The “Perfect” Drum Set...

[MrDrums2112]

So, Rick’s post on a dream snare inspired me to start this thread. I really love the drums I am playing right now, but I also have my favorite pieces of the different drum sets I have played over the years. If you could piece together the perfect drum set from all the drums you’ve played over the years, what would you use?

Let’s try to keep it to just drums - cymbals can be another thread altogether. For me, it would most likely be a 4 piece kit, consisting of the following:

1) Rogers 14x20 Dayton era bass drum. Nothing like it, IMO.

2) Late 50s Slingerland 14x14 floor tom, 3 ply, mahogany interior. It’s the sound I hear in my head when I think of what a floor tom should sound like.

3) Tough choice on this one, but for my rack tom, I’d go with my late 80s Yamaha RC 12x12 tom. Yeah, I know...it‘s a square size power tom, completely outdated now, but that thing could sound like a floor tom if you wanted it to, and was just such a powerful, musical drum.

4) My snare would be my latest score - my 7x14 Noble & Cooley SS Walnut (with the 5x14 SS Maple as a back-up or side snare).

How about yours? Have fun!

 

[Tama CW]

2) Late 50s Slingerland 14x14 floor tom, 3 ply, mahogany interior. It’s the sound I hear in my head when I think of what a floor tom should sound like.

3) Tough choice on this one, but for my rack tom, I’d go with my late 80s Yamaha RC 12x12 tom. Yeah, I know...it‘s a square size power tom, completely outdated now, but that thing could sound like a floor tom if you wanted it to, and was just such a powerful, musical drum.

2. I'm actually looking for one of those Slingerland floor toms for that mahogany sound.

3. I don't think any RC's were made in the "Turbo" sizes....just the Tour Customs and the Rock Tour Customs. RC's were made in Force sizes which was a 12x10 for that rack tom.....no deeper from research I've done.

.

 

[Houndog]

My Fibes kit with my Laatz Custom Maple block snare .

 

[MrDrums2112]

2. I'm actually looking for one of those Slingerland floor toms for that mahogany sound.

3. I don't think any RC's were made in the "Turbo" sizes....just the Tour Customs and the Rock Tour Customs. RC's were made in Force sizes which was a 12x10 for that rack tom.....no deeper from research I've done.

.

I seem to remember that is was a 12x12, but it’s been a while since I’ve had it, so it just may have been a 12x10. Either way, that’s the tom I’d use.

 

[D. B. Cooper]

I'm kind of doing this right now with a project.

Do you guys think that this could be a trend at some point? It already kind of is, if you think about it, with the way certain drums of the same brand and line can have different edges or amount of plies. I mean we put different heads on different drums...
Imagine going to see your favorite drummer live and on stage they've got set up a Tama bass drum, Sonor floor tom and Gretsch rack tom. Where the artist chose each drum for it's sonic characteristics.
I'm sure many drummers have been doing this for years, but doesn't it seem kind of like the best way to assemble your ideal instrument? Drums are so weird like that, there's so many components compared to say, flute.
I think it's the customizability that entrances a lot of us.

 

[JDA]

the perfect drum set
is you
like a perfect
fitting shoe
that is
in good shape

~~~
Your Daily haiku

 

[Houndog]

Ain't no way I'm mixing brands ,snares are an exception ...I can't even mix cymbals ...

 

[Ptrick]

The closest kit I played to perfection was in the 90’s at Drum World in San Francisco (where David Garibaldi and Tony Williams taught). Kit was a Ray era Ayotte with wood hoops and coated ambassadors. Man, what a pure, awesome tone.

 

[MrDrums2112]

Ain't no way I'm mixing brands ,snares are an exception ...I can't even mix cymbals ...

Me too! The older I get, the more particular about that I become. However, this is all hypothetical, so our OCD doesn’t completely take over.

 

[MrDrums2112]

The closest kit I played to perfection was in the 90’s at Drum World in San Francisco (where David Garibaldi and Tony Williams taught). Kit was a Ray era Ayotte with wood hoops and coated ambassadors. Man, what a pure, awesome tone.

A friend of mine has an Ayotte snare from the Ray era, and it is a fantastic drum.

 

[hsosdrum]

The only drumset that I would want in addition to the Legacy Maples I already own would be a Legacy Mahogany kit in the exact same sizes (2 x 22", 12/13/14/14x16) in the Emerald Pearl Ludwig used for 50 limited edition kits last year (or earlier this year). I'd get an Emerald Pearl Jazz Festival snare to go with it.

 

[NobleCooleyNut]

My perfect kit would be a steambent Kit from Noble and Cooley in the same configuration as the original Star series kits - short stack 10/12/14/16 toms ( hanging Toms) with a 20” bass drum in Walnut instead of maple . White lacquer with rainbow glitter flakes . They made a kit in this finish for Drum Center of Portsmouth and it just impressed the heck out of me .

 

[MillerMav]

Aside from 3 additional drums, I actually own my perfect drum set right now. It's a jelly bean sparkle INDe drum set in 18x16, 15x12 and 12x6. I want to add in a 24x14 bass, 10x6 rack and 13x9 rack. Along with the Black Swamp/INDe colab solid maple snare it's my perfect set up.

 

[latzanimal]

My Fibes kit with my Laatz Custom Maple block snare .

Aw shucks....

 

[Bandit]

Every size I could ever want.

 

[Redbeard77]

It wasn't uncommon a while back when you had lines like Yamaha Absolute and Pearl Masters offer the same drums in different woods to see guys using maple kick and birch toms, for example, since they all matched visually. There doesn't seem to be much of that offered today but you can still custom order from some companies.

 

[MrDrums2112]

The next time I find myself in a studio situation, I may just piece together my idea of the perfect configuration.