Sessions v. Masters

[TinyWrinkle]

Hi there, ho there.

I'm gonna be buying a new Pearl kit this summer. I've been wanting a Masters (who doesn't) but I'm only 16 and of course don't need that nice of a kit. So what is the sound quality comparison of a Session Custom compared to a Masters Custom. The SRX is 6 ply (correct?) maple as is the Masters Custom. I realize that Masters will be a little better...but anyone with a Session, please, be a salesperson and tell me about their greatness! If anyone has mics (band, recording, etc.) that would be really cool to make a sound sample of you playing your Sessions and then transfer it to Mp3 or .WAV file so we could hear it! As a matter of fact, everyone with access to mics and software of the sort should do this! Would be a great new forum ritual!

P.S. - I'm not 100% loyal to this thread and don't read everything, so this question may have already been posted. If so, sorry!

-Thanks

[Les Hammond]

Get a session you wony regret it ! Masters are great too , but they cost more and I dont believe they sound any better. To be honest I have used some old Exports that belong to a studio and they sounded almost as good as my session ! Dont forget that you can make Exports sound even better by using non - standard heads. So if your budget is tight get one of the new export ELX kits and spend what you save on good cymbals if you havnt got them already. At the end of the day the choice is yours, Session and Masters are really good , however you wont notice any difference from 50+ feet away. So dont buy a lable ,buy a drum ! So why did I really get a session ? A combination of sound, price, quality , not only that , I liked Cranberry Fade and the bloody thing was just sitting there waiting to be bought. Nuff said ?

[TinyWrinkle]

Hey, thanks a lot for the response! I agree, "Don't buy a label, buy a drum!" I had heard that the Session can be just as good as the Masters with good heads and of course tuning...

Thanks again!
-Eric

[Les Hammond]

Dont know what kit you use now , but dont forget about the Export elx, I use one once about once a month, belongs to a mate of mine and its VERY good , looks great and is a whole lot cheaper than Session/Masters and to be fair it sounds pretty much the same as the exspensive stuff at 50+ feet with a crowd of screaming guitars trying to drown it out. If you dont already use an ELX you really should check them out before parting with your cash, you could end up saving money or even get more drums if you REALLY have to spend it !

[Jzf_K]

arent the forum shells the same as the export?

[Les Hammond]

Not to sure if forum/export shells are the same, however export elx has laquered shells whilst standard export/forum has wrapped as far as I know. To be honest though, I cant really tell any difference in them when used in anger and surrounded by a band . I have used many kits that had wrapped shells, the powers that be reckon laquer is better- but I cant hear it ! Dont forget too that these things are also subject to fashion, whats cool this year may by next year be regarded as trash. Back in the 60s and 70s virtually all kits were wrapped, many sounded pretty awesome too ! Marketing plays a very big part in how we spend our money and how often we spend it ! !

[snoopfrogg7]

heres the differences in masters and the sessions that i know of...
1. masters have diecast hoops
2. sessions ALL come with the bb3
3. obviously the finishs are better with the masters
4. color choices on hardware
5. masters are "a" grade maple on the outside, "b" on the inside
sessions are "b" maple on the outside, "c" on the inside
i dont think the wood is better quality or anything, i think it has to do with darkness and appearance
6. the masters have diecast tension rods, i dont think the sessions do.
thats all i know of but if anybody else has any i would like to know...

[Les Hammond]

Thanks for the info snoopfrogg

[slowsaab13]

Sessions come with bb3?..............what is bb3

[opus138]

Question has been posted, but a while back :D ... here are some specs from the man:
Originally posted by Gene Okamoto
Wood
100% maple, the same quality maple is used on SRX/MMX/MRX/MSX

Cosmetics of the wood
The inside ply of the MMX/MRX is used on the outside ply of the SRX.
The middle ply of the MMX/MRX is used on the middle and inside plies of the SRX.

Outside finishing
The Masters finish is air cured and takes 7 days to complete. The SRX finish is ultraviolet cured and takes a fraction of the time to finish compared to Masters.

