Configuration Question

F

fusssion

Guest
This comes to mind because NAMM 09 is going on right now. And, it kind of falls on the tail of my old post, 10-12-14-16 blah blah blah ...from a while ago...BUT ...

When will the major manufacturers start offering different configurations other than even numbered toms? It's all you see, [minus the bass] 10-12-14-16, 10-12-16, 8-10-12-14, on and on and on. Come on!

What about, well, the classic, 13, 16, 22. And what about (what I would order) a 10-13-16, [3" apart difference, I mean,..what a great 5 piece kit, right? Just ask David Garibaldi!

What about this, 13, 16, 18 and a different bass drum size of your choice? Why not?

Yeah, yeah, ...I know ...it's all marketing and what people want ....but I'm sure there are more folks than me who want DIFFERENT stuff ...and when we do, ...they SCREW you on price for ordering it piece by piece!! WHAT, ...you built these drums different than the rest ?! PLEASE!!

Rant off! :)
 
I'm with you.
I got the 10, 12 14, 16 floor back before it was a standard configuration because I didn't like 12, 13 ,16 intervals of my previous kit.
Now I'm down to a 4 pc. with 12 and 16 but would much prefer 13, 16.
10, 13, 16 seems to me to be the ideal configuration for a 5 pc. kit. It's obvious, it's perfect. Timpani are 3' different in diameter.
 
autonomos said:
Timpani are 3' different in diameter.
Click to expand...
But octabans are all 6" and vary by 2" depth intervals for descending tones.

I am with you though. I grew up around 5-pc kits that were all 12/13/16 and it never sat well with me. One kid brought a Rogers kit to school that was 12/14/16 and it sounded more dramatic with those intervals.

As to 4-pc, I think 13" is perfect, because it's "on the fence." It can be tuned up a bit to sound a bit smaller, or a little lower, but not so deep it runs into the 16" floor tom.

FWIW: I don't use a 13" in my kit, but I like it in a 4-pc config.
 
autonomos said:
I'm with you.
I got the 10, 12 14, 16 floor back before it was a standard configuration because I didn't like 12, 13 ,16 intervals of my previous kit.
Now I'm down to a 4 pc. with 12 and 16 but would much prefer 13, 16.
10, 13, 16 seems to me to be the ideal configuration for a 5 pc. kit. It's obvious, it's perfect. Timpani are 3' different in diameter.
Click to expand...

I can't agree with you more. To me, all the manufacturers are making the 10-12-16, ...why? And, the 12-16 for a 'rock' kit....again,...why? The ONLY reason they're doing the 12/13/16 is probably 'tradition' ....nothing else makes sense.

I'm really amazed that NONE of the manufacturers have offered a 5 piece in the 10-13-16 config. It just makes sense...
 
I never got the 10-12-16-22 thing either but that was the configuration offered at the time so I just added a 14x12 tom for even intervals. I eventually changed my mind about 4 toms and cut down to 2.

Speaking of traditional setups, I thought 12-14-20 or 13-16 22 was it.

What I'd like to see as standard kits:
12-14-20
10-12-14-20
13-16-22 (or 24 option)
10-13-16-22 (or 24 option)
13-16-18-22 (or 24 option)
Did I miss anything? I'm aware some folks will also want 18" and 26" kicks. But wouldn't this lineup satisfy most?

I have been decided for over a year that my next kit will be Gretch Renowns, 13-16-22 with maybe the possible addition of an 18 for the left side.
 
"As to 4-pc, I think 13" is perfect, because it's "on the fence." "

Exactly. For one up I gotta get me a 13"
 
autonomos said:
I never got the 10-12-16-22 thing either but that was the configuration offered at the time so I just added a 14x12 tom for even intervals. I eventually changed my mind about 4 toms and cut down to 2.

Speaking of traditional setups, I thought 12-14-20 or 13-16 22 was it.

What I'd like to see as standard kits:
12-14-20
10-12-14-20
13-16-22 (or 24 option)
10-13-16-22 (or 24 option)
13-16-18-22 (or 24 option)
Did I miss anything? I'm aware some folks will also want 18" and 26" kicks. But wouldn't this lineup satisfy most?

I have been decided for over a year that my next kit will be Gretch Renowns, 13-16-22 with maybe the possible addition of an 18 for the left side.
Click to expand...

Auto, I would only add the 'standard' kits that are going on today:
10-12-14-16-22 , and the 10-12-16-22 also, and maybe even the original 5 piece with 12-13-16-22, which I would LOVE to see the take rates for sales on these kits from the major mfgs!! But your kit recommendations are spot on, no doubt! Of course, there would be 18 and 26 options, but for the most part, your list covers it!

Here is what really bugs me....your 22-13-16 Gretsch Renown will be a custom order, and you'll get royally screwed on price. The whole scam is ridiculous really...ON EDIT: See my latest post, ....if you can handle a 24" kick, the Renown series has a 24-13-16 Rock config!!
 
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it is kind of weird about the "standard" setups. i never was a fan of a 13" tom because i could never get it tuned good next to a 12". it is crazy how there's "standard" and "custom" set ups. i've always like 10, 12, 14, 16, 22. that's just me.
 
cjl71178 said:
it is kind of weird about the "standard" setups. i never was a fan of a 13" tom because i could never get it tuned good next to a 12". it is crazy how there's "standard" and "custom" set ups. i've always like 10, 12, 14, 16, 22. that's just me.
Click to expand...


