Anybody hear about the new Pearl Vision series? I went to GC yesterday(I know bad choice) and played on some DWs, PDP's and a Pearl. I was thinking of getting a PDP kit to replace the CB I have, but after visiting hell (AKA Guitar Center) I decided to go visit Ken Stanton Music just down the road a bit. Sure Ken Stanton had the same PDPs I had my eye on, but they also had this new Pearl Vision kit. It has a natural finish, which is what I've been looking for. And for the price, it seems like the better deal. I mean, there are more add-on opportunities to the Pearl than to the PDP. I mean, I saw the same PDP kit, in the natural finish, in the same setup, but was around $100 more. I think I'm going to go with the Pearl.












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I'm part of the brotherhood of like-minded individuals who like to bang on things.

i like pdp
and theres nothing wrong with gc
but the pearl looks nice
i just dont like those mounts
i like the L rod better

Benhamin wrote:

i like pdp
and theres nothing wrong with gc
but the pearl looks nice
i just dont like those mounts
i like the L rod better

I played on a PDP a few weeks back and I loved it! Nothing wrong with PDP. In fact, I'd pick a PDP over Pearl if the price were right. But like about 90% of drummers out there, I'm on a budget. I just have other things my money has to go for. (rent, bills, food) So I can't just up and spend $1100 for a new set of drums. This is going to be my first set upgrade from an entry level kit, and I'm thinking of going with the Pearl. I too like the L rods that PDP goes with, but I have to be practical and wise about my upgrade. A lot of the hardware I have now, i.e. multi clamps, add-on cymbal arms, etc. would fit with the hardware on the Pearl. If I went with PDP, I'd have to change all that. To further explain, I have both my rack toms mounted on cymbal stands. It brings them closer to me so that's why I like it. I don't want to spend anymore money than I have to on this.

About Guitar Center...

Nothing wrong with them if you're only in there buying heads or sticks. But when I was in there asking about a PDP kit I've had my eye on, I got no help with the kit I was wanting to purchase. Instead, I got a bunch of suggestions on other, more expensive kits. I told the guy, "Look, I just want a nicer set of drums than the ones I already have. I don't want a top-of-the-line kit because I'm self taught and I don't want to buy something that has a feature I won't know how to use." And he went on about them being comission only and all. When I go into a music store, I already know what I'm there for. It's not like shopping for a car. By the time I make it into the store, I've done my research. They treated me better at Ken Stanton's. Instead of making the upsell, the guy concentrated on just making a sale. The idea in business is not to make money. It's to keep people coming back, because in the long run, the quantity of sales from a few repeat customers will beat out one large sale any day...








_________________


I'm part of the brotherhood of like-minded individuals who like to bang on things.

Ooh, they have natural visions? Those are some nice looking drums!

I recommend you buy 'em. I've seen 20 year old Pearl kits that have treated like shit and still sound real good. There's also tons of options for them.








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english, motherf**ker, do you speak it!?
http://www.myspace.com/tuskband

Bro for you i'd recommend a PDP FS series kit because the Pearl is a blend between birch/basswood and the PDP FS is 100% birch but to each his own.

I am pretty unbiased between Pearl and PDP because for the money both manufacturers make an amazing set of drums!

Oh and check out the new Pearl Export Custom though the finishes are limited right now its 100% maple drums with a great set of options to follow...just not finishes but those should catch up soon!








_________________
Hi, I'm Brian. I play/use such brands as: Mapex, Axis, DDrum, Yamaha, Pro-Mark, Vic-Firth, Sabian, Paiste, Zildjian, Saluda, Evans, and DW.

Kevin's the man

first of al there is nothing wrong with GC.
second i have the pdp fs and i have tried the pearl vision.
for the price the pdp is better.
the pdp is $599.99 for a matte finish
the vision kit is $599.99 for a wrap finish or $899.99 for a laquer finish
both R birch, pdp has matching snare, vision has steel snare.

veerubio wrote:

first of al there is nothing wrong with GC.
second i have the pdp fs and i have tried the pearl vision.
for the price the pdp is better.
the pdp is $599.99 for a matte finish
the vision kit is $599.99 for a wrap finish or $899.99 for a laquer finish
both R birch, pdp has matching snare, vision has steel snare.

