since im going away to college in a couple weeks ive had to pack up my drum set for what i know will be a pretty good amount of time, and i got to thinking about it just sitting there, unused, depreciating in value, and ready to be replaced as soon as i could afford a change. i was planning on leaving it there for, most likely, the majority of the next 4 years or so but yesterday i got a new idea. as i was reading another thread on here about a new drummer looking for a set i actually offered to discuss selling him mine. at the time i really hadnt thought too much about it but now that ive sat on the idea for a while ive thought that it sounds like a much better idea to sell off my set in order to make some money toward the new one that ive been so desperately wanting, and since my set isnt getting any more valuable i figure that its not doing me any good just sitting in a closet unused while i just plan to get rid of it anyway. so now i have 2 questions:

1 - how much do you think i could get my set? im not selling everything i own because ive built a respectable cymbal and hardware collection, but heres what i would plan on selling off:
tama swingstar standard set, 10x12, 11x13, 16x16, 16x22, 5.5x14 drums, vintage blue with evans g2/g1 tom heads, emad bass, genera/hazy 300 snare
zbt hihats and ride, planet z 18" crash/ride
snare, hihat, and 2 convertible stands, all but one of the booms tama
pacific double bass pedal and tama single pedal

i know its not great but i know that a beginner would rather start off with quality gear than a cheap ebay set with complete crap cymbals and hardware. im thinking i could get something like 400-500 for my set, any differing opinions?

2 - since id be selling my set id be looking for a new one as soon as i could pay for it. right now i have 4 sets in mind, all of different brands, woods, and one with quite a different price.

pearl reference - $2369 for a 4 pc fusion, no snare (18x22, 8x10, 9x12, 14x14). everyone here knows the grandeur of these sets and the research behind the wood combination and the bearing edges.

yamaha birch custom absolute - $2500-ish for a 4 pc fusion, no snare (18x22, 8x10, 9x12, 14x14). possibly the best sounding solid wood drums ive ever heard

tama starclassic bubinga - $2599 for a 4 pc fusion, no snare (18x22, 8x10, 9x12, 11x14). havent played them yet but i plan on finding a set to try soon.

mapex saturn - $1769 for a 5 pc fusion, with a snare, plus a free 8" rack tom (so really a 6 pc fusion, 18x22, 7x8, 8x10, 9x12, 14x14, 5.5x14), snare stand, hihat stand, bass pedal, 2 boom stands...basically replaces everything i would sell, plus the mounting hardware. i also plan on playing these drums....i have before and they sounded good but i cant remember as well as i would like because i didnt have much time on them.

so those are what im really looking at. for the price i dont know that the saturns can be beat but at the same time they dont even seem to be in league with the other three. what i am looking for is opinions and comparisons by people who have played these drums. i really dont want to hear from someone who bashes a set because they dont like the company, i want unbiased opinions (well, as close to unbiased as i can get) on what you think is best. i know that the decision is up to me but theres things like hardware quality, brand longevity, and things like that that i wont be able to judge just by sitting down at a set.

so, if you got through all that i sincerely thank you and value your time and opinion.








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zen_drummer wrote:

Real life doesn't work that way, and one day he's gonna pull a stunt like that and they'll put a cap in him. At that point it won't matter that he was fat in high-school and couldn't get laid.

luks like im the only person whos voted so far. PEARL REFERENCE ALL THE WAY, im way to easily bought by pearl . but thats cuz there guud n i like em








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Pearl Hardware. Zildjian Cymbals. Vic Firth 7A Sticks. Remo Pintripes/Weatherking Heads

also, if anyone can make comaprisons between any of the sets id love to hear them.








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zen_drummer wrote:

Real life doesn't work that way, and one day he's gonna pull a stunt like that and they'll put a cap in him. At that point it won't matter that he was fat in high-school and couldn't get laid.

Pearl Reference is definitely the best out of the choices. My good friend has this set and it blows my mind. I think if you have the cash you should for sure go with reference. All the other sets are not so amazingly crafted. I am sure you already know about the all the reference series drums so I won't get into detail. Selling your set should get you a considerable amount of money (350-550 maybe more).

The Mapex is also a good deal though... If you were looking to buy a new drumset with all new hardware, a snare and everything you need, go with the Mapex.

