DRUMMER CAFE

Which should i go with?

Go with the TAMA, unless you like the Pearls better.   

If your drum shop is friendly - they won't mind you trying them out side by side. Only you can know which sounds better to your ears...

I agree with Louis. I was with Ludwig for quit some time. IN Dec.,2006 I purchased a New Tama Kit at G.C. Locally and Iam Very plaesed with the new kit. Solid equipment and good sounding. I looked at the Ludwig equipmet they were selling and was not pleased at all. I've been in several times since and found very little in the way of Ludwig equipment. At this point I'm very pleased in my choose. My choose would be Tama.

I usually play Tama starclassic performer kits (house kits) when I play at the clubs here and the toms on them sound fantastic! I still prefer my (mapex) kick drum sound 10-1 over those, but that is just me. I don't tune those kits at all, so I am sure some of that is responsible, but they are 3 different kits I play and all of the toms sound killer. Just an observation to try to help the decision making process easier.

Chris is right, The performer series may be birch and with a maple bass drum  like the regular Star Classics may fix what you are talking about.
The toms sound killer on the Regular maple Star Classics too but the kick drum sound deeper and warmer IMHO.
                             Nutty

It's completely relative. I say play them both. Listen to artists who play them. Listen to drummers play them live. Listen to drummers that have recorded with them. I could tell you that I much prefer Pearl Drums, especially their hardware, but as I said, it's relative.

We always go into these threads advising people to use their ears, but we never ask these guys what they're listening for. Do you know what sound you want? Do you know what to listen for? I didn't when I first started buying kits. I only knew names of drums, the big ones I saw other drummers playing on TV. When I was a young teen I didn't even realize a manufacturer made more than one line of drums. I thought it was like, you know, one kind of Tama, one kind of Pearl, one kind of whatever.

Anyway, I think it's best to have a sound already in mind. You never know. You may end up liking something besides Pearl or Tama.

Oh Boy, do I feel stupid!  I have never thought about that part of the equation.  How can we tell people to use their ears if they have no idea of what they are trying to hear.  To tell the truth I bought my first kit partly because it was a Ludwig (there were not too many brands to choose from back then) but mostly because it was a red sparkle and I loved the way the kit looked.  I guess there could be worse reasons to choose but looking back I had no idea what sound I wanted.

Don't you think a drum sounds page would be a nice project for someone? Just something saying, "This is what 'warm' means," and "This is what 'fast-acting' means." Maybe we could get one of these big corporate websites like Music 123 to do something like that.

Mr. A, explain to me what "well-tuned" means and I might agree with you.

I don’t think that knowing exactly what you want to hear is necessary either.  However, I NOW believe we should be telling them to listen when they test drive a kit.  In my opinion we have an obligation to give a more complete answer when asked rather than waiting for that sound or knowledge to "Bite them in the Seat Meat"!  This does not mean I think we should spoon feed information to anyone.   However we should remind them there are lots of different sounds out there in addition to all the wonderful finishes. 

I'm afraid I have to agree.

I see nothing wrong with a completely inexperienced drummer walking into a drumstore with no preconceived ideas (or soounds) at all, playing all the kits and if one kit sounds better than the rest (instinctively), buying it.
The problem we often try to highlight at The Cafe is the influence of branding.
Kids don't go into a drumstore with an open mind, they generally go into a store looking for a kit that mirrors the sound of Lars Ulrich, or Peart or Portnoy. Or even a kit that just looks right.
I also reject this whole idea of having a sound in one's head.
I don't think many players, but the truly advanced ones, can operate on that level.
I certainly can't.
I'm constantly surprised by drums and their sounds, much like Mr A's Camco experience.
I have my own prejudices, favouring older American drums and not particularly liking modern Japanese drums.
However I regularly have to use other people's kits and rental sets. If a new Yamaha kit blows me away, I'm sensible enough to admit it.
BUT, I have to play it in anger and for an extended period to make up my mind.
I couldn't walk into a drum store and tell you which is the best performing kit.
The conditions are too alien for a real road test.
However, auditioning drums in a store is a much better test than asking forumites to choose between two brands.
That's why I (and others) always reject these debates and suggest the poster make up their own mind by getting out there and playing.