Mister Acrolite
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« Reply #60 on: January 11, 2004, 08:02 PM » |
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Pearl SensiTone Custom Alloy Brass 5x14 Snare DrumI just played a SMOKIN' snare drum at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut - a Pearl brass snare, the exact model of which I can't find in their current catalog. The drum I played had tube lugs and diecast hoops like this drum, but the shell was a dark brass color, but not black like this one: 
Pearl 2002 Sensitone Classic 2 Snare Drum Chrome 5X14 InchesHere's a photo of the actual drum, shot on a dark stage:  What a terrific sounding drum! Loud, lots of crack, nice warm ringing overtones, fat and responsive. One of the nicer non-vintage snares I've played in quite a while (other modern snares I dig include the Yamaha Paul Leim snare, the Ludwig Brass Edition tube-lug snare, and the DW Edge snare, and of course, the infamous "Blacrolite"). The drum was definitely "vintage" in its styling, with its tube lugs and a strainer modeled after an old Slingerland strainer. If anybody is familiar with the drum I'm describing, I'd love to get more info on it. I'm guessing it's a drum Pearl made recently, but has now discontinued. It's definitely a drum I'm going to keep a lookout for. |
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I just found out most of the recordings I'm on were actually played by Bernard Purdie. my drummerworld page |
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windhorse
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« Reply #61 on: January 19, 2004, 08:50 AM » |
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  Sol DrumsYeah, they're nice looking.. And they sound better than they look! Really!  Of course, that is subjective and not everyone agrees on what is the best sound or how to go about getting it.. But, wow! The tones are extremely mellow, full, and round. Bass is really present and big, like the huge thud of a Howitzer - probably due to the large diameter towards the top end of the drum, like the old Valjes. The slaps, muffs, and rim shots are really easy with a minimum of overtones. Everything seems to jump out of the drum with ease. My friends are all amazed and very complimentary. The Mahogany wood is finished not with laquer, but lightly with what we think might be walnut oil.. The heads are the funky dark color and extremely thick. The bands are pressure fit and tight. The hardware is so strong that one can imagine dropping the drum right on the lugs without changing the tuning. Most of my friends play Gon Bops, and these Classics can be played in tandem - the two low drums with the Gon Bops on quinto and segundo as if they're the same family! Only one drawback: They came in two weeks ago, during the Western Deep Freeze. Unfortunately I was busy for three days as the drums were being carried from Denver to Boulder and back in 0 degree dry Colorado air. With drums originating from the comparatively humid San Francisco weather you can imagine the how tight the heads were on arrival! We had to tune them down so much that the lugs have only about 1/2 cementer travel left in them. Akbar is an excellent drum maker with an eye for detail and was willing to go way down on his price for someone he didn't even know. Kudos to a fabulous drum and its maker. |
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Hollow a log into a drum. It's the space inside that makes the sound.  |
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jokerjkny
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« Reply #62 on: January 20, 2004, 02:33 AM » |
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Aquarian Jack DeJohnette Drumhead (its the black drum head on the far right) in my search for a darker, thumpier snare tone, my current drum instructor suggested I try these. and after a few practices and jams with one of them on my snare, I think they sound great! the JDJ's are supposedly a variant of the Modern Vintage head, which I'm not a fan. no matter what I did, I couldnt get the MV's to sound the way I wanted. too papery sounding, and not exactly the "fell in love all over again" feeling I usually get with the Aquarian heads that I do try. but, tuned up a JDJ 13" medium weight head on my DW Aluminium 13x5, and WOW, sounded like a fatter sounding Texture Coated head, with maybe about as much ring. no weird, papery attack, but a darker slightly muted attack with a somewhat darker ring. IMHO, its probably one of the fatter sounding single ply heads I've tried on this snare, and after trying a Fiberskyn FA, MV, G1, TC w/ Power Dot, this one is it! and I love the look! the black on silver motif makes for a VERY ear catching visual effect. my bandmates were all "ooh & aahs" when I pulled it from its gig bag. tonally, compared to a Remo Fiberskyn FA ambassador I tried on the DW, the FA was considerably drier, and more focused sounding. the JDJ on the other hand was as dark, yet a bit more ringy. hit either one with more force, and the FA became more focused with a nice "thop", while the JDJ just seemed to sound bigger and bigger! its not exactly the old school, jazzy sound I heard in the FA. but rather, just a cool variant on the single ply head. I'm actually REALLY interested in trying these out on my toms. the only drawbacks I could tell is that the cool black coating does wear off rather easily. one good hit produces a white mark. and already its developing a circle in the middle of the head. kinda fugly, and not exactly the long lasting coating that I'm used to on the TC heads. hasnt affected the tone of the head, but time hasnt quite told. but other than that, if you're looking for a fatter sound, but with the ring of a single ply, look no further. 
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...this aint no time fo' jibba jabba!
