Drum Bags for Gretch Maple & Catalina Sets

[VIbes]

For the folks like me who own or have recently purchased the Gretch Catalina or Maple sets. Just thought I would give a review of the bags I chose to protect my new kit. I chose bags as I will be useing this kit for local and small venues that I will personally haul the drums around myself. Plus cost factor.
After researching the net for some drum bags for my Gretch Catalina jazz set, It came down to the Humes and Berg 4 piece bags made for these drums, "which I heard were not padded", and the Gator GP-FUSN-20-14T 5 piece bag set. I chose the Gator bags in part because I have a Gator percussion bag ,stick caddy and conga bags which have served me well. Also you get a 5th bag for 9 dollars more than the H&R bags. The 18"x20" bass drum bag holds my Kick drum with the spurs folded back and foot pedal lift attached just fine. 14"x14" bag fits the floor tom nicely but you have to remove the legs. 12"x10" bag holds the 8'x12" tom with mount attachement perfectly. The standard 14"x 6 1/2" snare bag fits the Catalina snare drum or my supraphonic if I use it. The 10"x9" bag is extra in my case but for those of you with 10" toms will work also.
These bags are lightly padded and lined, "10mm", and great for packing up your drums and hauling them in the car or suv.
The straps are non adjustable but fine for slinging it over your shoulder. You don't have to worry about scratching or damageing your drums as long as your not throwing them around or useing them for heavy touring. I may use the extra bag for cables, my Ludwig 10" tom or whatever. I have H&B fibre cases for my Ludwigs and I toured extensively with them for years and they are still in near mint condition after 30 or so years.
It's not a big investment to protect your drums and even if your going to a gig and think you can just be careful with them in the car or whatever you will be surprised at the little scratches and dings that can occur very easily.
and they add up, believe me. So protect those beautiful kits.

[pastor_bob]

Thanks for the review VIbes. Are those Gator bags lined too, or just padded?

[Exotic Matter]

Bags are better than nothing, but hard cases are really the way to go.

I have one bag for a 20" Rogers bass drum I sometimes use. I sure wish that I had got a hard case for it. That poor drum has taken some hits.

It's always the door ways that seem to cause the most damage.

[VIbes]

The bags are lined and padded Pastor Bob. and yes Exotic Matter, hard cases are better. But as I stated, You don't want these bags for heavy touring. and be careful around the corners. This is such a light set and I am very careful with my equipment and these bags are fine for my personal use. Carrying in the car, etc.
A nice set of custom size hard cases would cost more than I have in the drums and I can always use my array of H&B fibre cases if need be. I actually purchased a cymbal bag too and will bag my cymbals since I just cleaned them and put them in my trap case space for cymbals along with my bagged snare and hardware so I actually have everything in 4 cases. Kick,floor tom,mounted tom,fibre trap case. or use my hardware bag and take the rest in individual bags.