Switched my gigging kit from Pearl to PDP

Larry, When I had my PDP kit I also wanted a 16 floor tom. I just found a used 16 x 14 and recovered it (red sparkle) to match.

I've read too many post about the 32 TPI tuning rods just being a advertising gimmick, but I think they really work. I've had a bunch of other kits since I had my CX's but I will say that they were really great sounding drums. John

larryace said:

Hmm I hadn't considered that. Good idea, but TBH, If I'm going to put any energy into it, I'd just look for the 16. The 14 isn't all that deep, it's more like a big rack tom than a floor. It's fine as is. I guess I'm on the lookout for a 16, but really I could be happy with the kit as it is.

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Hi Larry,

The PDPs, notably the CX and FS series were a great deal. I have a 2003 CX that I got for $600 new that came with a 16x14 floor tom. I have the blue onyx which is a wrap that DW brought back in 2003 that used to be common on Ludwigs and Slingerlands in the late 60s and 70s. Ludwig used to call it Vintage Sky Blue Pearl.

I have played this kit in hundreds of different rooms and I just don't struggle to get a good live sound. I chopped my 14x12 down to be closer in size to a Bonzo rack tom (it's now 14x9.5) and I bought some PDP lugs from DW several years ago and made my own 18x16 floor tom that DW never offered for the PDP CXs in that size.

I got the wrap from Jammin' Sam in Arizona.

You should be able to find a PDP CX 16x14 in some other wrap and re wrap in the White Onyx with very little trouble. I'm pretty certain that that wrap is a Delmar wrap and if Sam doesn't have it, another wrap retailer will.

I never really like the sound of the DW maples with reinforcement rings, so the PDPs spoke to me and I've been happy with them. As an intermediate kit, I think they are a fantastic value.

Have fun with yours.

I retired my Masters drums to "stack status" mainly because I set up drums on the un-heated porch (gets below freezing) but also because those PDPs sound so darn good. PDPs are not shabby for what they are.