth considering.

Yup, I was thinking about buying this one as well, but I don't really like the sound and the look of it...
 
Also, can someone reccomend a double tom stand that I could possibly use with the Armorys and doesn't break the bank?
Gibraltar (with correct size ball L-rod sold separately) or PDP/Pacific (if the L-rods fit) are probably the best budget options.

Although I would have no problem buying a used tom stand off Reverb or Ebay. Just make sure you have the correct size L-rods and you're good to go.
 
The Mapex unit is about $162, and comes with the ball L-arms.

The Gibraltar tom stand is $92 .... but then you have to buy the correct sized ball L-arm. Those are about $10 each. So that's about $112.

Cheaper than that .... you're probably gonna have to shop used.
 
The Mapex unit is about $162, and comes with the ball L-arms.

The Gibraltar tom stand is $92 .... but then you have to buy the correct sized ball L-arm. Those are about $10 each. So that's about $112.

Cheaper than that .... you're probably gonna have to shop used.
Okay... I heard the Sonor l-arms fit Mapex toms. Could I use a Sonor stand? https://m.thomann.de/gb/sonor_dts_4000_double_tom_stand.htm I'm thinking about buying this one.
 
Gibraltar (with correct size ball L-rod sold separately) or PDP/Pacific (if the L-rods fit) are probably the best budget options.

Although I would have no problem buying a used tom stand off Reverb or Ebay. Just make sure you have the correct size L-rods and you're good to go.
I couldn't find ANY information on the L-rod ball sizes different companies use. Gibraltar uses 1,5", and that's it. So how can I find out what fits what?
 
And also, what other kits should I consider? Tama superstar, the seven piece??? Or Pdp concept...? Are those better? Maybe Sonor aq1 or aq2?
Ok, please first note the Sonor AQ2 is generally considered a step above the other models being assessed here. It’s more at a Gretsch Renown or similar level... and actually less expensive at $1350 vs $1600 USD for a 5-piece. Whether it’s sound, quality or features are meaningful to anyone will of course determine if the higher price is justified.

Having said this, I found the AQ2 to be quite impressive in sound, quality and features for the money. And like when buying many higher quality drums ala carte, add-ons are pricey. But, they are available and Sonor did a reasonably good job of maintaining inventory for the lifetime of the previous Force models. Contrast this with some other brands that change models and finishes more frequently and adding individual drums down the road can be more difficult, if not impossible.

The AQ1 is similar, but with birch shells, lower quality factory heads, and bundled with a 5-piece 2000 series hardware pack. The latter is unfortunate because it unnecessarily puts them into a higher overall price bracket when comparing to other shell packs. It also means the hardware pack would need to be sold off if it isn’t needed or more mid-tier hardware like the 4000, Tama Roadpro, etc. is desired.

I’ve only inspected and tapped on a PDP Concept in a local shop and it seemed like a very decent set, but I didn’t get a chance to play it. I did play the bass drum pedal on another kit and found it to be both fluid and well-constructed. Other than this, I don’t have any direct experience with it.

As far as the Tama Superstar Classic, I consider it the unsung hero here. For some reason it doesn’t seem to get much fanfare, but I played one when they were initially released exclusively to Guitar Center in the U.S. and was pleasantly surprised by the sound and quality for the price... not to mention for a 7-piece. A year later, a few folks on the old Tama forum bought them and raved about how impressive they were. So if the Tama is more in your price range and the additional drums are important, I would humbly suggest taking a closer look.
 
The latter is unfortunate because it unnecessarily puts them into a higher overall price bracket when comparing to other shell packs. It also means the hardware pack would need to be sold off if it isn’t needed or more mid-tier hardware like the 4000, Tama Roadpro, etc. is desired.
Yup, that's my problem with it as well...
 
Well... Have you played it? I'm curious how it feels to play it compared to the Armorys.
Ahh unforunately, I've not had the chance. The nearest stockist is a 4 hour round trip for me because I don't have a car. I'm basing this on bands bringing Yamaha kits to local venues near me, playing on massive stages like Download festival, and watching ~1 billion hours of youtube videos about different kit sounds.
 
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