Jazz Gretsch BOP Kits: Renown vs. New Classic

Hi, I am in the market for a new Bop kit and I was considering Gretsch... since I can´t afford the USA Customs but I'd like something better than Catalina Club, I was considering this options: Gretsch RENOWN MAPLE BOP or Gretsch NEW CLASSIC BOP. What do you think? Both have an 18 inch bass drum, though the Renown is 18x16 and the New Classic is 18x14. Which one may have a closer sound to the USA Customs? Thanks!
 

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Haven't tried the Renowns, but I shure love the New Calssic kit. One of the best kits I hace ever played. They are perfect for the Bop sizes.!
 
Hi, I am in the market for a new Bop kit and I was considering Gretsch... since I can´t afford the USA Customs but I'd like something better than Catalina Club, I was considering this options: Gretsch RENOWN MAPLE BOP or Gretsch NEW CLASSIC BOP. What do you think? Both have an 18 inch bass drum, though the Renown is 18x16 and the New Classic is 18x14. Which one may have a closer sound to the USA Customs? Thanks!

18/13/10 Tangerine Sparkle USA Customs now for sale . Too many drums ; not enough money . I have a round badge and a Broadkaster kit and so these don't get played at all these days . Near mint . Made in 2003 .
 

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I have a New Classic and I'd personally go for that. They just have a rounder, more old school tone compared to the Renowns. I also like the wrap finish and tube lugs as well.
 
I agree with FourStrings: The New Classics have a great jazz bop sound--very much like the Gretsch customs and Round badges.

Jazzbo: how much for those Tangerine Sparkle Gretsch Customs? Is that a lacquer finish? Great color.
 
I agree with FourStrings: The New Classics have a great jazz bop sound--very much like the Gretsch customs and Round badges.

Jazzbo: how much for those Tangerine Sparkle Gretsch Customs? Is that a lacquer finish? Great color.


Tangerine is covering . $ 1600 + shipping . BTW , Gretsch no longer offers Tangerine Sparkle .
 
18/13/10 Tangerine Sparkle USA Customs now for sale . Too many drums ; not enough money . I have a round badge and a Broadkaster kit and so these don't get played at all these days . Near mint . Made in 2003 .

That's a beautiful kit Jazzbo. If I played jazz I'd seriously consider those. Love that finish too!
 
Just because I think the Renown bop version is less known, here are some cool pics I found. I just love the lacquer finishes, I hope Gretsch will add new lacquer finishes to the New Classics sometime; Dark Walnut IS classic! Renown hardware looks more like the USA Customs, too.
 

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Here is another Renown Bop. Also, what do you think of the "proportionate shells" (New Classic)? USA Customs have no increasing thickness shells, I believe...
 

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Here is another Renown Bop. Also, what do you think of the "proportionate shells" (New Classic)? USA Customs have no increasing thickness shells, I believe...

I can't say that I notice that much of a difference with the proportionate shells. I think the maple/gum combination has more of an impact on my perception of the tone more than anything.
 
Can you tell if the Die Cast hoops on the Renowns or New Classics is as good quality as the Customs?

They are very high quality...I can't speak for the Customs but they're the same quality diecast hoop that you'd find on any other kit with diecast.
 
I know this is an old thread - but I noticed I can contribute to whom-ever might be looking at buying one of these kits. I actually own both a "Renown" kit & "New-Classic Bop" NC-S483-IMP drums. I don't actually own the entire "New-Classic Bop" kit though. I purchased the "New-Classic Bop" toms due to a ridiculous deal that I ran into. For a while, I was having issues with the Renown's. To be honest, I was experiencing a bit of very late buyers remorse about a year into owning the Renown kit. It was the "GTS Mounting" system that I came to despise. I found that the GTS mounting "can" disrupt the batter rims resonance on the Renowns & choke the life out of the shells, not to mention causing tuning inconsistencies. So I soul searched for methods and/or a mounting replacement - but was hard pressed to find a suitable replacement that would fit a five-lug drum like the Renown toms. During my search I was of-course comparing all the available mounting systems - and it was then when I found the "New-Classic Bop" kit. In my opinion it has an almost flawless mounting system & really is the closest thing to a perfect functioning design for the purposes of mounting toms. And I hate to admit it - but the mounting system that comes with the "New Classic Bop" kit is quite superior to the GTS system that comes with the Renown's. In-fact, I almost traded my "Renown" kit for the "New-Classic Bop" kit (with additional cash of-course) but I was fortunate to run into a guy selling just the 12" tom & floor-tom for less then half price. The guy said he had them in his store inventory for a long time - and he needed to get rid of them. They were in new condition. Go figure... Anyway, I found the "New-Classic Bop" 12" tom to be my absolute favorite tom I've ever invested in. I love it even more then my Yamaha Recording toms. So warm, punchy & wonderful... The "New-Classic Bop" toms will resonate forever if you tune them right. It's just a beautiful shell & equally beautiful "mounting system design". I wish I owned the entire "New-Classic Bop" kit - but the "Renown's 22" bass drum is also a beautiful thing. So I'm not complaining. The Renowns are amazing to - if you can get the toms tuned right - but the pulling on the batter rim from the GTS mounting can often make for some lug tension inconsistency & challenging tuning. That's another area where the "New-Classic Bop" drums excel. There a breeze to tune & make resonate right. The Renown's could sound almost as good if there was a way to mount the toms without effecting those dam rims. If you own a Renown kit, just try taking off the mounting on one of the rack toms, then retune the head. First you'll find the drum tunes back-up way better without the mounting, then you'll hear the difference, "even while holding the drum with your hand". Now, if you can think of a better way to mount those Renowns toms, email me.
 
