Gretsch Renown Pure Wood Cherry

[dwdrums55]

Hi Drummers,

This is my first post although I've been reading the site for a long time.

I'm considering getting a new Gretsch kit (my name aside). I've read all of the posts about the Renown Maple. I went into my local dealer two days ago and found a Renown Pure Wood Cherry drumset. They are only making 100 of them. The tom sizes are close to Vinnie's, which I've never seen in a Renown, 6.5x14 snare, 7x10, 8x12, 12x14, 14x16 and 18x22. No kick drum tom mounts. They look GREAT. They sound pretty good too, especially the kick. The toms need some tweaking.

The price is reasonable. I just don't know anything about cherry wood. I also can't find anything about the set, even on Gretsch's website.

Do any of you have opinions about cherry? Do you know anything about these limited edition kits?

Thanks for any help.

Bill

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 12, 2005 03:16 PM: Message edited by: DWDrums ]</font>

[ladanny]

Saw these at NAMM with Randy Walker. The Cherry was the nicest new kit for sure. The kick was VERY nice. This was better sounding than the Walnut kit for sure.

Good luck!

Danny

[dwdrums55]

Thanks for the reply. Would you say Cherry is similar in sound to Maple?

Bill

[Groovemeister]

Hey DWdrums,

Hope the quest for the Grestch stuff goes well, but in the event you did find a new kit, you'd have to change your screen name...

[img]wink.gif[/img]

MP

[dwdrums55]

I know. I still love my DWs but the toms are a bit deep for what I want now. I have a Gretsch set from the late 70s but that's more of a jazz kit. I'm hoping this cherry set will work out nice for an "all-around" kit. It's just hard to pull the trigger!

[ladanny]

I think Cherry sounds between maple and birch. It's warmer than maple, but not as warm or "eq'd" sounding as birch.

Hope that makes sense.

Danny

[Vdrummer]

I just finished reviewing both kits for Drum!. Both are excellent kits, but I prefer the cherry a bit since it has a fuller sound. The sizes are more appropriate for Rock, etc than small group Jazz. 6.5 x 14 snare and 18 x 22 kick.

BTW, there is one configuration for each kit, so other sizes of drums are not available for either kit. We sold the kit we have at the Drum Pad and the owner now wants my review kit!

Brad

[Vdrummer]

That's funny, I found the cherry fuller sounding than the walnut.

[drumaddict]

Great choice in the Purewood, especially for the price. I've played both sets and really dig both sounds (Walnut & Cherry). There are 7 plys instead of the regular 6 for a Gretsch spec and the sizes are different for each kit (other than the kicks). I'm told the extra ply is to keep the shells in round due to the different properties of the wood. The walnut kit had amazing low sweet fundamental resonance where the cherry had a quick attack and decay and also was brighter. If you are a player that plays alot of flurry type tom fills then the cherry will articulate better. If you like the warm thick tone and lower fundamental pitch then the walnut is the way to go. Also dig the new tom brackets and BD spurs.
Let us know what you end up with....

[ladanny]

Brad, me too.

I found the Cherry fuller than the Walnut. Again, to my ears, the Cherry was between Maple and Birch, in that it was warmer than Maple, but not as round sounding as birch.

Danny