First, I'm leaning more torwards the Pearl at the moment. If I went with the PDP FS, I'd have to purchase some other hardware components in order to mount toms and stuff. Plus, I'm not ordering a set of drums from the manufacturer itself, or online from Musiciansfriend. That's just too much to wait on delivery. The GC I went to told me I'd have to purchase all the hardware seperately. I'll be getting hardware with the Pearl over at Ken Stanton. Nothing against PDP. And I'm not saying I won't have a PDP kit in the future. But I think I'm going to go Pearl this time while I have hardware that fits Pearl.

Second, if you'd been to college and have a degree in sales and marketing, you'd agree that GC does not have good business ethics and practices. They treat their employees like shit, which in turn makes the employees treat customers like shit. Walking into a Guitar Center is like walking onto a used car lot. The Wal-Mart approach to business works for only a short period of time. The aim in business is to keep customers walking in the door not because of necessity, but because they feel good shopping there. Eventually, that one person that only looked around a bit, maybe took home a few free brochures and had their questions answered without feeling pressured to buy something will come back and purchase an entire marching percussion line-up and the carriers for the HS band they teach, or purchase an entire PA rig for their band to play shows. Get the idea? The only thing GC is good for is laughing at the drum guys in there playing only 16ths between double pedal and the snare and badly tuned toms, and then going over to the electronic kits and playing the same thing back to them on a single pedal!








_________________


I'm part of the brotherhood of like-minded individuals who like to bang on things.

veerubio wrote:

first of al there is nothing wrong with GC.
second i have the pdp fs and i have tried the pearl vision.
for the price the pdp is better.
the pdp is $599.99 for a matte finish
the vision kit is $599.99 for a wrap finish or $899.99 for a laquer finish
both R birch, pdp has matching snare, vision has steel snare.

Wrong


Pearl - Birch/Basswood

PDP - 100% Birch








_________________
Hi, I'm Brian. I play/use such brands as: Mapex, Axis, DDrum, Yamaha, Pro-Mark, Vic-Firth, Sabian, Paiste, Zildjian, Saluda, Evans, and DW.

Kevin's the man

Howepirate wrote:

veerubio wrote:

first of al there is nothing wrong with GC.
second i have the pdp fs and i have tried the pearl vision.
for the price the pdp is better.
the pdp is $599.99 for a matte finish
the vision kit is $599.99 for a wrap finish or $899.99 for a laquer finish
both R birch, pdp has matching snare, vision has steel snare.

Wrong


Pearl - Birch/Basswood

PDP - 100% Birch

there is also the question of the quality of the birch used in each shell. tama offers 2 drum lines with birch but one is not the quality of the other. in the same scenario, pdps birch may not be up to par with pearls, equating for the price difference.

before you call me stupid and begin to flame me for this, im not saying one way or the other on sound as i have not heard either personally. i have played maple pdps and theyre decent (not quite the dw quality that many would have you believe, but decent) and ive played other pearls (session, masters, reference, export) and none of them are bad. all im saying is that the wood may not be the same quality.

also, i know a couple people with the pdp fs set who really want to trade up because of hardware (mainly mounting) issues that cause their toms to fall out of place often.








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anavrinIV wrote:

there is also the question of the quality of the birch used in each shell. tama offers 2 drum lines with birch but one is not the quality of the other. in the same scenario, pdps birch may not be up to par with pearls, equating for the price difference.

before you call me stupid and begin to flame me for this, im not saying one way or the other on sound as i have not heard either personally. i have played maple pdps and theyre decent (not quite the dw quality that many would have you believe, but decent) and ive played other pearls (session, masters, reference, export) and none of them are bad. all im saying is that the wood may not be the same quality.

also, i know a couple people with the pdp fs set who really want to trade up because of hardware (mainly mounting) issues that cause their toms to fall out of place often.

