Are they the drums you really want?

Les Ismore

Platinum Member
So we see all the X- birch vs Y-maple threads, the "Which one should I get" posts here and they (usually) always end up with money or value being the deciding factor. Let's mix in a little fantasy to get to the reality.

Money no option you have a blank check, which brand of drums would you purchase? With unlimited fantasy cake, your set can be 'no holds barred totally custom'... like say a Ludwig set all African Mahogany with cast steel ludwig lugs, 21" bass drum, or a Mapex set made out of stainless steel etc.

Which company gets to build your dream set?
 
GRETSCH USA CUSTOM 5 PIECE
Three up, one down
 

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I'd go for some of Johnny's solids.
 

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Pretty simple for me. Ludwig clear maple 3 ply shells. All virgin. 20x14 and 26x14 kicks. 12x8, 13x9 and 14x10 rack toms. 14x14, 16x16 and 18x16 floors. Nickel plated hardware on everything (with an aged patina to it, please). So I can run a little 20, 12, 14 bop kit, the "classic" 5 piece, or a 3 up, 3 down. And anything in between.
 

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It would be Tama for me, they have always seemed ideal. I would have a starclassic maple with some slight variations, maybe a ply of birch here, a ply of mahogany there. It would be very similar to mikes kit, I forget what the purple one is called. The sizes would be somewhere along the lines of 22x18.5 22x18.5 8x8 10x9 12x10 13x11 14x13 16x15 18x16. I would have 4 octobans and a gong drum. As for a snare, I don't know.

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Ide either have to go with freddy, or a vintage club date, Like Bermudas gold sparkle bop kit, droooooooool

or this... wow - Spizzichino Drums
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So we see all the X- birch vs Y-maple threads, the "Which one should I get" posts here and they (usually) always end up with money or value being the deciding factor. Let's mix in a little fantasy to get to the reality.

Money no option you have a blank check, which brand of drums would you purchase? With unlimited fantasy cake, your set can be 'no holds barred totally custom'... like say a Ludwig set all African Mahogany with cast steel ludwig lugs, 21" bass drum, or a Mapex set made out of stainless steel etc.

Which company gets to build your dream set?


Ash or Sycamore and I'd build them myself.
 
Oh boy! Well I recently fell in love with Battlefield Drums. I'm thinking Acrylic/Maple hybrid shell...clear acrylic w/ crushed silver sparkle lacquer on the wood sections. Offset lugs. Black chrome hardware/rims. Sizes...hmmm....nothing crazy...20x18,12x8,14x13,
16x15.

One can dream.
 
Pearl would be my choice. I love Tama, DW, Yamaha, Gretsch, Sonor, and Ludwig; however, Pearl's Masterworks just blows me away.
I believe that DogBreath took these pictures b/c I found them in his 2008 NAMM report.
 

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Pretty simple for me. Yamaha Custom Maple or Sonor Delite. Standard 6 piece kit with 2 up and 2 down and a variety of snare drums.
 
The answer to that question is yes and I have them already and they were bulit by Peace Drums and they are a one very rare custom item indeed. Probably the only Peace Kahuna all 9 ply ply AA Flame bubinga Bee-Bopp shell pack in North America at present i've been told. One of the very rare made entirely out of bubinga wood ply type drums {no mix woods} made in smaller jazz sizes made by ANY company at present. The 18" bass drum hoops are outer plies of AA Flame bubinga over interior plies of Canadian rock maple. Completely superb in quality, sound and appearence. My search for my dream kit is long over... back to buying nothing but sticks and heads from this point on...
 

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I've been thinking about this a lot. I was always set on getting a Yamaha Maple Custom, I always said I would never play anything else, but.....Gretsch.....my god! Gretsch USA Custom kits are UNBELIEVABLE!! I went to the L&M downtown vancouver and tried out a USA Custom kit and imo, (I can't believe i'm saying this), but I think it's the sound I'm looking for, OVER the Yamaha...I love Yamaha's mounting system, but the Gretsch shells sound so damn good.....I'm still in a deadlock because I love both kits, but I am strongly considering going with Gretsch.
 
traitor................................................... ; 0 )

IT'S WIERD MAN! I can't believe it, I love both kits and will end up getting both but for the meantime....this is tough! I don't know anymore! Whatever one i can get a better deal on through my work i guess will be the winner as i'm already tight for cash.
 
IT'S WIERD MAN! I can't believe it, I love both kits and will end up getting both but for the meantime....this is tough! I don't know anymore! Whatever one i can get a better deal on through my work i guess will be the winner as i'm already tight for cash.

I'm kidding, of course. The Gretsch build quality, Renowns & up is terrific, so you cant really go wrong either way.
Unfortunately there are some top end drums with questionable builds, but these 2 aren't them.

A good deal IS the way to go.............( pssst, Y..m..h..; )
 
I'm perfectly happy with my Ludwig classic maples and 1967 Supraphonic. Technically, this was and still is my "dream set"... but I've never been one to set too high a bar for myself in life.

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...but If you were to give me a blank check, I'd probably get a set of Ludwig Legacy Classics.... that is, if Ludwig were willing to sell them to me sans sparkle finish. Stupid Ludwig and their non-existent choices in finish options.... :)

...or a high end Gretsch kit...

-Ryan
 
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