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I've owned a Catalina maple 7 piece for over 12 years, it has never let me down and i'm glad to see they've only made improvements to it when a lot of other companies are making things cheaper.
Several years ago, Sweetwater made 3 videos about this kit in the same configuration, 2 videos with Nick and the 3rd with Mike Johnston when he visited Sweetwater. After watching those 3 videos, I bought a Catalina Maple 7 piece in Walnut glaze (the same finish as the one in Mike Johnston’s video) and it’s absolutely fantastic. Everything Nick said rings absolutely true with this kit. It’s a great value for what it’s worth, but I will say that new heads top and bottom can definitely boost the sound quality even more, so definitely take Nick’s advice about heads. The stock Remo heads are ok but new heads make a huge difference. I’ve been using Evans coated G2s on the toms and they give this kit a nice sound for all around rock playing. I’d suggest a two ply head for the toms and any resonant head (I like the coated Evans Reso 7) underneath but some prefer a clear head for that), then your choice of snare drum top head with the Evans 300 snare side underneath to give some more sensitivity. The kick sounds great with any head, I’ve used the Remo Powerstroke 3 as well as the Evans EMAD and EQ4 heads.
I just ordered this kit 12 16 22 and 14 snare. Hopefully it will be good with its stock heads for my first few gigs. I'm planning on getting new heads I may get clear emperors for batter ambassadors for reso if I replace the resos. I want clear heads for attack and a little more brightness than coated emps. Perhaps a p3 and a control sound x on snare. I'm always experimenting with heads but one I'm absolutely sure about is the controlled sound x head. It DOES NOT break. I'll go through a ambassador in a few months on my snare a controlled sound x has never broken on me I've only changed it to get a refreshed tone with a fresh head. As far as bass drum goes I'm all about clear regardless if the Tom's have clear or coated heads.
I like Nick's demonstrations - because the fills he plays are what everyone would play - all styles and levels, from beginner type drum rolls/fills, to more comprehensive sticking. In that fashion, everyone can hear what the drums sound like, if "they" were playing it!
Finally, after the times of mentioning the ability to reconfigure the set any way you want, you gave an awesomely dope example. I could SEE how much fun you had.
I also sold my Catalina kit around 13 years ago. One of the nicest sets I've ever owned. Looks like Gretsch is still doing good things with the Catalina Maple line.
I have this set in deep cherry burst. I love it. I put Evans Hydraulic heads for studio use to keep the sound clean without too much ring. Easy to tune with Gretsch sound.
I own the same kit as you! I also use Evans' Hydraulic Reds BUT......I use clear Hydraulics for the resonant side on my rack Tom's only. Try this out, you'll be glad you did! I got my kit in 2012 and it looks like the day I got them! This is an amazing kit that I will never sell!
Nick, I've seen you do so many amazing things on a drum kit (and other instruments), but this may be the most amazing yet... I literally couldn't see you playing the cow bell. It was like magic! (like all the music you make, of course)
I don’t know what sweet water is paying DeVirgilio but I can tell you it probably ain’t enough for what this man brings to this company. I’ve seen him do drum reviews, I seen him play bass, I’ve heard him doing voiceovers for commercials. Probably ain’t nothing DeVirgilio can’t do that Sweetwater would need done.
I bought a Catalina Maple kit from a friend as I needed a kit quickly, that was 12 years ago and I've stuck with it ever since. Sounds great and I get complimented on the tone at gigs all the time. Great value for money, you don't have to break the bank to have a great sounding kit.
In popular parlance, duco invokes the look of “dual color,” but technically to the vintage aficionado it’s not technically correct. Duco was short for “Dupont Color,” and really meant a solid paint like finish, and not a see through lacquer. You could get one color “duco” finishes, like black or white or copper/gold. The dual color fade is more popular, and there are far more extant dual color ducos than solid ducos. So now, when we say “duco,” we automatically think “two color fade.” Tune in next time when I explain why not every solid ply Slingerland is a “Radio King.” ;-)
I returned a Catalina for a Decade Maple as my beater kit. Nothing wrong with the Gretsch, but the Broadkaster and USA Custom are where it’s at with them since those lines are what they market as their sound. As such, that’s where I’d buy. You can’t really go wrong these days with any company. It’s uber competitive in mid-range kits and a buyer’s market. Play what you want, gents.
Those are "real" Gretsch drums... all this other stuff is made by DW in Taiwan and China. In fact this is exactly the same kit as the Tama Superstar Classics right down the sizes and price. I know how this stuff works having been involved in manufacturing years back... all this stuff is made in the same factory with each so-called brand spec-ing out their colors, badges and small branded details, like number of lugs and mounting systems.
every single drum set he demos it sounds the same cause of the way he tunes and plays. it's not the drum is the person playing them that can make ANY drum sound amazing
Nick nice job. What is that cool intro reggae-ish tune and nice closing tunes too? Nice ones! Great to practice and jam too. Are they our own? Available for sale anywhere? Thanks. Keep up the great work. Always a pleasure to look hear you play. So inspiring and interesting to learn from.
