i have a
pearl set from 1976 and from what i remember when i bought them was if you can,t afford gretch ,ludwig, slingerland, rogers then the next thing was
pearl ,tama, sonar or even whitehall so i could afford the
pearl so i bought the top of the line fiberglass shells and jildjian cymbals and i have it all today so goes to show you its not where its built its how its built