Thoughts on DW drums!

[bpaluzzi]

Sorry, still not buying it. No one plays Exports on the big stage.

That's simply not true.

There are multiple stories about Nashville drummers playing Pearl Exports in the studio. Damon Che from Don Caballero plays an Export all the time.

 

[bpaluzzi]

I've always looked at DW the same way I look at Apple. Yes, they make really good to great products, but for the most part, they're way too expensive. Now, some of that has changed with the introduction of the Design Series kits, and with the improvements of the PDP stuff. I've had the Design black nickel brass snare and it was really good. And I've played on quite a few Performance series kits live and in studio. And again, they are really good stuff, but no better than any other companies' mid to high end stuff.

Getting equivalent real-world performance (not spec chasing) from Windows to Apple requires essentially equivalent cost. And spare me the stories of "I built my machine for $500 and it blows away any Mac". No, it doesn't.

If you want to complain about Apple's fundamental treatment of computers / phones as sealed appliances, not things that you can tinker with, that's legitimate.

But the price thing was a red herring before the M silicon came out, and it's DEFINITELY a red herring now.

 

[2J3L]

Respectfully disagree, to an extent.

Put whatever heads you want on an Export and it sounds cheap. Put whatever heads you want on a Starclassic Maple, Yamaha Absolute Hybrid, DW Collectors, Sonor SQ2 and it sounds like a musical instrument, but finely tuned to the sound you desire.

This guy did it for us.

I am a die hard DW user, but that DW drum with cheap heads sound like garbage. (Comparably cheap drums with decent heads sound decent.) And I don’t think the drums were poorly tuned.

 

[David Hunter]

The PDP kit is actually a rare kit made with DW California made shells of Mahogony with a poplar core ply and maple re-rings that they use on the DW Classic series. It's a 22x14, 12x8, and 14x14. By far my favorite sound. It's got the older PDP peanut lugs found on the Platinum series, but I haven't had an issue with them.

Actually, those were leftover Keller Vintage Mahogany shells, hence the limited run of roughly 75 sets, all 22/12/14 in 3 different wraps for $1199. DW had transitioned into making their own "vintage" shells and saw the American Vintage line as a way to move out the old Keller stock. They were a fantastic bargain at the time.

 

[hsosdrum]

This guy did it for us.

I am a die hard DW user, but that DW drum with cheap heads sound like garbage. (Comparably cheap drums with decent heads sound decent.) And I don’t think the drums were poorly tuned.

Now THAT'S what I've been talkin' about!

 

[rsmittee]

Now THAT'S what I've been talkin' about!

I love what this guy did too. Another example of what happens when you eliminate confirmation bias.

Does Drum Material Actually Matter? An MDF Snare Drum

"I bought the cheapest (low quality) MDF... & made it into a 14x6 stave drum." Could you tell the difference? Custom drum builder Bart Westera's MDF snare.

drumheadauthority.com

And on topic, I love my little 14 x 4 DW Snare circa '94-ish. And I also love my cheapo Ace of Spades brass snare. And since DW owns Gretsch (I know that's not true, but I'm saying it anyway) I love my super cheapo Catalina Clubs that I've used live and in high-end studio settings.

 

[ThatDrummerDudeRyan]

Actually, those were leftover Keller Vintage Mahogany shells, hence the limited run of roughly 75 sets, all 22/12/14 in 3 different wraps for $1199. DW had transitioned into making their own "vintage" shells and saw the American Vintage line as a way to move out the old Keller stock. They were a fantastic bargain at the time.

I never knew this. I always wanted a set but it took years to track one down. Thank you!

 

[Drummer69BB]

I love what this guy did too. Another example of what happens when you eliminate confirmation bias.

Does Drum Material Actually Matter? An MDF Snare Drum

"I bought the cheapest (low quality) MDF... & made it into a 14x6 stave drum." Could you tell the difference? Custom drum builder Bart Westera's MDF snare.

drumheadauthority.com

And on topic, I love my little 14 x 4 DW Snare circa '94-ish. And I also love my cheapo Ace of Spades brass snare. And since DW owns Gretsch (I know that's not true, but I'm saying it anyway) I love my super cheapo Catalina Clubs that I've used live and in high-end studio settings.

View attachment 605061

I had this same one back in the 90s and it sounded phenomenal - surprisingly full bodied for a 4" shell.

 

[Drummer69BB]

That's simply not true.

There are multiple stories about Nashville drummers playing Pearl Exports in the studio. Damon Che from Don Caballero plays an Export all the time.

