Star, SQ2, or Craviotto !!

[Mapex Always]

Loving this thing !!

Yay!!!

More pics here for those who are interested.

NEW SQ2 + !!!

“Beech Madness” - all styles represented and tweaked to perfection! Thin , Vintage Rolled Medium , Medium , Heavy and high gloss Heavy without an inner marble. 13“ x 5.75“ snare 14“ x 6.5“ snare 8” x 8”, 10” x 8”, 12” x 8” toms 15” x 14”, 18” x 14” floors 20” x 15” bass AMAZING SOUND ...

www.drumforum.org

 

[Fat Drummer]

Your crushing it Doc! I love your taste and so happy you have the opportunity to see this project come to fruition!

 

[Gretsch>All&Everythang]

Oh my! What a gorgeous set, love the radius of toms you’ve got going around the snare. Maybe the prettiest wood ever

Eye candy of a set right there, it doesn’t get much better than that!!!!



Except for MAPEX of course

 

[Matched Gripper]

Loving this thing !!


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Yay!!!

More pics here for those who are interested.

NEW SQ2 + !!!

“Beech Madness” - all styles represented and tweaked to perfection! Thin , Vintage Rolled Medium , Medium , Heavy and high gloss Heavy without an inner marble. 13“ x 5.75“ snare 14“ x 6.5“ snare 8” x 8”, 10” x 8”, 12” x 8” toms 15” x 14”, 18” x 14” floors 20” x 15” bass AMAZING SOUND ...

www.drumforum.org

Now THAT is a packing job. What I call UPS proof!

 

[Mapex Always]

With 9 hours of play time in , I can say, without a shadow of a doubt , This drum set is everything I wanted it to be and more. A step beyond all of my previous SQ2 Kits , and that’s saying something.

 

[Mapex Always]

The SQ2 medium beech tom’s are like EVERYTHING you want a tom to sound like - WOW!

 

[T_Weaves]

They sure look purdy!!

 

[Johnnythunder]

SQ2 end of story. Very glad you don’t have DW on your list.

And what's wrong with DW? Just your opinion?

 

[Johnnythunder]

He left out. For the money.

He said at any price. He's entitled to his opinion I guess

 

[Steech]

And what's wrong with DW? Just your opinion?

Of course, yes, that’s my opinion.

 

[donbseattle]

I have a friend with a long international jazz drumming resume. He told me he does not dig "boutique" snare drums. He loves the Great Gretsch Sound. He has and can get various endorsements. He likes the matching wood snares that come with his Gretsch kits. " all in the same family" like Billy Higgjns used to say.

This is all subjective stuff. If your high end gear makes you happy and you have the means to acquire it, and fill your home and studio and warehouse with it, that is great. I wish you joy and many hours of fun and happiness.
If I hear you gig on an off the rack kit tonight, I will perceive your strengths and weaknesses and level of musicianship. As you will if you see me play. Tomorrow night, put us each on the costly high end kits. My view? We will still be and sound and play like the same dough heads as last night. If your roll sucks, it will suck on both the acrolite AND the Dave Weckl Signaure snare drums with the 13 strainers. If you swing mildly on your Gretsch Catalinas, you will still sound like a no swingin mofo tonight on your Mapex Maple Syrup Aeonological Festivus tubs . Or you freaking solid shell sunken timber drums that were made from doozinga, tropical Tahitian Tutti Frutti wooden furniture recovered from the freakin Titanic.

You would be better off spending your $20,000 bucks worth of GAS gear, by instead moving to NYC for 10 months and studying with Kenny Washington and John Riley on your vintage Ludwig Downbeat kit with the supraphonic with 20" and 18" old Zildjians and some 14" new beats.

Happy Festivus, everybody!

 

[SpinaDude]

Doc...I notice a Yamaha PHX kit missing from the mix. Not on your radar?

 

[Mapex Always]

I have a friend with a long international jazz drumming resume. He told me he does not dig "boutique" snare drums. He loves the Great Gretsch Sound. He has and can get various endorsements. He likes the matching wood snares that come with his Gretsch kits. " all in the same family" like Billy Higgjns used to say.

This is all subjective stuff. If your high end gear makes you happy and you have the means to acquire it, and fill your home and studio and warehouse with it, that is great. I wish you joy and many hours of fun and happiness.
If I hear you gig on an off the rack kit tonight, I will perceive your strengths and weaknesses and level of musicianship. As you will if you see me play. Tomorrow night, put us each on the costly high end kits. My view? We will still be and sound and play like the same dough heads as last night. If your roll sucks, it will suck on both the acrolite AND the Dave Weckl Signaure snare drums with the 13 strainers. If you swing mildly on your Gretsch Catalinas, you will still sound like a no swingin mofo tonight on your Mapex Maple Syrup Aeonological Festivus tubs . Or you freaking solid shell sunken timber drums that were made from doozinga, tropical Tahitian Tutti Frutti wooden furniture recovered from the freakin Titanic.

You would be better off spending your $20,000 bucks worth of GAS gear, by instead moving to NYC for 10 months and studying with Kenny Washington and John Riley on your vintage Ludwig Downbeat kit with the supraphonic with 20" and 18" old Zildjians and some 14" new beats.

Happy Festivus, everybody!

Are you being nice to me?

 

[Gretsch>All&Everythang]

I think he is jealous of the wood…

But also means you be who you be, no matter one drum or three.
You play what you play, no matter the set at the end of day.


… or maybe I misunderstood…


Hopefully it’s all good







man…

 

[TCurtis]

Have played all 3 ,, have owned all 3 companies Best offerings at one time or another ,, I find all three to be equal and fantastic ,, I have all three on order for arrival at different time points in 2022, to add to my at home collection of nonstop drumming and playing!

