phishfrenzy
Junior Member
I've been playing on Pearl my entire life, any thoughts or input on their birch shells?
Thoughts on Mapex?
- Thread starter phishfrenzy
- Start date
Re: Thoughs on Mapex?
I was wondering how long that would take...
Played a set last year. Fairly generic birch ply sound, despite the revolutionary never seen before earth shattering bearing edges
I was wondering how long that would take...
GeoB
Gold Member
Re: Thoughs on Mapex?
Older Mapex kits might be better quality than the newer production models.
I go with tried and true tonewood. I don't particularly care for sandwich laminates of basswood/luan/poplar etc...
I like maple. But I have a birch floor tom that sounds absolutely phenomenal. But I'm not going total birch... because I don't need to.
Aside from the nice tone and projection maple or birch provides the bearing edges are also harder than those kits made of softer or, in the case of luan.... splintery woods.
Older Mapex kits might be better quality than the newer production models.
I go with tried and true tonewood. I don't particularly care for sandwich laminates of basswood/luan/poplar etc...
I like maple. But I have a birch floor tom that sounds absolutely phenomenal. But I'm not going total birch... because I don't need to.
Aside from the nice tone and projection maple or birch provides the bearing edges are also harder than those kits made of softer or, in the case of luan.... splintery woods.
MileHighDrummer
Senior Member
Re: Thoughs on Mapex?
I wouldn't be considering anything that hasn't already moved you for some reason. Buy something that you have to have because of it's tone or "sound" not because of its brand or color. Like tamadrm said - Let your ears decide.
I wouldn't be considering anything that hasn't already moved you for some reason. Buy something that you have to have because of it's tone or "sound" not because of its brand or color. Like tamadrm said - Let your ears decide.
Michaelocalypse
Senior Member
Re: Thoughs on Mapex?
Good quality from top to bottom. I'd recommend getting the configuration you want because they tend to make a lot of changes and improvements, so things aren't available for a super long time.
If it makes you feel better about switching brands, the original Mapex factory was where Pearl outsourced their production to for lower end kits in the 1980s.
Good quality from top to bottom. I'd recommend getting the configuration you want because they tend to make a lot of changes and improvements, so things aren't available for a super long time.
If it makes you feel better about switching brands, the original Mapex factory was where Pearl outsourced their production to for lower end kits in the 1980s.
Duck Tape
Platinum Member
Re: Thoughs on Mapex?
I was playing on an m birch last night, it had crappy old heads but it sounded good.
Why do you say that?
I was playing on an m birch last night, it had crappy old heads but it sounded good.
Why do you say that?
RickP
Gold Member
Re: Thoughs on Mapex?
My thoughts ? Nice drums, nothing special though. This is not intended to insult the Mapex fans as drums these days are pretty much universally good in quality, what with CNC machines etc in use with the larger manufacturers. Mapex are fine drums, well made but no better nor worse than most of the majors.
My thoughts ? Nice drums, nothing special though. This is not intended to insult the Mapex fans as drums these days are pretty much universally good in quality, what with CNC machines etc in use with the larger manufacturers. Mapex are fine drums, well made but no better nor worse than most of the majors.
BFrench501
Senior Member
Re: Thoughs on Mapex?
I have played on and owned various Yamaha, Pearl, Tama, Premier and Mapex kits.
All offer different things but for me I prefer Mapex. It's a matter of taste, but Mapex's birch shells to me sound amazing. The 16" floor tom is a monster and resonates really well. I'll upload a youtube cover of Brown Sugar I did with my band when home from work - the toms project well and the bass drum is huge sounding.
They are easy to tune, retain tuning very well and are fairly light to transport compared to other kits.
I can't wait to get a Mapex M Birch kit off someone 2nd hand. Getting an 8-piece (8/10/12/13/14/16/22 & 14x5.5 snare) on a trade with someone for 14" new beats, 19"K Dark thin crash and £60.
Definitely order the sizes you want quickly. They dont even continue the Meridian Birch line and they are fairly modern...
I have played on and owned various Yamaha, Pearl, Tama, Premier and Mapex kits.
All offer different things but for me I prefer Mapex. It's a matter of taste, but Mapex's birch shells to me sound amazing. The 16" floor tom is a monster and resonates really well. I'll upload a youtube cover of Brown Sugar I did with my band when home from work - the toms project well and the bass drum is huge sounding.
They are easy to tune, retain tuning very well and are fairly light to transport compared to other kits.
I can't wait to get a Mapex M Birch kit off someone 2nd hand. Getting an 8-piece (8/10/12/13/14/16/22 & 14x5.5 snare) on a trade with someone for 14" new beats, 19"K Dark thin crash and £60.
Definitely order the sizes you want quickly. They dont even continue the Meridian Birch line and they are fairly modern...
drummer-russ
Gold Member
Andy
Honorary Member
Re: Thoughs on Mapex?
I think the Saturn's have something more about them than the birch set I tried last year Ben
brady
Platinum Member
Re: Thoughs on Mapex?
They're not bad sounding kits. I have a Pro M maple snare from around 2007 or so that I got a great deal on.