Exactly. Finally somebody knows what I am talking about with the hardware thing. Kudos.








_________________


I'm part of the brotherhood of like-minded individuals who like to bang on things.

I think whatever decision you make you will be happier than you are with the CB set. A whole world happier.








_________________
Do what you can and do it well.

www.myspace.com/spacelounge1
www.myspace.com/whitehallsessions

FelterSkelter wrote:

I think whatever decision you make you will be happier than you are with the CB set. A whole world happier.

No doubt about that! I mean, the CB has been great to learn on. And I'm especially proud of the tuning. But I can do so much better. I've stated on here before that drums is not my first instrument. I have 16 years instruction on trumpet. I played two years on the student model before my parents bought me an intermediate/more professional model. Once I got the new horn, my sound was so much better. It sounded more like a trumpet tone and not a "honk." But some of that was also due to my practice and technique. So why not the same approach to drums? I want my drums to sound like drums. I feel at this point that my practice, technique, and approach to playing my drums has reached a stand still. I believe I've done everything possible to get those CB's to sound as best as I can. I dunno. I'm about to post a link to my myspace page in the general discussion. You be the judge!








_________________


I'm part of the brotherhood of like-minded individuals who like to bang on things.

drumsforlife wrote:

FelterSkelter wrote:

I think whatever decision you make you will be happier than you are with the CB set. A whole world happier.

No doubt about that! I mean, the CB has been great to learn on. And I'm especially proud of the tuning. But I can do so much better. I've stated on here before that drums is not my first instrument. I have 16 years instruction on trumpet. I played two years on the student model before my parents bought me an intermediate/more professional model. Once I got the new horn, my sound was so much better. It sounded more like a trumpet tone and not a "honk." But some of that was also due to my practice and technique. So why not the same approach to drums? I want my drums to sound like drums. I feel at this point that my practice, technique, and approach to playing my drums has reached a stand still. I believe I've done everything possible to get those CB's to sound as best as I can. I dunno. I'm about to post a link to my myspace page in the general discussion. You be the judge!

Right on. A better instrument can make all the difference, if you are at that stage.








_________________
Do what you can and do it well.

www.myspace.com/spacelounge1
www.myspace.com/whitehallsessions

anavrinIV wrote:

Howepirate wrote:

veerubio wrote:

first of al there is nothing wrong with GC.
second i have the pdp fs and i have tried the pearl vision.
for the price the pdp is better.
the pdp is $599.99 for a matte finish
the vision kit is $599.99 for a wrap finish or $899.99 for a laquer finish
both R birch, pdp has matching snare, vision has steel snare.

Wrong


Pearl - Birch/Basswood

PDP - 100% Birch

there is also the question of the quality of the birch used in each shell. tama offers 2 drum lines with birch but one is not the quality of the other. in the same scenario, pdps birch may not be up to par with pearls, equating for the price difference.

before you call me stupid and begin to flame me for this, im not saying one way or the other on sound as i have not heard either personally. i have played maple pdps and theyre decent (not quite the dw quality that many would have you believe, but decent) and ive played other pearls (session, masters, reference, export) and none of them are bad. all im saying is that the wood may not be the same quality.

also, i know a couple people with the pdp fs set who really want to trade up because of hardware (mainly mounting) issues that cause their toms to fall out of place often.

Oh i know your right because there is less superior woods that are the same..just from different places and different manufacturers using them.

I also have a bit of a problem with my tom sliding down on my pdp so take that in to consideration to back up his statement.

But im not gunne flare at ya because your argument is supported by fact bro








_________________
Hi, I'm Brian. I play/use such brands as: Mapex, Axis, DDrum, Yamaha, Pro-Mark, Vic-Firth, Sabian, Paiste, Zildjian, Saluda, Evans, and DW.

Kevin's the man