My Pearl Reference Kit (Purple Craze I Finish)

[Drum Knight]

Hi, here are some photographs below of my Pearl Reference kit in Purple Craze I. Here are the specifications on the drums: 22x18 Bass Drum; 6x7 Tom; 8x7 Tom; 10x8 Tom; 12x9 Tom; 13x10 Tom; 14x14 Floor Tom; 16x16 Floor Tom; 14x6.5 Tama Starclassic G Snare (Maple). Also, here is a video of the kit on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4lW8dS4kOk

[DrumandFly]

Very nice!!!

[Andy H]

Beautiful kit. No... It's beyond beautiful. It's a work of art. I love it!

[Drummeral]

There are so many things I like about this kit. Great set up and I love the fact that the kick drum is drilled. Wonderful cymbal placement with plenty of lovely chinas!
Great work indeed!

PS. Do you prefer coated heads to clear on Reference shells? I notice you did a head change.

[Micah Korson]

MAN that's a killer setup! Congratulations!

[JY Kelly]

GOTGEOUS kit but it's BEGGING for a rack.

[Fuller89]

I really like where that 13" is. Giving me ideas

anyways absolutely stunning kit... DOTM September maybe?

[Drum Knight]

Very nice!!!

Thanks

[Drum Knight]

Beautiful kit. No... It's beyond beautiful. It's a work of art. I love it!

Thanks -- I've really put a lot of effort (and money) into it.

[therocker]

I could definitely have some fun behind that kit. Gorgeous finish on the drums and cymbal set up is spectacular. Cheers!

[Drum Knight]

I really like where that 13" is. Giving me ideas

anyways absolutely stunning kit... DOTM September maybe?

Thanks -- placing the 13" tom to the right of the ride cymbal (a Sabian Paragon) was a bit of an experiment and, as you can imagine, with that many toms, I change the setup around from time to time. Typically, I just mount the 12" and 13" toms over the bass drum and have a standard array of high to low pitch toms flowing from above the hi hat down to the bass drum (like some guy named Neil Peart).

Mounting the 13" tom in that suspended position to the right of the ride allows for some interesting patterns with your right (lead) hand in that you can move your hand off the ride to the 13" tom and come up some with nice patterns you might not have done otherwise.

The 13" tom has a nice deep, punchy sound but it is definitely the hardest drum to tune in my entire kit. I've never understood why. There are no issues with the craftsmanship (i.e., bearing edges, shell, etc.). I think that the tom itself has a very narrow tuning sweet spot and you have to get it right on target. The other toms tuned quite easily.

[Drum Knight]

I could definitely have some fun behind that kit. Gorgeous finish on the drums and cymbal set up is spectacular. Cheers!

Yes, it is a lot of fun to play. The concern (for me at least) with a larger kit is the temptation to overplay and overindulge with all of those shells. Often, I have to force myself to play it like a smaller, standard four piece kit to keep my playing from getting too busy.

[Fuller89]

Thanks -- placing the 13" tom to the right of the ride cymbal (a Sabian Paragon) was a bit of an experiment and, as you can imagine, with that many toms, I change the setup around from time to time. Typically, I just mount the 12" and 13" toms over the bass drum and have a standard array of high to low pitch toms flowing from above the hi hat down to the bass drum (like some guy named Neil Peart).

Mounting the 13" tom in that suspended position to the right of the ride allows for some interesting patterns with your right (lead) hand in that you can move your hand off the ride to the 13" tom and come up some with nice patterns you might not have done otherwise.

The 13" tom has a nice deep, punchy sound but it is definitely the hardest drum to tune in my entire kit. I've never understood why. There are no issues with the craftsmanship (i.e., bearing edges, shell, etc.). I think that the tom itself has a very narrow tuning sweet spot and you have to get it right on target. The other toms tuned quite easily.

Right now I have 12 13 13 14 16 on my kit with 2 22 kicks. I have a 12 and 13 over the kicks with the second 13 tuned lower than my 14 and to the left of the hi hat, but I really like the idea of it over there, or maybe putting my other 12 where you have your 13. I'm still trying to figure out what to do with more than 4 toms and 2 snares. It seems to be a good problem to have lol

[Drum Knight]

There are so many things I like about this kit. Great set up and I love the fact that the kick drum is drilled. Wonderful cymbal placement with plenty of lovely chinas!
Great work indeed!

PS. Do you prefer coated heads to clear on Reference shells? I notice you did a head change.

Thanks -- I've always used a port hole in my bass drum. I find it too unfocussed with one and I like nice guttural, thud-like punch from my bass drum so I pack a pillow in there too against the batter head but not the resonant head.

As you've noticed, I love effects cymbals, especially chinas! They are all Sabian but for two 12" and 14" Stagg chinas. I saw them super cheap at a music store and bought them (not knowing much about Stagg cymbals) and I have to say that they very nice. If the 12" china in particular ever breaks, I will be very sad because it sounds amazing.

As for drum head choice, I have done a lot experimenting with the Reference shells. I typically go with clear heads because I like the attack but I also have used coated, which tame the overtones nicely. My kit is set out in a wide open basement so the toms especially can get a bit unruly if I don't muffle them with thicker heads (like Emperors or coated) and Moongel (the greatest drum invention ever).

I've pretty much settled on Remo clear Emperors on top and clear Ambassadors on bottom. A fellow at a local drum store begged me to try Evans heads and I did but I found that I liked the overall sound and feel of Remo much better.

[Drum Knight]

Right now I have 12 13 13 14 16 on my kit with 2 22 kicks. I have a 12 and 13 over the kicks with the second 13 tuned lower than my 14 and to the left of the hi hat, but I really like the idea of it over there, or maybe putting my other 12 where you have your 13. I'm still trying to figure out what to do with more than 4 toms and 2 snares. It seems to be a good problem to have lol

I place my 13" to the left of the hi hat too sometimes and I like it. I hear what you're saying about tom placement when you have a lot of toms. It's a challenge to get them arranged in a good, ergonomic way. Another issue that I have is tuning. I try to get a good pitch interval between them but that sometimes means tuning one drum lower or higher than I would have liked. Tuning the 12" and 13" is particularly problematic because they are so close in size and, as such, close in pitch.