Real world differences between Birch and Maple

pjwortham · #1 (**permalink**) 03-07-2010, 09:46 AM

I have a DW WMP 4 piece. Keller, with 22,12,16, 14 snare. I am all over the map with genre, but mostly P&W, 70-80s British rock, country, pop.

**dtxtremeiiispecial** · #2 (**permalink**) 03-07-2010, 04:52 PM

Welcome, pj. What kind of information are you looking for?

pjwortham · #3 (**permalink**) 03-07-2010, 10:41 PM

Not necessarily any one thing in particular. Maybe just some real world differences between birch vs. maple. My DW is/was expensive, and thought that I would be pleased with the sound, but not so much. Probably because I am not "tweaking" something just right. Did not realize how thin the shells were, and just can seem to get them to project like my old Yamaha Stage Customs that cost 1/3 the $.

**dtxtremeiiispecial** · #4 (**permalink**) 03-07-2010, 11:26 PM

Excellent focus, pj. I'm gonna let the guys who really know shells speak to that.

But you might want to check out another thread on site here called "High End Drums vs. Mid" which is currently underway.

And moderators, should this discussion of dw shells sound and birch vs. maple be moved out of "Drummer Introductions" to another thread?

resonut · #5 (**permalink**) 03-08-2010, 05:34 PM

This is definitely a subject over a beer. Ive owned two birch kits...one being a Premier Genista and the other a Yamaha recording custom kit. The Genista had a KILLER 18x22'' bass drum and 10''tom, the yamahas were built differently. Due to the bearing edges on the Yamaha that set was dead sounding, brittle, no length to the tone, little low end. The 12 and 16 on the Genista were hopeless. Ive not had good luck with birch. (Generally) speaking birch is more contained, focused. Maple is somewhat boomier, wet sounding, loud drums.

I dont know why but ive always been disappointed in DW drums. Ya know something?....whatever it is dont even ask, let your ears decide. Ive got this Yamaha CD with all of their different drums and the birch toms just KILL!! but the bass drum is hopeless. The Maple bass drum sounded great! on this CD. You sound like youve got a very keen ear, you DEFINITELY need to hear a kit befor buying.

Luke · #6 (**permalink**) 03-08-2010, 06:34 PM

With the newer DW kits you can mix and match woods and shells construction on every drum in the kit. So if you do that in according to what has worked in the past I don't see how it could sound bad. DW makes great drums you just gotta pick what kind of DW is right for you they makes tons of products

**skinslapper** · #7 (**permalink**) 03-09-2010, 04:59 AM

Longer drums can project further and I know DW make a big deal of producing shallower toms these days as most companies do.

And also they are renowned for produceing some of the thinnest shells around. Nothing wrong with that if you like that sound, but it can make them harder to control and focus especially on a well resonating maple set. Bearing in mind that birch will give you the focus but not the projection.

I searched far and wide for the mid-priced maple set with the thickest, most plied shells and came up with the Sonor 3007. Very happy indeed.

Mid-range shells are just as good as High-end. They're just not custom.