Need you help guys! Don't know what to choose!

[Juan Expósito]

Based on the musical use that you said you will give to the drums, I wouldn´t go for the 18". Even with the transport factor, I recommend a 20 " BD. I supose you already have a 22"...
Surely you won´t do the "no car" thing for ever, and the 20" will be always there for you, sounding perfectly for (almost) any musical situation.
I am supposing too that you will use wheels...You will save health,effort and friends.

Good luck

[Victor Lipman]

Thanks a lot for your answers guys!

In French websites there are not many drumkits fitting with what I am looking for.

For example :

You can´t go wrong with Yamaha...

http://www.rockemmusic.com/product/yama ... it-natural

This one seems to be great!!! Thanks man!
I have already a Yamaha Stage custom 22x10x12x14x16 at home. It's a good drumkit, but mine isn't a birch one. I am a bit limited for tuning my medium toms.
But this Stage Custom Bop Kit seems to be really good.

What do you think of this one?

That's a nice kit, but the bass drum is too deep (at 18"). For easy tranport, you should get a 14" deep bass drum if possible.

Check this out: http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--TAMVL48JS

I already noticed this one, but I don't really know Tama. Seems to be good too, 100% Birch apparently.

http://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/products/Sonor-Bop-Shell-Pack-%28Silver-Galaxy-Sparkle%29

That is a incredible deal.

A good price, but does it sound really good? And we don't know with which wood it's made.


@deseipel : You're right about 20" bass drums. I am know looking for it too.

This Gretsch Catalina Birch seems to be excellent. (and that Cobalt Blue is beautiful.) I read your blog.
I can't tell, like you, for the real difference between the Maple and Birch series.

For now, what seems to be the best for me is that Gretsch Catalina Birch in 20x10x12x14" or a Yamaha Stage Custom Bop Kit in 18x12x14".

Thanks guys.

[Victor Lipman]

Just called a friend working in drum store, Catalina Birch are not imported in France (fuckk).

@deseipel : So, according to your blog and comment, there is apparently not a big difference between your Birch kit and this Maple kit ?
http://www.baguetterie.fr/BATTERIES-GRE ... index.html

He told me this is not "good maple" like the "reknown maple" (which is too expensive for me), of course...

[deseipel]

well, yes and no.

the catalina maple series has 45 degree bearing edges and is asian maple and is 5 or 6 ply, I forget. Aside from that and maybe color choices, they're very similar. Now, sonically I don't know because I haven't played a catalina maple kit. I hear good things though.

Be advised, when I checked on availability of the Catalina Maple, I was advised that unless the store carries the kit in stock, the kits won't ship until April or May. So I'd ask for an ETA.

Asian maple is not as dense as American maple, so it will sound different but there are a lot of variables here (heads, hoops, tuning & player). But its a good price for maple nonetheless. I chose the Birch because it was available, the price was good, I wanted a birch kit and I read decent things about them.

[Victor Lipman]

Thanks for your answer.

That's too bad that Catalina Birch aren't available in my country. I was really interested.
I found the Catalina Maple 20x10x12x14x16 for 459 € !!! Not in stock for the moment but I called the music store, the offer is still available.
I think that will be my choice...

I hate the color though (cherry red), there is choice only for Fusion 22 kits.

[YamahaPlayer]

"A good price, but does it sound really good? And we don't know with which wood it's made."

Well, I'm sure it doesn't sound bad - but you are right, there is definitely a correlation to price and sound. On the other hand, for the price, you don't have to feel to bad about it getting dinged, scratched, etc

Not sure what the options are in France, but perhaps getting ahold of some keller shells or having someone custom make you a kit? Get it with a wrap (wraps are tanks), maybe steal the idea of splitting the kick drum for storage ala HIpGig, etc.. just throwing more ideas your way.

[Julián Fernández]

BTW, anyone tried these?

http://cgi.ebay.com/12-Replaceable-Edge ... _500wt_922

[Victor Lipman]

Completely changed my mind

I'll save money to buy a high quality drumset, even it's not fitting in the places I mentioned in this thread...
For a Pearl Masters Premium Maple or Reference Series.



Saw Virgil playing on this two years ago (but don't know yet what was the exact model), next to me, and I fell in love with the drum sounds.