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I already have a USA maple gretsch kit that Stays in my studio. The kit that I have been gigging with is a Pacific fs kit that sounds good but the kick is a little thin. I want to spend about $1100 for a kit after I sell the pacific kit. Any suggestions on cheap good maple kits? I was thinking about a renown gretsch.... What is the best "cheap" in the low grand range kit that you've played.....
I am very impressed with the new Studio Maple Taye Drums.
I've played on several great maple Yamahas , Gretsch, and before that, Ludwigs. My latest kit is a Taye.
Suggestion: Go out and try the Taye Studio Maples. Ray Ayotte,
who is the founder of Ayotte Drums, now has developed with the Taye Drum Company in Taiwan, one of the best sounding drums on the market today. Ray designs the lugs and just about everything on the kits.
And , what you are looking for, is the really low cost of the Tayes. I sound like a salesman, but, the truth is that I tried this kit, played gigs on it, and love the sound and hardware.
Yeah, some lines of Ayotte were developed there. I actually just got done looking at a great Ludwig today...
I will check out the taye drums. I go to Midwest percussion all the time. Next time I go I will check them out. Any other kits you guys have played.
So what is the 'catch' about these super cheap Mapex drums? There has to be something that makes them so cheap [img]eek.gif[/img]
Matricks,
I don't know, man. I like mine a lot. I've only played them once since getting them [img]eek.gif[/img] , but it was magical and special, and little gnomes danced all over the place. The toms sounded awesome, and I love the bass drum.
The hardware is good, though the cymbal stands are a little skinny (I happen to like lighter hardware, however, so they're fine with me). A pleasent surprise was to be had in the Mapex bass pedal. Very smooth, with a large plate for my big foot. The high-hat it came with is fine, as well, though the post is also a little on the thin side.
The bass drum has great bottom and punch, and the toms are very warm. The snare is okay for a 5 1/2 maple, though the strainer is very cheap, with a plastic knob, but what do you expect for $700 bucks?
The name plates on the drums were super cheesy-looking and taped on with double sided tape, but I was able to peel them off with the help of a credit card without damaging the finish. My drums look exactly like this:
http://www.midwestpercussion.com/gra...5225tpb_lg.jpg
The finish, incidentally, is flawless. I couldn't believe you could get a finished maple kit (bass drum hoops and all) with hardware for this price.
I emailed Mapex and let them know how cheesy the badges were (in a nice way), and they thanked me and sent me a hat and a t-shirt. How's that for customer service?
Overall, I'm very happy with them. I bought mine through Midwest Percussion, and they're also a great company to order through, with free shipping over $200.
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.
http://www.midwestpercussion.com/dru...ex/m_prom.html
gretsch renown
Not a big name yet, but check out their site;
http://www.conawaydrums.com/about_us.htm
Newer Co's usually have good service and they try to offer high quality maple shells, willing to customize.
IMO, the T-Bo said, you are not buying these kits for the snare, or even the hardware...this is how they cut costs. If you could save $$ and NOT get the snare, just shells, that's the way to go. Most will use their own BD pedal, snare, cym's anyway. I think Conaway allows this type of thing.
Interesting post Willie. Thanks for the warning on the wood. I like the stage customs ery much but, I see them too much. Everywhere you go someone is gigging with the kit or in someones church or in some club. I was looking for a different sound, that's whay the renowns cought my eye. any interesting info on any other cheap maple kits made overseas wood?
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<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]Quote:
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.
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.
OK! [img]smile.gif[/img]
TAYE maple kits are not cheap, last I checked.
I posted a similar thread on cheap birch kits, ended up getting a Gretsch Catalina.
Anyways... a lot of the cheper kits are maple/basswood or some sort of blend. Look out! (not that this is a VERY bad thing, but if you talk to John Good he will go on about "cross-talk")
I agree Taye drums are not cheap. And I can get a renown kit (shells only) for around $900. I haven't seen a price other than the Pacific LX kit (which I owned and sold to get my Gretsch USA kit). I like the Pacific LX kit, but I think I am leaning toward the renown kit.....
Hey, anybody want a used pacific fs all birch kit, with hardware. And I willing to negotiate.
I'm waiting for a PM about your pacific kit, i *might* be interested. Thanks!
Seems to me that many of you might be pleased with a Renown or otherwise Gretsch Asian kit moreso than an American-made one. Forget endorsers for a moment: Every retailer I talk to claims that the Gretsch USA kits come shipped complete with glitches, sloppy quality control, wrong parts, color mismatches. Believe me, I love an old round badge as much as the next guy, but Gretsch has never been number one in sorting out quality problems. Back in RB days into the seventies, even removing/remounting a lug was a royal pain, what with self-tapping screws. Just as Paiste 602s were born to crack, Gretsch lug screws were born to strip. Wonder what joys the present USA kits will bring. Too bad they couldn't even nail a proper champagne sparkle. Stuff I've seen is a pale bermuda sand imitation.
WB
hey guys,
did anyone have problems trying to buy a pacific kit? here's what midwest percussion told me in a nutshell.
basically, i had to wait like 6months for the 16x16 flr tom and that the 12x9 tom was unavailable for purchase. (this was in cx maple - white onyx color)
the only non-problem was the 18x22 kick.
does anyone have any idea what's going on? i see the 12" tom on their catalog, so why isn't it available and why so long for the 16" flr?