I don’t know if he can act or not, but Nick would make a great Buddy Rich, if they ever made a movie about his life, like was done for Gene Krupa in 1959, with Sal Mineo..
I remember when a 7 piece kit of these in a natural finish was on sale at Thomann for 700 € including cymbal stands, I still damn my self that I didn’t buy it. :/
I dont know how anyone would decide which drum set to buy based upon sweetwater video's. They make every drum set sound the same but there are big sonic differences between most of these sets. This is because they only show them being played with a full mix, sound engineers make every drum set sound the same. If you are trying to decide which set sonically meets your needs, you need to try videos that switch between full mix, room mics and overhead mics. Get the engineers away from the settings and put a drummer in charge who will high light the differences, not make every drum set sound the same
Well you must not have been paying attention or you wouldn't even have mentioned the word wrap. It's a lacquer finish and yes it had a chip in it of course it did it's the demo model
Seeing as how these are DW-produced, generic, Chinese made "maple" drums (as though all maple is equal) I really have an issue with promoting the supposed "great Gretsch sound" and "30-degree" bearing edges. The TRUE Gretsch 30-degree bearing edges are center-biased round-overs and NOT the modern sharp inside diagonal--what degree the angle is cut is totally irrelevant, since it makes no contact with the shell past that outside edge. The real "great Gretsch sound" is thin, 6-ply maple-gum-maple shells with 30-degree center-biased round over bearing edges and silver sealer inside. If you don't have that, you don't have the Gretsch sound. Its a decent amount of nice looking drums for the money... but they really aren't true Gretsch drums.
I said the same and someone got upset at my comment. USA Custom and Broadkaster is the Gretsch sound. The Cats just sound dead to me. I much prefer the bite of Pearl and TAMA.
If you could provide more information I would greatly appreciate it. I'm particularly interested in the quality of the tom mount and the hardware. I'm not very impressed with the Tama Superstar Classic Maple just to give a reference. The Tama's, which are a direct competitor to the Catalina Maple's, have a weak tom mount in my opinion, plus thinner hoops than the Catalina's. The Catalina Maples have seemingly the most robust hardware of any kit in this price range, so I would love to hear your input. Thank you.
@@cd-vq6dz ok here goes. The tom mount post wont tighten enough to prevent swivel. Even with the mem lock. It isnt much at the post. But its a couple of inches at the outside of the toms. #2. The tom brackets are not what they appear. Having only 5 lugs, the toms are supported by only 2 tension rods instead of three. Making them awkward to mount. If you gig alot. #3. Heres the worst of it. The reciever where the spike goes into the tom mount is held on with only 2 very small screws to the suspension bracket that holds all the weight of the drum. So after all that hardware, the drum is held with 2 small screws.look under the spike reciever and you'll see what im talking about. Im a working musician, and i just dont see this system holding up. #4. Dont order any ad ons. Unless they are wrapped, the color of the laquer wont match. And. It takes 6 months to get. The drum you get wont be the famous 7 ply maple shell. I ordered a 13 in cause i have no use for the bongo sized 8in tom. It will be (mine is) about half as thick as th original toms you are trying to match. #5. They are small drums . If one likes that great. But they wont get the thump of a deeper drum. The 8 and 10 comes with the set are shallow. For what they are they sound great. Just not alot of bottom. The drums are beautiful and sound great for what they are. I use mine for special occasions when I want to impress. But i dont trust them for the riggers of constant gigging. Its that whole mounting thing. Plus, they are pretty, so if they get scrached, mine are dcb laquer, im freekin out. Thats about it. They arent crap by any means. I just think gretsch, like everyone else, is cutting corners. Its disappointing. There you have it.
@@cd-vq6dz heres domething else. I was in music go round in ftw. This last week, They have a brand new complete set of cat maps for 850. These drums were pristine. In a walnut glaze.still had factory heads, no stick marks.
@@morgunstyles7253 I greatly appreciate your help sir. I've had the toms on the Superstar Classic Tama's move on me. The toms have (I think) the same swivel problem you're describing on the Catalina's, where it's as if they're trying to rotate like a a revolving door at one of those big office buildings if that makes any sense. The Tama kick drum hasn't moved that I can tell, but that tom mount on the Superstar Classics is very weak in my opinion, so I could see it being an issue on the Catalina's as well since it seems like the hardware is where they really cut a lot of corners on these intermediate kits. I'm thinking of looking into the Pearl Decade Maple since I've seen several reviews say the tom mount is "rock solid". Thank you again for all your input.
