Drummers - your thoughts on my Frankenkit

[chillytc]

I am not a great drummer but I want to get better and I decided to buy a not-too-expensive but nice sounding kit to play and record. I bought a set of Zildjian A Custom symbols and some cheaper Pacific hardware (except I shelled out for a DW 8000 kick pedal because I know from playing other kits that that makes a difference to me). But then I approached buying the shells in a weird way - I wanted to spend no more than about $1000 and I couldn't find a kit I loved at that price so I assembled my own mismatched Frankenstein kit out of the following pieces bought one at a time used or on clearance:

Yamaha Oak Custom 17x22 kick (to my ears, a nice round thump with good bass and definition and without overring)
Spaun 7x14 maple snare (nice full sound, not the all-treble sound of smaller snares)
Vintage 1970s Gretch 9x13 maple suspended tom (I love the tone of vintage Gretch)
Yamaha Birch Custom 16x16 floor tom (rings like a big scary bell to my ears)

So nothing in this kit matches - obviously it looks a little weird. The kick is a bit shallow and the other drums are all on the larger side. The net effect to my ears is round mids that contrast nicely with the brighter A Custom cymbals. I am happy with this kit and I find it records well so I kind of think I got more out of my $1000 shell budget this way than I would have in another way (although I did come close to buying a vintage Ludwig kit of unknown wood but it rang and rattled a little too much for me).

I am curious what others think of this approach. Do serious drummers or engineers think I've just made a mess or is this a reasonable way to assemble a kit for recording?

[peeder]

Isn't being unique a good thing?

[Superdrumskills]

Shoot looks sometimes mean alot but if it sounds good.....who cares!

[worm]

^what he said^

[dudeitsree]

17" depth isn't too shallow at all, oak tends to be louder which isn't a bad thing, I would try to find a 16x16 thats close to the other Gretsch tom but other than that, yea!

[nickynicknick]

I like your choices and your reasons...I dream of buying a Kit that way...if it feels and sounds good and fits what you're doing....yup

[joeq]

the only thing I would be dubious about is the unmatched toms. Kicks snares cymbals all have their 'place' in the drum kit and character can justify anything.

but the toms often occupy the 'same' place in the kit. fills are often 'continued' on the next tom. A radically different sound on each tom could be kind of cool for some things, but just as often could be problematic- especially given the way 'normal' drummers use their toms.

I have seen problems in the studio when a replacement head on tom doesn't match- never mind a different drum altogether.

[cortisol]

Hi chillytc Drums are a collection of instruments so I think mixing and matching to get the sound you want is how it should be done.

The issue for me would be the projection of the toms. If one tom speaks far louder than the other then that might be an issue. So it's purely volume between the toms that might be bad.

If they are in the ball park volume wise then head sellection will make the toms compliment one another. EG if your floor tom is ringy and your mounted tom is plumby then try a coated head on the floor tom and experiment with some dampening. In other words look at the tonal qualities of the drums and see what is needed sonically for the 2 toms to compliment one another.

Peace,
cortisol

[nathanvacha]

I LOVE the idea of a mismatched drumkit. Always have. there are surely some deterrants, which others have mentioned (plus the looks thing you mentioned, but then i like the rag-tag mis-matched look personally) but the important thing is that it works for you (as long as you're the player and it's not just a kid for your studio which is always taking different clients).

there is no better instrument than the one that helps you make music. if it sounds right in (or under) your hands, it's the best one.

and i know with some aspects, you can taylor it in a studio, but how's it sound mixed together live, out in a room performing with other musicians, just out of curiosity?

[chillytc]

Thanks for all the input, guys. I'm relieved to hear that I didn't clearly make a terrible mistake. This kit is primarily for my use on my own recordings but it's likely that the next time my band records, my drummer will try it - he is a monster player, though, and I've seen him play other people's kits successfully all the time - some people just have the magic in their hands and feet and can make whatever instrument is at hand work every time and he's one of them.

So far this kit has not been used in a live band situation, so I haven't heard it with other instruments concurrently but I have a fair amount of experience playing in bands with various drummers and I'm not really worried about the sound gelling in that situation.

And may I just add a that I am LOVING having a kit around to practice on. I'm one of those guys who always wants to play everyone else's instruments after band practice - I started out as a kid studying classical piano, bought a used Prophet 600 to play through an old guitar amp in high school to play in funk bands in New Orleans . . . in my college band, my guitar player gave me his first cheap guitar so I'd quit borrowing his, now I'm primarily a guitar player . . . and now, finally, I have drums! I am getting much better just because I have a kit around to play and it's a blast. OK, gotta go practice some paradiddles now . . .

[alba359]

If you're happy with the set that's what counts. I'm also originally from the 9th ward in N.O. Living across the lake on the North Shore now.

[chillytc]

Alba359 - were you addressing me when you said you are from New Orleans? I grew up a block off of Napoleon Ave. (Jena St.) but I didn't realize I had mentioned my New Orleans roots.

Saw some Mardi Gras pictures from friends a little bit ago - I haven't been back post-Katrina but it looked like Mardi Gras was still happening.

Best to you.

EDIT: I just re-read my prior post where I mentioned the New Orleans funk bands of my youth - I withdraw the question . . .

[alba359]

Yes chillytc, I was addressing you. We used to catch the truck parades on the neutral ground near Napoleon and Magazine. Don't know if they pass there anymore. Had a great bar on that corner of Magazine and Napoleon , can't remember the name of the bar. We haven't been to Mardi Gras since Katrina. Before Katrina I used to hit the pawn shops on Magazine and picked up some good bargins. They also had a music shop on Magazine near Napoleon. Excuse me for ranting, you just brought back some fond memories for this old S.O.B. God Bless, Don