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Thread: HELP!!! Which Kit to buy?.

  1. #1

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    Default HELP!!! Which Kit to buy?.

    Hi guys, I'm a semi pro drummer and I want to buy a decent kit before I'm too old! I've always had pearl exports and am lost to what to get next! I also live in a remote area so unable to test kits out ! I have a choice between:

    Brand new Pearl VML maple kit,
    Brand new Pearl MCX masters kit,
    Brand new Mapex Saturn kit,
    Second hand Yamaha maple custom kit
    Or an older Pearl master kit!!!!


    I am lost, what's everyone's thoughts??????

  2. #2

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    Default Re: HELP!!! Which Kit to buy?.

    I'm pretty much an unabashed Pearl fanboy, so I'd personally lean towards Pearl, and to me, it really doesn't matter much which one, with the exception that I prefer Optimounts to the I.S.S. mounting, and therefore I'd select from a series that uses the one as opposed to the other.

    Having said that, there are so many good kits out there starting at kits marketed as "Entry Level Pro" on up. I think you'd be hard pressed to go wrong with just about any kit from any of the major brands once you got past a certain quality point.

    Case in point, I own a set of Pearl SMX Session Customs in Vintage Fade. They were marketed as Entry Level Pro, rather than the full out "professional level" of the Masters series at that time, but to my way of seeing things, there just isn't much about my drums that isn't fully professional. Here were the differences at that time between the SMX Sessions and the MRX Masters:

    SMX had a lacquer finish, MRX used polyeurathane.
    SMX used 2.3 mm triple flanged hoops, MRX used die-cast
    MRX had a select grade of maple for the outer play, SMX didn't
    SMX kick drum has 8 lugs per side, MRX has 10
    SMX used the same bridge style lugs as the Export Series, MRX used Masters series lugs
    SMX used standard tension rods and swivel nuts, MRX used stainless T-rods with brass swivel nuts
    SMX used 1000 series uni-lock tom arms, MRX used 2000 series, all direction tom arms.
    SMX cost roughly $1000 less than the MRX

    Those differences where the rubber hits the road were mostly cosmetic or were mostly immaterial to the sound. Here were the similarities:

    Both were 6 ply, 7.5 mm maple (and with the exception of the outer ply, were made from the same stock)
    Both had the same bearing edges cut on the same equipment
    Both used the same bass drum spurs
    Both used shells made in the same facility, the same way
    Both used the same optimounts for tom mounting

    I couldn't justify the added expense for the MRX (the MMX with thinner shells was another matter) and I really dug the finish of my drums, so I got them and have never looked back. My drums are solid, they sound great, they look great, they are high quality - truly pro-level drums IMO.

    I kind of wandered around the mulberry bush a bit, but the point I'm trying to make is that you don't "have" to spend the money on a kit marketed as a pro kit to get a great set of drums. I like mine enough that I'm not too familiar with the new models and where they are priced, simiply because I am satisfied with mine to the point that I haven't bothered to keep up with it. With that in mind, check into Pearl, Yamaha, Tama, Mapex, the DW Performance series, and anything else that's made from good wood, (maple, birch, bubinga, etc) has at least 2.3 mm triple flanged hoops (and even that's not a deal breaker - more on that in a second) and has some kind of suspension mounting.

    Regarding hoops, I set a church up with a Yamaha Stage Custom birch kit - 22" kick and 10, 12 and 16 inch toms. WONDERFUL kit. My biggest gripe with those drums, aside from the stock heads, were the flimsy hoops and the stamped sheet metal bass drum claws. Everything else about those drums rocked and they sounded great. I donated 2.3 mm flanged hoops for the 10 and 12 inch toms and put new heads on the kit, and it really came alive. If something catastrophic happened to my drums, I would quite likely pick up this kit and outfit it with die cast BD claws and hoops - I liked them a lot, and they are marketed as a mid-level kit, but they sounded every bit pro-level IMO.

    Good luck with your search!
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  3. #3

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    @ Stick-Can't go wrong with a new MCX kit! I have two Pearl kits, ECX and SBX and they both are very road worthy!!

    @trickg-Nice read!! Thanks for the comparo!!!

  4. #4

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    Default Re: HELP!!! Which Kit to buy?.

    It got a bit windy, but thanks!

    Like I said, I'm an unabashed Pearl fanboy. I think that the new MCXs are fantastic - if I wasn't perfectly content with my drums, they'd be a consideration as well.
    Your = possessive - your stuff, your dog, your car, etc
    You're = you are - a contraction.

    Learn it. Love it.

  5. #5

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    Thanks for the reply, didn't expect hat detailed of a response! Thank you again

  6. #6

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    What budget? What sound?
    ZildjianLeague/LP/Aquarian/Mapex/Pearl
    Snares: 4
    RIP- Frank, Wolvie, Les Paul
    Quote Originally Posted by Pearl MCX Man View Post
    I wish I was your wife
    Quote Originally Posted by amdrummer View Post
    if double bass is cheating then so is using two sticks

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  7. #7

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    Just good tone and not too ringy!!! Nice warm sound from toms and deep punch from bass drum!!! Ummm budget up to £1500 I suppose..

