Prestige session vs prestige session select.

[drouyn]

Hi! After almost 20 years I finally purchased a sessions series kit again to replace the prestige session select I purchased in 2002. I foolishly sold it because at the time I was dirty it was not 100%maple. I’m waiting on my prestige sessions to arrive and wondering how they differ from the selects? I note that an old broucher very subtlety notes a difference in the level of polish to the finish between the prestige session and prestige session select. Was this just wording or were the selects finished/ polished to a higher gloss? Also I’m having trouble establishing what hoops this kit will rock up with? I definitely remember my prestige session having super hoop 2’s
Also can some one confirm what type of mahogany was used in these shells. The broucher highlights the aged maple but not the type of mahogany. Very keen to know the differences no matter how suttle. Especially being that I have never seen one of the prestige sessions, I have seen a number of selects though. I take it these kits are quite rare? The other thing i noted from the pics is the badge isn’t a polished badge like my selects were. Would love someone from Pearl to comment here. Very excited to have this kit join my many masters kits.

[drouyn]

Pearl??? U there?

[Josh Conover]

Are you asking about the newer Session Studio Selects that replaced the Session Studio Classics from a few years back?

Or are you asking about some older past lines from Pearl?

[Ron Gerber]

This is from Wiki and as I recall things, it's accurate:

"The successor of the World Series, Prestige Session Elite (SLX), Prestige Session (lacquered) and Performance Session (covered) were introduced in 1991. The shells were 7-ply, 7.5mm: One inner ply of birch, one outer ply of birch, and five middle plies of mahogany. Toms had Superhoops. Rack toms had I.S.S. Mounts. Prestige Session and Performance Session still retained the WLX designation and came with traditional double lugs, while SLX had high tension lugs and came with better hardware. In 1994, the SLX became the SPX Prestige Session (lacquered) and SX Session (wrapped) Series. The SX shells were 8 ply Mahogany and Laminate while the SPX shells were 7 ply birch and mahogany. In 1997 SRX Prestige Session Select replaced SPX and SX line. The shells were 7 ply maple and mahogany. In 2001 SRX Prestige Session Select became the SRX Session Custom, 6-ply all-maple shells with the OptiMount suspension system and 2.3mm SuperHoops II. In 2004 SRX became the SMX Session Custom 6 ply 100% maple series, and SBX Session Custom all birch. Sessions were discontinued in 2006 to make way for Vision series and MCX Masters Custom in 2007. These drums were extremely popular, but expensive. The Session line was later reintroduced in 2012 as the Session Studio Classic."

I currently play an STS Session Studio Select. Delivered with a virgin kick I had a BB3 tom mount installed. It would have been impossible to boom the toms off of the lightweight Pearl 150 series hardware I use. The STS kit replaced a Prestige Session Select aka SPX. The STS is 7 pcs total w/ matching 6.5" snare.



The SPX has a second bass drum that's not in the photo. I still need to get off my duff and sell those drums: