I’ve never been a pearl fan. But I’m DEFINITELY considering this kit, in the Nicotine white finish. UPDATE: I Bought these drums, they’re awesome. I also got the Tama DynaSync pedals, those are amazing.
I'm considering this as well as an upgrade from my Catalina Maple 7 piece with 22" kick, in between this and the Gretsch Renown RN2 and Yamaha Tour Custom, but leaning the most towards this. What draws me to this kit is the shell composition, I'm a big fan of birch shells (I have a Yamaha Stage Custom as my gigging kit with a 20" kick and love the punch I get from birch) but the warmth of mahogany gives it a more well rounded sound. I also really like the sizes offered, especially the 22x16 kick as I prefer kicks shallower than 18, and the finishes look spectacular. I'm most leaning towards this crimson burst finish or the gloss natural.
Jake Staffin well I used to have a Catalina maple 7 piece as well. These Pearl shells are amazing, let me put it this way...I don’t miss my Gretsch kit like I thought I would. Lol. I also have a mid 70s Slingerland USA kit that I thought were the beer sounding drums I could get, until I got these.
Dude same, I use to be a hard SJC fan, now I feel like I’m always switching between DW Gretsch and Tama, but now I’m eye balling these and I’m not even a Pearl fan lol
That little tune at the end of this presentation for pearl was insane! Nick is absolutely a professional and what he does he looks fluid and comfortable behind so many different types of setups. His ability to play so many different styles just blows me away. I've been playing the skins for 36 years 19 of them professionally and he's just one of those players that I feel is underrated by the industry and it's a damn shame.
I got a set of these about 6 weeks ago, and they really sound great, especially the floor toms. The red is brighter red than the photos, which often look like it wine red. They are more candy apple red. The lugs, opti-mount and hardware are great quality.
Awesome product overview. I have 2 of these set currently. One for studio work in the 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 22 bass with matching snare in Ice Blue Oyster, and a second set for touring in 13, 16, 18, 24 bass and matching snare in Black Mirror Chrome. Both sets sound amazing and look beautiful. Pearl keeps hitting it out of the ball park with their sets, hardware, and snare drums.
Not only is this top notch info on a great sounding Pearl kit but also the demo on how its played by a great drummer is fantastic.. thanks Nick D'Virgilio.
@@erictorres4889 Of course not... but they look gorgeous lol. I've upgraded my starter to a a decade maple kit with a limited edition red finish I got for $850 since this comment. Sounds great.
I just bought this kit in the Nicotine White Marine Pearl. 8,10,12,14,16 20x14 Kick & 20x14 Matching Gong Drum. The sound is amazing! Using 13x7 Pork Pie Lit. Squealer
Great video!! I've never owned a Pearl kit (I have a Gretsch Catalina Maple and Yamaha Stage Custom Birch plus a disassembled Tama Royalstar made of poplar which I'm restoring) but I have always been impressed with Pearl drums and hardware. My high school had a Pearl Vision kit and my college's percussion studio has an older Pearl Masters kit and a set of Pearl concert toms, I love the way they sound. I have a Pearl hi-hat stand and a few summers ago I built my own snare drum using Keller shells and Pearl hardware (export lugs and the old Chad Smith signature snare's throw off. I'm considering upgrading to a more professional level kit when I'm out of college and I'm considering either the Gretsch Renown or this kit, but I'm starting to lean more towards this kit. What draws me to the Session Studio Select is that the price comparison to other kits in the same price point and quality is amazing- you get great shells and hardware for under $1600 here in the U.S. and I really like the sizes available. If I buy this I'm looking towards the 10 12 14 16 22 configuration and maybe I'll add in the matching snare drum but I have a few others to choose from. The 22x16 kick is a big draw because I like a slightly shallower kick drum after playing my Yamaha kick which is 20x17, and the birch shells give it the punch of my Yamaha plus the warmth of mahogany. I use my Yamaha up at school for all purposes from light jazz to heavy progressive rock and metal, and I think the shells on this Session kit would allow me to do that. I don't always use big setups but it's nice to have the sizes to choose from- I can use the 10 and 14 for jazz, the 12 and 16 for rock and any combo of the available shells for any purpose. I might consider putting on a more open but still controlled head like an Evans G2 or Remo Emperor instead of the included Pinstripes so I can dial in that more versatile sound that I get with heads like those ones on other kits. But overall I think this kit would work really well once I decide to upgrade in a few years. Hope that Crimson Burst finish is still available when the time comes!! Also Nick, if you're reading this, I was the guy outside Walfredo Reyes Jr's masterclass before it started who shook your hand and said thank you for all that you do. Can't wait to see what cool stuff you show us with Sweetwater at NAMM!!