  8. #8

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    Tama Superstars, lots of pro features (diecast hoops, birch shells, starcast mounts) at a midlevel price!

  9. #9

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    cant go wrong with Pearl Masters new or used, any of your choices right now will serve you well. good luck, lots of choices out there, plus drumsets have gone up in the past year or so.

  10. #10

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    I swear by my MCX best sound and quality Pearl product in my opinion. Either way you can't go wrong with any Pearl drums. Good luck and don't forget you ain't drumming unless you play Pearl drums.LOL

  11. #11

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    Default Re: HELP!!! Which Kit to buy?.

    Pearl MCX or Mapex Saturn fits your criteria the best of the kits mentioned. Maple generally has the best midrange for warmth, and from there controlling the ring depends kit to kit. Saturns do this quite well due to the walnut inner plies and are a very in demand studio drumkit, but the mcx also does this well due to the cast hoops. Saturns have isolated bass and tom mounts, spurs, and floor tom legs, so except for the lugs they are undrilled. They leave you with the option to use bass mounted toms(via a floating bass tom mount) or hang them off of stands or a rack. A rather unique design but effective and convenient. These two sets are some of the most balanced around, and not terribly expensive. If I had more money, i'd look towards Yamaha's high end maple customs because I like the idea of using lightweight aluminum for their die cast hoops instead of zinc. If not, i'd get the Saturn or MCX.
    ZildjianLeague/LP/Aquarian/Mapex/Pearl
    Snares: 4
    RIP- Frank, Wolvie, Les Paul
    Quote Originally Posted by Pearl MCX Man View Post
    I wish I was your wife
    Quote Originally Posted by amdrummer View Post
    if double bass is cheating then so is using two sticks

    Forum Rules
    DrumBum
    No metronome?
    The Rudiments

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by Northern Redneck View Post
    Tama Superstars, lots of pro features (diecast hoops, birch shells, starcast mounts) at a midlevel price!
    Not all superstars had birch shell though, one generation of them used a birch/basswood hybrid. They aren't a very warm kit like op is searching for, but the sustain is controlled and sounds great.
    ZildjianLeague/LP/Aquarian/Mapex/Pearl
    Snares: 4
    RIP- Frank, Wolvie, Les Paul
    Quote Originally Posted by Pearl MCX Man View Post
    I wish I was your wife
    Quote Originally Posted by amdrummer View Post
    if double bass is cheating then so is using two sticks

    Forum Rules
    DrumBum
    No metronome?
    The Rudiments

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stickwhizard View Post
    Just good tone and not too ringy!!! Nice warm sound from toms and deep punch from bass drum!!! Ummm budget up to £1500 I suppose..
    I take it you live in the UK. Have you considered PREMIER?

    all the best...

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by Russ View Post
    Not all superstars had birch shell though, one generation of them used a birch/basswood hybrid. They aren't a very warm kit like op is searching for, but the sustain is controlled and sounds great.
    With a nice set of coated heads they can be quite a warm sounding kit

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stickwhizard View Post
    Just good tone and not too ringy!!! Nice warm sound from toms and deep punch from bass drum!!! Ummm budget up to £1500 I suppose..
    I went to the Modern Drummer festival several years ago and Dave DiCenso was playing a stock Pearl MMX five piece kit in fusion sizes and IMO it was the best sounding kit at the festival. If you could find a good used MMX, you'd probably be happy with those for a long, long time.

    In fact, if I ever came upon a deal on a used MMX in Sunrise Fade, I'd be on it like white on rice. I'd do pretty much do whatever it took to obtain it.
    Last edited by trickg; 05-14-2012 at 10:21 PM.
    Your = possessive - your stuff, your dog, your car, etc
    You're = you are - a contraction.

    Learn it. Love it.

  16. #16

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    Trickg, that was a pretty good comparison of gear you did there. And no, I wouldn't worry whether it was longwinded or not, that's some great info you gave. Thanks.
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  17. #17

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    Id go woth Pearl myself...ive tried Yamaha but didnt get on with the fittings and to be honest never was happy with the finish which was a laquered wood grain and suffered from colour change/fade.....I too have had a few Pearls, Exports and ELX before upgrading to a Masters MMX, the best ever kit , fantastic looking in Platinum Mist finish, brilliant sounds, beautiful fittings, thats was my best ever kit...never let me down and with a good set of "Hardcase" cases withstood a good few years of regular gigging of 5 nights a week.....Ive cut back now and i play much less and ive deviated to a Premier Artist Maple, for no other reason than i was offered an almost as new 5/6yr old kit in natural satin Maple for peanuts money...I went with it and have to say its a splendid kit, great finish, great sound, it delivers all i ask of it, im surprised as the last Premier i played was in the early/mid 80's when i briefly owned a new APK, things have really moved on from those days....That said tho, im still a Pearl man and id say go try a good Pearl kit, you wont regret it im sure....

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