GREAT! A new answer almost 4 years later!!!

I finally bought the Renown. I found a limited 18"x15" Renown bass drum kit, limited edition in Dark Walnut finish, and I justed loved that finish wich is not available for the New Classics.
I am very pleased with it, but you are right: I don´t like the GTS suspension. Actually I'd prefer not to have any suspension at all, but it wasn´t an option. I believe it's just a marketing gimmick that makes toms heavier, anoying to handle, tunning issues, and I seriously doubt the sound difference is worth it.
Even the Catalina Bop comes with suspension. I'd need to buy a USA custom if I wanted a Gretsch Bop kit without suspension.
 
FYI - In the USA, Gretsch currently doesn't offer the 18" kick in the Renown series. It's only avaialable in Europe. And I do agree the tom mounting system on the New Classics kicks butt!
 
GREAT! A new answer almost 4 years later!!!

I finally bought the Renown. I found a limited 18"x15" Renown bass drum kit, limited edition in Dark Walnut finish, and I justed loved that finish wich is not available for the New Classics.
I am very pleased with it, but you are right: I don´t like the GTS suspension. Actually I'd prefer not to have any suspension at all, but it wasn´t an option. I believe it's just a marketing gimmick that makes toms heavier, anoying to handle, tunning issues, and I seriously doubt the sound difference is worth it.
Even the Catalina Bop comes with suspension. I'd need to buy a USA custom if I wanted a Gretsch Bop kit without suspension.

I’m happy your still enjoying the “Renown’s”. It’s really a great drum set. I know my response to the thread was bit late - but I figured I could actually contribute to the subject & hopefully help others down the road shopping for these kinds of kits.

Anyway, it’s very cool that you own the “Renown” kit with the “18x15”... I absolutely love those 18” Gretsch bass drums!

The kit that I’m using mostly consists of “Renown” shells. The “Renown” drums are stupendous when tuned perfectly. The only part of the “New Classic” series that I have incorporated with my kit right now is the 12” rack tom. The only reason I’m using the “New Classic” 12” over the “Renown 12” is purely because of the mounting system that comes with the “New Classic/Be-Bop”... Now, if I could only afford to buy the rest of the drum kit!
 
I have a Gretsch Renown Jazz in Dark Walnut. Great kit, great sizes - 18" x 14", 12" x 8", 14" x 14".
 
Which is the tom mount that you guy's are talking about dampening the tom?

Is it this one?

http://www.gibraltarhardware.com/index.cfm?fa=partsdetail&curcat=2&bnd=11&cid=120&sid=669&pid=2135

Or this one?

http://www.gibraltarhardware.com/index.cfm?fa=partsdetail&curcat=2&bnd=11&cid=120&sid=669&pid=1793

For a time, I used one of the SC-USS (the top link), & it's a decent mount.

Gibraltar hardware is featured on Gretsch drums because Kaman is the parent company.

There's always the option of using a REAL RIMS mount, where you can adjust the clips, and the band is aluminum, so it doesn't add that much weight at all.

Personally, I think toms sound just fine with a bracket on the drum--(if it's a small styled mount)--older Ludwig, Tama, Premire etc... Yamaha drums never "suffered" from their small mount IMO. I've heard many complaints about the last couple Y.E.S.S. system mounts, but no one complained before it.

The marketing has taken control (with RIMS style mounts) in the past 20+ years, so most people would never dream of attaching a mount to a tom these days.

I only use 1 tom, & I put it on a snare stand, but if I used 2 or 3 toms, I'd have a mount on them.
 
My Catalina Club Jazz kit has that first link type of tom mount, and I do not like it at all. I have considered attaching the mount to the drum. Peace and goodwill.
 
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