I just played a "Masters Studio Session"

[Big King]

All I can say is wow!! I think I have found what type of pearl set I want. I went to have a second audition with a band I am trying out for, and I played on one of these amazing kits. Such ring and tone. I know now that I am going to sell my 5 piece 8ply hand made maple set, and use the money to get one of these sweet sets.

Does anyone have any dealer info, on where I could get these? Or prices perhaps? I have been bitten by the bug!

I am thinking of a:

24"kick,
10"/13"/14" rack toms,
15"/16" floor toms,
and a sweet snare. Not 100% sure on the tom sizes or depth. Gosh, where is that endorsement deal? You never seem to have one when you need one. :D

[Monday317]

Welcome to the BRX club!

Go try www.massmusic.net. Brad is a great person to do business with, and you'll get your best deal there.

[MMX]

yo bigg king, do you have pics of your current kit because i dont think i have ever seen your kit.

[xxxDISENGAGExxx]

you're from the D.C. area? go to Chuck Levin's Washington Music center in Wheaton. Take a printout of an email or website with the lowest BRX price (Massmusic and Midwest Percussion are usually the same) and get a price match. Then if anything ever goes wrong, you can take a drum or specific part back to D.C. instead of mailing it back to Arizona. Talk with Darren from the drum department - very cool and very knowledgable guy. I don't have the phone number offhand but type the name into an internet search and you'll find it right away.

[Big King]

I have had bad experiences at Check's. I usually avoid that place, but maybe i'll check it out.

[DRUMMAN]

Masters Studio Session?

[newbeat]

In other words, BRX.

[Birchman]

Big King, try Guitar Center in Rockville because they have a pretty good selection and will match written price quotes. I bought my platinum mist BRX there last summer and it rocks.

[Big King]

There is a guy from a music store on ebay that will let me do a layaway and the set is 6 pieces for around 2 grand. I wonder if this is high or not. But I liked Guitar center in Rockville back when it was Veneman's so I will certainly check them out.

[Birchman]

Hey Big King. I too miss Venemans. I bought and still have my first Pearl kit, a 1989 World Series.

But here's what I got last summer for $1140... New 2002 BRX shell pack: 8"x10", 9"x12", 11"x14", 18"x22", and 3 Tom Holders (free). Not too bad.

Good luck with your search...

[xxxDISENGAGExxx]

If you want to check prices, go to massmusic.net or midwest percussion (instant email quote) and get a shell pack price. Get the retail prices for the drums off the Pearl site and calculate the % off retail. Its kind of a hassle, but once you've done it once, you'll have a good idea of what is a good price and what isn't. A standard BRX shell pack (bass plus 3 toms) goes for about $1250 in most configurations.

[Big King]

do these "Shell packs" come with heads, or mounts?

[newbeat]

Well they can't ship them with the hoops banging on the bearing edges, so they come with heads to hold all the parts together...no hardware to the best of my memory.

[xxxDISENGAGExxx]

Yep. A "shell pack" means complete drums (heads and hoops) and either an Optimount or floor tom legs depending on the drum. You have to get all the stands and pedals separately.

BTW Big King, if you want another drum shop to check prices (and see what they have in stock) check out Alpha Music (Alpha-music.com) in VA Beach. Since you live in the DC/MD/VA area like me, shipping is fast and cheap - about $50. I'm most likely ordering my MRX kit from them in the next week - they were $100 less than Midwest and Massmusic on the MRX shell pack. I've had good experiences with Chuck's when they have stuff in stock but NOT when I have to special order something so I don't plan on getting my shell pack from them - probably just hardware. Besides, Eric from Alpha Music has been extremely helpful. Give it a shot.

[treetrunk]

Originally posted by Birchman
Hey Big King. I too miss Venemans. I bought and still have my first Pearl kit, a 1989 World Series.

But here's what I got last summer for $1140... New 2002 BRX shell pack: 8"x10", 9"x12", 11"x14", 18"x22", and 3 Tom Holders (free). Not too bad.

Good luck with your search...


WHOA!!!!A masters kit for $1,140. What a deal. The
music stores down here (I'm about a hour/45min from
DC) sell masters kits for 2 grand plus. I called one music
store I deal with and they said a Session shell pack was
1,500. What a rip!!!! I'm going to check out some of these
stores you all have mentioned. THANKS ;) ;)

[Big King]

Now I have been looking at the MMX, and the SRX sets. There is just so much to choose from nowdays....

I think I will end up going with the BRX though.... It s in my price range... :D