Should I get a reference pure?

however dw is not paying high wages whatsoever relative to living expenses in LA.. they pay around minimum wage in CA.. which is what... $14 minus taxes?? unless they changed this ........ then go find an apartment in LA.. You know the average rent of an apartment in a decent area in LA currently?? if you are doing the general shell working at dw.. you are renting a bedroom in LA.

Taiwan minimum wage is $6..... but the cost of living is a massive fraction of USA.. and especially LA.
TBH the cost of housing in China is the one aspect that's not really more affordable than in Western countries. Most other aspects of living will cost more competitively, though.
Unfortunately, this also makes the cost of drums in China of a higher fraction of one's total spending than in Western countries (postage from America doesn't exactly help, either). Part of the reason that you don't see a lot of, say, Noble and Cooleys here.
 
Well, geopolitics aside, if the OP wants to get a Reference Pure, I say go right ahead. They’re great drums and would be a worthwhile investment for the future. The idea of using different woods and bearing edges depending on what the drum is supposed to do is somewhat unique to drum making, and Pearl does it great in the Reference lines.
 
I've had a set of Reference Pures for a few years now.
The Fattone hoops are great. The stainless tension rods with those hoops keep the drums in tune for a long time.
Great sound, but just a bit too clean. They don't change much at different volumes.
I play these and Sonorlites. The old Sonors have more character, sounding different from lower to higher volume levels, but don't stay in tune as well.
Pures are articulate, but I lean to a more open sound and I'm thinking of a Jenkins set. I'm happy with the way the Pearls stay in tune.

Taiwan doesn't offend me. Prices can and should be set as high as someone is willing to pay for a non-essential item. Saying FU to the workers who sustain a company is a whole different matter and based upon poor spirituality at the executive level.
 
TBH the cost of housing in China is the one aspect that's not really more affordable than in Western countries.

yeah of course.. mainland China.. many of the cities are not that cheap...... but this is about where the References are made in the main Pearl factory which is Not in mainland China.. it is in Taichung Taiwan.. and it is a very inexpensive place to live. ..... Especially compared to los angeles.
 
*steps away slowly from the Taiwan/China debacle
 
Prices can and should be set as high as someone is willing to pay for a non-essential item.

yeah.. it is about what the market will bear more or less.. I mean.. Pearl has had very nice Pro kits since.. when??.. and they have always done pretty well.. but their marketing as of the last decade or more.. is not as good as it was in the 80's and 90's IMO.
 
I am very lucky to own two high end kits already so I know I’m being greedy, and trying to talk myself out of it.
So you came here to get talked out of it? Really? Wrong move Buddy! It’s a great kit!!!! BUY IT !!!!
 
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Just randomly, I saw a picture of a satin rose gold kit and I know it’s not the most masculine finish but I have wanted a kit in that colour for a while.

I’ve seen it in real life and it’s a beautiful finish. To my mind, any man who’s choosing a colour based how they think other men might judge them isn’t much of a man!
 
yeah of course.. mainland China.. many of the cities are not that cheap...... but this is about where the References are made in the main Pearl factory which is Not in mainland China.. it is in Taichung Taiwan.. and it is a very inexpensive place to live. ..... Especially compared to los angeles.
Back in the 90's-00's Taiwan was very developed to us mainlanders. Now as the living standards rise in mainland, this impression becomes not as impressive.
Bottom line is, both sides are capable of making great drums, e.g. Yamaha and Tama in mainland, and Pearl and Mapex in Taiwan. Both can get quite a bit more affordable where I live (seems to be the opposite in the USA, though).
 
however dw is not paying high wages whatsoever relative to living expenses in LA.. they pay around minimum wage in CA.. which is what... $14 minus taxes?? unless they changed this ........ then go find an apartment in LA.. You know the average rent of an apartment in a decent area in LA currently?? if you are doing the general shell working at dw.. you are renting a bedroom in LA.

Taiwan minimum wage is $6..... but the cost of living is a massive fraction of USA.. and especially LA.
Oxnard is not in LA (or Los Angeles County). Still an expensive area though.
 
I've never heard them in person, but every video I've heard of Reference Pures does nothing at all for me.
 
Oooohhh....Sakae Almight Birch you say???

I've always wanted to try one of these kits. I don't like the looks of them, but the sound is freakin' amazing. If you are looking to sell those, hmu. I may be interested.
 
The Reference is a distinguished series. That goes without saying. If I were on the market for a kit, I'd ask myself the following question: Does the Reference have stand-alone traits (qualities I can't find in other Pearl offerings) that captivate me to the extent that I won't be satisfied with anything else? If the answer is yes, I'd get a Reference. Otherwise, I wouldn't. Shells in that price range have to arrest me to the point of infatuation, the way my Pearl Music City Custom snare does. If they don't, I keep my money.
I love my Ref's. Played Masters for years (still my casual gigging set) and thought they couldn't be beat until I bought and tuned my Ref's. Roll around the toms has same volume levels on all but the tiny tom with no change in strike power. It is very subtle, but soothes the soul. Been playing 56 years. Like a warm, round sound. Yup... They are heavy! Snare is a monster".
 
I’m not saying it’s crap. Pearl makes great sounding drums (so does Yamaha)… but it seems like the price should be cheaper if you are producing high end kits in a low wage market..

I just feel like pearl is saving a lot of labor costs and should be passing that on to the customer. But they dont. It goes to their pocket.

I just find a little unethical. But all corporations do it. Nike could be manufacturing in the US and still have great profit margins but they don’t. It’s one of the biggest things that rubs me wrong about pearl. A corporation taking jobs away from their home market not for cheap consumer cost just bigger profits.
If their quality is equal to the others why should they charge less. The bottom line we are paying for the end result and they should charge what the comps are. The fact they may pay less for labor is not concern.
 
If their quality is equal to the others why should they charge less. The bottom line we are paying for the end result and they should charge what the comps are. The fact they may pay less for labor is not concern.
Sure people can do what they want. I personally dont want to support a company abusing a low wage markets for maximum profit when their are other companies charging less in higher wage markets. Pearl Hardware on the other hand is great, is priced within the same range of its competitors and I do buy it because its good.

I think all High end drums sound great. From Sonor, Pearl, Tama, Ludwig, DW etc..... But when I look up the most expensive 4 piece kits from non Boutique drum Makers, Pearl is the highest costing kit for a Maple/Gum kit. Its priced over kits produced in Germany & the USA. I guess I dont understand the markup when its being produced in low wage markets.
 
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