#779862 - 03/04/05 09:17 AM
Looking for a Birch Drum Set? Need Suggestions.
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Jedi
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Registered: 09/24/01
Posts: 1321
Loc: D.C area, Home of the Bad Brai...
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Hey Gang,
I'm kind of like a regular on SSS.
Anyway, I'm in the market for a Birch Drum Set for the studio.
Here are my choices so far,
Gretsch Catalina 5-piece.
Tama Starclassic Perf.
and finally the expensive(for me atleast)
Yamaha Custom A or something. It goes for about $2500. I don't want to spend that kind of money if I don't have to. I'm using the set for my band's recordings. We're a Rock band. Right now, I'm using Pearl Exports so I'm really trying to step it up a bit. I don't really need a snare, I'm buying the set mainly for the Kick Drum, and Toms and I prefer the Floor Tom to be 16". So what do you guys think?
_________________________
"All conditioned things are impermanent. Work out your own salvation with diligence."
The Buddha's Last Words
R.I.P. RobT
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#779863 - 03/04/05 09:38 AM
Re: Looking for a Birch Drum Set? Need Suggestions.
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offramp
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Registered: 10/31/00
Posts: 5846
Loc: Golden, CO.
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I haven't drum-shopped in a very long time, but so far the Gretsch set seems to be the least expensive... the prices I found on the Tama were around the same as the Yamaha, and at that point, I'd get the Yamaha.
I'd also suggest that while you think you may not need a snare, you should get one, anyway. Just as changing a snare can affect the feel of the entire kit, so can changing the kit affect the snare.
Is there a specific reason you want Birch? 'cause if there isn't you might want to consider the lower-end DW stuff, I think it's called pacifica, or somesuch; Phil O'Keefe recently got a set, and he's very happy with it. I picked up a snare from this series about three months ago, and am having a blast with it. Very affordable, too.
_________________________
I've upped my standards; now, up yours.
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#779864 - 03/04/05 12:55 PM
Re: Looking for a Birch Drum Set? Need Suggestions.
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Jedi
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Registered: 09/24/01
Posts: 1321
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thanks offramp,
Yeah I'm sold on the sound of birch. Don't know why.
_________________________
"All conditioned things are impermanent. Work out your own salvation with diligence."
The Buddha's Last Words
R.I.P. RobT
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#779865 - 03/04/05 04:57 PM
Re: Looking for a Birch Drum Set? Need Suggestions.
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offramp
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Registered: 10/31/00
Posts: 5846
Loc: Golden, CO.
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Well, it might be worth considering that while YOU may be sold on the sound of birch, not many--if any--will even be able to tell. Kinda like listening to a ZZ Top solo and knowing that Gibbons was playing a rosewood fingerboard such-and-such, while ultimately knowing that not a single person buying their records gives a flying fuck.
Another example: I love the sound of Manu' Katche's kit. I know it's a Yamaha, but beyond that, I don't... and I don't really care. What I hear--and what I recognize--is the tuning and playing abilities of said drummer and whatever engineer worked on the session.
Given your stated needs for this particular kit, It's quite possible that A) the quest for birch is overkill for what you're trying to achieve, and B) no one else but you gives a damn. At that point, it's a matter of how much money you want to save.
Case in point: One of my all-time favorite records was recorded with one of my all-time most reviled drumkits. Pat Metheny's "American Garage" was recorded with a set of blue Ludwig Vistalites.
I am in no way trying to dissuade you from buying a set of birch drums; if I were of sound financial consideration, I would be looking at them, too. I just think, however, that you're handicapping yourself by narrowing your focus to that, when all you're trying to do is upgrade out of what you have. Another analogy would be driving a Ford Focus for the past three years and telling yourself you're not getting another car until you can afford a Mercedes; by hitting middle ground and getting an Audi or high-end Volkswagen or whatever, you've gotten what you're looking for and saved a ton of cash in the meantime. You've also moved forward with your life and your goals.
Might be heady, might be long-winded, but....my $.02.
FWIW
_________________________
I've upped my standards; now, up yours.
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#779866 - 03/04/05 05:01 PM
Re: Looking for a Birch Drum Set? Need Suggestions.
