LittleLegs
Senior Member
My big takeaway from this thread is that the drum shell itself doesn't much matter nearly as much as the brand. Not even close.
Yes, to a point. I play Gretsch because I like the sound, but I know I wouldn't buy a Gretsch shell pack if it had the badge and fittings of a Mapex. I am happy to pay extra because the appearance changes the way I feel about the kit and therefore the way I play it (and my enjoyment in a way that goes just beyond the sonics).
The problem with the PDP brand (and I say this, but maybe they sell lots of them and it's a great brand - it's only my perception) is that it's positioned (implicitly) as a lower quality brand that DW are ashamed to put a DW badge on. Shame as they can sound fantastic. Maybe they think it will taint the DW brand? But every other drum manufacturer puts their name to entry-level kits and we understand what's going on as consumers - who would turn their back on Gretsch USA because they make the Catalina Club - if you buy into Pearl, the Export doesn't taint Masterworks. (Infact, I wonder how much long-term brand loyalty Pearl gained from the huge success of the game-changing Export?)
It's not quite the same as Squire and Epiphone as they have significant heritage already, eg. John Lennon played an Epiphone Casino.
But I actually wonder if DW have an opportunity with the PDP. They could put out entry-level kits under the DW brand, and develop the PDP ‘concept’ idea. When you look at recent historyPDP has done lots of interesting things - great modular hardware, wood hoop production kits, BOA, cast snares - at great prices. I suspect that there is a 'design-lab' brand in there that could actually feel quite fresh and different if they could jettison all the things that make it feel ordinary (and the lugs : ) Maybe it wouldn’t work for us oldies, but having the latest tech at great prices could really appeal to younger drummers who don’t actually want their drums to look like the materials they are made out of?
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