That's sad and the man needs to move up to a real instrument.

 

[Drummer69BB]

The SoCal, hipper than thou ‘tude, has always bothered me, but...
1. As someone old enough to have seen the Japanese brands reduce the US manufacturers to rubble in the early 80s, it is great to see a US company rise retake the no. 1 brand position—
2. That brand position is Evidenced by the nearly ubiquitous use of DW by almost every professional I see on media is playing their drums
3. the pitch matching may be mostly (all?) hype— but they must be doing something right because of the fact of no. 2,
4. I am just an enthusiast/amateur, but having played the collectors, I was really impressed by the quality and sound, as good as anything from other mfrs, including crazy higher priced Sonor,
5. Yes, they still are expensive, but when they did what every other company did to provide a lower cost line, go offshore (but Mexico rather than off to the Far East), people give them grief for not ALL of their drums not being “made in the USA”.
6. I sold my collectors awhile back because I could not stand the large clock face lugs (silly I guess, but so I get it), but I picked up a used performance kit (made in the USA) which has the toned down lugs, for a very reasonable price (GC used), and they are terrific.

you may prefer a Ford F150 pickup to a Tesla, but there is no question that Tesla makes Ford better and is an example of US excellence and innovation. For me it is the same for DW.

I have found that many that are critical of DW are often people that simply don't have a real ear for the instrument. Same thing with Sonor, high end Tama kits, etc. They either can't tune well, can't afford a decent kit (grew up playing intro level kits I get it) or simply don't understand what they are hearing cause it's NOT LOUD ENOUGH.

Give them a few more years of playing and they will all appreciate the finer nuances of a flagship level shell.

 

[bpaluzzi]

That's sad and the man needs to move up to a real instrument.

Trolllllllll

 

[bpaluzzi]

I have found that many that are critical of DW are often people that simply don't have a real ear for the instrument. Same thing with Sonor, high end Tama kits, etc. They either can't tune well, can't afford a decent kit (grew up playing intro level kits I get it) or simply don't understand what they are hearing cause it's NOT LOUD ENOUGH.

Give them a few more years of playing and they will all appreciate the finer nuances of a flagship level shell.

Bless your heart honey.

 

[Drummer69BB]

Trolllllllll

Reality. Played them. They don't compare. Sorry.

 

[bpaluzzi]

Reality. Played them. They don't compare. Sorry.

Sounds like you need to learn how to tune. If you can’t get a good sound out of a mid-tier kit, that’s on you, not on the drums

 

[mhdrummer]

Been playing DWs since 1983. I can afford them and I play them. My choice—not bashing any brand—

 

[Drummer69BB]

Sounds like you need to learn how to tune. If you can’t get a good sound out of a mid-tier kit, that’s on you, not on the drums

40 year Berklee college of music educated semi pro here child, more than got this handled. I can get a decent sound out of any drum, but not a great one from an export, sorry.

I think it may be time to have your hearing checked.

 

[bpaluzzi]

I can get a decent sound out of any drum, but not a great one from an export, sorry.

Bless your heart.

That's a "you" problem, not the drums. Sounds like you need to work a bit more on learning how to tune!

 

[RyanLovesDrums]

Bless your heart.

That's a "you" problem, not the drums. Sounds like you need to work a bit more on learning how to tune!

I haven’t been in front of a Pearl Export in about 30 years but I’m gonna take a chance and say that a DW would be easier to tune up and sound overall better than the export. I will say that DW prices are getting outrageous but that’s another matter.

 

[bpaluzzi]

I haven’t been in front of a Pearl Export in about 30 years but I’m gonna take a chance and say that a DW would be easier to tune up and sound overall better than the export. I will say that DW prices are getting outrageous but that’s another matter.

As someone who _has_ been in front of an Export, I can tell you that with good heads and good tuning, you'd be able to get equally good sounds out of either. The higher-priced drums will usually have more sweet spots (i.e., they can do a great "high", "medium", and "low" tuning, whereas cheaper drums will sometimes be limited to one or two "great" tunings), and will look better, and usually be built better. This idea that higher-priced drums sound inarguably better is just people trying to justify their money spent.

The drum sounds that we're chasing from the 60s and 70s are usually on drums that would be considered mid-tier today.

 

[dsop]

Getting equivalent real-world performance (not spec chasing) from Windows to Apple requires essentially equivalent cost.

Simply not true. Apple's stuff will be 20 to 30% more expensive. Although there are some things (displays) that they do always have the upper hand.