wsabol
Gold Member
First off, some back story.
I've been playing, gigging, and recording with a Percussion Plus kit nearly ten years now. I modified it a year or so ago, and it doesn't sound bad by any means, but it definitely time to upgrade.
I wanted my new kit to be one that I'll have forever, and hopefully the only one I'll need. In college I was really turned on by Yamaha, and had my heart set on that. But Yamaha doesn't even offer the dimensions I wanted even in their highest end "custom" line. I love that Great Gretsch sound, but that would cost me an arm and a leg. So I decided to think about making my own kit. I went around in circles a million times over and over on spec a long, long, long time but I finally settled on these.
12x8 - 6 lug - 6 ply Keller
14x14 - 8 lug - 6 ply Keller
16x15 - 8 lug - 6 ply Keller
20x14 - 8 lug - 8 ply Keller
14x5.75 - 10 lug - 8 ply Keller
My idea behind this kit is to try to replicate what I hear when I think of vintage drums. That means: short sustain, dry, but very resonant shell characteristics. I don't use any muffling on my kit, but I want these to sound almost like they did have internal mufflers like the old drums. Using that and some personally preferences, I can develop some building specs. I'm using maple Keller shells, so I cant do anything about the shell construction, but rounded edges, straight shell, Ludwig snare bed and snare hardware, diecast hoops on the toms, with no gaskets of any kind anywhere, and coated Ambs everywhere should do the trick
I just finished the snare last night. The matching snare was something I decided to do last minute, but man its sexy, and more importantly it sounds the way I would expect: warm, fat, punchy, and really sensitive. The rimshot has quite a bit of bit to it, but the normal tone is really round with not a lot of highs. The shell I got from Keller has some figuring and birds eye markings, which is freaking awesome.. it more striking in person that in the pics.. and yea, the stain doesn't help, but whatever I like my cherry stain.
This is the first time I've used the P86 strainer. WOW. I don't think the P85 is that bad, but the P86 is WAAAY better.
Other notable specs are:
-Triple flanged hoops I got off a dead 1976 Supra
-Puresoud Blasters snare wires
-Coated Ambassador over Hazy Ambassador
-Finished with tung oil and then polyurethane top coat. Inside I sanded to 320 and 2 coated of Shellac.
I'm almost done finishing the rest of the shells, the 12" and the 14" will be next ones completed. I don't have badges yet, but I working on it. Let me know what you think (and no, I won't throw hissy fit if you don't like it).
-Will
I've been playing, gigging, and recording with a Percussion Plus kit nearly ten years now. I modified it a year or so ago, and it doesn't sound bad by any means, but it definitely time to upgrade.
I wanted my new kit to be one that I'll have forever, and hopefully the only one I'll need. In college I was really turned on by Yamaha, and had my heart set on that. But Yamaha doesn't even offer the dimensions I wanted even in their highest end "custom" line. I love that Great Gretsch sound, but that would cost me an arm and a leg. So I decided to think about making my own kit. I went around in circles a million times over and over on spec a long, long, long time but I finally settled on these.
12x8 - 6 lug - 6 ply Keller
14x14 - 8 lug - 6 ply Keller
16x15 - 8 lug - 6 ply Keller
20x14 - 8 lug - 8 ply Keller
14x5.75 - 10 lug - 8 ply Keller
My idea behind this kit is to try to replicate what I hear when I think of vintage drums. That means: short sustain, dry, but very resonant shell characteristics. I don't use any muffling on my kit, but I want these to sound almost like they did have internal mufflers like the old drums. Using that and some personally preferences, I can develop some building specs. I'm using maple Keller shells, so I cant do anything about the shell construction, but rounded edges, straight shell, Ludwig snare bed and snare hardware, diecast hoops on the toms, with no gaskets of any kind anywhere, and coated Ambs everywhere should do the trick
I just finished the snare last night. The matching snare was something I decided to do last minute, but man its sexy, and more importantly it sounds the way I would expect: warm, fat, punchy, and really sensitive. The rimshot has quite a bit of bit to it, but the normal tone is really round with not a lot of highs. The shell I got from Keller has some figuring and birds eye markings, which is freaking awesome.. it more striking in person that in the pics.. and yea, the stain doesn't help, but whatever I like my cherry stain.
This is the first time I've used the P86 strainer. WOW. I don't think the P85 is that bad, but the P86 is WAAAY better.
Other notable specs are:
-Triple flanged hoops I got off a dead 1976 Supra
-Puresoud Blasters snare wires
-Coated Ambassador over Hazy Ambassador
-Finished with tung oil and then polyurethane top coat. Inside I sanded to 320 and 2 coated of Shellac.
I'm almost done finishing the rest of the shells, the 12" and the 14" will be next ones completed. I don't have badges yet, but I working on it. Let me know what you think (and no, I won't throw hissy fit if you don't like it).
-Will
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