Kris Posted August 9, 2001 Share Posted August 9, 2001 My neighbor is going to give me an 8 yr old Mapex kit. I haven't seen/heard it yet but just curious... is Mapex a decent kit? Kris My Band: http://www.fullblackout.com UPDATED!!! Fairly regularly these days... http://www.logcabinmusic.com updated 11/9/04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rlhubley Posted August 9, 2001 Share Posted August 9, 2001 Yes, it certainly is. I have no clue which series your getting for free(lucky dog) but slap some new heads (EVANS) on and I imagine you will be impressed. If the kit looks rather dusty, clean all the hardware, and wipe down the inside and outside of the shell, especially the bearing edges. I've heard some damn good mapex kits. good luck(as if you need it!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Posted August 9, 2001 Author Share Posted August 9, 2001 Now I'm getting excited! I'm gonna pick it up tonight and I'll check out the model and condition... thanks. Though don't wanna make ya too jealous... they are giving it to me to have and to use as I wish, but not to own... ie they can take it back if their son ever has the inkling to try and play again. Probably won't be the case though! At any rate I'm super stoked as my regular studio kit ( a sweet early 70's Rogers) just moved (along with its owner) to Atlanta. Kris My Band: http://www.fullblackout.com UPDATED!!! Fairly regularly these days... http://www.logcabinmusic.com updated 11/9/04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djarrett Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 Hey, Kris: Your in luck ... I used to be one of the two folks in charge of Mapex USA. I helped design most of the Venus, Mars, Mars Pro, and the entire US Maple line. If you are getting a Venus kit, it is essentually equivalent to a Pearl Export. Mars to an Export EX Mars Pro was a laquered kit. And if you are getting a US Maple ... You *ARE* getting a prize!! Let me know what your jackpot reveals! DJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruBoz Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 Originally posted by djarrett: Hey, Kris: Your in luck ... I used to be one of the two folks in charge of Mapex USA. I helped design most of the Venus, Mars, Mars Pro, and the entire US Maple line. If you are getting a Venus kit, it is essentually equivalent to a Pearl Export. Mars to an Export EX Mars Pro was a laquered kit. And if you are getting a US Maple ... You *ARE* getting a prize!! Let me know what your jackpot reveals! DJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruBoz Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 That's weird. Where did my message go in the last post? Oh well, I guess I'll just type it again. DJ, Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Mapex combine basswood with their maple shells on some of their professional series kits. Why do they do that? I was just curious because my Rockstar Custom kit has plies of basswood in it, and I assumed basswood wasn't considered a professional quality wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felix stein Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 ARRRRRRRRRgh. IAN! DJ...I had the pleasure of selling Mapex kits when I worked the trenches. Washburn owned them at the time. We had a few Saturn kits that looked good and had a unique sound. I still liked the yamaha's we sold more though. felix's band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djarrett Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 Hey, Felix: You are close, but not cigar. I actually was 2nd in command at Mapex (did marketing, artist relations, product development,NAMM layout, janitor, schleppy, etc.) when Mapex was distributed by Gibson. We started the US Maple project and sells were so tremendous that suddenly, there were no Orion sells! (the offshore high end kit at the time) Mapex (Taiwan) asked us to cease production of the US Maple kits ... so the owner of Gibson said to find a US Drum Company to purchase. (afterall, we had a drum manufacturing plant we had invested in for the US Maple project) That is when we negotiated the purchase of Slingerland. Naturally, this strained the relationship with Mapex and eventually they left Gibson and went to Washburn. When that relationship melted, they decided to start their own distribution arm in the States. That operation is located outside of Nashville ... in LaVerne, Tennessee. BruBoz: I can only speak for product made between 1991 and 1995. At the time, the only kit made with Basswood was the Venus kit. This was the entry level drumset. The Mars and MarsPro ... were a Maple Sandwich (as we called it.) Maple outer and inner with Mahagony sandwiched in the middle. At the time (if my failing memory serves me correctly)the Saturn was Maple/Birch/Maple. The Orion were all maple shells. Hope this clarifies. Thanks, DJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djarrett Posted August 10, 2001 Share Posted August 10, 2001 ... and another interesting thing. Mapex has been around for many, many years. They are actually owned by a company in Taiwan called Musix. Musix is a large brass instrument manufacterer. They have made drums for other companies ... Sonor entry and mid lines, CB700, etc. for many years. They determined in the late 1980's to start their own line. The name (which I always felt was the biggest downfall of the line) came about due to a raffle that was held amongst employees. Dispite rumors, the name has nothing to do with TAMA (the font used was just the same ... another mistake ... I always thought) and the name does not mean MAPle EXport. It was just the luck of the draw on the name. The drums and the hardware are all excellent quality and the company is first rate. Just thought you would like to know about a little history and about the quality. Thanks, DJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felix stein Posted August 13, 2001 Share Posted August 13, 2001 I could have sworn "washboard" owned them for awhile. But, you should know. felix's band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Posted August 13, 2001 Author Share Posted August 13, 2001 Well it turns out it is a Venus... It looks really nice (black) and so far sounds great. Really like the tone of the toms. Bass drum is really punchy,... I'm not too keen on the snare but it also has a really worn head right now. After some new heads and a fix for the hi hat, I'll mic it up and have a comparison with the old Rogers kit. PS... what drum heads are recommended for studio work with this kit? Kris My Band: http://www.fullblackout.com UPDATED!!! Fairly regularly these days... http://www.logcabinmusic.com updated 11/9/04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djarrett Posted August 14, 2001 Share Posted August 14, 2001 Well, Kris: It was free ... what else could you ask for!?! Believe it or not, when working artist relations for Mapex, we had a few artist that actually *did* use Venus for touring ... even though they were considered entry level drums. Depending on what you are looking for in the sound, I recommend that you try Powerstroke III's on the drums batters and plain clear diplomats on the bottoms or ambassadors on the bottoms. (again depending on the sound you seek). Hope this helps, DJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidereal Posted August 14, 2001 Share Posted August 14, 2001 Dammit... Are you telling me Gibson fucked up yet another company? What is with those assholes. Stick with guitars Gibson! I want to start a worldwide ban of this company if it does anything other than make a freaking guitar. So let's see, companies that Gibson has screwed over: Opcode, Oberheim, Digidesign, Mapex... Who's next? Just for the record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djarrett Posted August 14, 2001 Share Posted August 14, 2001 Hey, Sidereal ... do not get me started. I worked there from 91 -95 In an effort to stay politically correct ... let me just say this: They have also hired and fired more folks that any other company in the industry ... many of them real great folks! Let's see ... Opcode, Stienberger, Tobias, Dididesign, Mapex, Slingerland, Redbear, Oberheim, Dawn, Zeta, Orange, etc, etc, etc. Need I say more? DJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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