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cavanman
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"And I do the Cha-Cha like a little sissy Girl"
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« Reply #63 on: January 23, 2004, 04:17 PM » |
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Hey joker, I think I may posted about this a while ago so forgive me if you've heard this. I had an experience where I was helping a church rehead their drums. The snare is a Pearl steel 6.5 x 14 and is generally a good sounding drum but I wanted to tone down some of the harsher steel qualities. I put on an Aquarian JDJ and tuned it up. Sounded great and was what the drum needed. After one service of playing though, the coating had warn off to smooth plastic in the middle. Not usually a good sign. I emailed Aquarian about the isuue and Roy Burns (YEAH! - the Roy Burns) called the next morning and left a message saying to leave my address and they would get a replacement out to me. I called Roy back to thank him and had a great conversation that just sealed the deal with me being an Aquarian customer from that point on. They did get it out to me very quickly but because of a UPS issue (not Aquarian) I ended up having to call them back and they shipped another head out (Subsequently I ended up with an extra free JDJ head that I put on my own 6.5 x14 Free Floater). These heads have been great and I would say if you think you got a possibly defective head, give'em a call. It's the only Aquarian head I've had any issue with and the company just jumped in right away to help. Now I just need a cool big name gig to get an endorsement right?  Jim |
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"I like-uh....dooo....da cha-cha..."
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epiarch
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« Reply #64 on: January 30, 2004, 02:56 PM » |
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Pearl Masters Studio Birch drums (BRX)  If you are looking for one of the best drum kits money can buy, then the pearl masters series is for you. I just recieved my masters birch yesterday, and have had hours of messing, examining, playing, and tweaking since then. here is what I came up with. SHELLof course the highlight of the kit, as it should be with any. you can tell that pearl focuses on their shells closely. after removing the heads and rims, I examined every thing in side. the edges were very consistant and I examined them closely for any kind of flaw. the bearing was sharp and very, very smooth. not a single nick of any type or size anywhere to be found in the edge. you can easily tell these were focused on a ton and hand sanded and looks to be waxed a tiny bit as well. the insides were even sanded smooth to the feel, and unlike some copanies, the interior ply looked jsut as good as the exterior. no flaws, marks, or anything in the wood. perfect in everyway possibly. next came hardware on the shells. the lugs are split lugs and "low mass" which means the lug only touches the shell where the 2 screws are. the lug has a slight cut on the underside to lessen wood to metal contact. they also have percision brass inserts, which makes tuning perfect (will hit that later) finally the finish. pearl's masters use a 31 step finish process which produces a deep color that shines and shines. my masters is a wine red, and I also have an export select in wine red too. the colors are about the same, although the masters finish just looks way way better, and I though the elx finish looked great. you can see your reflection in everywhere you look. again, you can tell lots of time was put into the finish. I g uess thats why they say it takes almost 2 weeks just to put the finish on 1 drum. the shells are perfect in every way possible. DRUM HARDWAREcomes with dicast hoops (called mastercast) and stainless steel machine milled tension rods and thick black plastic washers. the very first time I turned a tension rod, I was very very impressed in just the way it felt. so smooth and effortless to turn. a lot of drums I have tuned either have minor play in them or the kinda "stick". with the machine milled rods (not poored into a form like 99% of the rest) and the brass inserts on the lugs, the combination is amazing. add the dicast hoops to that, and tuning is a dream. I have never ever tuned drums this easy before. when I first started it really caught me off guard. I was used to tuning my elx and having to turn about 1/8" to start to hear a difference. with these, and 1/8 is way too much!! they are just so easy to tune and you can rely on every rod to be able to be tuned exactly the same, creating the perfect drum sound. the rims and tuning a blitly is by far one of my most favorite things about this kit, and is almost worth the upgrade in itself. they also come stock with the newer Optimounts, which are way better than the older ISS. the optimount does not hold the drum by the rim (like tama) causing stress on the rim, nor does it grip it by the tension rods like about everything else (rims, etc). it more less "clamps" the upper and lower lugs allowing a stress free shell, rim, and tension rod. it is very very stable as well. with the iss, I had to possition the tom a little higher, knowing it will sag slightly. on these, where you put it is where it stays. no sag whatsoever. a great system. the bass drum legs are super cool. very strong and have a cool rubber to spike conversion. just pull up on the rubber, twist slightly, and let go. the spikes pop out. they go back in the same way. no screwing or anything needed. the claws on the bass are really nice as well. they are dicast, alsowith stainless steel rods. the insides (part that touches the hoop) are fully rubber covered so there is no metal at all that touches the wood anywhere. and finally, the SOUNDthe highlight of the kit, as it should be. it comes with all stock remo amassador heads, and a remo power stroke 3 bass batter and reso. the heads are only 1 ply, and too "pingy" for me, so I threw on some evans g2 batters and a eq3 bass batter, and I also put a 6" chrome Holz in the reso at about 4 o'clock. all of this did the ticket. if you love the sound of birch (which is why I got these over maple) then these have attack, sustain like crazy, and awesome awesome sound!!! no ringing, or anything. they are naturally eq'ed for perfect sound, and I cant wait to record with them!! they have the sound I have always wanted in drums. the bass sound like thunder, and the toms sing to you without even hitting them (seriously...like tuning a timpani...you hum, and they hum right back!!) the sound is just too hard to decribe, so just try them out for yourself. I conclusion, (after a very long eval) they are by far the best drums on the market today. I have played tama (I also liked, but the pearl birch sounded way better than the performers) DW (good too, although dont really like the look, and I thought the sounds all veried too mcu between kits...bad consistancy) pork pie, spaun, and ocdp...all of which just didnt give me what I was looking for. pearl had it, plus their customer service is second to NONE!! |
