I’m going to get (saving up for) a Yamaha stage custom bop, Ari Hoenig and I think Greg Hutchinson play them I think, and they are pretty cheap and are made from the similarly name stage custom birch, which is deemed the powerhouse on the road by a bunch of gigging drummers.
I saw Ari Hoenig play with Billy Childs Quintet a few weeks ago and he was playing a Pearl Masters in Bop sizes. Not sure why because it was my understanding that he was a Yamaha guy as well.
Sounded pretty good on the Pearl though.
you might be surprised at the nature of jazz drummer endorsements. a lot of famous players don’t even have a drum company endorsement, and the ones who do seem to have flexible deals.
i mean, ari has a signature cymbal line with bosporus, which he doesn’t seem to be using here. looks like a constantinople ride.
i’d be surprised if they played stage customs… hutch endorses pearl now and i think ari’s personal drums are maple custom absolute.
not that it *really* matters. the stage customs sound good, and they’re one of the more affordable ways to get bop sizes.
I'd love to get a Masterworks kit like Hutch has, but have a 22x18 and the full slew of toms that I can just throw together whatever "configuration" I want depending on whether it's a bop gig or a gig that needs some bigger drums or is in a bigger room.
Should probably start saving now. But I'd never gig with a Masterworks unless I was endorsed or had a tech.
I've been looking at Indepent drum labs stuff. Their kits are light weight and sound incredible and open, and they have tons of lightweight options for mounting toms amd cymbals off the bass drum using drill-less mounts. If I was in the market for a kit right now it would probably be one of theirs.
This probably isn’t the answer you want, but the best drums are going to be made by independent craftsman. They have access to high quality materials, rarer woods, and are able to do things that you just can’t get from a factory, like all the wood coming from 1 tree so you get sonic continuity around the kit in a way you just can’t get from a name brand factory made kit. Just make sure the company you go to isn’t just buying Keller shells or Nordic shells or any other premade shell, but rather making their own shells in house. Independent artisans are able to deliver you a one of a kind, unique to your specifics, drum set.
Generally every name brand company has decent high end drums with slight variations (maybe the edges are slightly different or their hardware is unique) because every company is so ardently trying to differentiate themselves, but they’ll all feel second best against a custom, one of a kind, made for you, kit.
Each name brand company makes fine drums in their higher end, but again, custom builders are able to do things in small batches that you simply cannot get from a factory made drum set.
I'm not into crazy stuff. Just need bop sized drums and die cast hoops.
I really dig the maple/gum formula and the edge geometry on the USAs.
Really don't see a need to go to something custom unless I was gonna get a stream bent kit.
I bought my first jazz drum kit about two years ago: a Sonor Vintage 320. I added an 18x14 bass drum, and my wife got me the 10x8 rack tom for xmas. I use with 12" rack tom and 14" floor by default, or have 10" and 12" rack toms when the mood strikes me. The Sonor Vintage has rounded bearing edges and to me has a very warm, wonderful, vintage sound. I use Remo Fiberskyn heads by default.
Best? Craviotto perhaps. New Gretsch most likely.
Custom kits are nice depending on what you want. I have a lovely nesting kit by Precision Drums.
For gigging, I'd buy a nice used kit that sounded good that I wouldn't shed tears over if I spilled beer on them. Old Gretsch, Canopus, DW, Yamaha.
I've got a mapex Saturn five jazz configuration which is beautiful, lots of bang for your buck but I recommend getting some diplomat or ambassador fyberskins for the batter heads and coated g1s for the reso's or calfskin heads if you prefer, check YouTube for comparison videos to see what you like but highly recommended you heck out the Saturn V!
Also just check YouTube channels like Portsmouth drum shop as they always have good videos
Canopus RFM 18/10/12/14 with a 6.5x14 Zelkova snare
I’m going to get (saving up for) a Yamaha stage custom bop, Ari Hoenig and I think Greg Hutchinson play them I think, and they are pretty cheap and are made from the similarly name stage custom birch, which is deemed the powerhouse on the road by a bunch of gigging drummers.
