kindofblue
New member
Can anyone out there tell me if drum brand matters into how they sound? If i miced a yamaha stage custom kit and a pearl export would anyone be able to distinguish a tonal difference? Does DW have its own "sound"?
Drum Brand Differences
- Thread starter kindofblue
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stethedrumgeek
New member
DW are made in the same factorys as Premier, at least they used to be. Can you really pick out a DW kit by ear? I'll be careful not to get the kryptonite out around you.
kindofblue: as far as I'm aware it depends more on the heads, tuning and then the shells type of wood etc, in that order of priority, not the brand.
I have a yamaha stage custom and I'm happy, I've played exports and I prefer the Yamahas, although I like higher end Pearls more, but for the money yamaha wins for me.
kindofblue: as far as I'm aware it depends more on the heads, tuning and then the shells type of wood etc, in that order of priority, not the brand.
I have a yamaha stage custom and I'm happy, I've played exports and I prefer the Yamahas, although I like higher end Pearls more, but for the money yamaha wins for me.
Farview
Well-known member
The type of wood and the bearing edge are the big contributers to the sound of a drum. The Export being a starter kit (cheap) will be made out of cheaper wood and have rounded off bearing edges. The rounder the edges, the easier to tune. You will be able to get an all right sound out of this, but it will never sound great.
The thickness and depth of the shell are also big factors, different companies use different thicknesses. This makes a big difference.
It isn't so much that different companies sound different, but that they all make the drums out of different woods in different dimentions with different bearing edges.
The thickness and depth of the shell are also big factors, different companies use different thicknesses. This makes a big difference.
It isn't so much that different companies sound different, but that they all make the drums out of different woods in different dimentions with different bearing edges.
Different drum makers (and models of drums within any Company) differ based on type of wood used, number of plys, thickness of plys, bearing edge, hardware mounting etc. - all of which affects the sound. This then is further impacted by the type of heads used, tuning method, playing technique, etc.
Accordingly, it is very difficult (I would indeed suggest, impossible) to clearly define a Yamaha from a Pearl, from a DW, etc. Certainly Maple, vs, Birch, vs. Mahogany vs. Poplar vs. Basswood, etc. each have a certain tonal variance that can be defined - however, even then, choice of heads, and tuning make that variance difficult to identify in a "blind test".
That being said I think a Stage Custom in general has a more precise attack and a tighter tone than a Pearl Export. The Exports tend to be slightly "muddy' (I've owned both - and sold dozens of each). I like Yamaha hardware better than Pearl and in all I think the Stage Custokm is a better kit than the Export.
Accordingly, it is very difficult (I would indeed suggest, impossible) to clearly define a Yamaha from a Pearl, from a DW, etc. Certainly Maple, vs, Birch, vs. Mahogany vs. Poplar vs. Basswood, etc. each have a certain tonal variance that can be defined - however, even then, choice of heads, and tuning make that variance difficult to identify in a "blind test".
That being said I think a Stage Custom in general has a more precise attack and a tighter tone than a Pearl Export. The Exports tend to be slightly "muddy' (I've owned both - and sold dozens of each). I like Yamaha hardware better than Pearl and in all I think the Stage Custokm is a better kit than the Export.
antennafarm
New member
#1: MOST expensive kits are all maple or all birch. the days of exotic woods are largely gone. yamaha has a few different lines (maple, birch, beech, oak). premier has a few interesting kits (gen-x shells = maple/birch combo). pearl's custom shop will use mahogany if you want them to. these are all the exceptions, though, and homogenity is the name of the game at the moment. ludwig has moved to all maple. sonor has stopped using beech for their drums (and the beech they used wasn't the same as the yamaha beech -- completely different, in fact). the factory that made the maple-gum combo shells for gretsch closed semi-recently.. i'm not sure if they found another supplier for the particular shell. if i'm not mistaken, fibes (a custom drum shop in austin) has the machinery now.
really, though, if you want interesting shells, you've gotta go boutique or settle for the few big name options (which aren't bad, but they're more samey than, say, a nice old slingerland 3-ply mahogany kit).
most boutique companies (and this includes overhyped places like Orange County Drums and Percussion) use cheap plain keller shells and cheap taiwanese hardware. www.drummaker.com -- save yourself a few thousand dollars. I built a nice little kit for less than a grand that'd cost probably three times that at OCDP.
#2: bearing edges don't necessarily mean a cheaper drum (and i'd disagree that they're easier to tune), they're a different philosophy of drum design. old slingerlands, for example, had rounded off bearing edges. i'd say as long as the edge is true, it'll be relatively easy to tune. also, heavier heads are easier to tune. less overtones.
#3: DW makes their own shells. they started off using keller shells, though, which are fairly generic.
to answer the original question: if the kit is maintained well, has good heads, and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, a good drummer, then it'll sound good. better kits (more expensive, generally, but not universally -- but sometimes it's a good indicator) wear and tear better, come stock with better edges and better hardware, and, to be honest, probably inspire a better performance out of the musician behind them.
but if a guy shows up with a beat up set of pearl exports, don't fret. he might rock your shit.
really, though, if you want interesting shells, you've gotta go boutique or settle for the few big name options (which aren't bad, but they're more samey than, say, a nice old slingerland 3-ply mahogany kit).
most boutique companies (and this includes overhyped places like Orange County Drums and Percussion) use cheap plain keller shells and cheap taiwanese hardware. www.drummaker.com -- save yourself a few thousand dollars. I built a nice little kit for less than a grand that'd cost probably three times that at OCDP.
#2: bearing edges don't necessarily mean a cheaper drum (and i'd disagree that they're easier to tune), they're a different philosophy of drum design. old slingerlands, for example, had rounded off bearing edges. i'd say as long as the edge is true, it'll be relatively easy to tune. also, heavier heads are easier to tune. less overtones.
#3: DW makes their own shells. they started off using keller shells, though, which are fairly generic.
to answer the original question: if the kit is maintained well, has good heads, and, MOST IMPORTANTLY, a good drummer, then it'll sound good. better kits (more expensive, generally, but not universally -- but sometimes it's a good indicator) wear and tear better, come stock with better edges and better hardware, and, to be honest, probably inspire a better performance out of the musician behind them.
but if a guy shows up with a beat up set of pearl exports, don't fret. he might rock your shit.