New Sonor Maple Bop and Safari

In no world do I need a third kit...but I want!


I'm in the same boat. I need more drums like I need a hole in the head.
But these are such sexy little kits, and they get talked up so much here, I'm really tempted just to go for it.
Must be the bad influence of the forums - ha ha.
 
sonor_bop.jpg
 
Sounds like you're on a buying run. The small, inexpensive kits are great fun, as long as you have realistic expectations for them. They can sound real good.

Drums reach the point of 'diminishing returns' fairly quickly. There's a bit of a noticeable jump going from the least expensive to the next step up. After that, in most cases it takes more of a discriminating eye and ear to notice the differences. The small kits like the Safari/Bop are great bargains, and can fill a lot of roles.

Anyways, about the small kits. I tried converting a 16" tom into a bass drum, but found it just a little too small for my liking. I'm real comfortable with an 18" bass though, and 20 is the largest I consider going with nowadays.

I'm really adjusting to a 4 piece too, after always using 5. Just a bit of a difference when doing fills, but of course the basic timekeeping grooves (hats, bass, snare, ride) will be the same.

A while back, there was a big surge of people buying the Safari/Bop kits. I wonder how many still have them?
 
Sounds like you're on a buying run. The small, inexpensive kits are great fun, as long as you have realistic expectations for them. They can sound real good.

Drums reach the point of 'diminishing returns' fairly quickly. There's a bit of a noticeable jump going from the least expensive to the next step up. After that, in most cases it takes more of a discriminating eye and ear to notice the differences. The small kits like the Safari/Bop are great bargains, and can fill a lot of roles.

Anyways, about the small kits. I tried converting a 16" tom into a bass drum, but found it just a little too small for my liking. I'm real comfortable with an 18" bass though, and 20 is the largest I consider going with nowadays.

I'm really adjusting to a 4 piece too, after always using 5. Just a bit of a difference when doing fills, but of course the basic timekeeping grooves (hats, bass, snare, ride) will be the same.

A while back, there was a big surge of people buying the Safari/Bop kits. I wonder how many still have them?

On the point of diminishing returns I 100% agree. I have been lately contemplating an SQ2 purchase and to my ear I just love the sound of the S Classix. I can get an S Classix kit here much cheaper and have it refinished in exactly what I want for half the cost of an SQ2. So in my mind why have a kit built that costs twice as much but does not sound twice as good. A good example - my Prolites have the most popular shell configuration that people order for the SQ2. Really Prolites should be considered SQ2-lite.

I really wanted the 18" bass drum and again why spend a lot of money for a kit that will get some abuse. I remember the surge in the bop kits followed by the decline. People love to follow fads and the band wagon. My last kit I had for over 10 years and I am sure with my recent additions I will keep them and my cymbals just as long.

From my amazing journey to find the perfect drum heads I have spares that I can throw on this little kit to see what works. I am thinking my Evans G1 Coated on toms and snare.
 
....I really wanted the 18" bass drum and again why spend a lot of money for a kit that will get some abuse....


So you got the Bop 18", and not the Safari 16". If so, that's the one I was really considering, but in the end, I went with the Yamaha Stage Custom bop kit. Really having fun with it.

I'll bet the G1's will work wonders on that kit.
 
I think the Yamaha is a nicer kit. That being said $399 was hard to pass up. If I really like the bop idea I can order a smaller bass drum for my main kit.

Looking back the past few years a bop kit would have served me well at the smaller gigs here.
 
Here is my bop kit setup. I also have a picture showing how much less room it takes vs my main kit. Had a few small dings on the inside of the bass drum from shipping. Sam gave me a good refund; very fair since I repaired it with wood filler and sand paper. I am very picky though 90% wouldnt have bothered.

This kit will likely live in my car and see some abuse.
 

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When I first read about Sonor Bop and Safari, they were advertised as basswood. At those price points, I'm inclined to believe basswood rather than maple.
 
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