Need Help deciding on a up grade!!!

[exit67sdrummer]

Hi everyone i currently have a tama swing star. i like the set but i would like to up grade. i have about $800.oo to $900.00. need your advice thanks!

[coke_can]

from what i hear, the gretsch catalina is great, and only 699 with an extra tom

[exit67sdrummer]

this is the set im lookin at http://usa.mapexdrums.com/drums/mbirch/MB5285.asp

[32ndHeartBeat]

Yea, what CokeCan said. IMO you should go with the Catalina Maple series. An excellent drum many would agree.

[pastor_bob]

I went to the music store today and saw the Gretsch Catalina Ash kit. I still like my maple kit better, but the Ash sounded pretty good too. I think it had good treble tones, and a strong punchy lower end. I checked some online sites and the Ash is about $599 in a fusion set up, with and additional 8" tom. The Catalina Maple is $699 in the fusion set up, with an additional 16X16 floor tom.

Just trying to make your decision tougher, Exit!

[PHROGGE]

GRETSCH would be an excellent choice al in favor say aye,,,,changing heads may help solve any other tonal concerns for the price,,,,,,

[Kjbakke2]

well i guess a good question to ask would be what kind of music are you into
i have the gretsch catalina club mod
set up like a jazz kit yes
but because the shells are mahogany
it has great low end
and that is my recommendation

[Shazane]

I saw a Mapex fusion kit recently, it seemed to be of great quality, and I love fusion setup

[Stevo42w]

Does that extra tom thing happen here in australia? Maybe thats what i should be looking at :>

[pastor_bob]

this is the set im lookin at http://usa.mapexdrums.com/drums/mbirch/MB5285.asp

Exit, Mapex is a solid contender, so I'm sure your kit would be OK. I didn't check the price, and I don't know the configuation you're thinking about, but the most important thing is for you to get all the advice that you can, check out as many sets as you can, and then use your own eyes, your own ears, and your own wallet to decide on the kit that you want. That's what I did, and I'm very happy with my kit!

[32ndHeartBeat]

Mapex is an excellent brand and they're drums sound pristine, but the prices are huge since the good sets are 100% maple with fusion sizes. The one thing I think is awesome about the MBirch is that you get the free Black Panther snare with it.

[dprice4]

Hello everyone,
I need some advice. I feel like an old fossil here, but here goes!
I've just now gotten back into drumming after about a 23 year layoff (I'm 46). I started playing when I was 11 and had some good teachers. I played in the jr. high and high school bands and played a season in the marching band at UTA. Had a blast! I also played in several garage bands while growing up. I'm now restoring an old Japanese vintage kit with rail tom tom holders I got when I was 11. It's a fun kit to play, but I need advice on cymbals. I found an old Zildjian Scimitar 16" crash in a pawn shop last weekend and it sounds decent. But I'm looking for decent but not too expensive cymbals to get started again, namely a 20" ride and 14" hats. I was thinking maybe Sabian B8's in the $299.00 package. I need something to get started with until I can afford Zildjian A's or K's. I've also looked at Paiste PST 5s, but haven't played them. I've played classic rock, jazz, country, but no metal. Any advice you all can spare is greatly appreciated! Thanks! - dprice4

[drummer]

Whats up D? First things first... WELCOME TO DRUM CHAT!

Secondly... Don't tell anybody but there's plenty of us old farts here in Drum Chat so you should feel right at home. LOL

Thirdly... You may want to go with something above the B8's. Those cymbals are not that great. I can't tell you which ones as I'm not up on all the new options for starter series cymbals but some of the other folks here will be able to help. But try to get something a little nicer than those if you can swing it.

Welcome again! Kick off your shoes and stay awhile.

[roachmon]

i picked my kit out i dont got it yet but i will soon its a ddrum maple pocket kit i know you guys are thinking "why the hell did he get a kit with such odd sizes" well i went into the music store and talked to the salesmen about drumsets and i told him that i was going to get the ddrum from the music farm witch has a special going on right now were i can get a free zxt rock cymbal set and he said "well i can cut you that deal" its going to cost me 50 dollors more to order but ide trust them more than the music farm so im going to order it soon not to big on the odd sizes but im big on the lime sparkle finish the maple shell and the brushed nickle diecast hoops sounds pretty tight and it has good reviwes another thing i like is the snare not one person has said anything bad about the sound of it so its a pretty sweet deal thats hard to pass up anyway just i would fill you in on my new kit by the way exit i bet you could the to cut you the same deal if you tell them about music farms deal

[Pdplayer]

I would recommend DW Pacific or Gretsch as an upgrade, they are both excellent kits.

[Roger]

Does that extra tom thing happen here in australia? Maybe thats what i should be looking at :>

Have the kit shipped to someone in the US, and then get them to send it to you. It has to be labeled a gift when coming through AU customs, and the kit 'has to be worth $1000 or under AU'. Just a tip :D.

[dprice4]

Thank you Drummer (Tom)!
It's a relief to be among my own kind! Drummers who understand drummers!

Thank you also for the advice on cymabls. I stayed away from the Sabians. I got the itch and chose Paiste PST 5 14" Medium hats and a Paiste PST 5 20" Medium Ride. After researching them a bit, I found out these cymbals are cast, not sheet. They sound good as I would expect any intermediate cymbal to sound. In fact, these make my pawn-shop bought 16" Zildjian Scimitar Crash souind bad. It's a good set to start back with, though. And I plan on adding more PST 5's in the future. Thanks again!