Shell color choices
Unique colors for each series.

Hardware color choices
SRX = chrome plated only.
Masters = chrome plated, black chrome plated, gold plated, or satin chrome plated.

Bass drum lugs
SRX = 8 lugs (22” bass drums)
Masters = 10 lugs (22” bass drums)

Bass bracket
SRX = BB-3 mounted on the drum.
Masters = choice of with or without BB-3.

Bass drum claws
SRX = D-050.
Masters = D-054 with rubber sleeve to protect the BD hoop.

Hoops
SRX = SuperHoop II.
Masters = MasterCast.

Tom Heads
SRX = ProTone 2-ply batters and ProTone clear resonators.
Masters = Remo clear Ambassador, top and bottom.

Bass Heads
SRX = ProTone P3-type
Masters = Remo P3.

Tom mounting system
OptiMount on SRX/Masters.

Tension rods
SRX = steel.
Masters = stainless steel.

Lugs
SRX = Session lugs
Masters = Masters bridge-style.

Lug gaskets
Molded rubber is used on SRX/Masters.

Tom arms
SRX = TH-98I.
Masters = TH-100I (recommended)

Floor tom legs
Identical

BD spurs
Identical

[TinyWrinkle]

Hey, thanks for all your respones. Wow, after reading what Opus posted there of Gene saying I am leaning towards Masters a lot more. I don't like the 8-lugs on the bd for SRX, I definitely don't want the bb3, and MasterCast hoops are better tha SuperHoops. So thanks for all your info!

-Eric

[opus138]

Just to clarify, mastercast hoops are not necessarily better than superhoops. It is more of a preference thing. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong here, but:

Mastercast hoops are thicker and stiffer, so they make it easier to tune. They lessen resonation to an extent (some will say they choke the sound) giving the drums more attack and focus.

[TinyWrinkle]

Thanks for clearin' that up Opus. But as far as I'm concerned, if the MasterCast hoops make the drum easier to tune, they're better! And plus I think their quality is little better than SuperHoops, as far as durability goes. But thanks for your comments!

[opus138]

I agree with you... I'm all about attack & focus, so I love the diecast hoops.

[Les Hammond]

Hey TINYWRINKLE, we all have different ideas of what a kit should sound like, weve all read the hype ! At the end of the day spend your money on what your gut feeling or hearing says. At the moment maple shells and two million lugs are in favour, as for cast hoops, well if you really want the effect that they allegedly have , you can get that by tuning and by changing heads and/or muffling. Cut through the crapp and buy what suits YOU, not what all of us or the marketing men suggest would suit you. Get down to your drum store and try em all. If the store wont let you try em, well - find another store ! Above all have FUN ! After all this music **** is not sub-atomic physics !!

[TinyWrinkle]

I realize that everyone has differing opinions, and I know what I want. I take other people's advice and use the info they give me, but whether or not they say "I like it." or "I don't like it." doesn't really matter.

Yeah, testing out the kits would be nice. I live in Wichita, KS, and the best local dealer (of Pearl) is a shop called Midwest Drum & Percussion. Good store, has a lot of nice stuff, though not too large. I've tested out two Masters kits there, the first was a BRX and the second was an MMX Extra (by the way what's the Extra mean?) and they were two of the best sounding kits I've ever heard. Never played on a Session, would love to, though. I've also tried out a Yamaha Maple Custom, at a different local dealer, and it sounded beautiful too. But Yamaha is a little more pricey, plus they have to come from Japan because they stopped manufacturing them in the U.S. years ago. So all that combined, in my opinion, makes Pearl a much better choice.

In the end, I think I will go with Masters. They are expensive, and from what I hear it's a little of a wait, but what an investment! I know if I do spend my money on the Masters that I WILL NOT regret it. If I bought a Session then I know I would think after a while, "Well what if I had bought the Masters..." So thanks for all of your support and answers, it's been a great deal of help. And thanks Les for the words of wisdom.

Talk to ya guys later -
Eric