Custom Classic Pro (Brand)?

dkerwood

Silver Member
If i were you id save up my money and buy a real gretsch catalina.
If memory serves me they are around $750 (correct me if im wrong)

On a side note, if youre buying a new set, what is your budget?
 
From the video they do look and sound good. And they sure use the right name for marketing, Custom, Classic, Pro. The price is right but without seeing them in person I would be wary.
 
I don't really have a "budget," per se. What I do have is 2 1/2 drumsets and a slew of snares banging around my house. I've been meaning to get rid of them and replace them with a good quality kit that can serve me for years to come.

Unfortunately, this means that first I must sell the old kits. My budget will be the amount I can get from the old drums - by my best guess, around $6-800.

I have a 7 piece Ludwig (I now believe it to be a Ludwig Rocker) with a full Gibraltar rack. This has been my "big" kit for nearly seven or eight years now. Everything on it is stock except for the kick drum hoops (replaced the splintered, broken wood hoops with composite), and the heads, of course, although I do still have what I believe to be the original kick batter head (silver dot and all).

I also have a 4 piece Japanese kit that's been pieced together- it was actually my first kit, bought for me when I was in 8th grade - about 13 years ago. The floor tom is a blue, sparkly Rogers tom (missing the bottom head, rim, and lugs), and the kick, hi tom, and snare are all orange sparkle and have no specific identifiable marks (thus I assume them to be Japanese). Despite the hundreds of dollars I invested in the other kit (new heads, the rack, clamps, etc), I still ended up using this kit more often simply because it was smaller and easier to transport. I tweaked and tweaked until this set sounded exactly the way I wanted.

The third, "half" set is the remnants of a Pearl Rhythm Traveler. I have the kick and three toms. I was in a band with a guy who had purchased this kit as a rehearsal kit, and he left them at my house (I played guitar in this band). He slowly started robbing it of parts (hardware, bass drum spurs, and eventually the snare turned into his side snare), and then he moved, leaving me with the 4 shells and mounts. I have the muffle heads, so I've toyed with the idea of triggering it, but still haven't done so.

My main snare, which I'm not selling, is a Tama StarClassic bronze 14x8. I also have a Ludwig piccolo snare (which is what I use with the Japanese kit) which I don't want to sell, and a steel Ludwig snare (which I plan to unload with the Rocker kit.

I'm a little hesitant to sell my hardware with either of these kits (aside from the rack), as I've spent a long time rounding up the stands and clamps that make me happy... So I guess what I'm REALLY looking for is either a good shell pack or a decent deal on a good kit. What I want, is a kit with a good, solid sound.

Anyway, back to the point... the guys selling the Custom Classic Pro have a store in Arkansas. My wife has family just a few hours from there... so I might have to go take a peek. I've not had the best relationship with Gretsch drums- don't care for how bouncy the toms tend to get in their mounts or how boomy 90% of their kick drums sound. BUT, if these drums can give a Gretsch look with a better feel, I'm interested.
 
There was an American made Rocker I believe that was maple. If this is what you have it may be better then the kit you are looking at ;-)
Get your serial numbers and go look on the Ludwig web site. Maybe start a new post with pics and title it with the word Ludwig and maybe help in it. I know there are some Ludwig gurus on this forum.
 
Hi, I am looking at this set also. I had to evac from Louisiana for hurricane Gustav and had to go all the way to Little Rock. I went to Sigler to check them out. They had them displayed right next to a set of Catalina's (Tobacco Fade) so I had the chance to look closely and compare. Not much difference, Tom mounts are the same except the Catalina's have Gretsch embossed on them. The hardware is nice heavy duty and the chrome looks quality, it is also the same hardware they supply with the Catalina's. They sound the exactly the same. My only decision now is that I want the Tobacco Fade color of the Gretsch; is it worth the extra $150?? The Gretsch I think has better detail in the finish. So if the $150 makes a difference to you, you will do good with the Custom Classic's. I will most likely get the Gretsch for the color I want, but that's my only reason.
 
Hi, I am looking at this set also. I had to evac from Louisiana for hurricane Gustav and had to go all the way to Little Rock. I went to Sigler to check them out. They had them displayed right next to a set of Catalina's (Tobacco Fade) so I had the chance to look closely and compare. Not much difference, Tom mounts are the same except the Catalina's have Gretsch embossed on them. The hardware is nice heavy duty and the chrome looks quality, it is also the same hardware they supply with the Catalina's. They sound the exactly the same. My only decision now is that I want the Tobacco Fade color of the Gretsch; is it worth the extra $150?? The Gretsch I think has better detail in the finish. So if the $150 makes a difference to you, you will do good with the Custom Classic's. I will most likely get the Gretsch for the color I want, but that's my only reason.
The finishes are what's killing me right now. I need to see them to make the difference between blah and bravo. Sparkle can sometimes be really obnoxious or can be really quite nice. I think I'll need to see them in person. Honestly, I've seen only one Gretsch finish that I've liked, so I'm not sure which direction seems better.