I have liked some of their snares. I guess they are the Black Panther line? The Retrosonic and a couple others. The Will Calhoun signature snare is really sweet.
One thing that bugs me about them...well not really the Mapex's fault...is that it seems EVERYONE here in town plays one. The local music store carries a lot of Mapex stuff so you tend to see it all over.
They're not bad sounding kits. I have a Pro M maple snare from around 2007 or so that I got a great deal on.
I have liked some of their snares. I guess they are the Black Panther line? The Retrosonic and a couple others. The Will Calhoun signature snare is really sweet.
One thing that bugs me about them...well not really the Mapex's fault...is that it seems EVERYONE here in town plays one. The local music store carries a lot of Mapex stuff so you tend to see it all over.
maxhammerstrike
Member
Re: Thoughs on Mapex?
Totally love my new Mapex Saturn MH Granite Sparkle kit (12,14,16,22 ), they tune up well ...and record great !! lots of compliments on sound and looks ;-)
Totally love my new Mapex Saturn MH Granite Sparkle kit (12,14,16,22 ), they tune up well ...and record great !! lots of compliments on sound and looks ;-)
dat yeti
Senior Member
Re: Thoughs on Mapex?
Mapex is a pretty good bang for your buck. I got a 5 piece jazz meridian maple last year for 600. Brand new. So definitely a great deal as I love the sound of it, and it's really nice stuff. I already have other hardware so that helped. But if you can find any birch models in your area, make an effort to try them out in person, you gotta hear them to know if they're your thing.
There's nothing particularly special about mapex versus other brands other than what their bearing edge is for that model, and maybe single point contact lugs for certain competitors models.
There are amazing deals on the meridian birch on ebay and stores across the US right now. I highly recommend everything from late 1990's to around late 2000's. That will be mostly M series, M birch, Pro M, and meridian birch/maple, excluding Mars Pro which is maple/basswood.
I say that because I am not really a fan of the new Mars, and Armory series. Not sure about mydentity, don't care really. The black panther and armory snares are great of course, but not really a fan of the new kits. The new mars is wrapped which I prefer lacquer, and tapping them a little bit, to me they didn't sound special especially compared to my meridian maple.
The others bring up great points here, about buying the configuration you want or getting add on drums now as Mapex seems to change they're line ups every few years or so.
Mapex is a pretty good bang for your buck. I got a 5 piece jazz meridian maple last year for 600. Brand new. So definitely a great deal as I love the sound of it, and it's really nice stuff. I already have other hardware so that helped. But if you can find any birch models in your area, make an effort to try them out in person, you gotta hear them to know if they're your thing.
There's nothing particularly special about mapex versus other brands other than what their bearing edge is for that model, and maybe single point contact lugs for certain competitors models.
There are amazing deals on the meridian birch on ebay and stores across the US right now. I highly recommend everything from late 1990's to around late 2000's. That will be mostly M series, M birch, Pro M, and meridian birch/maple, excluding Mars Pro which is maple/basswood.
I say that because I am not really a fan of the new Mars, and Armory series. Not sure about mydentity, don't care really. The black panther and armory snares are great of course, but not really a fan of the new kits. The new mars is wrapped which I prefer lacquer, and tapping them a little bit, to me they didn't sound special especially compared to my meridian maple.
The others bring up great points here, about buying the configuration you want or getting add on drums now as Mapex seems to change they're line ups every few years or so.
BFrench501
Senior Member
Re: Thoughs on Mapex?
Its interesting that you say that because in the Midlands (England) I dont know an awful lot of people who play Mapex and I do check out the local scene a fair bit. Most people use Pearl, Premier and Tama.
My adventure with Mapex started with the V series back 11 years ago, I had the abalone red kit and I still insist to this day that the quality of the kit was just as good as middle of the road kits. I can't speak for their lower end stuff today but I'd bet it is better than a lot of other companies low end stuff.
Mapex wasn't stocked anywhere really when I bought it, it was a 2nd hand kit in a shop. 4 years later just before stopping playing, Mapex was stocked to same levels as the big companies. This was back in the days where most drum shops in the midlands just stocked Sabian and Zildjian.
The choice we have as players is ridiculous nowadays, but I'll always choose Mapex until I can afford a 9 piece Guru kit ;-)
Its interesting that you say that because in the Midlands (England) I dont know an awful lot of people who play Mapex and I do check out the local scene a fair bit. Most people use Pearl, Premier and Tama.
My adventure with Mapex started with the V series back 11 years ago, I had the abalone red kit and I still insist to this day that the quality of the kit was just as good as middle of the road kits. I can't speak for their lower end stuff today but I'd bet it is better than a lot of other companies low end stuff.
Mapex wasn't stocked anywhere really when I bought it, it was a 2nd hand kit in a shop. 4 years later just before stopping playing, Mapex was stocked to same levels as the big companies. This was back in the days where most drum shops in the midlands just stocked Sabian and Zildjian.
The choice we have as players is ridiculous nowadays, but I'll always choose Mapex until I can afford a 9 piece Guru kit ;-)
