how does...walnut sound? I saw Mapex Saturn drums are Maple/Walnut and was wondering what the big difference would be. Also whats so special about...i think i heard african mahogany or something of that nature. What makes these types of wood better than your maple or birch?

Which wood is LOUD, I've been wanting a LOUD drumset for awhile but don't even know where to start...

I've heard that thinner shells are louder than thicker shells no matter what the wood is..Not sure if that's true though..My 9 ply beechwood Sonors are real thick and my 9 ply Tama Starclassic Maples real are real thin..The Tamas are louder on the crack (high end) and my Sonors are louder on the (deep) low end..So maybe the wood will have something to do with it, but I feel it may depend on the constuction of the drum also..Hmmm..I hope folks reply to this thread cuz I'd like to know..!! Oh by the way I just picked up a 7 ply deep Pearl maple shell snare that's inbetween the other two and it's nice and loud but not pearcing..It has a great wood sound..Now to think of it I think I got lucky on that one cuz it has one of the best wood sounds I've ever heard from a snare..Lots of power like a metal snare but real woody..!! Oh and I noticed that all of them that I mentioned do not have support rings on the shell..Anyway I did't give much to go on seeings you wanted to know about walnut..Sorry !!








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dave lynch wrote:

I've heard that thinner shells are louder than thicker shells no matter what the wood is..Not sure if that's true though..My 9 ply beechwood Sonors are real thick and my 9 ply Tama Starclassic Maples real are real thin..The Tamas are louder on the crack (high end) and my Sonors are louder on the (deep) low end..So maybe the wood will have something to do with it, but I feel it may depend on the constuction of the drum also..Hmmm..I hope folks reply to this thread cuz I'd like to know..!! Oh by the way I just picked up a 7 ply deep Pearl maple shell snare that's inbetween the other two and it's nice and loud but not pearcing..It has a great wood sound..Now to think of it I think I got lucky on that one cuz it has one of the best wood sounds I've ever heard from a snare..Lots of power like a metal snare but real woody..!! Oh and I noticed that all of them that I mentioned do not have support rings on the shell..Anyway I did't give much to go on seeings you wanted to know about walnut..Sorry !!

You got it backwards. Thinner shells resonate more, but are not loud. Thick shells are louder, but do not resonate as much!








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I have a 14" x 5 3/4" walnut snare- it's hard to say exactly how much difference the wood makes tone-wise, but I do find it to be dry and dark.
Heads and tuning make such a big difference; but it seems to work very well with a wide range of tensions.

Here's some quotes I've found online concerning walnut:

walnut kit review: http://www.drummagazine.com/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1081

from Mapex:
The Orion Classic in deep forest walnut is perhaps the most coveted drum set made today. The difference is in the ultra thin walnut shells that deliver deep, dark tones that no other shell construction can duplicate.

"The sound from these walnut drums is so warm and polished! They whisper when caressed and resound when struck. They have a range of sound like no other drums IÍve heard!" – Don, Kelso, WA

from Standbridge Drums:
This 13 by 7 by 5/16ths inch thick Claro Walnut drum features standard chrome triple flange hoops and hardware, a high gloss lacquer finish, and Canopus wires for a brighter, slightly more dry snare sound. The 3 flange hoops add a certain ringiness to the drum which is a nice contrast to the deep fundamental tone of the shell. All in all, a real powerhouse backbeat instrument.
A pair of Claro Walnut 13 by 7s in the finishing room together. These shells resonate like low register marimba bars when struck with your thumb.

Gretsch claims walnut enhances low end.

Harmony Central featured review:
f you've never heard a walnut drum before, imagine a maple drum without the higher harmonic overtones and comparative brightness, and instead with a deeper overall tone, rich lower and middle harmonics, and a darker, earthier presence. With these sound characteristics, the Black Panther Walnut's dark harmonics rang true throughout a range of tensions from low to high. The drum's earthy character was exceptionally dynamic and sensitive, offering both rich brushwork and the most astounding, thunderous rimshot crack I've ever heard. Seriously, the first time I laid one down I was in such awe that I missed a beat in disbelief.
I'd recommend experimenting with it at first to get a feel for the drum's harmonics. As to the overall sound of the Walnut, I loved the earthy tone and power it provided. With these characteristics, it blended well with darker-sounding cymbals and didn't harmonize as nicely with really bright ones. Owing to its unique sound, its volume, and its versatility, I loved this drum.

Ddrum claims:
walnut emphasizes mids and lows. The shells resonate in the lower register, yet their hardwood characteristics allow for a brightness that is not
attainable with standard maple or birch, making them excellent for recording.

Po Boy Drums:
Huge low end tones, warm mid tones, and a stiking brightness to the voice you cannot find in other woods, Walnut is by far one of the best all around drums that works equally well in both the studio as well as on stage. another characteristic of Walnut is its sheer diversity in terms of what styles you can play with one kit. Get it while you can though...as Walnut is very hard to come by in the density needed to make acoustic drums...and they do not stick around long!

I'm planning on commissioning a walnut kit from Po Boy, so I've been doing a lot of research on the wood~








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thanks m, didn't expect such a detailed reply but it was very helpful! There are a lot of types of wood that I'm interested in learning about/hearing/playing. Did you get all that info from the companies websites?

I did a walnut stave shell snare drum a few years back. I t was a 4x14 but it sounded like a 6x14. It was a monster.








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Potatoe Snack wrote:

thanks m, didn't expect such a detailed reply but it was very helpful! There are a lot of types of wood that I'm interested in learning about/hearing/playing. Did you get all that info from the companies websites?

glad to try to help~
yes, most of that was from searching their sites for walnut info, it doesn't seem to figure in with the most popular woods that get written up.

Here's a good site for general wood comparisons:

http://home.earthlink.net/~prof.sound/








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Potatoe Snack wrote:

how does...walnut sound? I saw Mapex Saturn drums are Maple/Walnut and was wondering what the big difference would be. Also whats so special about...i think i heard african mahogany or something of that nature. What makes these types of wood better than your maple or birch?

Which wood is LOUD, I've been wanting a LOUD drumset for awhile but don't even know where to start...

I actually own a Mapex Saturn studio set-up.........I think it makes the drums sound deeper.......jsut alot of low end........now since saturns are 4ply maple and 2ply walnut it is somewhat true if you tune them high you get a more maple sound I guess and lower for more walnut. And they do have a fairly wide tuning range.