I just packed up this kit, used, but in mint condition... not even a scratch one any of the drums, and I also have an additional 8" rack tom on the way... I am hooked on the mahogany on the interior, and also that beautifully stunning Antique Crimson Burst finish!!! I am now looking to getting bags to protect these beauties. Plus other gear to set up in my church in the not-too-distant future, the Lord's willing 🙏🏿 🙌🏿. Excellent clarity on your description of these drums! Dude, I really enjoy how you describe products at Sweetwater; you can sell an Eskimo ice! 😂
Hey nick you forgot to list all the other equipment...specifically the mics... i like the one mic two tom look and convenience for sure. I generally over mic my drums and i have a lot of drums so mixing is a PITA...if you know what i mean. Great job as usual...
I'm digging the tom mic setup. I didn't know you can position one mic been two toms and have them both picked up nicely. I'll need to try this and see how well it works on my home and live setup.
It works pretty well as long as the two toms sound good together. You also want to check the polar pattern of the mic, a super or hypercardioid might not work as well depending on your setup. I used to do this in bars all the time in the late 80s :-)
Rob gives good advice. For your home setup, if you've got one, I'd also recommend trying a mic with a figure-8 pattern. You could position the lobes facing each rack tom and the nulls facing the front and back of the kit.
The figure 8 would probably work incredibly well, the off axis rejection would be awesome. I didn't mention figure 8s because people usually have a boatload of dynamics before they start buying figure 8s. Plus, I forgot :-)
Super underrated snare... planning an order very soon for a decade maple kit from you guys :) unless I somehow cone into some extra money, then I'll go Session
Great bang fo the buck!!! Would sure like to hear them with a 1 ply head. That's probably the sound I'd be looking for.tuned wide open.I have owned the brx with pinstripe remo heads and they were great.I currently play reference series with white smooth empor 2 ply. And they are just a dream.I think pearl nailed it for the working drummer.Very affordable and road worthy,not to mention,check out the halo lacquer finish they offer on this kit.might have to pick up a 3 piece kit,there beautiful, same finish there putting on masterworks. THAT FINISH SPEEKS TO ME.
I just ordered the Session Studio Select kit yesterday. I can't wait to get my hands on my new Pearl Kit.............Pearl, the best reason to play drums
The type of heads on this drum kit are the Remo clear pinstripes. Not sure about the bass drum but it's probably a similar product. As far as comparing them to the Star Classic I'd say the toms on a Star Classic kit sound different but not necessarily better but that might be just because they come with reinforcement rings to give it a more muted tone naturally. If you're talkin price I'm pretty sure the Pearl kits will be cheaper.
Those are actually Chinese made Remo UT heads. Bass drum head is Chinese made version of PS3. They can be tuned ok, but don't expect anything great from them, I would immediately replace them with proper heads. Also, there's no Starclassic birch/mahogany, only birch/walnut and birch/maple. Pearl may be cheaper, but you would have to buy tom stand (not included in the price), while Starclassic Performer and Walnut/Birch toms are mounted on a bass drum (Star-Cast mounting system), so the price is about the same.
I feel like the single mic covering two drums is not giving us the best listen to these drums. Im guessing these drums sound awesome when playing, but I can't pull the trigger until I hear more demos...
Hey Matt, My buddy at Clearwater. haha I'm thinking of getting this kit. You know growing up starting on a Tama kit back in the 1980s. I was introduced to Pearl Masters kit by a really good friend, Loved the tone Pearl seems to create in their drums. I currently own a Pearl Birch Masters Kit as you know, and a Tama kit ( Gotta stay with my roots you know), but this kit is on my radar.
They dont make power toms anymore its of the past . The future is here now !!! If you want power toms get a vintage drumset though i have to warn you. They may not be taken care of so buy at your own risk .
@@erictorres4889 Wrong! I just bought a new Reference kit in all Power Tom sizes. It just if the customer wants a standard shell pack, that's when you get the 10x7, 12x8 type sizes. Drums are very well made today, as a power tom player I want a new kit. I don't want to have the sizes I want to play in a 30 plus year old instrument. Why can't types of drummers co-exist? There is always such a shame and negative stigmatism associated with power toms and power tom players. All drummers should be represented, that includes power tom players.
Those "lugs" you mention at 7:42 are not to raise and lower the drum. The "lug" is so that it can be adjusted to fit a drum depending on it's depth. That tom mount is the OPT0708 and it's for drums that are 7-8" deep. Those mounts are made to fit drums by 2" increments.