The reference is better if you pull for more cash. If you go all the way to get a snare and hardware, you will be set for a long damn time.

It is a matter of money...








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Mapex Mafia!

myspace.com/neurolepsy

Mapex M Birch in Honey Amber
Iron Cobra Pedals
Sabian Cymbals
Pearl Rack

anojeezick wrote:

Pearl Reference is definitely the best out of the choices. My good friend has this set and it blows my mind. I think if you have the cash you should for sure go with reference. All the other sets are not so amazingly crafted. I am sure you already know about the all the reference series drums so I won't get into detail. Selling your set should get you a considerable amount of money (350-550 maybe more).

The Mapex is also a good deal though... If you were looking to buy a new drumset with all new hardware, a snare and everything you need, go with the Mapex.

The reference is better if you pull for more cash. If you go all the way to get a snare and hardware, you will be set for a long damn time.

It is a matter of money...

yea, i can basically recite the reference specs from memory. and honestly, every one of these sets is crafted to very high standards and id trust any of them to last me a long time. reference, overall, are probably the best sounding drums ive played but the price throws me off. basically id have to get a hihat stand, snare stand, and 2 boom stands just to use the set and since id got with iron cobra and roadpro so with any of the 3 options that dont include hardware id be spending probably another 400 for stands on top of the drums.

price is definately part of the issue when im buying. like i said, im going to college so i wont have a lot of extra money but id like to pick up a set sometime in the next year and the saturns are looking like a better and better deal. im going to find some to play hopefully this week and, honestly, if they have a sound that i feel is comparable to the rest then these are probably my drums but if they dont stack up then ill have to keep looking.








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zen_drummer wrote:

Real life doesn't work that way, and one day he's gonna pull a stunt like that and they'll put a cap in him. At that point it won't matter that he was fat in high-school and couldn't get laid.

I would go with the Yamaha or Pearl. Don't do Mapex, I had a good friend that had plies separate on him with his.








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Rata-tata-zzzzzzz......Drums Always!

www.youtube.com/robthedrummer

Rob the Drummer wrote:

I would go with the Yamaha or Pearl. Don't do Mapex, I had a good friend that had plies separate on him with his.

was his problem fixed? if so, i have no reservations about going with mapex. they have a lifetime warrany on their shells which im sure covers separating plies, and if this is the only problem i hear concerning mapex it wont really bother me. what kind of drums did he have, how long ago did he have this problem, and how old were the drums at the time?

im not trying to sound skeptical, i just would like all the details i can get because this is a lot of money im pouring into a kit that i plan on having last a long time. also, why not tama? the pearl and yamaha kits are 2 of the best ive ever heard so theyre being considered but at nearly twice the cost (once i get hardware, plus the value of the snare and extra tom) the saturns are much moer appealing at this point.








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zen_drummer wrote:

Real life doesn't work that way, and one day he's gonna pull a stunt like that and they'll put a cap in him. At that point it won't matter that he was fat in high-school and couldn't get laid.

if you can get the money, i would def. go for the reference. if not, i would say the saturns b/c tht is a great deal for the amt of drums and hardware u get. mapex is a great company, but IMHO pearl's reference kits can't be beat.








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Chuck Norris dosen't go to hell. hell goes to Chuck Norris

DW drums and hardware
Sabian, Paiste and, of course, SALUDA cymbals
Aquarian drum heads

since when did fusion sizes do 8" and 9" toms ? i thought it was 10" and 12"








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Pearl Hardware. Zildjian Cymbals. Vic Firth 7A Sticks. Remo Pintripes/Weatherking Heads

phil-drummer wrote:

since when did fusion sizes do 8" and 9" toms ? i thought it was 10" and 12"

i type depth x diameter...its a 10/12/14 witha free 8" tom...but i actually think id get the $250 gift card and go for a 16" tom first, the get the 8" later if i wanted it (its less than 250 and i want a 10/12/14/16 setup). so yeah....

lots of votes for reference. im having a hard time with this but im leaning toward the saturns for the deal i can get, but ive called a bunch of stores and no one has them in stock....it looks like i may be making my first trip to 2112 percussion...