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offramp
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Registered: 10/31/00
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Loc: Golden, CO.
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"I'm buying the set mainly for the Kick Drum, and Toms"
I just reread your post and saw this, again, but for the first time.
You might want to consider buying the kit for the kick and snare, and then the toms. Like I said earlier, about the snare...
Kick and snare. Moose and squirrel.
Very important.
_________________________
I've upped my standards; now, up yours.
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#779867 - 03/04/05 08:13 PM
Re: Looking for a Birch Drum Set? Need Suggestions.
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sidereal
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Registered: 04/20/01
Posts: 692
Loc: San Francisco,CA
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Unless he doesn't need a snare drum. Everytime I've bought a kit I've bought a kick and toms configuration. I like to choose my snare separately from the rest of a kit.
_________________________
Just for the record.
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#779868 - 03/07/05 04:35 PM
Re: Looking for a Birch Drum Set? Need Suggestions.
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freelance
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Registered: 03/18/02
Posts: 349
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I had a chance to play on a Catalina and I really thought it sounded good and was well made.
I own a Birch (Premier Genista), a Maple (Mapex Pro M Limited) and a Mahogany (Mapex Voyager) and have owned over a dozen kits and have played on dozens more.
After close to 40 years of hands on - I am a fan of Birch - both in the studio and live. While I agree I would be hard pressed to listen to a kit and tell without doubt the type of wood, I do think Birch has a more focused mid range that tends to record well.
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#779869 - 03/08/05 09:43 AM
Re: Looking for a Birch Drum Set? Need Suggestions.
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Jedi
Platinum Member
Registered: 09/24/01
Posts: 1321
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Hey Gang,
Sorry so late with this. Got a Star Classic Performer. You can hear it on my website in a week or so. Thanks for all the replies.
Lincoln Ross
Dead Black Jedis
_________________________
"All conditioned things are impermanent. Work out your own salvation with diligence."
The Buddha's Last Words
R.I.P. RobT
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#779870 - 03/23/05 07:32 AM
Re: Looking for a Birch Drum Set? Need Suggestions.
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Bandit
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Registered: 03/16/05
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Yeah, I bought one of those. Love it's projection. I've also a maple kit from a Canadian company, Ayote, I use for studio work. Hard to tell which wood I prefer.
Mike
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#779871 - 04/09/05 11:58 PM
Re: Looking for a Birch Drum Set? Need Suggestions.
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Dave Scoven
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Registered: 04/02/05
Posts: 19
Loc: Richmond, VA USA
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I'd recommend looking for a used Yamaha Recording Custom kit. One of the old ones. They came in Piano Black, Cherry Wood and a really nice looking white that not too many people bought. Most people bought Piano Black because that's what Steve Gadd used. Manu Katche played a recording custom kit with Sting on Soul Cages.
If you find one and it has the original logo head on the kick, replace it with a head that has a proper size port hole -- the original recording custom kits had logo heads with a hole you could drive a truck though. VERY bad for tuning. But the drums sounded great. I had one of these kits for years and it was a monster in the studio. I sold it before I moved back to VA from LA. My main kit now is a maple Baltimore Drum Co.
Just a tip though ... a birch kit is pretty much a studio kit. You trade projection for a little extra bottom with birch. If you want drums that can also project live without micing, go for another type of wood.
OH! About snare drums that come with drum kits ... Don't buy the snare unless: (1) you have to, 'cause it absolutely comes with the kit (which is rare these days -- you can usually buy a "shell pack"), or (2) it's a great-sounding snare. I have four snares that I use regularly: (1) 8 x 14 Tama Starclassic, (2) 6.5 x 14 Ludwig Black Beauty, (3) 5 x 14 Grover (maple), (4) 5 x 14 Baltimore Drum Co. (also maple). I'd love to have a 6.5 x 14 Radio King and one of those aluminum Dave Weckl models from Yamaha (they sound KILLER!!!) What I DON'T have is any money tied up in a mediocre sounding snare that "just came with the kit." Buy your kit for the kick and toms -- choose snare drums to add to your your snare arsenal based on what you need to add another dimension or "voice" to your selection. It's not unreasonable for a studio drummer to have six or eight snares.
Dave Scoven
dscoven@verizon.net
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