Sonor Safari

You're going to enjoy it.

Now, in re-payment for all the valuable DW advice, you Must write much about the kit after you spend some time on it. Do Not let us down.

:)
 
The kit arrived yesterday but I need help setting it up....FYI I am a wheelchair-bound drummer and yes I can use my feet...I've got a drummer friend who's going to help me. I'll keep you guys posted!
 
artisandrummer said:
The kit arrived yesterday but I need help setting it up....FYI I am a wheelchair-bound drummer and yes I can use my feet...I've got a drummer friend who's going to help me. I'll keep you guys posted!
Click to expand...

Definitely tell us how it all goes.
 
Reworking the kit layout, to add the small tom back.
Did a few gigs with 3 pieces only, and it was lots of fun, but I'm missing another tom now.

First attempt at the new layout failed. I can no longer reach a crash. :)
But, I'm about to go play it anyway. Need to play, will fix it later.

We'll see what I'm thinking after logging more time with the little 10" tom.
Really wished the kit had come with a 12.

... 2-3-4
 
I gigged with my Safari for the first time last Sat.
It was a showing of local bands kind of thing with bands of all age groups and many musical styles. Just a fun event for bands to gather and show off.

They supplied a Sound Engineer and a PA with no drum mics and they allowed 15 mins set up time between bands.
The room was about 40 feet square with about 50 people watching.
We were the oldest musicians there.

I unpacked the Safari in the staging area and I assembled the kit while some of the other drummers looked on.
Several of the younger drummers had never seen a kit with a 16x16 bass drum before and they were curious. I got some smirks and many questions about the kit.

I carried the Safari on stage and I was ready to play in about 4 mins.
We played our 1/2 hour set that consisted of light Rock, Blues, and Country.

The Safari sounded great! We played at low volume and I could tell that the audience liked our clean sound.
All of the other bands played much louder than us. The sound man said that he hardly had to turn the volume up on the vocal mics at all. We almost didn't need them.

Our band and the Safari were a big hit.
We met many people and had a great time.

In May I am going to play the Safari at a cocktail party with my jazz band for a local arts society gathering..
Pete Seeger is going to be a guest there. He is going to perform later in the evening.
 
Last edited:
Have a bunch of gigs under my belt now with the kit, but last night's was the first with all pieces. Was trying to live with 3 pieces, but I'm over it :) .

Kit sounded really good last night. I love this kit.
 

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Frank said:
Was trying to live with 3 pieces, but I'm over it :) .
Click to expand...
I am not surprised that you have gone back to a four piece.
I never said anything but I thought that your decision to cut the floor tom and run with three pieces was perhaps made to quickly after buying the kit.

I have a Rhythm Traveler so I have a similar kit to what you are using without reso's on the toms.
I bought the Safari to fill a void between mt RT kit and my other kits.
 
bobdadruma said:
I am not surprised that you have gone back to a four piece.
I never said anything but I thought that your decision to cut the floor tom and run with three pieces was perhaps made to quickly after buying the kit.
Click to expand...

I def don't regret cutting the floor tom. That's my thing. :) I did the same thing to
my Gretsch Cat Jazz. [gasp! :) ]
I like my toms suspended.

But, yeah - I'm over the 3 piece thing. It's still all I'll probably bring if I ever weasel my way into a jazz thing, but for the dance/cover band, yeah - the 4th piece is very helpful.

By the way, folks - everyone's mileage varies with heads and tone they look for, but I'm finding, with these small sizes - that Evans EC2s sound very good on this kit. Especially that 10 inch tom. I'm not a 10 inch tom lover, and I generally like lower tones, but that little guy with an EC2 is an awesome drum.
 
I completed the snare upgrade. It now is a 10 lug free floater with Gary's lugs installed.
I also installed a different throw off.
 

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Bo Eder said:
So does it sound any different?
Click to expand...
Yes, There is a big difference. I can tune it real nice and tight now.
It has a lot more sensitivity and response also. It still has somewhat of a dirty Jazz sound to it which is good because I use it for Jazz.
I'm going to add a better strainer in the near future to finish the upgrade.
 
Pics from gig last night:
 

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Re: Sonor Bop Review Finally!!!!!!!!!!!1

Well fellow Sonor lovers I finally have my baby up and running. My response in a word would be "Wow!" The 18' kick thunders. When I was a kid with what I believe was Pearl's only fiberglass kit, the 22' kick on that didn't sound as thunderous. The rack and floor toms roar as well even with the UT heads...Yeah the snare throw off is as chincy as most have been reporting on this thread. Instead of replacing heads and snare wire on this I've found a Sonor 3007 metal snare for 100 bucks and it comes with EC2's as stock...

All in all, I'm so happy I decided on this hidden beauty rather than the larger 2007 4 piece I was thinking of getting...My DW 5000 Accelerator pedal is fast as hell..Overall the best 400 I've ever spent....

After not having even picked up a pair of sticks in twenty five years it's weird...It is like riding a bike...I would advise you all to buy this kit when you're all able...I think even with minimal micing I can rock with thisn kit!
 
Re: Sonor Bop Review Finally!!!!!!!!!!!1

artisandrummer said:
Well fellow Sonor lovers I finally have my baby up and running. My response in a word would be "Wow!" The 18' kick thunders. When I was a kid with what I believe was Pearl's only fiberglass kit, the 22' kick on that didn't sound as thunderous. The rack and floor toms roar as well even with the UT heads...Yeah the snare throw off is as chincy as most have been reporting on this thread. Instead of replacing heads and snare wire on this I've found a Sonor 3007 metal snare for 100 bucks and it comes with EC2's as stock...

All in all, I'm so happy I decided on this hidden beauty rather than the larger 2007 4 piece I was thinking of getting...My DW 5000 Accelerator pedal is fast as hell..Overall the best 400 I've ever spent....

After not having even picked up a pair of sticks in twenty five years it's weird...It is like riding a bike...I would advise you all to buy this kit when you're all able...I think even with minimal micing I can rock with thisn kit!
Click to expand...

And there goes another satisfied Sonor customer...... ;)
 
Separate Pieces?

Anyone in the know have any idea if it is possible to order a single piece - i.e. another floor tom in this series?

I would bet against it, but I thought I would ask.

[Why, you ask? :) Cuz if I could buy a single floor tom, I would, and I'd cut it into a deep snare. ]
 
Frank, (I mean this as a joke)
I have never met anyone who likes to cut drums so much!
 
Re: Separate Pieces?

Frank said:
Anyone in the know have any idea if it is possible to order a single piece - i.e. another floor tom in this series?

I would bet against it, but I thought I would ask.

[Why, you ask? :) Cuz if I could buy a single floor tom, I would, and I'd cut it into a deep snare. ]
Click to expand...

I've looked in vain myself Frank...I bet this is a trade-off for making such an inexpensive line of kits...You can't by add-ons...I've decided when the time comes to expand my kit I'm going for Remo rotos
 
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