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zen_drummer wrote:

Real life doesn't work that way, and one day he's gonna pull a stunt like that and they'll put a cap in him. At that point it won't matter that he was fat in high-school and couldn't get laid.

anavrinIV wrote:

phil-drummer wrote:

since when did fusion sizes do 8" and 9" toms ? i thought it was 10" and 12"

i type depth x diameter...its a 10/12/14 witha free 8" tom...but i actually think id get the $250 gift card and go for a 16" tom first, the get the 8" later if i wanted it (its less than 250 and i want a 10/12/14/16 setup). so yeah....

lots of votes for reference. im having a hard time with this but im leaning toward the saturns for the deal i can get, but ive called a bunch of stores and no one has them in stock....it looks like i may be making my first trip to 2112 percussion...

oohhh i get ya , my mistake, im still with the reference, but go with whatever kit your lik the most man, a free 8" wud be cool .








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Pearl Hardware. Zildjian Cymbals. Vic Firth 7A Sticks. Remo Pintripes/Weatherking Heads

pearl reference all the way man, if not them, the yamaha's








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Get busy living, or get busy dying

the refernce is gonna be the best sounding out of all those guarenteed








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They're all good kits. Let's see how they break down.

Incidentally, I too am heading to college tomorrow (well, later today actually) and had to pack up my set. Know how you feel.

Reference--Great kits for the massive money to be spent. I personally think that, if you want a particular sound, not to go with these. Because of all the research into the wood, it's a great general sound, good for all, but there are better sounding drums once you start to specialize your playing style. That being said, they are some of the best out there.

Yamaha Birch Custom Absolute--Just plain beautiful sounding drums. Great for jazz/fusion playing, and great for recording too. If you're looking for studio work, go with these.

Tama Starclassic--Great big sound and a full rich tone that will blow your socks off. Go for rock/heavy metal stuff.

Mapex Saturn--I've played a few Saturn sets, and there's nothing bad about them. These are also great all around drums, but are better in the softer area of music (Jazz, Fusion, Soft Rock, Studio). If you are going to go with Mapex though, I'd recommend Orion kits. Like Saturn, but about 5 times better.

I've played at least one kit of these, whether in store, at the PASIC showroom, or just randomly, they are all good sets. Reference, personally, I think are a bit overrated. Masterworks drums are probably worth more for the money as to what you get back playing wise, because the masterworks are customized to the nth degree. I'm a big fan of the Yamaha Birch, some of the clearest sounds ever, and a snap for recording. Tama is a rock company, no doubt, so go to them if you want some heavy hitting drums that can take a pounding and still sound great. Mapex is a great company for the money. Maybe not as many options as the other three, but they make up for it in offering a very sturdy product at a low price. My favorite kit at the PASIC was an Orion sounded like butter.

My opinion would be either the Yamaha or the Mapex. If you're tight on money, Mapex Saturn is perfect. If you want a great drum for recording and getting the gigs, Yamaha for you then.

Hope this helped.

Homki890








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homki, thats exactly the kind of response i was looking for and i agree for the most part.

anyway, something came up today that might speed up my buying process a little. today i went to gc (just to try some kits, i wasnt planning to buy from them) and at first i only saw the starclassic bubinga set that they had there, the standard 4 pc fusion set, and they had reduced the price to under $2000, great price. i kept looking around and then saw something that really caught my eye...a sea blue fade yamaha birch custom absolute in the exact dimensions i want (8x10, 9x12, 14x14, 16x16, 18x22). the best part? the kit was used for only 1 month by a guy who tried to trade it in 2 days after his deadline, so guitar center bought it back and theyre selling it basically at cost for a used set. i talked to a guy for a little bit about it and he said that he couldnt lower the price set on it ($1650 on a set that would cost about $3000 new) but that if i bought it he would throw in a full set of heads (batter and reso) of my choice for free. i need to check the bearing edges for imperfections (though i dont think there will be any) but other than that unknown the drums are in about 9.8/10 condition. there are a couple very small scratches in the bass drum and a couple chips in the batter side bass hoop. other than that these drums are mint and i think ive found my set. ill still need some hardware but i dont know that i can pass up this deal. what would you do in my situation?








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zen_drummer wrote:

Real life doesn't work that way, and one day he's gonna pull a stunt like that and they'll put a cap in him. At that point it won't matter that he was fat in high-school and couldn't get laid.