Good to know that they at least seem to be the same quality as the Gretsch. I'll have to head down to Arkansas to check 'em out. ROAD TRIP!!!... eventually, that is...
 
The finishes are what's killing me right now. I need to see them to make the difference between blah and bravo. Sparkle can sometimes be really obnoxious or can be really quite nice. I think I'll need to see them in person. Honestly, I've seen only one Gretsch finish that I've liked, so I'm not sure which direction seems better.

Good to know that they at least seem to be the same quality as the Gretsch. I'll have to head down to Arkansas to check 'em out. ROAD TRIP!!!... eventually, that is...

I agree the only way to make a decision is to see them in person. the white and black look good (not obnoxious) the orange, blue and purple are rather strong sparkle, but I do kinda like the orange. If they made them in the Tobacco fade I would buy them.
 
I agree the only way to make a decision is to see them in person. the white and black look good (not obnoxious) the orange, blue and purple are rather strong sparkle, but I do kinda like the orange. If they made them in the Tobacco fade I would buy them.

The orange is sort of what I'd been looking at. However, this is exactly what I'm talking about. Online, that color looks more like a stained wood. You say it's a strong orange sparkle, which is ironic because my first kit was orange sparkle. Definitely gotta see it in person.

Of course, CCP will go right out the window if I find a Tama Starclassic used, or even a Mapex M Maple whose finish I like... or especially if someone is dumb enough to list a Yamaha Recording Custom or a Pearl Masters in that $600-800 range...
 
Two years from now when you go to sell or trade the set, the 150.00 may mean a lot. The Gretsch brand will be mush easier to sell in my opinion.
 
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Two years from now when you go to sell or trade the set, the 150.00 may mean a lot. The Gretsch brand will be mush easier to sell in my opinion.

I guess that depends on the marketing. A $750 new Gretsch will become a $600 used Gretsch the second you pull it out of the box. It then becomes a $500 used Gretsch when you play it. The $600 CCP becomes whatever you want to sell it as... it is, technically, a "custom" build with maple shells. Take off the badges and you should be able to sell it for $600 forever. Even with depreciation, it'd still be worth just as much as the Gretsch after a year, only people might see it as an even better used deal since they don't know much about the brand.

That's my thought, anyway.
 
Certainly, this CCP might be built in the same factory as the Catalina. Or across the street. eBay is flooded with Gretsch Catalina. 3 minutes ago, a Mod kit DID NOT sell for $499. A few years from now, even more of these kits are gonna be on the market (like the Pearl Export) and you'll be able to scoop 'em up all day for 3 bills, I would bet. As far as selling the CCP later, for $600, I'd say "good luck there". With a 22" eight lug kick, it doesn't scream custom at all. It is what it is. Your Luddies are every bit as good as the drums you're looking at. Certainly, you may just be tired of them, and want a change. I'd keep shopping, just to get an idea of what is out there, and prices. As you liquidate all your "old stock", do your research. Then, when you have all your green, go out and score yourself a good "used" pro-level kit.
 
I guess that depends on the marketing. A $750 new Gretsch will become a $600 used Gretsch the second you pull it out of the box. It then becomes a $500 used Gretsch when you play it. The $600 CCP becomes whatever you want to sell it as... it is, technically, a "custom" build with maple shells. Take off the badges and you should be able to sell it for $600 forever. Even with depreciation, it'd still be worth just as much as the Gretsch after a year, only people might see it as an even better used deal since they don't know much about the brand.

That's my thought, anyway.

First the name Custom is the only thing custom about the set. It is massed produced and their is nothing Custom about it. Secondly, I think most musicians are pretty careful as to what they Buy especially used and I know I would never buy a used drum set if I didn't know who made it. I bought a Taye set for 750. and sold it two years later for 500. and not that many people know Taye, but I was able to show them the Taye website and exactly what they were buying. Good luck selling those for 600.00 without badges and without being misleading, as to calling them Custom made maple. You started the thread and if you are impressed with them go for it.

You may look at these Drums. I bought a double pedal from them and it is just fine for 99.00 shipped. The drums are 449.00 shipped and are maple and have a 10 lug 22 inch bass drum and others. check them out.

http://www.vexdrums.com/tabacco.htm
 
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First the name Custom is the only thing custom about the set. It is massed produced and their is nothing Custom about it. Secondly, I think most musicians are pretty careful as to what they Buy especially used and I know I would never buy a used drum set if I didn't know who made it. I bought a Taye set for 750. and sold it two years later for 500. and not that many people know Taye, but I was able to show them the Taye website and exactly what they were buying. Good luck selling those for 600.00 without badges and without being misleading, as to calling them Custom made maple. You started the thread and if you are impressed with them go for it.

You may look at these Drums. I bought a double pedal from them and it is just fine for 99.00 shipped. The drums are 449.00 shipped and are maple and have a 10 lug 22 inch bass drum and others. check them out.

http://www.vexdrums.com/tabacco.htm

I don't mean to hijack a thread, but Grunter I would like to hear a little more of your thoughts about that $99 Dbl Pdl
 
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