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jokerjkny
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« Reply #65 on: February 11, 2004, 03:10 AM » |
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Pacific EX series Drum Kitfinally found time to pick up the drum kit, and for $150, I think I got alot for my moolah. straight outta the box, its a 12x10, 13x11, 16x14, 22x16, and 14x5.5 snare. the so called "Power Tom" setup, no?  besides the shells, the kit came with floor tom legs, and the dual armed rack tom mounts. the bass drum hoops are injection molded heavy duty plastic, and seem like it'd hold up after a few gigs. the black gloss wrap was a bit sloppy along the edges, but wasnt quite lifting from the shell. thankfully, all the lugs were sturdy and very smooth. did detect a bit too much grease here and there, but never had to force any of the lugs while tuning. bearing edges look ok, tho the shell itself seems awfully thin and almost balsa wood like. I'm not even sure if its the mahogany that I was told it was.   the only real complaint I had was the messy burred edges for the tom mounting hardware, but hey, its $150!  the heads that came with the set were iffy at best, and seemed more like saran wrap than drum heads. so, I made sure that the GC guy thru in an Evans G2 Coated head pack. but the bass head actually sounded rather good. seemed similar to a Remo Powerstroke 3, given its one ply construction, and plastic inner muffling ring.  tuning up the set with the original heads was haphazard at best. but with the Evans, tuning was much easier. to save money, I tried keeping the original resonant heads on the toms, so it made for a bit of a tricky time. for kicks, I put on the batter head with the white ring on the underside of the floor tom, and it did an ok job of controlling the otherwise boomy tom. still, it was hard getting it in line. but regardless, I ordered up an Aquarian Super Kick III, Regulator, and Hi-Energy & Snare side heads for the bass and snare. should make the kit sound waaay bigger than $150. adjustability wise, there's only so much you can do with this:  but it does the job well, and it comes with memory locks on each tube from the height to the length on the shaft. very nice. despite the awkward look of the set, this was the best I could bring the drums into a semi decent position, at least for my playing style. hopefully you can tell in the picture of the kit from behind.  tonally, even with the G2 heads, the attack is rather muted, and the projection not nearly as punchie as the Pacific LX kit I tried to attune my ears. the bass, on the other hand, does sound great! big, bold, and punchie. havent put on new heads on the snare, but the original paper thin coated head is pretty bad. all in all, I think my church's youth group kids'll be pretty happy with this great set. kinda kismet that I found it, cause they were looking for a cheap, yet decent set, and without a doubt, I think we found it! with a nice head swap, the drums came to life, and made for a very decent sound. for $150, if you're looking for a great beginner set or a beater set, head on over to your GC, and see if they have any left for you. tho its $150, I still had to spring another $40-65 for new heads, so in actuality it costs more like $210. but still, that's a great deal!
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...this aint no time fo' jibba jabba!
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jokerjkny
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« Reply #66 on: February 15, 2004, 01:19 AM » |
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Battle of the Lightweight Stands:
DW 6000 flatbase, Gibraltar Flatbase, Tama HC13B, Ludwig Flatbase
I've used the newer Ludwigs for a while now, cause they're supremely lightweight, thx to the lack of a boom arm, and sooo easy to carry. on the UPS scale, I think it read 3 lbs.!!! but, after several months of use, they're starting to fail on me. the lugs have started to fail, and if I lift it from one of the tubes, it slips right out. :eek: and I always thought the base of the ludwigs is too small, cause if I'm going at my 20" ride, it looks like it'll topple over at any time. then again, whaddya expect for $30/stand?
so, I tried a Tama HC13B, DW 6000 boom stand, and the newer Gibraltar boom'ed flatbase.
the winner for me? probably the DW. lighter of the three, and also just as sturdy as the tougher Gibraltar. but the gibraltar is a great value, too. just a tad heavier, and has a bit of a wider tripod base, as well as a longer boom arm than the joke of a boom arm the DW has. its nothing like whats on the website. maybe 5 in. long, compared to the Gib's 10" long arm. cool thing of either one is that both the Gib and DW have that retractable boom arm that goes into the shaft of the stand for those times you want a clean "straight stand" look.
the Tama HC13B is ok, too. even more sturdier as the gibraltar, and a bit heavier. still, IMHO, its probably one of the better single braced stands out there, and great for rockers who need that added weight for the harder playing, but want something lighter.
at any rate, I've upgraded to two of the DW's for my crashes, and am using the Gibraltar for my ride.
btw, I've also recently been using an EMS mountain sports duffle bag that I got for $30 as a hardware bag. wide enough for my hihat stand, made of light tough material, and a steal at that price!
