Pearl Drums

[little rock]

Why do Pearls not get any "love" around here? Around the middle of November I'm going to refurb a set of 70s wood-fiberglass Pearls. I had a couple of sets back in the day and really liked them. They are orphans that I got off ebay almost 20 years ago. I have nice Pearl hardware to put on them and am going to recover them in gold sparkle and that is going to be "my go to set". I'm going to be selling all my other drums, 23 sets, so when I pass, I'm no spring chicken, my wife can sell these and not take a bath in the transaction. Now, again, why do Pearls not get any love here?

 

[Steech]

Why do Pearls not get any "love" around here? Around the middle of November I'm going to refurb a set of 70s wood-fiberglass Pearls. I had a couple of sets back in the day and really liked them. They are orphans that I got off ebay almost 20 years ago. I have nice Pearl hardware to put on them and am going to recover them in gold sparkle and that is going to be "my go to set". I'm going to be selling all my other drums, 23 sets, so when I pass, I'm no spring chicken, my wife can sell these and not take a bath in the transaction. Now, again, why do Pearls not get any love here?

I’ve often wondered this same thing myself. Pearls don’t seem to be viewed as too hip or cool or sexy when compared to the other big names. I’ve owned Pearls in the past and have a high end custom set coming soon and my guess is folks see them as utilitarian rather than cool, dunno. I think they’re the largest selling drum manufacturer or at least close to it. And it might be due to seeing Exports just everywhere for such a long time and people associating them with cheap entry level gear.

 

[premierplayer]

Love me some Pearls.

 

[Tubwompus]

LUV their BD spurs.
HATE their tom mounting system.
RIMS waiting to happen.

 

[Squirrel Man]

https://imgur.com/a/I1pvfNK

https://imgur.com/a/OplJ9gV

 

[Steech]

LUV their BD spurs.
HATE their tom mounting system.
RIMS waiting to happen.

What don’t you like about the tom mounting system?

 

[flatwins]

I loathe them.

 

[Steech]

I loathe them.

You loathe Pearl drums? All of ‘em?

 

[Tubwompus]

What don’t you like about the tom mounting system?

With any of the type of mount that have protrusions going into the shells, they have a tendency to choke the resonance of the tom. The closer you get to the center of the mount, the worse it gets. The old Rogers stuff, Sonor’s Phonic-era mount, and Yamaha’s are all
bad for that too but not to the degree that Pearl’s have turned out to be. That said, if you like a more short-ish note from your rack toms, then Pearl’s mount is great for that. I personally prefer a long, resonant note from toms, which just makes the whole matter more fiddly.

ETA - I hope I didn’t give the impression that I don’t like the drums themselves. I had a BLX kit and one of the old-school early Keller-shelled kits and the bass drums and floor toms were weapons. So the shells themselves are really good IMO.

 

[Ransan]

Love Pearl!

My toms shells are virgins, no mount goes inside.

 

[Tubwompus]

Love Pearl!

My toms shells are virgins no mount goes inside.
View attachment 583150 View attachment 583151

Now there ya go!
Did you have to trim down the tube lengths? Just curious.

 

[Ransan]

Now there ya go!
Did you have to trim down the tube lengths? Just curious.

No sir, I use the 1030 series gyro lock tom holders, and a mix between 1000 and 2000 series of cymbal stands, the 2030 is revolutionary.

The mounting system are the optimount. I actually think the tube arms are flexible.
Inversely, I don’t like L-rod mounts due to lateral constraints.

Also, I outfitted the entire batter side with Mastercast or die casts hoops, left 2.3 mm triple flanged on resos, it really lets me lock in the floors at a lower sound without getting flappy.

 

[Steech]

No sir, I use the 1030 series gyro lock tom holders.

The mounting system are the optimount. I actually think the tube arms are flexible.
Inversely, I don’t like L-rod mounts due to lateral constraints.

Also, I outfitted the entire batter side with Mastercast or die casts hoops, left 2.3 mm triple flanged on resos, it really lets me lock in the floors at a lower sound without getting flappy.

I’m getting a kit with Optimounts.
My understanding was/is that nothing actually goes into the shell. And I’d be surprised if any drum manufacturer in the last 10-20 years is actually building hardware that goes into toms.

 

[Tubwompus]

I’m getting a kit with Optimounts.
My understanding was/is that nothing actually goes into the shell. And I’d be surprised if any drum manufacturer in the last 10-20 years is actually building hardware that goes into toms.

Now see? I’m just showing my age and outdated knowledge of the most current stuff.

Eh? Whut’d you ask me, young feller?

 

[Treviso1]

Here's my Masterworks kit in Waterfall Bubinga kit on a DrumFrame. The drums are 12ply maple with inner mahogany. You would be hard pressed to find a better sounding set of drums. The bass drums are THE best 22" I've ever played. The drums are gorgeous. Pearl makes great drums.

 

[Steech]

Here's my Masterworks kit in Waterfall Bubinga kit on a DrumFrame. The drums are 12ply maple with inner mahogany. You would be hard pressed to find a better sounding set of drums. The bass drums are THE best 22" I've ever played. The drums are gorgeous. Pearl makes great drums.


View attachment 583152 View attachment 583153

Wow. Beautiful kit!!

 

[GretschMan61]

I have tried to like Pearl drums , I have owned three sets and they just don’t knock me out . The last kit I owned was a reissued wood/fibreglass kit that once I changed the crap Remo UT heads sounded pretty good . The lacquer finish on the bass drum cracked completely around the shell !!

 

[Seb77]

Good enough for Louie Bellson, Art Blakey, Mel Lewis, Dennis Chambers, Marvin Smitty Smith etc.

Really happy with my early 6ply maple kit, 12 13 16 22, rosewood lacquer.
I found if the tom mount itself is mounted a flexible way (multi-clamp or its own stand), the toms have all decay I need, sometime more so with the arm all the way in, strange as this sounds.

 

[Trilock_Gurtu]

They're the Chevy of drums.

 

[CC Cirillo]

Why do Pearls not get any love around here?

You must have missed me spouting sonnets of love for my brass Sensitone every other week.

Pearl? Maybe one reason is they are sort of the DWs of the 1980’s.

Great drums, though. Bang them with pride.