And a lot of people do, ....but .......what about a 5 piece kit? What should that be, and what kind of options should we have?
 
i'm a fan of two floor toms and one rack tom. so mine would be 12, 14, 16. but i guess nothing's really "standard" these days.
 
well, you guys know me,i like giant monster kits so thank god they don't make 9", 11",17" and 19" toms because i would HAVE to buy them...
 
cjl71178 said:
it is kind of weird about the "standard" setups. i never was a fan of a 13" tom because i could never get it tuned good next to a 12".
Click to expand...

That's exactly the reason why I've never liked the "standard" 12-13-16 setup. There's only an inch difference between the two toms (in terms of diameter and depth), so it's hard to get them to sound good together without one drum being tuned way out of its range. I currently play a 10-12-14-20 setup and it works great for what I do, but I'd love to get a 15 inch floor tom soon. I wonder why more manufacturers don't offer that size. . .?
 
diosdude said:
well, you guys know me,i like giant monster kits so thank god they don't make 9", 11",17" and 19" toms because i would HAVE to buy them...
Click to expand...

well, dw makes a 23" bass drum now!

i could be wrong, but i think tama made an 11" tom tom a long time ago for a while...??? can any tama guys back me up on that?
 
Tama definately made an 11" tom

Yamaha has reduced their 15" toms to special order only.

Five or six years ago GC had many Yamaha Oak Custom kits in 10, 12, 15, 22 that took forever to move. I bought mine new for under a grand because it was there for 15 months, probably because it had a 15.

Yamaha offers shell packs in 13, 16, 22/24 as does Ludwig, DW, Gretsch, the list goes on.

You don't see "odd" sizes in stores much because they don't sell as well as the 10, 12, 14, 16, 22 and many independent stores will figure that if someone wants a certain kit they will do the research and order by piece.

Most high end drums in "kits" are the collection of the individual units with a "standard" discount and if any GC employee tells you otherwise you should tell him to pound sand.

If you're limiting your scope of what's available by looking at mail order and chain stores you are severely limiting yourself.
 
cjl71178 said:
i'm a fan of two floor toms and one rack tom. so mine would be 12, 14, 16. but i guess nothing's really "standard" these days.
Click to expand...

Me too. Except I run a 12-14-16 or a 13-14-16 depending on the gig. I'm using a 22 kick, but I hope to get a 20 as well, so I can mix and match.
 
i agree wholeheartedly fusssion, the 12/13/16 is a terrible tradition that should end!

the one company that offers some great factory configurations is Mapex, they have the Studio-10/12/14/16/22bass, the manhattan-12/14/18bass and the Rock kit-13/16/18/24bass!

and the other guys should step up and do more of the same - as well as including a double bass pedal as an option on some configurations - a Mapex Studio with a double pedal and the right cymbals would make an excellent 'metal' kit!

if only our rants did'nt fall on deaf ears so often...
 
fusssion said:
This comes to mind because NAMM 09 is going on right now. And, it kind of falls on the tail of my old post, 10-12-14-16 blah blah blah ...from a while ago...BUT ...

When will the major manufacturers start offering different configurations other than even numbered toms? It's all you see, [minus the bass] 10-12-14-16, 10-12-16, 8-10-12-14, on and on and on. Come on!

What about, well, the classic, 13, 16, 22. And what about (what I would order) a 10-13-16, [3" apart difference, I mean,..what a great 5 piece kit, right? Just ask David Garibaldi!

What about this, 13, 16, 18 and a different bass drum size of your choice? Why not?

Yeah, yeah, ...I know ...it's all marketing and what people want ....but I'm sure there are more folks than me who want DIFFERENT stuff ...and when we do, ...they SCREW you on price for ordering it piece by piece!! WHAT, ...you built these drums different than the rest ?! PLEASE!!

Rant off! :)
Click to expand...

Sales.

For a a while, you couldn't give away a high end kit in 12-13-16.

Kits with odd configurations just don't move off the drum shop floors, and usually gather dust.

Add in, look how many top drummers use 10-12-14-16 or a variation of it, all of which drives demand for similar sized kits.

Tama once did make an 11" tom, but very few were sold.
15" toms are so rare, most drum shops carry very few 15" heads.

I've never been a fan of the 12-13-16 myself.
 
cjl71178 said:
it is kind of weird about the "standard" setups. i never was a fan of a 13" tom because i could never get it tuned good next to a 12". it is crazy how there's "standard" and "custom" set ups. i've always like 10, 12, 14, 16, 22. that's just me.
Click to expand...

I've heard some people say they have trouble tuning "odd" size drums or 13" in particular. I think you hit the nail on the head there. It's not that it's difficult to tune a 13", After all the drum doesn't know it's an odd size. It's just that a 13" tuned properly doesn't fit evenly between 12" and 16". But how about 10" 13" 16"?
 
fusssion said:

Here is what really bugs me....your 22-13-16 Gretsch Renown will be a custom order, and you'll get royally screwed on price. The whole scam is ridiculous really
Click to expand...

I haven't looked into it seriously yet but I've thought about that. I hope there's a way around paying by the piece.
 
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