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...this aint no time fo' jibba jabba!
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jokerjkny
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« Reply #67 on: February 22, 2004, 05:45 PM » |
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Asics Onitsuka "Tygers" Ultimate 81 LE thought I'd pass on an alternative to the "dancing" shoes that I've heard some drummers like Freddie Gruber & Steve Smith suggest. while shopping around the city with my gf yesterday, I found these uber cool reissue Asics Onitsuka "Tygers" called "Ultimate 81" @ Urban Outfitters. didnt really think too much of them as drummer sneakers, until I had them on this morning for our sunday service, and was pleasantly surprised. while looking very cool, they're as comfortable as anything I've put on my feet. and interestingly, the sole near the ball and toe of the foot is rather thin. due to that thinner sole, it doesnt feel as clumsy or as detached as your usual thick soled running sneaks, shoes or boots can ironically feel for drumming. I usually practice barefoot, so these sneaks gave me a much nicer feel on the pedal footboard that's lightning quick and as equally responsive. besides the "ultimate 81's" I bought, UO also has a few other Asics with similar construction like the Hyper Paw and Mexico 66. and best of all, I got 'em for $30!!! dunno if the sale is still on, so best to call ahead. if you'd like an even more stylish and lighter feeling sneak, try out Puma's "Motorspot" series. they're literally what most Formula 1 racers use, and according to my gf, all the rage among the fashionistas. but they are expensive and run near $90. so, while the wedding gigs warrant the more subdued dancing shoes, for the club/rock gigs, you can break out the more casual and stylish Asics. 
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...this aint no time fo' jibba jabba!
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James Walker
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Seriously - where's the plane?
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« Reply #68 on: February 24, 2004, 12:24 AM » |
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Fat Cat snare wires: http://www.brdistribution.co.uk/fatcat.html(Available through: Drum Supply House) NOTE: I'm reprinting/adapting my comments from a recent snare-related thread here at the Cafe, where I originally posted these comments about the FatCat snares.If you're one of the folks who have followed the standard Cafe advice of "just TRY some 42s on your snare drum," but thought that 42s gave just a bit too much snare sound, these may be the snares for you. They've got a separate tension fine-adjustment screw for the center strands (12 center strands, and six more on either side for a total of 24). The snares wires appear to be the same sort of spiral-shaped metal wires that one finds on most "snappy-snare" snare sets. The actual width of the snares is somewhere between standard 24 and 42-strand wire sets. Think the fatness of 42-strand snares, but with the ability to dial them in just a bit crisper if you so desire - or, being able to "fatten up" those 24-strand or 20-strand snares you've got. Compared to the Puresound Equalizers I had on the drum before swapping these in, these have a wee bit more "white noise" to the sound. I recently did 3 mp3s showing my tests of the Fat Cat snares, demonstrating the affect on the sound/response of the drum when the adjustable middle strands are set tight, medium, or loose, at three different overall tensions on the snares (medium, tight, loose) - basically, the Goldilocks thingy "cubed." http://www.malletjazz.com/snares/fatcat1.mp3 (1.8MB) (general intro, and examples at overall medium tension) http://www.malletjazz.com/snares/fatcat2.mp3 (1.6MB) (examples at overall loose tension) http://www.malletjazz.com/snares/fatcat3.mp3 (1.5MB) (examples at overall high tension) (Sorry for the size of the files - I wanted to keep the fidelity kind of high.) All of the various examples in the mp3 files listed above, were done without any changes to the tuning of the heads on the drum, and with no additional muffling of the drum - the only changes were in the tension settings of the snares. Just with these adjustments, however, it was possible to get a distinctive variety of sounds out of the same drum. While it would be possible to use these snares to increase the flexibilty of a single drum, I suspect that the best benefit of the FatCat snares is the ability to dial in exactly the snare tension that you want for a particular drum. FWIW, the drum I used is my 5x14 "home built" Tempus fibreglass snare - specs are given on the first mp3 file. Overall, I'm REALLY digging these snare wires. I don't know that I'll drop the coin to put 'em on all of my snares, but I've got a few that would benefit tremendously from these. Let's put it this way: if you "kinda-sorta" like 42s, but they're just a bit too fat for your tastes, these would be a great alternative. You can essentially get that "42" sound, but you can dial it in to just where you want it. I've got a couple of snares that seem to be in-between 24s and 42s in terms of the number of snare wires they want to have on that reso head, and the FatCats make it easy to bridge that gap. I've also found that the fine-tuning adjustment was helpful in minimizing sympathetic vibrations when I hit my small tom. These snares produce less buzzing due to sympathetic vibrations than my 42 or 24-strand snares tend to, and approximately the same amount as my Puresound "Equalizers" do. FatCat snares come in 10", 12", 13", and 14" lengths. One of these days, I'm going to try them on some different snare drums, but based on the success on this particular drum, I'm sold. Highly recommended. |
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"Less is more." "Play for the song." "Smaller setups make you more creative." Come on, folks - get past the bumper sticker slogans and THINK. Take some responsibility for your creative choices.
