Sonor Vintage Series Drums...LOVE!

[Treviso1]

Wow... if those drums sound as good as they look (and it seems like based on what I've heard, high end Sonor kits can sound fantastic), that kind of kit might be the end-game drum kit for me. I'll even take it with the same red, swirly finish, but I'd want and 20-12-15 and while I'm at it a 6.5" deep 14" matching snare.

As much as I like the sound and even the look of lots of Sonor stuff that I've heard, I'm less crazy about the overbuit (heavy!) looking hardware and the often deep tom and bass sizes. I like the more trad build of this stuff, all the way down to the the surface tom mount that goes on right on the bass drum...

Well, then these drums are right up your alley.

 

[5 Style]

Well, then these drums are right up your alley.

My end game kit might be a tossup between those ones and one of those Trixon kits where all of the drums are conical. Those drums are just silly looking and that really appeals to me. I think that it was Frank Zappa who once asked "does humor belong in music?" and that Trixon kit would be my answer to that, every time that I would show up somewhere to play it!

 

[Treviso1]

My end game kit might be a tossup between those ones and one of those Trixon kits where all of the drums are conical. Those drums are just silly looking and that really appeals to me. I think that it was Frank Zappa who once asked "does humor belong in music?" and that Trixon kit would be my answer to that, every time that I would show up somewhere to play it

Go for something that actually sounds good...the new Trixons...no so much. My buddy did the same thing and you should hear these tubs...absolute junk. He has triggers on every drum and just triggers samples all night long. Acoustically, those Trixon reissues just sound awful.

 

[dingaling]

Love that they drill the tom mount into the shell.
I think in a couple years there will be several used ones for sale. It’s still a fairly new line so not as many resales now. Wait it out.

 

[Signals]

I know what you mean. I'm generally a "buy, try and sell" kinda guy, but my Vintage Series drums are staying. I started with the 22/13/16 setup and have since added a 10" tom, a 12" tom, a 14" floor tom and a 20" bass drum. Yes, they are expensive, but I figure it'll actually save me money in the long run since I no longer have a desire for any other kits. The Vintage Series seems to combine all the elements of my past favorite Classic Maple, Hybrid Maple and S-Classix kits.

...and yeah, I, too, LOVE that they drilled the tom mount into the shell. I also prefer the tom holder drilled directly into the bass, so this series is a winner for me.

(Sonor 4000 series hardware shown is compliments of Eyedrum )

 

[5 Style]

Go for something that actually sounds good...the new Trixons...no so much. My buddy did the same thing and you should hear these tubs...absolute junk. He has triggers on every drum and just triggers samples all night long. Acoustically, those Trixon reissues just sound awful.

I didn't even realize that they reissued those crazy conical drums. I think maybe I've seen more conventional style kits by them that are contemprary, but not the signature weird ones. I'd want vintage ones if I were to go that route, particularly if the new versions don't sound very good! I've read that as weird as those old ones look that they can actually be made to sound pretty good and that would be a requirement. I have no interest either in the style of kit with the asymmetrical bass drum, just for the record. Those things would of course be impossible to get heads for and I wouldn't want to deal with tuning that thing either. I don't really even dig those from a visual standpoint... Weird, yes, but also somehow wrong looking.

 

[Rhyma Hop]

I no longer have a desire for any other kits. The Vintage Series seems to combine all the elements of my past favorite Classic Maple, Hybrid Maple and S-Classix kits.

Wow this is impressive as I know you have owned MANY upper level kits going back to the Pearl forum days .

 

[florian1]

Im a Sonorholic and Im a huge fan of the Vintage series. I dont own one, but I do have the Ascents, which are a heavy beech to the Vintage's thin beech. I think Sonor does a great job with all their species - the Birch drums such as the S-Classix and the Maple tubs they make are stellar in their own ways. I, like Weaves, have an Q2 in medium maple - and I wouldnt trade it for anything...bar none. It is a fantasic kit. Want more punch? Go get a birch kit. Want fuller body? Go get a beech kit - Sonor does it all!

F

 

[Treviso1]

Love that they drill the tom mount into the shell.
I think in a couple years there will be several used ones for sale. It’s still a fairly new line so not as many resales now. Wait it out.

Don't wait too long...you never know! Tomorrow waits for no one!

 

[Jazzhead]

I love SQ1 as well…

 

[Treviso1]

Sweet!

 

[dsop]

I love everything about them except for the offset lugs. I just can't come to grips with how that looks. I wish they made the toms just a bit deeper and had the lugs in-line with each other.

 

[Frank Godiva]

 

[Treviso1]

I love everything about them except for the offset lugs. I just can't come to grips with how that looks. I wish they made the toms just a bit deeper and had the lugs in-line with each other.

My initial reaction to them was the same. I didn't love the way they looked. That lasted until I actually saw them in person and played them. Now, I just love the way they look. The offset lugs, the engraved proprietary hoops, the quality of the chrome plating...I love it all.

 

[GretschMan61]

I have owned 2 Sonor Vintage series kits - they are superb drums , sound really great and like Treviso commented the engraved hoops look superb . If I was in the market for another Sonor kit , I would get another Sonor Vintage series kit .

 

[DamnSingerAlsoDrums]

@Treviso1 do I get from this thread that you are keeping those puppies? If so I'm very happy for you. Your appreciation of them were instrumental into pushing me over the edge and pulling the trigger on mine when the occasion presented itself.

 

[Treviso1]

@Treviso1 do I get from this thread that you are keeping those puppies? If so I'm very happy for you. Your appreciation of them were instrumental into pushing me over the edge and pulling the trigger on mine when the occasion presented itself.

Yes, Sir! I played them on a session and the engineer and producer flipped over how fat and juicy they tracked. I just decided to sell some other stuff and keep them. It's hard to go wrong with these drums. I have added to my Red Oyster kit so that I now have 24,10,12,13 rack toms, 16FL & 18FL.

 

[DamnSingerAlsoDrums]

Yes, Sir! I played them on a session and the engineer and producer flipped over how fat and juicy they tracked. I just decided to sell some other stuff and keep them. It's hard to go wrong with these drums. I have added to my Red Oyster kit so that I now have 24,10,12,13 rack toms, 16FL & 18FL.

That's what I'm talkin' about!! I'm awfully glad they didn't go to another maybe less appreciative or less deserving person out there.

Hey if that session (or any other you did with those, for that matter) rver becomes available, I'd be curious to hear them. My 16 floor and 22 kick are already canned thunder as it is, I bet the 24 and 18 can shake cracks into the studio drywall

 

[richardh253]

Then and Now

 

[Treviso1]

That's what I'm talkin' about!! I'm awfully glad they didn't go to another maybe less appreciative or less deserving person out there.

Hey if that session (or any other you did with those, for that matter) rver becomes available, I'd be curious to hear them. My 16 floor and 22 kick are already canned thunder as it is, I bet the 24 and 18 can shake cracks into the studio drywall

You make a really great point in your description: "Canned thunder!" That's so well put. The session tracks I did were for a pair of artists who do a lot of movie and commercial music over in Europe. I have worked for them since 1988 and have literally done hundreds of sessions over all of those years. I generally never hear it again, unless I just accidentally hear it in a film or commercial. However, it is generally pretty interesting stuff. We cut entire songs and then they edit them down as needed. They are drum sound crazies and they go for some interesting mojo in general. I have done sessions where we recorded the entire kit with just one heavily compressed Telefunken U47 Tube mic...Very Matt Chamberlain lo-fi vibe. Other times, they will have everything mic'd up and very hi-fi. At any rate, these Sonor Vintage Series Red Oyster drums just filled that room with fatty goodness.