My dream kit, finally becoming reality!

AndoTheDrummer

Junior Member
Hey all,

I'm new to the forum and the main reason i'm here is i needed to ask alot of drum related questions to a whole bunch of people for different opinions. I thought this would be the site for it. Anywho, I have been talking to the guys at my local music store for quite some time on investing in a new kit. We have gone through the works, PDP, Tama, Pearl, Gretsch upto DW. The end result was DW seemed to be the kit to go for, but i do still have questions to be answered! First i need to do a summary, my kit will have the following sized drums in Maple the reason i highlighted that is because the type of wood obviously always depends on the cost.. or actually the cost depends on the wood, but you get me!
The drums will be:
2x 18x22 Bass
7x8 Tom
8x10 Tom
9x12 Tom
11x14 Tom
13x16 Tom
7x14 Snare

Now, i have not confirmed drum sizing yet but I think i'll go with the F.A.S.T Tom sizes. Although recommendations are welcome!

The main question is, will a DW Performance Series kit with add ons be cheaper than a DW Collectors Series custom built by much? I don't want to spend alot of money when i can get a stock kit for less. Then again, what are the differences between the collectors and performance? I thought it was just the customization side aswell as smaller lugs.

Any other info needed, My ears are pealed!

Thankyou all!
 
I'm not sure from first hand experience but the performance is a mid range kit and the collectors is a top shelf kit.

I've played both kits, not really my sound personally.

If the guys at the shop have you shopping by brand then they prob make more money on DW kits or they're not being as objective as they should be, given that you don't wanna spend too much.

Have you played both of them yourself?
 
Of course your drum dealer wants you to buy DW -- they're expensive!

Detaching yourself from any brand loyalty... especially to DW... as early as you can will do you a lot of good.

Personally, I think the Performance Series kits are hilariously overpriced. If you're at the Performance Series price point, check out the Mapex Saturn. I think nearly everyone on the forum will agree that it's the clear winner if that's what you want to spend.

The Collector's are about on par with the really expensive stuff, so I won't fault them there. I still would want to spend that kind of cake on a different brand if I could.

If you don't want to spend a ton of money and absolutely must have a kit from our friends in Oxnard, look at the PDP X7. DW and PDP are the same company, similar to Fender and Squire. The X7 is a maple kit with nearly the exact sizes you listed, and with the right heads (and new bearing edges) it can sound spectacular. The DW sound is never one I've been partial to, however, since they use a very sharp bearing edge. It tends to impart a more plasticky head sound rather than a shell sound, but if that's what you're into then go for it. Let us know what you decide!
 
Check out Pork Pie....I have 12 PP kits...all wonderful, and you can TALK IN ENGLISH to the guy making your kit when you custom order it.
 
the reason i highlighted that is because the type of wood obviously always depends on the cost.. or actually the cost depends on the wood, but you get me!
With ply (industry standard) shell kits, the cost of the wood is a very small element of the overall cost, despite what marketing claims try to imply. A nice veneer ups the cost a bit more, but even that doesn't cost very much as a percentage of the sales price. Buy with your ears, & welcome to the forum :)
 
With ply (industry standard) shell kits, the cost of the wood is a very small element of the overall cost, despite what marketing claims try to imply. A nice veneer ups the cost a bit more, but even that doesn't cost very much as a percentage of the sales price. Buy with your ears, & welcome to the forum :)

Thanks keep it simple! I did test out the X7 too compared to a collectors and the difference isn't much but i'd personally go for the DW. A bit more info on my background... I'm not really a mapex fan. I have a Gretsch Catalina Maple right now that i'll be seling quite soon. I want a kit that has 2x virgin basses. Has to be Maple. And the main reason i come across DW is the sound and finish.. Don't worry the music shop didn't talk me into anything expensive, its just one of the drummers there has a band and has already gone through a DW Collectors (the one i played) and he's going for his second and i really liked the sound of his. The shop sells:
Mapex
Tama
Gretsch
DW
PDP
Pearl
and Roland (but i very much dislike electrics!!)
 
If that's what you really want, you probably wouldn't be satisfied with anything else and will always mentally be comparing what you bought with the Collectors. I too am not a fan of most of the Mapex lines other than the Blaster and Velvetone series, in that order. Unless you need these drums extremely quickly, you still have time to shop around and if you still feel that the DW Collectors are what you want, I would recommend that you get them. Personally, the Collectors series never tripped my trigger, but their Jazz and Classic series did. I ended up buying their Classic series of drums two years ago. To each his own. I can't really recommend the DW Performance since I've only played them maybe a dozen times. They do sound different from the collector shells because they are. This is one thing that you'll have to hear for yourself, especially spending that amount of money.

Dennis
 
The Collector series are built with re rings, the Performance series are straight shelled. The Performance series can be compared to any other straight shelled drums, Collectors should only be compared to other drums with re rings, which are less common.
 
Honestly, so many drummers think their "dream kit" needs to be top of the line, go with the one that costs the most, or go home...but in all reality, your paying for the simple fact that its made by human hands. I have had my set of Sonor Force 3007 maple for 3 years and am beyond satisfied. I also recently added a Force Birch 5.5x14 to the kit. Slapped on some pin-stripes and they SINGGG.

Even for my guitar. Ive used a Godin LG and prefer it to a PRS or a Strat any day.

Look into Sonor Force kits, you wont be dissapointed. Also, the suggestion to look in the X7 line with PDP is great advice...back when I got theSonor kit I almost settled for an X7 as well.

Beyond that, if you DO want top notch...look into Sonor SQ2 and delites, Pearl Masterworks, Yamaha Absoloute series (almost got one of those too, it was 9,000 for a 10 peice double bass kit, compared to 13,000 in DW)
 
Shit thanks so much guys! I do call it my dream kit because i do like the sound but mostly the look.. i know i know, its not always about the look but when your on stage,... come on. haha! anyways, i might talk to the guys at the shop and see if i can play a performance series. But seriously is DW that expensive compared to some? like the Yamaha and the Deedub. I thought they were only a thousand more expensive to each-other kit... hmmm, seem wrong!
 
AndoTheDrummer said:
But seriously is DW that expensive compared to some? like the Yamaha and the Deedub. I thought they were only a thousand more expensive to each-other kit... hmmm, seem wrong!

Well if you want the Collector's kit you listed, even with a wrap it'll be like 4,000 USD... be prepared.
 
If you're going to invest in a "dream Kit" I wouldn't suggest investing that into a Performance series, which you might want to replace with a kit that sounds better.

I would say save up for the Collectors series.
 
Back
Top