Sonor Select Force Jungle for jazz?

C

Cleforo

Senior Member
Hello fellow drummers!
I'm planning on buying a drum set to use with my jazz groups. I have long thought of the Sonor Select Force Jungle kit being a good choice, however I have a question that I need someone to shed some light upon (since I am not able to try the kit in person).

So, if anyone here owns, has owned or even only played the Jungle kit, please answer:

- I read a description of the kit that stated that "rich and warm sounds, highlight lower pitches and provide balance in the mid-range and treble" - does this mean that when tuned high, it chokes rather than rings? Anyone who uses the kit for Jazz, and has it highly tuned, please answer!

- If someone happens to own a Sonor kit in the "Brown Burst" finish, is the finish really dark, or is it actually brown? (Looking at the picture at thomann.de it seems really dark!)

- Finally, I'm planning on using Coated A batters, clear resonants on snare and toms, and a Powerstroke III over a Fiberskyn reso on the bass (to get that jazzy look :) )


Any help is appreciated!

/Oskar
 
I frequently use a Sonor kit that is similar for jazz. I use a Sonor Safari with a 16x16 bass, 8x10 and 12x14 toms. It does a great job. I use it for small gigs and my practice sessions.
It takes the tight tuning and it does not choke. I really like it and I look forward to playing it.
I also have a Mapex Saturn Manhattan kit with conventional jazz sizes, 14x18 bass, 8x12 and 14x14 toms. Also a great kit for jazz.
 
bobdadruma said:
I frequently use a Sonor kit that is similar for jazz. I use a Sonor Safari with a 16x16 bass, 8x10 and 12x14 toms. It does a great job. I use it for small gigs and my practice sessions.
It takes the tight tuning and it does not choke. I really like it and I look forward to playing it.
I also have a Mapex Saturn Manhattan kit with conventional jazz sizes, 14x18 bass, 8x12 and 14x14 toms. Also a great kit for jazz.
Click to expand...

Bobdadruma, I've been reading quite a few of your posts on these smaller kits, and appreciate and admire your expertise! :)

If I'm not mistaken, the Safari is essentially the same kit, albeit with slightly different shells. What heads are you using on it? Have you found (or do you have) any sound clips on the internet where the drums are used in a jazz tuning? Have you had any issues with the hardware (I'm a bit concerned about the riser)

/Oskar
 
I owned and played this set exclusively for one year (just sold it a month or so ago) so I'll share my experience... Please remember it's all opinion based. My experience is different than Bobs. This is not to say he's wrong and I'm correct or visa versa - just my opinion.

Cleforo said:
.....So, if anyone here owns, has owned or even only played the Jungle kit, please answer:

- I read a description of the kit that stated that "rich and warm sounds, highlight lower pitches and provide balance in the mid-range and treble" - does this mean that when tuned high, it chokes rather than rings? Anyone who uses the kit for Jazz, and has it highly tuned, please answer!
Click to expand...

"High" is a relative term which can mean different to everyone. But I found them to be easily choked when tuned too high. Mid-range is definitely where they sounded best to me. The best tone I could get out of them for my ears was tuning top / bottom to the same note.

Cleforo said:
.....- If someone happens to own a Sonor kit in the "Brown Burst" finish, is the finish really dark, or is it actually brown? (Looking at the picture at thomann.de it seems really dark!)!
Click to expand...

I had Autumn Fade which was gorgeous so I can't share experience with the Brown Burst.

Cleforo said:
.....-- Finally, I'm planning on using Coated A batters, clear resonants on snare and toms, and a Powerstroke III over a Fiberskyn reso on the bass (to get that jazzy look :) )!
Click to expand...

The bass drum heads you list are what I ended up with and that actually sounded extremely good.

For the toms, I tried all sorts of head combinations to get the sound I was after which ultimately never happened. I spent a long time with them really wanting them to work.

Summary:
These drums do and can sound great (especially for the price) but was not the sound I was after so I sold them with no regrets. These to me can make a tremendous Jazz kit or can cover many other styles without issue as long as you are happy with the way these drums sound. Again, they did not sound bad - they just were not able to create the sound I was hoping to get from them. That's two different things.

For the price - they are hard to beat.
 
dmacc said:
"High" is a relative term which can mean different to everyone. But I found them to be easily choked when tuned too high. Mid-range is definitely where they sounded best to me. The best tone I could get out of them for my ears was tuning top / bottom to the same note.
Click to expand...

hmmh this is exactly what I'm worried about.
I like to have my drums tuned in a C major chord, bd on the middle C, ft E, rt G sd C1.
Sometimes tuning it all an octave down...
Is this possible without the choking?
 
Cleforo said:
hmmh this is exactly what I'm worried about.
I like to have my drums tuned in a C major chord, bd on the middle C, ft E, rt G sd C1.
Sometimes tuning it all an octave down...
Is this possible without the choking?
Click to expand...

Perhaps but to my ears they'd be choked.

Ironically enough I see you also play Recording Customs as well. It was my only set for 20 years. I found the Select Force's are very, very different to tune.

When I sold my Sonors, I purchased a Gretsch New Classic Kit and could tune it in an instant to any range I wanted with no issues. It was a night/day difference than working with the Sonor. Completely different drums, rims, etc..... However, double the price tag than the Sonor.

Again, it's not to say the Sonors are not decent drums - they totally are - and if they produce the sound you are after you could play on them for decades. They just couldn't produce the sound I was after, which ultimately was that Gretsch sound.

I couldn't be more pleased and now have a second life-time set in addition to the RC's.
 
One of the best heads that I have found for getting a nice high jazz sound is a reso head by Evans called the Genera Resonant. I also like an Evans G1 Coated or a Genera Coated on top.
For the 16x16 bass I use a Remo Fiberskyn thin in front and a Remo Powerstroke 3 Coated as batter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top