Best cheap maple kit you've heard

dum-soc,

did you ever think about switching to a maple kick from the pacific line? i have a feeling that might help. i know that the FS kit is all birch. i'm actually thinking about picking up a CX (which is an all maple kit in covered finish) in white onyx color. i'm trying to buy them in a configuration of 18x22 -kick, 12x9 -tom, 16x14 -flr tom when i need to do rockin club/arena gigs [img]wink.gif[/img] i've been reading up on reviews from MD, as well as going on line to their site and it's unbelievable how much qulity a drum you get for the money. i heard that quite a few of endorsers of dw have been using the PDP kits on the road?

anyways, does anyone else have experience with this CX kit? any insights would be great.

Dear Dum-Dum-Soc: With the greatest of respect, the reason you're seeing the Stage Custom in all these venues is because they are great drums. I know of a really prominent NYC drummer who you'd expect to use, you know, Absolute Birch, or Absolute-this-or-that, who uses Stage Customs on the side...and for recording.
I read a subsequent post with interest: Someone talking about a Pacific maple kick or something. I've been to the Pacific factory in Mexico and, to be sure, their drums are made with what seems to be the same maple as "regular" DW drums. In fact, when I was at the factory, I took photos of the wood coming in. It's good stuff...not this ubiquitous, so called "maple" you read of everywhere else. If you "buy" the DW thing, and I have no reason not to (despite not owning any of their products....although I do own pre-DW Camco drums), this makes a strong case for Pacific Drums. What I saw was something that I think you'd have seen in the old Ludwig factories of the sixties......craftsman trying really hard to make great drums; spray techs trying to go for a really good finish; bearing edge guys who didn't want to settle for second best. Believe me, I have no vested interest in Pacific. But it seems to me that the original question that started this whole thing was a kit in maple for a reasonable price. The Pacific drums, and I proved it to myself, have a "real" maple shell, not some overseas knockoff (not that an overseas knock off is bad: Check out Peace Drums, if you will: fantastic stuff!) Check in with Groovissimo: I know he's got some insight on this.
WB

Nice info, thanks! [img]cool.gif[/img]
Do you happen to know whose shells they use, i.e. Keller, etc...
I am actually going to hop over to the Mapex site and check them out.
P.S. Let us know how those sound once you've got the chance to 'get into them' a bit.
Thanks again [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

I'm going to side with Groovissimo on this one and recommend Taye. Mind you, I'm not sure you could score his Studio Maple on the budget indicated above: $1100. But there are other lines that fit into this price range. And if they've got got Ray Ayotte's name behind them, you know they're going to be well-designed drums that sound very good.

Just a cautionary word about maple. If you've spent any time in Asia at all, which is where all your sub-thousand dollar kits come from, you'll realize that what they call "maple" is a different beast. It's not necessarily lining up with yer basic American maple. Asian wood grows fast and can exhibit a higher moisture content. Furthermore, it's not going to be as hard as the North American varieties.

I think that the Yamaha Stage Custom (at around a grand or so) is one of the nicest sounding kits at any price range, period. Mind you, it's not maple...but it's indigenous woods that the company has experience working with.
WB

The Renowns hands down. They sound to me just like a choice US kit but at a fraction of the price. Vinnie used them on the last Megadeth and Faith Hill CD's (same kit in fact!).

Does anyone know what the REAL retail is on these... the Renown's and all the rest that we spoke of. I briefly checked and the Renown's are priced at around $1,700 or so. Is that about right or is that high for what you have seen them for elsewhere?

Hi.

I have Tama Starclassic Maple and Gretsch Renown sets. For me the Renown is winner with its warm sound (especially on recordings).

I compare the original Gretsch USA Custom with Renown with same heads, same tuning, same sizes in same room. Renown is close to USA Custom with the addition of half price advantage.

If you dont want to pay more money for a kit and if you are not looking a different sound then your Gretsch USA, Renown is recommended.

Best Wishes.
Bulent

Don't know about the Taye Studio Maples which may be good, but I would stay away from the lines below it. Two of my students bought them because they were cheap and they got crap. Bad sound, TERRIBLE hardware: rims denting, lugs always detuning, clumsy pedals, shaky stands. There was nothing I could do for them. They returned the drums to the store, lost money and changed for Pearls and Pacifics...

posted by: jonthibault

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I love my Mapex M Series. All maple for $700. Before I bought them, I told Randy about these, and he actually called the company to make sure they were all maple! They are, and they sound great.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I'm also practicing/using a Mapex M Series Kit that our church got for P25,000 (less than $500)... I agree with what you said although I'm not sure what you mean by the cymbals stands being a bit skinny and light [img]graemlins/wonder.gif[/img]

compared to a Sonor Force Drum kit's hardware w/c is priced P40,000 (more or less $700) here...

I find the Mapex's hardware to be much heavier and bigger [img]graemlins/wonder.gif[/img]

The posts on the cymbal and hi-hat stands are thinner than most. They're double-braced, but still lighter owing to the thinner posts. Again, I don't care, because I find lighter stands are easier to lug around, but some people might take issue with it.