Mini/micro/pocket kits; whatcha got? What do you like?

[Dumpy]

Thanks for the input. Getting the New Yorker by PDP in pink sparkle.

I will be using auxiliary percussion with this kit. It will be a little big kit on occasion.

 

[Sinclair]

Threw together a bastard micro. 8/10/12/12 snare 14 bass drum. Fun.

 

[Houndog]

I have a DW Low Pro kit that I use for rehearsals , jams and the occasional outdoor gig . The bass needs to be mixed for sure . The Toms sound ok . The SNOM is terrible and I sold it immediately .

I just commissioned Gary Posey of Summit drums to make me a travel kit . It will be steambent curly maple .
20 x 10 bass ; 12 x 6 rack and 14 x 7 hanging floor Tom . This was inspired by the N&C Star series kits . I may add a 10 x 5 and 16 x 8 to it next year . The drums will have Stellar Wood Hoops , Slingerland Repro Beavertail lugs and INDe mounts for the Toms and INDe bass drum spurs .

Wow , that sounds amazing ...

 

[Dumpy]

There is still possibility that I could cobble another one together. I just miss that new smell...

 

[sixplymaple]

It is likely Taiwan rather than mainland China .........

Well the only stickers I’ve seen on the inside of those shells says Made In China. So with all the nonsense politics over there, who knows lol.

 

[mydadisjr]

Pearl Midtown... got this set for about $170 used. Sounds good, nice bass drum sound, wood hoops, very nice susp tom mount, cool finish, snare actually sounds OK for a cheapo 13" (although I would not gig with it). No problems with bubbling wrap.

I sold a Chinese Sonor kit: 18/10/14... to get this one.

MUCH better QC on the Pearl kit: the Sonor had some of the worst edges (rough, unsanded) I have ever seen on a big name kit, plus the NO SUSPENSION mount on the tom choked the high tom. The non-height adjustable bass legs are just stupid, and I hate metal bass drum hoops.

 

[Sprice]

Thanks for the input. Getting the New Yorker by PDP in pink sparkle.

I will be using auxiliary percussion with this kit. It will be a little big kit on occasion.

Nice! I tried to get one of those a year ago but they got delayed for months so I ended up with the Midtown. Love it and never had an issue with the wrap or anything else.
Definitely looking forward to hearing about that PDP though.

 

[Dumpy]

The bubbling wrap concerned me because four different reviews mentioned it. Glad that the wrap is the same condition it started out as @mydadisjr and @Sprice . @mydadisjr that wrap color looks great!

 

[Dumpy]

Bought a nice Red Hydraulic head for the bass drum and some Black Chrome heads for the toms. Who knows what snare will be used. The snare may be nice enough to use, or not. These budget kits are a bit of a crap shoot on the snare.

Shame you can’t get add-ons. I’d love a 14 or 15” add on floor tom. I suppose I could get a used small floor tom with Pdp lugs and see if it couldn’t be painted to match.

If the insides aren’t finished, that’s where a few coats of Tru Oil will come in handy. That product does nice stuff.

 

[bassanddrum84]

Until about 18 months I had the Taye Go-Kit which worked fine but also in the past I had a Flats kit and even the Rims Head set ...
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View attachment 489367 View attachment 489368

Always wanted a taye go kit I love shallow toms. Those are super cool kits

 

[Sinclair]

Here's the kit I posted pics of above.

 

[richardh253]

curiously, I was browsing May 2001 MD and microkits were apparently popular then.

 

[Houndog]

Oh my , that Ayotte kit !!!!

 

[5 Style]

Oh my , that Ayotte kit !!!!

To me, that design kind of defeats the purpse of having a tiny kit. The way the toms have to fly off of stands make it all more difficult to set up and the whole point of a compact kit (or at least a lot of it) is convenience.

 

[cribbon]

To me, that design kind of defeats the purpse of having a tiny kit. The way the toms have to fly off of stands make it all more difficult to set up and the whole point of a compact kit (or at least a lot of it) is convenience.

Exactly right, plus requiring all that hardware doesn't do anything to lighten your load. Mounting drums off heavy stands with a wide leg spread is counterproductive if you want to reduce the weight and stage footprint of your kit.

Kits like the Sonor Safari and Tama Metro Jam are more practical because the rack tom and ride cymbal mount from a single post on the bass drum and the floor toms have conventional legs (three floor tom legs are a lot lighter than any stand needed to support even a small tom). This approach also allows you to use lightweight stands rather than heftier ones for any other cymbals you may use, all of which makes for a more lighter and compact kit.

 

[ZiggyM]

I have one of the early Sonor German build “Jungle Kits”

 

[richardh253]

Exactly right, plus requiring all that hardware doesn't do anything to lighten your load. Mounting drums off heavy stands with a wide leg spread is counterproductive if you want to reduce the weight and stage footprint of your kit.

Kits like the Sonor Safari and Tama Metro Jam are more practical because the rack tom and ride cymbal mount from a single post on the bass drum and the floor toms have conventional legs (three floor tom legs are a lot lighter than any stand needed to support even a small tom). This approach also allows you to use lightweight stands rather than heftier ones for any other cymbals you may use, all of which makes for a more lighter and compact kit.

View attachment 489937

In fairness, I posted ads from 2001 issue of MD. In the intervening 20 years the industry came a long way in design and in terms of hardware, portability, etc. I just found it interesting to be reminded that this design went back further than I recalled.

 

[Houndog]

I just want a wood hoop Ayotte kit ....

 

[Dumpy]

I just want a wood hoop Ayotte kit ....

You, me and 10,000 others. Sweet drums.

 

[5 Style]

I just want a wood hoop Ayotte kit ....

I owned a regular metal hooped kit for a while. It was a nice kit...