Stop hiding behind tiresome platitudes.
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Jturk
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Out of the cradle, endlessly rocking!
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« Reply #69 on: March 04, 2004, 06:47 AM » |
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I've recently received my 13" Paragon hats from Midwest percussion($180 W/shipping) and I have to say that the "Hearing is believing" moto is true. Finish: The finish on the cymbals has a silky smooth look to them. Almost "soft" looking. After playing them and handleing them I have yet to notice any marks or discoloration due to the sticks or my fingers. The inking on the cymbals is very subtle and unobtrusive so that the eye is naturally drawn to the cymbal as a whole. Having Neil's signature on there as well doesn't hurt. Foot Response: Having played 14" hats all of my life (A Custom Projections up to now) the increased foot response was immediately noticed. I'm still playing around with the settings on the stand to find the optimum position, but all indicators thus far point towards a greatly increased ability to integrate new and interesting patterns into my playing. Sticking Response: Very, very responsive. Complicated rudimental patterns are played with ease, as well as closed rolls etc.... Sound: The hats are medium weight and the best that I can describe the sound is as "warm and mellow". I hope this makes sense!! If you listen to some of Peart's recordings, these cymbals sound like they have been processed and recorded as you play them live. The clangyness of the A projections just isn't there. Played slightly open produces a smooth even sound. Closed is distinct and responsive without having too high of a pitch. Con: The only con I have thus far is that the "Chick" isn't quite what I am used to. Obviously this is due in no small part to the size of the hats, and the fact that I've been playing the A projections for over a year now. Summary: I am quite pleased with the purchase. I think that Sabian and Neil have come up with a pretty good combination of sound and texture. The price is affordable and the looks are great. I look forward to trying out that new Ride!! John |
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bermuda
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« Reply #70 on: March 13, 2004, 02:28 PM » |
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Description: Evans' J1 Etched head is single ply, with a lightly sandblasted surface (hence the name, 'etched') It's available in 6-16" sizes.
Pros: While it's not as aggressive a surface as a coated Ambassador or the Generas, the surface isn't 'added' to the head (like typical coatings are) so it doesn't affect the resonance, and won't come off with use. Brushes would sound great on it almost forever! It's bright and has a nice ring, but I wouldn't call it resonant. It's very expressive for jazz or quieter rock/pop, and I think would be useful in situations where you want the drums to speak. On a snare, it's certainly sensitive enough for orchestral, but would also sound great in a club.
Cons: As a one-ply, the durablity is not there for hard-hitters (or, be prepared to change heads more often.) Evans doesn't offer the J1 in bass drum sizes, although they've had a hazy 'coated' head that probably complements the J1's just fine.
As with anything new, I try to avoid a large investment if possible. I recommend trying a J1 on the snare first, to really get a feel for how it plays. If it feels good, move on to a small & large tom, to see how the tonality works out. Then fill-in the rest of the toms as required.
