New Bop Kit, Help Decide

Hello All,
I am looking for a new kit in bop sizes. I've set myself a hard limit of $2k for 3 piece shell pack. Unfortunately, this eliminates my first choice, the new Gretsch Broadkasters. I am still considering Gretsch Brooklyns, Ludwig Classic Maples and possibly Gretsch New Classics. I'd prefer to go with made in USA, but the discounted New Classics are very price friendly right now. I've found a Ludwig Classic 3 piece at $1,500 delivered. C&C Player Dates also an option, but I have read they prefer lower tunings.

Thoughts and opinions appreciated.

For the $1000 area, New Classics and Renowns are really hard to beat. I'd look through Steve Maxwell's inventory and see if he has anything that fits your price and disposition.

Personally, If I were going to go with an inexpensive bop kit, I'd see if I could find a cheap 57 or jazz somewhere.

Do you have a preference in sound?

Gretsch Brooklyns and New Classics are both great kits but offer a little different tonality wise. New Classics are all maple and Brooklyns are Maple/Poplar/Maple which are slightly warmer than the New Classics.

Can't comment on the Ludwigs - no experience.

If indeed you can get a blow out on a New Classic and save a ton of money you will be in for a decent bargain. Just because they aren't USA made - doesn't diminish from their outstanding quality in my view.

Here's a little clip on the New Classics that show some of their capabilities: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1-99xwz2Zs

Though you didn't mention them, here's a quick "compare" on USA's to New Classics.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfUexBFUbAk

Steve Maxwell's clip on the Brooklyns: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZwDJj-XJac

I own both and like them both for different reasons. I also own USA's which are also different than the New Classics and Brooklyns.

Good luck on your decision.

I also second the opinion of checking in at Maxwells. Best shop in the world for Gretsch - and so many other drum related things!

All these Gretsch lines don't mind at all being tuned up higher. So many clips I've seen have them so low in tuning it's hard to enjoy them for what my tastes lean to.

They'll all sound good, so buy what you like, for whatever reason you like it.

I play a set of Ludwig Classic Maples in 12/14/18 and I love the sound I get at higher, open tunings.

dmacc said:

Do you have a preference in sound?

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If I had to characterize it, I would say warm, dark and woody. My favorite drum sound of all-time is from the late 50s through the mid-late 60s. That sound is probably more owing to recording venues, techniques and gear of that time than to the drums. What I am not looking for is brightness, attack, punch or projection.

Agreed on Steve Maxwells site and videos. They are a tremendous resource. Those Broadkasters are to die for. Nothing even comes close--total runaway.


New Classics sound great as well. Best deal I have found on those so far is about $1,300. I've seen references to even better prices here but haven't turned up an available kit at those prices. To be honest, I am not sure there is a grand's worth of difference between the NCs and the Broadkasters.

Does the $1300 for the NC include snare? If so - a pretty nice deal. Last year they were blowing the 3 pc's out at $1000.

Warm, dark, woody can obviously be open to interpretation by each individual. I would describe the NC's as that but would say the Brooklyn's are even a tad more warmer. Again - that's to my ears based on my tuning. To you - perhaps you'd think otherwise.

Is it worth a the price tag diff? Perhaps... Depends. A NC at $1300. could be attractive assuming it gets you the sound / sizes you want. If it doesn't it's a waste of $1300. Brooklyn's same.

I'd have no issues playing a NC set the rest of my life and nothing else. But, that's me.

Actually, take your existing drums and put calf heads on them. Then invest in a single Telefunken U47 microphone and hang it overhead about 2.5 feet over the center of the kit. You will then have that recorded sound you love

Unfortunately the mic will run you 10k or so 😜

That NC is a 3 piece in bop sizes. I'd go with either a 14x18 or 20 bass, 8x12 and 14x14 toms. I was doing most of my pricing without snare just to get the Brooklyns under the $2K limit I set. I could part with some old Paiste 70s and 80s 2002 cymbals and some Sabian HHX stuff and raise the budget but ....

And then there is a used Gretsch Playboy kit at Boston Drum Center that might be cool.

Again, I wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger on a NC, Brooklyn or a USA Custom.

All comes down to preferred sound and how much you want to spend.

Although the current blow out prices on the Gretsch New Classic are not as low as they were, I still consider it to be good value. There are several NC bop kits on Ebay from Arizona drum shop. Perhaps call them and see what they will do on a sale outside of Ebay

Stixnergard2 said:

Although the current blow out prices on the Gretsch New Classic are not as low as they were, I still consider it to be good value. There are several NC bop kits on Ebay from Arizona drum shop. Perhaps call them and see what they will do on a sale outside of Ebay

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Wow - they even have the satin natural bop kit listed! And a 20" bass drum.... These are getting harder to come by. Get them while you can. Love my set!!

I may have to purchase the 6.5x14 corresponding snare in that finish while I can still get one. I already have the 5.5x14 but would love the 6.5" as well.

Or - you can beat me to it and buy the Bop Kit with the snare all for under your price range.