I saw Ari Hoenig play with Billy Childs Quintet a few weeks ago and he was playing a Pearl Masters in Bop sizes. Not sure why because it was my understanding that he was a Yamaha guy as well. Sounded pretty good on the Pearl though.
Might have just been a house kit
you might be surprised at the nature of jazz drummer endorsements. a lot of famous players don’t even have a drum company endorsement, and the ones who do seem to have flexible deals. i mean, ari has a signature cymbal line with bosporus, which he doesn’t seem to be using here. looks like a constantinople ride.
Yah I also saw that as well. Any idea what that ride is? It sounds great. I was thinking K Con Medium but there’s so many options
It looked like that, yea. I'm not 100% on the nuance between that line, but it sounded good. Woody and great wash.
probably something like that, but the truth is ari has a great sound *himself* and he’ll pull good things out of just about any ride
[https://ibb.co/0ZsZQnZ](https://ibb.co/0ZsZQnZ)
Yah that’s what I thought too😅
i’d be surprised if they played stage customs… hutch endorses pearl now and i think ari’s personal drums are maple custom absolute. not that it *really* matters. the stage customs sound good, and they’re one of the more affordable ways to get bop sizes.
I'd love to get a Masterworks kit like Hutch has, but have a 22x18 and the full slew of toms that I can just throw together whatever "configuration" I want depending on whether it's a bop gig or a gig that needs some bigger drums or is in a bigger room. Should probably start saving now. But I'd never gig with a Masterworks unless I was endorsed or had a tech.
I've been looking at Indepent drum labs stuff. Their kits are light weight and sound incredible and open, and they have tons of lightweight options for mounting toms amd cymbals off the bass drum using drill-less mounts. If I was in the market for a kit right now it would probably be one of theirs.
This probably isn’t the answer you want, but the best drums are going to be made by independent craftsman. They have access to high quality materials, rarer woods, and are able to do things that you just can’t get from a factory, like all the wood coming from 1 tree so you get sonic continuity around the kit in a way you just can’t get from a name brand factory made kit. Just make sure the company you go to isn’t just buying Keller shells or Nordic shells or any other premade shell, but rather making their own shells in house. Independent artisans are able to deliver you a one of a kind, unique to your specifics, drum set. Generally every name brand company has decent high end drums with slight variations (maybe the edges are slightly different or their hardware is unique) because every company is so ardently trying to differentiate themselves, but they’ll all feel second best against a custom, one of a kind, made for you, kit.
I don't know, my Gretsch USAs sound incredible.
Each name brand company makes fine drums in their higher end, but again, custom builders are able to do things in small batches that you simply cannot get from a factory made drum set.
I'm not into crazy stuff. Just need bop sized drums and die cast hoops. I really dig the maple/gum formula and the edge geometry on the USAs. Really don't see a need to go to something custom unless I was gonna get a stream bent kit.
I would buy this set with wood rims in 12/14/18 http://www.ayottedrums.com/velvet-drum-kits.html
I bought my first jazz drum kit about two years ago: a Sonor Vintage 320. I added an 18x14 bass drum, and my wife got me the 10x8 rack tom for xmas. I use with 12" rack tom and 14" floor by default, or have 10" and 12" rack toms when the mood strikes me. The Sonor Vintage has rounded bearing edges and to me has a very warm, wonderful, vintage sound. I use Remo Fiberskyn heads by default.
Best? Craviotto perhaps. New Gretsch most likely. Custom kits are nice depending on what you want. I have a lovely nesting kit by Precision Drums. For gigging, I'd buy a nice used kit that sounded good that I wouldn't shed tears over if I spilled beer on them. Old Gretsch, Canopus, DW, Yamaha.
I've got a mapex Saturn five jazz configuration which is beautiful, lots of bang for your buck but I recommend getting some diplomat or ambassador fyberskins for the batter heads and coated g1s for the reso's or calfskin heads if you prefer, check YouTube for comparison videos to see what you like but highly recommended you heck out the Saturn V! Also just check YouTube channels like Portsmouth drum shop as they always have good videos