No, with Optimount you don't only adjust their length to fit it in the drum, but you can also adjust the amount of resonance: if you tighten the Optimount on the lugs, resonance decreases, if you move them near the hoop, resonance increases
Depends how many drums you need and what your budget is.a 3 piece kit of masters cost the same as a 5 piece kit of the session studios.Around $1500.00. There both great kits in this price range.pearls lacquer finishes are by far some of the best in the industry. I've owned several pearl kits in my lifetime and contrary to what a lot of people say,believe me pearl builds great drums.I presently play on a set of reference series.alot of choices out there,good luck with your decision.
not a huge Pearl fan but wanted to check these out as the wood combination caught my attention, Not a bad sounding kit at all. I have had some Tama B/B's and Mapex Saturn v kits on tour, and Pearl is getting close- but not ready to say they are the best in price range. The others mentioned have much more attractive mounting systems, and the hoops on bass drums are finished in and out, and the sound is a bit more present than these. I like these though, sound good and I bet would be good in the studio with single ply heads. Also, though a bit cheaper, the new Yamaha Tour's sound extremely good!
@@krak2121 the heada are changable anytime. Most important are wood (and hardware?). But yeah. sonor did great job on its AQ2. Wonder if the AQ1 will be that great too.
@@boyna13 Ummm... Actually, wood is the least important. The most important are the heads and tuning, hoops, bearing edges, shell thickness... The old catalogs didn't even mention the wood used to make the drums, only the dimensions, number of elements, hardware, finish choices... I’m not entirely sure, but I think the wood choice story was started by Yamaha in the late 70s, when they advertised the YD9000 series, known today as the Recording Custom. Somewhere on YT is a video with a blind test in which DW Collectors Maple and Collectors Birch were played next to each other, and it's almost impossible to guess what is what.
Played this kit last week and it Doesnt come close to the tama starclassic Birch Bubingas. Doesn’t have as much volume, tone, dynamics, feel, attack, punch, beefiness and everything else compared to the starclassic bb’s imo.
Gréât vidéo !!!!! How this drum sound whitout mics? I hope not too dead. The pearl select session sing without Mics? Hard to choose between dw performance 22/10/12/14/16, master Maple complète 22/10/12/14/16 , pearl session studios select 22/10/12/14/16 and the pearl reference ( not pure) 22/10/12/14/16. I want a pearl versatile drum for jazz , rock,reggae,fusion , cubain music ,old school music and acoustic music. Any advices are welcome thanks
I Started on a Pearl Forum. I do enjoy the sound and the only thing keeping me from coming back to the brand is the tom mounting hardware. its just gross and unnecessarily clunky.
What it the “proper”/“correct” way to relate the dimensions of a drum: Diameter x Depth/Height, or Depth/Height x Diameter? I am a new drummer. I have noticed that only Sweetwater lists the depth first, on their website as well as how he describes the kit in this video.
I think the depth is first in America and diameter is first in Europe. But I'm not sure...in my country and our neighbor countrys we say diameter first(Europe).
Hi, Steven. You are right, the design is very similar. The kit has birch in the shells to give it a similar bite that the BLX had. You have a great ear! Mike Wuchter, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1789, michael_wuchter@sweetwater.com
@@sweetwater thank you, I had a set through the 90s and it was outstanding so every live and studio engineer told me. But then I switched over to DW. kind of find myself missing that sound it was pretty sweet. Very musical.
Hey, Isaí. Not a dumb question at all. We get that a lot. Absolutely. They are very well suited for live applications, as well. They mic up very well! I hope this helps. Jason Thiele, Senior Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1391, jason_thiele@sweetwater.com
Buy the tama superstar classic your wallet will thank you . You dont need an expensive drumset to have a great sound trust me the superstars are just as good as these . I should know i own them i would suggest to get the 7 piece more toms then these . And your paying way less for them . Its a no brainer
Hi, Edgar. You would be able to use this kit for either live or studio. The name comes from birch being the most popular wood in the studio because of its very controlled sound. Thanks for you interest! Mike Wuchter, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1789, michael_wuchter@sweetwater.com
Thanks for the inquiry, Ray. Those don't come with the tom arms, as there are many different options for mounting. I'd be happy to help determine what would be best for you, if you'd like to discuss. Thanks for your interest. Derek Senestraro, Senior Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1243, derek_senestraro@sweetwater.com
Hi there. this shell pack sounds really good. if ill go for it it would be the 5/6 piece kit and add a snare...but i got a question, how would you compare it with the TAMA hyper drive 5 piece (not duo ) or the PDP concept maple 7 piece kit sound wise.....????
Cool videos but in my opinion you shouldn’t use double ply heads if you really want to show the true sound of each drum. It would be best with single ply heads like Remo Ambassador’s or Evans G1’s. Just saying...
Pearl site says Super hoop II . All the rims are engraved Super hoop II. Original Super hoops just had a black & clear sticker ‘ Super Hoops’ no engraving.
@@timcline2799 I have a 2020 version of the Pearl session studio select and the engraving on the hoop says Super Hoops not Super Hoops II. Super Hoops II is a little more rounded off around the rim. Nothing wrong with the super hoop, as it is just a rough version.
