I'm curious to see if Gretsch will switch to Nordic like most other builders have, given Keller's extricating itself from the drum market.
New Brooklyn’s….silver sealer?
- Thread starter fess
- Start date
Cmdr. Ross
Platinum Member
The same is said about Harley-Davidson motorcycles: Old tech.
Yet...they still sell like crazy.
Gretsch has much the same thought process: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Being a Gretsch man myself, if they were to drop the Sealer, I'd leave them for another brand. They just know what works for us who play them and anything less is unacceptable.
Like DW with their turret lugs. You see them, you know it's DW. Same for the silver sealer. No one else does that & drummers know who does.
jda
Diamond Member
sweatshirt/color
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DamnSingerAlsoDrums
Member
There ya go Joe: connecting the dots ;-)sweatshirt/color
DutchDrummersDreams
Platinum Member
I can think of a brand that did this too.
Btw. I love this one.
Perfect depth sizes and hardware choice.
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AzHeat
Platinum Member
When I set out to finally buy a decent set of drums, I got Covid brain long before Covid. There's just so much marketing trash out there I stopped being able to decipher real from fake through the fog of it all. I ended up just narrowing my options to brands with the least amount of change. Gretsch started to make more sense as I thought about it. Hearing them side by side sealed (or is it silver sealed) the deal.
It's genius marketing if you think about it. Something designed to hide inner veneer imperfections becomes the 'secret sauce' signature sound, nice to have a legacy too. Finding inner and out veneers free of knots or ugly grains is probably is likely expensive in both the selection process and exclusivity. Take a look at the inner ply of a Star walnut (which is around the same price as a USA Custom), all impeccable grain patterns but probably a total pain in the ass to collect. But decades of great sounding Gretsch drums, it's hard to argue unless we have an actual comparison, I'm sure it does 'something'.
I can see in my Canopus RFM, the inner/out plys are spotless on a natural maple oil which is even less forgiving. Compared to some of the lesser priced Yaibas natural finish, the grain patterns far more apparent or they are less discerning to cut cost I'm sure. There are probably different density properties and uniform inconsistencies, whether audible is arguable or perhaps significant if extreme (the knotted 'branch' areas are supposedly less dense). Or maybe everyone has ugly middle plys full of inconsistencies, impossible to know.
I can see in my Canopus RFM, the inner/out plys are spotless on a natural maple oil which is even less forgiving. Compared to some of the lesser priced Yaibas natural finish, the grain patterns far more apparent or they are less discerning to cut cost I'm sure. There are probably different density properties and uniform inconsistencies, whether audible is arguable or perhaps significant if extreme (the knotted 'branch' areas are supposedly less dense). Or maybe everyone has ugly middle plys full of inconsistencies, impossible to know.
AzHeat
Platinum Member
Can't argue the beauty of the Tama Star series. They were on my list, but no way I was going to be able to swing them. It was then the Starclassic maples. Also beautiful drums. While there have been innovations across the Tama lines, they are for the most part still the same with incremental changes. None of that this is the best thing we've ever done followed by forget that old trash....this is the best thing we've ever done. They have been pretty steady as a builder.
I could love me some Pearls too, but don't even think about approaching me with the idea of drilling their virgin bass drum for their plumbing mounts.
I could love me some Pearls too, but don't even think about approaching me with the idea of drilling their virgin bass drum for their plumbing mounts.
DamnSingerAlsoDrums
Member
(Proud) Broadkaster owner here. But the Brooklyns have been gnawing at me ever since I bought them. At the local drum shop, a kit of each series was set in the showroom. Brooklyns 16-13-22 in Satin ice blue metallic (a classy but somewhat pedestrian finish) and the Broadkasters 13-16-24 in Red glass glitter nitron (can I say Heck yeah?). That day, I'm obliged to confess, the eyes won over the ears. Because the Brooklyn sounded mighty fine. If it weren't for the glossy yummy red goodnes on the BKs, and if the Brooklyn were in a slightly more vibrant finish, I wouldn' have paid 20% more for the Broadkasters just for the sake of owning an upper tier set. I would've been the proud owner of some Brooklyn drums.
One of the best sounding vid i've seen of Ash Soan is him on a gold sparkle Brooklyn set (I think it's in Barcelona). Keith Carlock has got a few good ones as well.
One point of note also is there seems to be more USACs and Broadkasters in the used market than there are Brooklyn kits. It may mean that they sold less but could also mean that their owners keep them more... Who knows?