Bermuda
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Drummz
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« Reply #71 on: April 12, 2004, 02:10 PM » |
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For several years now drum manufacturers have been trying to make better suspension systems for their toms but have shyed away from designing a suspension system for the snare drum. That's where Tama's unique Air-Ride Snare Mounting System comes in. http://tama.com/hardware/product.asp?ID=20It has been out for some time but many have not seen or heard of this stand because most stores don't stock it. I am a Pearl user and most of my hardware is Pearl but certainly recognize a good thing when I see or hear it. DESIGN: The Air-Ride System consists of a conventional snare stand base with a universal Star-Cast suspension system for the upper portion. The two are interconnected by a large L-Rod which extends from the lower Omni-Ball to the upper Star-Cast rim bracket. The Star-Cast suspension rim attaches to the upper snare drum hoop via three rubber shock-mounted points. So there is nothing touching the bottom of your snare drum leaving it wide open to project freely. This clamping system works for standard rims as well as die-cast hoops. PLAYIN ON IT: The drum does move just slightly more than in a standard snare stand but it only takes a short time to totally overcome that feeling and for me it did not affect my playing ability (what little I have ...lol!). It is like the first time you ever played a tom with RIMS on it. I had the same reaction to this, "wow!" It really makes the drum sound big and full. OPINION: I have to say the engineering is really quite remarkable and as skeptical as I was initially, all my doubts were put aside after using this stand for about 6 months now. It is suprisingly stable despite its small stand base and unique way of holding the drum. I personally like the smaller base because it definitely frees up a little more room for my pedals. Another cool benefit is that with having the Star-Cast rim there supporting the snare, I have a very convenient place to secure my snare mic to instead of the drum itself or having to use a stand! CONCLUSION: I have a 6 1/2" x 14" Pearl Brass Free-Floating Snare on this stand currently and it is amazing! Granted this is not for everyone because some will simply not part with that cozy stand they have relied on for so many years, but this does give drummers a very unique option that definitely opens the doors to a new sound they have never experienced before. Any how many of us tinker with snare drums and snare drum sounds?? ...hmmm  P.S. You gotta love Tama's website for the excellent detail and enlarged pics of their hardware. I wish more manufacturer's websites were half this good. |
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ARCHxANGEL
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« Reply #72 on: April 18, 2004, 02:23 AM » |
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Vater X-Treme Design XD-5A drumsticks
I got these as a deal 3 pairs for $18.00 with a stick bag.Good promotional idea.I got the wood tip,but they do come with Nylon for those who like it.
The exact dimensions are as follows... D.580 L 16 1/2".They have a heavier taper for a more solid feel.I personally enjoy it very much.They have a rounded tip which is longer like the oval style.It has good balance for a few styles or ride cymbal playing.
They are very difinitive on the ride and hats.They give a nice sound without being too much or too little.They are definatly a solid stick.I gave them an extra workout by beating them to death but they held up and barely got many marks on them.Thats good for hard hitters out there who need stick stability.
All in all they are a decent stick and worth the money.I will definatly be using these as my constant stick for a while to come.I havn't had this much enjoyment useing sticks since my first pair 6 years ago.
Ok lets get with the getting and say the nitty gritty.The Pro's.The X-treme sticks are good solid sticks that will hold up to the rigors of playing.They are longer for extra reach as well as they have a heavier taper.
The cons...Thus far they only come in three sizes XD-5A,XD-5B, & XD-ROCK.This is kinda stinky for people who might prefer another size stick.Also they do have extra reach,some people also might not prefer the reach.
All in all I like them.I appreciate the extra reach and I am generally a 5b,5A,or Rock stick user anyway so these babies are right up my alley.I would recommend them if nothing more than the pair that you use for something heavy.And from what I gathered the 5A's can be used for more mellow works.
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bongo
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« Reply #73 on: April 22, 2004, 11:58 PM » |
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Meinl Generation-X Johny Rabb Safari Cymbals: I took a chance and ordered the 'Rabb Pack' from Interstate Music, sound unheard. I figured I could always return them if I hated 'em. The pack has 10" hats, 16" crash, 18" ride, all of 'em stacked with an 8" sound wave edged brass cymbal designed to give an attentuated trashy sound. I think the main cymbal itself is nickle silver and it has ridges that mate with the small stacker cymbal ridges. At first I was shocked at the sound of these things, thought I hated it, they didn't sound like cymbals at all, not loud enough to be heard even if you liked the sound. I realize now I was hasty in making such a judgement. I've got them on my home set and have grown to dig the sound. They are a nice contrast to a normal cymbal and do develop groove. They do have that 'processed sampled' kind of sound you hear in drum'n bass and in the music of artists like Dido. I think the crash effect contrasts well with a china. The ride is kind of like playing on closed hats, slossy then dead. The hats have a sharp dead bark and a fair chunk .. they have built in jingles on the bottom. So I decided they are keepers ... now if I can just get the nerve up to try 'em on a blues gig.  |
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Bob Levey
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I think that the cafe is a great concept
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« Reply #74 on: April 24, 2004, 09:50 PM » |
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Well I decided to go for the Gretsch 120th Bebop kit over the Slingerland Kit. Price was a bit of a factor (not much, a few hundred dollars) but I wanted the Gretsch sound. I got it!
:)I love them, I love the sound I love the kit and the hardware and Tom mount are great. There is something about that sound I love. I tuned them in about two hours and they just sound great.
The color is beautiful, Dark Walnut. The finish is good but there are a few little imperfections I can live with. They are nothing that the untrained eye would pick up on. I will actually fix them myself. That is what I do for a living I am a wood finisher and Decorative Painter so it is an easy fix. I restored the George Gershwin piano for Mrs Ira Gershwin.
I think they could have done better on the Badges but again I can be picky.
1. Sound: if you like the Grestch Sound 100%
2. Finish: 9.8 out of 10
3. Quality: 10
4. 5"X14' Snare: is just awesome!
5. 14"X18" Kick: awesome!