To be clear here one cannot buy a “better” Drum set then the Mapex Saturn, as good or better than any drum set at any price.

For me the “greatest” kit in the world today is the Mapex Versatus.

As for the most “superior” kit of all time, that title goes to the Mapex Orion kits from 1998/1999/2000, To this day and prior to, there’s never been anything made near it.

With these Latest additions, I’m running seven new snare drums, a whole mess of hardware from Mapex, Sonor and Tama, all drive systems are ALWAYS Mapex and Tama (Falcon and Dyna-Sync), Along with all the best offerings from Paiste, Meinl, And Zildjian.

Tama Star Bubinga Sunny Yellow custom

Sonor SQ2 Medium Maple African Marble inside and out with all Gold hardware

Craviotto Walnut with Walnut inlay Custom

….. For this crowd, which kit takes the cake?? By the way David from Craviotto the guy is absolutely fantastic! For me I couldn’t decide, hence why all three are on order and I just called it a tie.

I am gonna cast my vote to the SQ2. But your choice of the turn of millennium orions, I would nominate the 1st couple years of pro M

 

[TCurtis]

Well, it’s that time again, I have it done about four times a year …. when I have my drum tech come over and tune all 80 drums , all 160 heads, including all hand drums, and stick percussion drums.

He’s down there right now. Nothing like the day after , I can’t even leave that floor when I get down there.

He has with him the NEW PEARL VECTORCAST and the NEW PEARL CONCERT SNARE STAND for standing play , and a new Remo black dot , wanted clear , accidentally came with a coated BD , said what the heck throw it on there.


As for the drum kits , the excuse is -

PEARL produces more drums than any drum Company in the world , that’s why it arrived fist.

TAMA is one of the best selling drum companies in the world , that’s why it arrive second.

They both significantly out produce SONOR , and that’s why this kit hasn’t arrived yet.

And as for CRAVIOTTO , their excuse isn’t that they produce the least amount of drums of the 4 companies mentioned here, it’s that they produce the most magnificent drums of the 4 companies mentioned here .. not in those exact words, but that was what was insinuated.


… so we wait , as for tomorrow , WE PLAY.

I just received a 16x16 floor, Cat Club Gretch in the satin yellow flame. Special ordered, as it’s not available as an add on by Gretsch. I really dig the wrap and have the 20, 12,14,14 set. Sold as a ‘cocktail’ kit, I have a lightweight 5 piece, 1 up , 2 down. Not a cocktail kit anymore . Nice modern sound, these mahogany shells love the Evans EC2’s . I can put this kit in any stage, and it’s large enough and small enough.
10 Months wait from China. I was told 4-6 but it was well worth the wait. They built me a sweet add on. I was kept in the loop, even when Gretsch lost it at sea as it was in the wrong container but it’s made it’s way to Buffalo and my kit, and that’s where it stays! Good luck with that Sonor, love my Force 2000’s

 

[TCurtis]

Loving this thing !!


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Yay!!!

More pics here for those who are interested.

NEW SQ2 + !!!

“Beech Madness” - all styles represented and tweaked to perfection! Thin , Vintage Rolled Medium , Medium , Heavy and high gloss Heavy without an inner marble. 13“ x 5.75“ snare 14“ x 6.5“ snare 8” x 8”, 10” x 8”, 12” x 8” toms 15” x 14”, 18” x 14” floors 20” x 15” bass AMAZING SOUND ...

www.drumforum.org

Nice touch with the fire grain sticks . That kid is absolutely stunning !!!

 

[SwissTrips]

Have played all 3 ,, have owned all 3 companies Best offerings at one time or another ,, I find all three to be equal and fantastic ,, I have all three on order for arrival at different time points in 2022, to add to my at home collection of nonstop drumming and playing!

To be clear here one cannot buy a “better” Drum set then the Mapex Saturn, as good or better than any drum set at any price.

For me the “greatest” kit in the world today is the Mapex Versatus.

As for the most “superior” kit of all time, that title goes to the Mapex Orion kits from 1998/1999/2000, To this day and prior to, there’s never been anything made near it.

With these Latest additions, I’m running seven new snare drums, a whole mess of hardware from Mapex, Sonor and Tama, all drive systems are ALWAYS Mapex and Tama (Falcon and Dyna-Sync), Along with all the best offerings from Paiste, Meinl, And Zildjian.

Tama Star Bubinga Sunny Yellow custom

Sonor SQ2 Medium Maple African Marble inside and out with all Gold hardware

Craviotto Walnut with Walnut inlay Custom

….. For this crowd, which kit takes the cake?? By the way David from Craviotto the guy is absolutely fantastic! For me I couldn’t decide, hence why all three are on order and I just called it a tie.

That's awesome. It took me years to buy my custom SQ2's. Years. But to have a custom Craviotto, a Mapex AND an SQ2 on order? Yeah, bro, I'm as jealous of that as I am happy for you! I hate the jealous part, I celebrate drums and drum collections make more sense than any other thing.

 

[Mapex Always]

Doc...I notice a Yamaha PHX kit missing from the mix. Not on your radar?

Absolutely on my radar , along with A&F and Oriollo! Hope your loving that new Pearl snare!

 

[donbseattle]

Are you being nice to me?

I am trying to be nice to everybody. Not speaking about any individuals. My thinking is the better you play, the better you sound. 98 percent of the time, if I am digging a drummer whom I am watching, I am impressed by their playing, not their gear.

If you love the gear you have and are playing the very best you can, I wish you a lifetime of playing joy and happiness.

In my case, I would sound better 6 months from now if I were to spend the time studying with, say, John Riley, that if I were to buy an 8 thousand dollar Sonor kit.