I'll stop talking now, I've already bought 3 drumsets this year, I don't need another one right now!!) Those Brooklyns keep tugging at my sleeve though like "hey pal, look at us..."
One of the best sounding vid i've seen of Ash Soan is him on a gold sparkle Brooklyn set (I think it's in Barcelona). Keith Carlock has got a few good ones as well.
One point of note also is there seems to be more USACs and Broadkasters in the used market than there are Brooklyn kits. It may mean that they sold less but could also mean that their owners keep them more... Who knows?
I'll stop talking now, I've already bought 3 drumsets this year, I don't need another one right now!!) Those Brooklyns keep tugging at my sleeve though like "hey pal, look at us..."
I think where Tama stands out most for innovation is their Star-cast/diecast hoop mount (whether Starclassic version or newer Star version). Not RIMS junk, allows for easy head changes, and enables plenty of "bounce" for drum sustain, depending on how hard one strikes the tom tom. I'd be using that top diecast Star-cast on custom kits, not RIMS.
Funny, it’s one of my least favorite designs. That ‘bounce’ creates a vibrato ‘WA Wa wa…’ that really bugs me, I guess others like it (?) Maybe the STAR version design is built to lessen this with the third bottom point, but the original wobbled a lot. A zinc die cast hoop is very dry/dead sounding, it’s a Tama signature now (perhaps their silver sealer, lol) that compresses their sound. Works perfect for starclassic maple, that’s a home run but other shell types no so much IMO, and you are always stuck with zinc diecast, can’t change it because it is the mount system.
I’m not a huge fan of RIMs either but I haven’t heard anything better really, and all mounts sound different. Everything vibrates from shell excitation unless cutting it off, no such thing as isolation. Unfortunately, most seem to side with visual design of how it looks rather than a design for sound shaping. Most posts I read here about lugs and finishes are mostly of visual concern with little regard to the end sound product, it’s another sound shape for sure.
PorkPieGuy
Platinum Member
jda
Diamond Member
Isn't it these from last Thursday/ Friday>
Drilling bass drum for tom holder
Drill-free INDe mount could be considerable easier
www.drummerworld.com
Drilling bass drum for tom holder
I have a Gretsch Brooklyn 22x14 bass drum. I want to add a double Tom holder to it. Would anyone know how many inches the hole should be drilled in relation to the batter edge, or reso edge? Thanks
www.drummerworld.com
PorkPieGuy
Platinum Member
Larry
"Uncle Larry"
What an opportunity exists with the Gretsch shells that are unsealed.
It opens up the possibility that someone could record, in depth, what the unsealed shells sound like. Then record the same kit after the exact same silver sealer that Gretsch uses was painted on. To put this debate to bed once and for all.
I nominate @Bo Eder
I don't think anyone really wants to know. It could collapse a lot of wishful thinking and expose the marketing for what it is.
What will happen if there is no sonic difference?
I'm converting all my cash to gold just in case
If there is a sonic difference? Buy stock in Gretsch?
It opens up the possibility that someone could record, in depth, what the unsealed shells sound like. Then record the same kit after the exact same silver sealer that Gretsch uses was painted on. To put this debate to bed once and for all.
I nominate @Bo Eder
I don't think anyone really wants to know. It could collapse a lot of wishful thinking and expose the marketing for what it is.
What will happen if there is no sonic difference?
I'm converting all my cash to gold just in case
If there is a sonic difference? Buy stock in Gretsch?
jda
Diamond Member
wood needs finished on both sides ? - Google Suche
www.google.com
I think it was an old common thought right or wrong- some finish- was needed inside/out (or "on a deck or a table" top and bottom)
that's why - not because they were 'hiding" anything - is my belief.
Moisture /balancing thing to prevent warp
and going by the amount of Old Gretsch "still on the road" doing service/in service, it may be correct have some merit
And they're sticking to it (as the song goes.. protecting both sides of the wood
Ludwig same thing when they used the white paint- and others used Clear- it was a balancing act not a cover up
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fess
Senior Member
Yes, I still have them and recently took the kick drums virginity.
PorkPieGuy
Platinum Member
I'm glad you kept them. I'm sure it's a fantastic drum set. If I had to give up Ludwig, I'm pretty sure that Gretsch USA would be next in line.
Bo Eder
Platinum Member
I’d be honored. But who provides the drums?
fess
Senior Member
Forget the drums. Paint you practice room walls with silver sealer and all your kits will sound better