[drummerCR]

And what about Gretsch's Catalina Club model, would it be any better?

Thanks.

[Der Trommler]

Ah the Gretsch Club Rock series. I am not as familiar with them as I am with other manufacturers from a technical standpoint but I am real familiar with the classic Gretsch sound. After buffing up on the The Club Rock series here is what I can tell you: It has 9 ply Mahogany shells (thick shells made of deeper tonal quality wood) and 30 degree bearing edges which are going to give you a nice deeper tone that will sound like a vintage kit. It also has a 24" bass drum which will give you a deeper thump (very cool for a rock drummer). I am partial to Mahogany because of the high and low tonal sounds it gives, so I like this kit. There are a few Gretsch owners here but the one guy I would ask about this kit would be Tainojim as he owns a Catalina himself and is very well versed with other manufacturers too.

Do you have a drum shop that you are able to listen to any of these sets in person?

	Gretsch Drums Shop for Gretsch Drums at Musician's Friend

[DrMapex]

I'm a little biased, but I'm a metalhead and I think my choice is clear for all to see.

[Gus]

Originally Posted by DrMapex

I'm a little biased, but I'm a metalhead and I think my choice is clear for all to see.

Must like the tamas?

	Tama Drums Shop for Tama Drums at Musician's Friend

[Gus]

Originally Posted by Der Trommler

When I said more jazz/blues type set what I was really speaking of was the punch or attack of the kit. This really doesn't mean that those types of music are all that you would want to play with these kits.

If you really listen to some jazz music you will notice that there really isn't alot of noise for the drum set to cut through (blazing guitars, banging bass guitars and screaming lead singers) and when the drummer lets loose with a fill or semi solo type lick most of the time the rest of the jazz band lowers their volume. The drummer doesn't need to have that thin shelled volume or he might sound like Animal behind the Boston Philharmonic. This what I meant by smoother punch or attack.

With heavy rock, metal or thrash bands you will notice that everyone is at full volume which will require the drums to have punch or attack to cut through the band.

Now for the confusing part.....all of this can be changed to a point with head choice, tuning, mic'ing and mixing. You can reduce a thinner shelled Maple kit's attack by using dampening heads and slightly de tuning the heads(not to mention changing mic levels or changing mixing). By the same token you can give a heavier shelled drum set more attack by using single ply uncoated heads or by simply changing how they are tuned.

I like your humor.

	Attack Drumheads Shop for Attack drum heads at Musician's Friend

[drummerCR]

Originally Posted by Der Trommler

Do you have a drum shop that you are able to listen to any of these sets in person?

yeah, actually did listen mapex vx and m birch in person and kind of played a little myself with the m birch and liked more the sound.

Haven't tried tama.

	Tama Drums Shop for Tama Drums at Musician's Friend

	Mapex Drums Shop for Mapex Drums at Musician's Friend

[Der Trommler]

You are right Gus, kinda funny.

Go with your ears, if the Mapex M Brich sounds real good then grab it. All of the info above is just a guideline, but your ears are what matter the most.

The quality will be very close on all of those sets you have mentioned.

	Mapex Drums Shop for Mapex Drums at Musician's Friend

[drummerCR]

Thanks again Der Trommler for all the info.

[masterofpuppets]

Tama superstar

	Tama Drums Shop for Tama Drums at Musician's Friend

[plugit21]

I am looking at a Superstar Hyper-drive myself, and it seems like a good deal.

My drum shop gave me this as a rule of thumb about how they sell stuff: Kit-matched snare-same brand hardware set. No matching snare, no hardware set. Try to strike up that deal with your store. It will save you hundreds! Also you could put that money towards a complete new head set (Power craft-more like power crap)

However if I had more money, I would DEFINITELY go for the Mapex Saturn Studioease.
If it's good enough for Chris Adler to use for a decade (until Black Panther Blasters) then its good enough for me!

	Mapex Drums Shop for Mapex Drums at Musician's Friend