BrokenStick said:

Hello All,
I am looking for a new kit in bop sizes. I've set myself a hard limit of $2k for 3 piece shell pack. Unfortunately, this eliminates my first choice, the new Gretsch Broadkasters. I am still considering Gretsch Brooklyns, Ludwig Classic Maples and possibly Gretsch New Classics. I'd prefer to go with made in USA, but the discounted New Classics are very price friendly right now. I've found a Ludwig Classic 3 piece at $1,500 delivered. C&C Player Dates also an option, but I have read they prefer lower tunings.

Thoughts and opinions appreciated.

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Trust me, forget the made in the USA thing, I own several Gretsch kits and my Renown kit is built nicer than my 2013 USA Custom kit. I owned a set of 22,12,16 NC's a few years ago to try the series and they are amazing drums. I sold them with intentions of buying the bop sizes but ended up spending the money on a Ludwig Legacy Downbeat kit. If I didn't already have 4 Gretsch kits, I would be all over the NC deals.

Stixnergard2 said:

Trust me, forget the made in the USA thing, I own several Gretsch kits and my Renown kit is built nicer than my 2013 USA Custom kit. I owned a set of 22,12,16 NC's a few years ago to try the series and they are amazing drums. I sold them with intentions of buying the bop sizes but ended up spending the money on a Ludwig Legacy Downbeat kit. If I didn't already have 4 Gretsch kits, I would be all over the NC deals.

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Completely agree.!

Various people who post on Gretsch topics bring up this "non-USA" topic and most times it's baseless since they don't really own both. They just pick up that school of thought based on others....

I own 2 USA made kits and 2 non-USA's. All of mine are equally quality built.

If I wanted a bop kit, I'd also be all over these.

I have a Gretsch Renown in fusion sizes and like it a great deal. Have also owned other Gretsch kits from the 70s. My reason for wanting Made in USA is one of heart. I had a job once that ended up being out-sourced to Asia. My head is saying "New Classic" but the heart is saying "Brooklyn or Ludwig Classic Maple."

Gottcha... I've been outsourced 3x and I'm sure more to come...

I may be incorrect, but I think the stuff attached to the USA drums are from overseas. Not sure how firm you are on your stance.

$1500 new I believe...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paeZ18xxfHY

Go to Boston Drum's website and check out the Canopus Yaiba bop kits--very good. Canopus really emphasize building drums for jazz, and the Yaiba kits are more affordable. That said, you could probably score a higher-end Canopus RFM or NV60 jazz kit for $2200.

DW Performance jazz kits sound pretty decent--Boston Drum has a nice video demo of those.

With Gretsch, I'd stick with the Brooklyns or USA Customs. You could also get GMS or Pork Pie to hand make you a nice jazz kit for just under $2K, too.

You should also check out Pearl Reference Pure kits. Nice 45 rounded edges on toms, super high quality hardware, and you might be able to score an 18/14/12 bop setup for under $2K. (Great jazz players Matt Wilson and Clarence Penn used Pearl maple kits for years.) Try Bentley's Drum Shop--they have good price offerings.

Carolina Drumworks could probably also custom build you a nice jazz kit for just under $2K, and you'd get excellent attention to detail, bearing edge construction, and great hardware (solid brass lugs, stainless steel fixers and rods--that is, no cheap Ludwig pot metal).

I would also consider Yamaha Live Custom in 18/14/12. Price: $1400. Many folks on this forum rave about the quality of these kits and how easily they are to tune, and Yamaha has been known for making quality jazz drums for years now (with great hardware). Check out this video of the Yamaha Live Custom and start at 4:24 mark, which is where the player switches to Coated Ambassador heads and tunes the drums up to the jazz register:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaMISLGKHvs

The beginning of the video showcases the Live Customs with Clear Emperor heads and lower tunings.

Understand you're leaning towards Made in USA, but if you're considering looking beyond that parameter, aside from the Yaiba Bop kit that was mentioned below, you might also check out the Yamaha Club Customs - Portsmouth Drum Center is clearing them out at $1799:

http://www.drumcenternh.com/yamaha-club-custom-3-piece-drum-set-18-12-14-swirl-black.html

I scored a killer deal on a Club Custom kit in bop sizes at a local music shop and I LOVE it - very warm sounding, worth checking out....

Personally, I think a kit with a 20 bass drum would be a better investment. The bass drum will be big enough to provide you with more voices, and qualify as a bass drum. This is why I picked up a Ludwig Signet Gigabit kit (12/14/20) - I want that bottom end. 18s are cool, but too small for what I ask them to do.

Matt Bo Eder said:

Personally, I think a kit with a 20 bass drum would be a better investment. The bass drum will be big enough to provide you with more voices, and qualify as a bass drum. This is why I picked up a Ludwig Signet Gigabit kit (12/14/20) - I want that bottom end. 18s are cool, but too small for what I ask them to do.

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I agree and strangely even prefer a 16" to an 18" kick drum.