PDP platinum vs Mapex pro m

The Pro M's are dirt cheap right now if you look in the right places (MassMusic.net in particular) and they sound amazing as is, so for $600-$700, they really can't be beat. That said, the Platinum is more expandable and is newer to the market, so upgrades will be easier to do as the Pro M is likely to be discontinued.
 
gmrakich said:
Mapex.

I have heard reports of the Platinum hardware and lugs melting under stage lights.
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Where did you hear/see these "reports"? My Pacific CX lugs have certainly never melted. Sounds ridiculous.
 
I'm tempted to think that gm is anti- DW the way some people are anti Wal-Mart or McDonald's. It just isn't convincing when all you do is bad mouth one outfit (or their subsidiaries) without conceding any good points about them.
 
They are both great sounding drums, but I would go Pacific. They are much improved with the new lugs and finishes, and more importantly, they sound fantastic. A friend of mine owns two exotic DWs and a Pacific Plat that he gigs with and the Pacific hangs right in there.
 
Also take into account that the Pro-M's are being discontinued along with the M-Birch series and are being replaced with a new series to be launched at NAMM in January.

So if you choose the Pro-M's then you may find it difficult getting spares or add on toms in the future, if you decide on Mapex then wait for the new series (which I believe is to be called Meridian, spelling mistakes probable!) to see what they're like!
 
Mikecore said:
I'm tempted to think that gm is anti- DW the way some people are anti Wal-Mart or McDonald's. It just isn't convincing when all you do is bad mouth one outfit (or their subsidiaries) without conceding any good points about them.
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DW drums are very round.
They are the McDonald's of high end drums....nicely put.
I have owned 6 DW kits over the years. They all made one specific note really well, but due to shell construction, don't have the range of tuning that I would expect for a set that costs that much. They do have that great DW sound....true. And so does every other DW drum. They are like Paiste that way. They all sound the same. Their hardware is great. Their lugs are silly (IMO) And they have a great marketing department. So my first hand experiences are how I formed my opinion. As far a PDP, nice shell finishes, but the hardware is substandard, bearing edges STILL have issues from time to time (do a search) and lugs, IMO, look silly. They are a low to mid range kit that have people convinced that they are somehow how getting a DW. These are all my opinions, but they do have a solid point of reference. How many people on here have owned 6 DW kits? They are not for me. But they will continue to make drums that the majority of drummers love.
 
OK, if you want to be lippy, here's my point. There is no reason at all to have such vehement hatred for any one drum company, and that you seem to have it for DW is suspect. I don't care that you have owned a MILLION DW kits. It's only one drum maker. Get over it, man! No matter how much I might disagree with this or that maker's design ideas (or whatever), I never felt such a need to dissuade anyone else from trying them. Do you see how this seems like too much for me?
 
I own a PDP, and as it stands will never purchase another product from them. As for DW, (ignoring the HUGE lugs) they are great looking drums that sound great and are well built. However, in Australia certainly, they cost more then a proverbial arm and leg. The PDP drums seem quite well priced but the countless hardware issues (stands, mounts and general chrome) aren't worth it; not to mention I had to fix about 1/3 of my bearing edges.

Mapex make some nice drums at really competitive prices. See if you can get a decent price on some Saturns, they're some fantastic sounding drums.

Personally, with the sort of money you're talking I'd be looking at used drums. You should be able to go a grade or two above in lightly used condition (read little to no marks, etc) which will make ALL of the difference.
 
Mikecore said:
OK, if you want to be lippy, here's my point. There is no reason at all to have such vehement hatred for any one drum company, and that you seem to have it for DW is suspect. I don't care that you have owned a MILLION DW kits. It's only one drum maker. Get over it, man! No matter how much I might disagree with this or that maker's design ideas (or whatever), I never felt such a need to dissuade anyone else from trying them. Do you see how this seems like too much for me?
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If you know that poking yourself in the eye with a sharp stick hurts and you see someone about to do it, would you let them. It is only my opinion, but it does have first hand experience behind it. People are going to do what they want, but don't tell me that my opinion is any less valid than anyone else. You own a set of DW/PDP, right?
 
gmrakich said:
If you know that poking yourself in the eye with a sharp stick hurts and you see someone about to do it, would you let them. It is only my opinion, but it does have first hand experience behind it. People are going to do what they want, but don't tell me that my opinion is any less valid than anyone else. You own a set of DW/PDP, right?
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I understand your point. But if DW drums are "Not for me" as you say, why on earth did you buy six kits you don't like? Pretty foolish don't you think?
I recently bought a PDP kit that sounds nice & big. I passed on the Mapex. Next time I may get the Mapex. Not because its better. I think if I bought the Mapex I would wonder what I was missing by not getting the PDP.
 
I must be lucky or something, considering that I've read how so many people have had problems with the hardware, and I haven't had any. Before I even bought my Platinum series kit a couple months ago, I had been using all PDP 900 series stands for a couple years. Three straight stands, and a boom stand. I've put them up and down countless times at gigs, and they've held up fine. However, if someone was complaining about any of the hardware below the 900 series line, it would be more understandable. As for me though, I'm just extremely happy I haven't encountered any of these problems from PDP.
 
mikeybbdrummin said:
I understand your point. But if DW drums are "Not for me" as you say, why on earth did you buy six kits you don't like? Pretty foolish don't you think?
I recently bought a PDP kit that sounds nice & big. I passed on the Mapex. Next time I may get the Mapex. Not because its better. I think if I bought the Mapex I would wonder what I was missing by not getting the PDP.
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Six kits bought over a 20 year period. Different shell builds, etc. Willing to give them a try from time to time. Will more than likely do so again down the road. As I stated, I do have first hand experience ....so I will pass that on and maybe help someone out.
 
I would not attempt to moderate this argument in any way. GM has good points, and experiance enough to form such opinions. I would be much the same way with other brands, because they weren't always as good as they are now.

DW is an easy target for those that like to take a swipe at them. The price, the lugs, the lofty promises and marketing hype are all fodder for someone to tear into. It's actually interesting to hear someone who has owned a set or two critique them. That's more valid of a comment than someone who gets upset at DW because they can't afford them. That's not really a good reason to dislike DW.

That being said, I noticed that tama, sonor and yamaha really don't get bashed, if so...very rarely. I think that is because they are mainstream and are not generally the most expensive. They also don't make promises that are as lofty, like the shell design of the month or odd kick drum size that you are told you have to have.

DW do not make my favorite drums. In fact, since I have heard stave and bubinga drums, I have no interest in maple XYZ verticle cross-laminate 23" laser-cut exotic finishply collectors light drums.
 
The brands you mention do not get bashed because their marketing/claims are not anywhere near the DW hype machine output.
BTW, my number one snare I use is a 14x6.5 DW Edge. Fantastic drum.
 
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