Onthisday
01-22-2003, 05:41 PM
Hi everyone Im just posting this one again so Pearl can answer since the NAMM show is out of the way.
I've been playing for about 3 years now, and now my old Premier Cabrias aren't cutting it anymore, I've been gradually collecting Zildjian A and K Customs and Pearl hardware for a couple of years, and now I want to get a new kit.
I have 2 grand of my hard earned cash to spend (that's probably getting on for $3000 US, but money probably goes nowhere near as far in the UK as over there )
Anyway, I've been reading up on the net about a lot of different companies top of the line stuff, and also on design philosophies and contributing factors to the sound of drums, and I've also been watching here for a few months. Anyway, I have a few questions that hopefully some of the Pearl people or others could answer:
What's the reason for the overlapping seams and scarf joints on Pearl drums? What are the benifits?
Are Pearl drums finished on the inside with a sealer or anything else like that? If so then why and if not then why not?
Are the inside of drums on Pearl kits smoothened or sanded or anything like that?
I read on the website somewhere that Pearl shells are gapless and don't feature straight butt joints, but I've seen Pearl shells in shops (even on expensive kits) that look they have had gaps filled with some kind of yellowy filler, especialy around the joints. What is this?
I've also seen what look like butt joints at random points in the plies, the wood colour just changes from light to dark in a perfectly straight line. Are these butt joints?
Some Pearl kits I've seen (also some expensive ones) look like they have a messy seam inside the shell, like they are cut off a tiny bit early at the top or bottom, and there's like white residue around the seams and they're finished roughly. It looks bad. Why is this?
Is there any particular reason as far as sound goes for the placement of air vents? Most of the Pearl drums I've seen have them about half way down, but I read on a few sites that some companies have them at the bottom of the drum so that the air pressure from the top head can go all the way down the drum before escaping, which gives a fuller sound or something. Is the position of the air vents in the middle and the use of lugs with two screws (instead of one) just for conveneince in manfactuging?
How come there is only a three year warranty on Pearls top of the range drums, most companies have at least five years or even longer on their top notch gear. I've read a lot here about Pearl making great quality drums, but Ive aslo seen a few nasty stories about bent hoops and rough bearing edges, and cracked finished etc. If the drums are really well built then why is there a comparatively short warranty?
With my budget I get almost any kit I think, but I see Pearl make a few kinds of Masters kits? I play in a rock band, kind of like The Appleseed Cast, Saves the Day and At the Drive-In, and I like a punchy bass drum without any click, just a nice deep tone, toms that respond fast but sound deep and resonate moderately, and a snare with a medium high pitched kind of sound but still with some body and meat. Which Masters drums would suit me if I get a Pearl kit?
I know that probably sounded like the Spanish Inquisition, but it's important that I know so I can make the right choice.
Thanks
I've been playing for about 3 years now, and now my old Premier Cabrias aren't cutting it anymore, I've been gradually collecting Zildjian A and K Customs and Pearl hardware for a couple of years, and now I want to get a new kit.
I have 2 grand of my hard earned cash to spend (that's probably getting on for $3000 US, but money probably goes nowhere near as far in the UK as over there )
Anyway, I've been reading up on the net about a lot of different companies top of the line stuff, and also on design philosophies and contributing factors to the sound of drums, and I've also been watching here for a few months. Anyway, I have a few questions that hopefully some of the Pearl people or others could answer:
What's the reason for the overlapping seams and scarf joints on Pearl drums? What are the benifits?
Are Pearl drums finished on the inside with a sealer or anything else like that? If so then why and if not then why not?
Are the inside of drums on Pearl kits smoothened or sanded or anything like that?
I read on the website somewhere that Pearl shells are gapless and don't feature straight butt joints, but I've seen Pearl shells in shops (even on expensive kits) that look they have had gaps filled with some kind of yellowy filler, especialy around the joints. What is this?
I've also seen what look like butt joints at random points in the plies, the wood colour just changes from light to dark in a perfectly straight line. Are these butt joints?
Some Pearl kits I've seen (also some expensive ones) look like they have a messy seam inside the shell, like they are cut off a tiny bit early at the top or bottom, and there's like white residue around the seams and they're finished roughly. It looks bad. Why is this?
Is there any particular reason as far as sound goes for the placement of air vents? Most of the Pearl drums I've seen have them about half way down, but I read on a few sites that some companies have them at the bottom of the drum so that the air pressure from the top head can go all the way down the drum before escaping, which gives a fuller sound or something. Is the position of the air vents in the middle and the use of lugs with two screws (instead of one) just for conveneince in manfactuging?
How come there is only a three year warranty on Pearls top of the range drums, most companies have at least five years or even longer on their top notch gear. I've read a lot here about Pearl making great quality drums, but Ive aslo seen a few nasty stories about bent hoops and rough bearing edges, and cracked finished etc. If the drums are really well built then why is there a comparatively short warranty?
With my budget I get almost any kit I think, but I see Pearl make a few kinds of Masters kits? I play in a rock band, kind of like The Appleseed Cast, Saves the Day and At the Drive-In, and I like a punchy bass drum without any click, just a nice deep tone, toms that respond fast but sound deep and resonate moderately, and a snare with a medium high pitched kind of sound but still with some body and meat. Which Masters drums would suit me if I get a Pearl kit?
I know that probably sounded like the Spanish Inquisition, but it's important that I know so I can make the right choice.
Thanks