6. 12"x8" and 14"x14" Toms: wonderful and warm!
The way they make these drums I need no muffling at all which is strange for me, I always use a piece of tape or mole skin somewhere for overtones, not on these babies.
Anyway that is my take on them
Bob Levey
Preview - Gretsch 120th Bebop
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Christopher
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That's MR. Colaiuta to you...
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« Reply #75 on: April 28, 2004, 02:38 PM » |
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 Audix ADX-90I finally received four of these little creatures (they were back ordered for six weeks!) from Musician's Friend about a month ago. I had the mics out on three separate gigs since receiving them. Here’s a short review for those of you that are interested. The ADX-90s are condenser mics specifically made for drums. They are relatively small and come complete with a short goose neck, mounting clamp, XLR adapter and a thin, hardwired six foot cable. The mic, goose neck and clamp are all one piece with the cable being permanently attached. The XLR adapter plugs into (what I think is called) a “mini” XLR plug that is part of the cable. The mics arrived in nice, plastic Audix boxes that have foam liners and velcro lid fasteners. Mounting the mics is a snap. The clamp is well designed and very strong. A beefy plastic wingnut tightens it down. They held firm to the rims and didn’t move a bit. The interior of the clamp is lined with rubber, protecting the drum’s rim. The goose neck allows you to angle the mic to any position, but it seems to prefer to be in its native, ”forward - pointed down” position. This would prove to be a problem when micing between two toms (first gripe). I had used one mic on an aux snare on one particular night and planned on filling the gap left by moving one of the tom mics over to pull double duty and mic two toms. I mounted the mic on one rim and adjusted the mic over to point between the toms. All was fine and dandy until I started playing. The mic would not hold the position that I put it in. Incredibly, it didn’t affect the sound much at all but it did put the actual mic in harms way a bit because it was now in danger of being hit by a stick. I was able to find a happy medium where it stayed put and both toms were heard equally. The ADX-90s require phantom power from the board, a common feature on most every mixer today. But be sure to have the board powered off before making your connections. The resulting POP/BANG won’t contribute to the longevity of your PA speakers, or the relationship with your soundman. I’ve had prior experience with using condensers, so I knew to tell the sound guy to shut off the board before I plugged the cable into the snake. That brings me to the second of my two gripes. The cable. It’s way too short at six feet. Only one or two of the mics will have the cable length to make it to the snake. The others will need a normal mic cable to extend it. The sound from the ADX-90s is in a word, "true"... And “airy”. Ok, two words. And maybe "full" too. Yeah, "full"... Alright, three words. My kit sounded awesome with little to no eq. A natural drum sound. True to the source. (I was able to hear the kit from out front one night when another drummer sat in for a song.) Placement of the actual mic in relation to the head sounds best at about four or five inches. Also, the mics picked up a good bit of my cymbals, creating an overall “mix” that I liked a lot. I used the ADX-90s on my toms (three toms, one floor tom) and an aux snare in conjunction with an internally mounted Audix D4 on the bass drum and a SM57 on my main snare. So, some pros and cons for the ADX-90s… Pros – Sound great Inexpensive Small High SPL (135dB) Looks cool Has just about everything you need included. Cons - Has a short cable Has goose neck trouble with certain angles. All in all, they're killer mics for the price. I lucked out and caught them on MF's site for $59.99 per. They are currently listed at $79.99, still a great deal. Happy trails... |
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"What one man can do, another can do."
-Charles Morse (Anthony Hopkin's character from the 1997 movie, The Edge)
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epiarch
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« Reply #76 on: April 30, 2004, 05:15 PM » |
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SKB roto X drum cases I decided to get rid of the bags and go cases. I wanted more protection for my masters than the bags were giving me...for instance protection against non careful guitar and bass players I first started looking around at cases and I noticed the skb's. they were recommended by a lot of people, although their higher price than other cases was an initial turn off. so I looked into Hardcase cases and those seemed pretty solid as well. but after more conisderation and number (prices) crunching, as it turns out the skbs would only be $40 more than any of the "lesser" cases. (I bought them from Musicians friend. I bought a full set and then an add on tom, and recieved a free snare case with the set so that saved my around $60!) so I placed my order and they came in, so I thought I would give the fine gents here a review of my first impressions. I pulled them from the box and they have a nice shiny black surface. I was impressed. they acutally are really nifty looking to say the least. the heavy duty straps even have "skb" emboroidered into them! the handles are really nice. super heavy duty and they stop at 90 degrees so it makes carrying them really easy. they are heavy metal with a nice foam grip for comfort. I went to open it. they lock shut with a simple plastic buckle like the ones found on backpacks and stuff. smooth working and pretty strong. like I said, the strap that holds the top to the bottom is a heavy material with skb stitching for decor. it goes all the way around the drum, and is rivited a ton of places to the shell, plus the handles sandwich the strap between the metal plate and the case exterior. moral of story...these straps will not come off the case!!! removing the lid: the lid slides off and on for a perfect fit. easily comes off and fits real snug with no side to side moevement. you also dont need to worry about force the case shell into it either, so when I say perfect fit, I mean perfect fit. and this goes for all of them too, even the huge bass case. with the lid off, I now see the reason for my decision to spend a little more. these are fully lined with 1/2" foam covered by a super soft plush interior. almost like the inside of a new sweatshirt...you all know how awesome that is! the lid even has the bottom covered with the foam and fabric. my drum will be riding on the softest seat around, thats for sure. roto x? what that name? the exterior of the cases are 2 molded pieces...the lid and the body. this means there are no seams to separate of rivets to break. pure solid and seamless. skb claims these are water resistant, and I beleive them. the only place water can get in would be working its way up 5" behind the snug lid. the outside is also molded into "X" ridges. this allows ALL of the cases to stack onto each other and stay stacked up without sliding off. works great for stacking everything on the bass drum and rolling it into the gig. when I say all drums, I mean it. the tiny snare case will fit snug on the bass while a 16x16" case will snuggly fit ONTOP of the snare. so it doens matter how they are stacked, they will fit together. now, commen sense says not to stack up smallest to biggest, but it will work with these and finally the bass case has screw holes in the bottom to add the optional casters, which I did not buy b/c they wre $40. I plan on going to lowes or something though and seeing if I can fit some $15 ones on there instead. to top everything off, these case come with a lifetime warranty. according to skb, this covers EVERYTHING. quoting them, exactly "IF YOU BREAK IT, WE WILL REPAIR OR REPLACE IT AT NO COST TO YOU. THIS AND EVERY SKB HARDSHELL CASE IS UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED FOREVER." that is a great deal by itself. soin conclusion, these are all around great cases. they are kinda heavy and a little on the pricy side, but they are worth it. you will not find a better case than this, trust me. I have done my homework!! (unless of course you get ATA ones that would cost you well over $1000!! ) PROs: super heavy duty perfect fitting, one piece lid onto 1 piece body super soft lining covering 1/2" foam padding strong, comfortable handles that wont "pinch your hand against the case" strong strap and buckle that goes all around the case with multi-rivets attractive design and good stacking due to roto "X" molded designs optional wheels for bass drum CONs: bulky and heavy sorta pricey thats all I can think of!! what exactly I got: 12x10, 13x11, 14x12, 16x16, 22x16, 14x5.5 for $390 including ship from MF (they priced matched and a free snare) |
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dougstiers
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« Reply #77 on: May 03, 2004, 03:07 PM » |
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I recently bought a AKG mic package that was to me a STEAL, and they sound great! The package cosists of: 1 - D550 Bass drum mic 169.00 2 - C430 hi-hat O/H mics 129.00 each 3 - D409 tom mics 129.00 each These prices are what I have found online for each mic seperatly. I got the whole lot for ..$200.00  at Musicians Friend. If you are anywhere near the time for new mics, and you are on a budget, you absolutely cannot beat the price and quality of this package. I am using these mics on my Ludwig Classic Maples. The D409's on the toms: Very clean and natural sounding. Not much EQing needed. One of the C430's on my hi-hat and one on my timbale: These mics are very HOT and have all the high end needed to brighten up the hi-hats. They cut very well. I wasnt sure about how well the D550 was going to work on my 18" kick because it is soooo light. But I guess most of the weight attributed to the D112 (what I use on my 24" kick)is due to it's casing. The mic sounds great with lots of attack and low end punch. Not to mention we use 4 18" EAW subs being pushed by a Crown Microteck 2400. So all in all, if I had anothe $200.00 to spare, I would buy another one of these mic packs just because.. |
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nexolus
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« Reply #78 on: May 16, 2004, 07:35 PM » |
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Latin Percussion Low Pitch Woodblock
Not your traditional woodblock... it's made from some kind of plastic synthetic.
I rate it 10/10.
It gets a 10 for loudness. Actually, if you hit it correctly (at about the middle of the stick), many times, it can give you a headache!
10 for quality. I've played it very hard and very fast, and it hasn't gotten a scratch.
10 for mountability. It has 3 possible mounts; left and right side, and the back. I had to buy a pearl cowbell clamp, but no biggy.
10 for versatilty. If you play on it with the bead, you can do rolls and such, then move to the middle of the stick for a louder sound.
10 for sound. It's a very good sound... I would actually change out a cowbell for it.
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EternalXos
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« Reply #79 on: May 21, 2004, 10:59 AM » |
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Airlogic Bass Pedal
So after seeing someone raving about theirs on this board the other day, I checked out ebay and found one going for a low price. I didn't want to invest in a brand new one since I had never played (or even seen one in person) before, so I bid on the auction and won it for something like $95 after shipping. It arri | | |
