Ludwig Tom Shootout | Does the Shell Matter?

[@LudwigSC93]

So similar that it doesn't matter, especially when mixed with other instruments.

[@vermilionpill6916]

You won't hear much of a difference if the shells are the same thickness. Get a thicker shell and you will hear a difference. You wont hear the Presence of the drums in a video either.

[@RobCartwright]

@@vermilionpill6916 I hate to sound like an elitist, but anyone that says the shells don't matter has never heard a Craviotto in person.

[@donthomas2859]

To me, I notice instantly that tom 3 had the cleanest and most resonant tone.

[@GeoffBosco]

Yeah, I agree. Haven’t gotten to the reveal yet but I wanted to register that 3 is my favorite and to me sounds vastly different from the others.

[@carsonyuh]

Eh, not the most resonant but definitely projected the most

[@carbonnabis]

@@carsonyuh longer decay

[@ambroulard]

The pitch was slightly higher,, that could account for the difference and there’s no way to know without tuning all of the toms slightly higher…. That’s the way frequencies work.

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

I'm a guitar player with perfect pitch. It rang perfectly with no tone fluctuation. It was like a bell. Amazing.

[@thewheelofhc]

ive owned them all, so i got them all right, the thing that differs them its when you play them, specialy live, my band mate said that the mahogany was low on volume , so you need to mic them even in small venues, classics are nice but really hard to get rid of the overtones , specialy the maple one, best of both world is the oak, fat like the legacy but with lots of projection, less overtone then the classic maple

[@thesuccessfulbarber]

Interesting

[@madebymarco]

Will the audience even notice?

[@adderon]

The Sonor one was the best

[@monkeyfistinmyneck]

Noice!😄

[@markoveljic]

For me personally, volume number one is the best. Definitely the cleanest and most open tone. The maple has overtones at the very end of the sustain, as if at the end the tone rises higher. Put on your headphones and you'll hear what I'm talking about. Only mahogany has a stable tone from beginning to end

[@danoneill130]

I think it has something to do with the way the Classic Maple was tuned. Its a straight shell, no re-rings that control it a bit. The oak, was dead for the most part, because of the way it was tuned, however that's just my opinion on that. Certain drums have a range and sweet spot where they open up and sing.

[@julianboyd8719]

The Oak has more attack and less sustain than the other drums.

[@goesjem]

It sounds completely dry and dead to me,

[@HaloAdmiral]

As someone who plays a Classic Maple, I picked up Tom 3 immediately. There’s a reason they’re my favorites, and it’s because of that insane resonance and projection that’s so easy to control or embellish, if you put the right heads on them. That attack from Tom 4 was very distinguishable as an oak shell as well.

[@MrRezRising]

#4 has best sustain for me. Classic Oak. Too bad there's no way I'm lugging a full oak kit up and down Manhattan. Maybe back in the 90s. Nowadays, if I show up with ANY toms, it's a miracle.

[@alexg4284]

Yeah in the 90s I didn't think twice about bringing my six-price stage custom haha, did a gig yesterday with just kick and snare and felt like I could have done without the bass drum lol

[@erictorres4889]

I’ve got to have my 7 piece set

[@erictorres4889]

They all sound the same every drummer knows the true sound of a drum is in the heads tuneing and baring edges

[@ctrainugly6444]

I preferred the classic maple but let's be honest, they all sounded good. And personally I think once you add any of these to a full band mix those slight differences would be pretty hard to pick out.

[@camerondean6804]

OK, just watched to 4:04. Have no idea what is what, but absolutely prefer the sound of the first drum you hit first. Let's carry on with the video... OK, after individual hits on isolated drums, still like one best, but two would be acceptable, and even four, as well... three is still a no go... definitely very helpful. I would love to hear the Classic Maple (drum three) with the rounded bearing edge option, since they're more reasonably priced, even with that option than the two Legacy models, which--obviously--my ear prefers. If you could put your hands on one of the Classic Maples with the rounded edges and A/B it you would make me, and I'm sure others, very happy. I'm thinking the rounded edge would/will make the Classic Maple more Legacy-like sounding.

[@fess749]

The bottom line is buy the cheapest one. Nobody will be able to hear the difference when played

[@kevingalley9200]

Classic Maple has the most resonance. I think a change in head types would be a much more dramatic change of sound than the difference between shell types. Subtle changes between each only, but no. 3 is the best.

[@daveyelmer3222]

Just a thought: next time it might help to use a larger drum size - I expect the larger drums, would more accentuate the character of the shells. I sure have noticed dramatic differences in bass drum shells.

[@elijahsacco]

DCP has a video where they compare Legacy Maple/Mahogany and Classic Maple in the Bonham sizes with coated heads. There is a huge difference when you go up to the biggest sizes.

[@jagsjag5849]

The Ford Drum company made a point of this years ago. While at the NAMM Show, Sonor had a display of 12" toms. All, even the acrylic, sound virtually the same. The one that had the most projection, however, was the tom with the thickest shell. It all comes down to geometry and physics. 12" toms sound like 12" toms. Same holds true for any size. Thank you. This was very informative!

[@SoundsToBlowYourMind]

Great comparison! I guessed them all correctly, which I must admit was a surprise. There were very subtle differences between them, but based on the first test with just the overheads, I was instantly drawn to tom 1 (Legacy Mahogany) as it seemed to have the most pleasing pitch bend, where the pitch of the note bends downwards slightly as the sustain fades out. The Legacy Maple did that too, but had some less pleasant ringing overtones towards the end of the sustain. This was the other way around during the second test with the close mic. I preferred the Legacy Maple which has the most pleasing tone in that test and the Legacy Mahogany seemed to have some annoying overtones! The Classic Maple seemed the most different to all the others, and it did sound slightly higher pitched overall, but also had the least pitch bend, where the pitch stayed the same for the full length of the note. The Oak drum was really nice too with a decent pitch bend, but some bright over tones.

[@Lumerdrums]

same as with guitars, where the pickup makes 98% of the sound. Speaking of drums it is the heads. I've had maple, birch, walnut in the studio. same heads, same tuning. No one could tell what is what in one session. Especially when you squeeze everything together in a compressor and put it in a mix. I know it's fun to talk about how the wood makes the difference, when in reality it doesn't. What matters tho is the build quality of the bearing edges/hardware and a good ass sounding head/tuning. Interesting video tho :)

[@timmotel5804]

Definitely #3 classic maple is the one that I prefer. But they all sound great and would be completely workable IMO. I've got a 1975 set of Ludwig's that I bought new. Thank You. This was a wonderful demonstration.

[@ColeParamore]

Thanks Tim much appreciated!

[@jamesfulmer7080]

You hear what you wanna hear. Confirmation bias. "I play maple therefore maple is the best." If you think there is a real noticeable difference, then you've drank the Kool-Aid and will continue to keep spending money that you don't need to spend.

[@kearneydillon4803]

I have a set of original 3-ply maple drums from about 1970. I have to say, they sing a bit more with lots of tone and sustain. They are in big sizes so that helps. I also own a set of 1979 6-ply Ludwigs in the same sizes (14/15/16/18/26). The 3 ply sound amazing but only produce about 60-70% of the volume of my 6 ply shells. But the 6 ply shells have a narrower useful tuning range. If I could only own one set, it would be the 3-ply's. They sound AMAZING (plus I have microphones!!)

[@raykingstonmusic]

"A Hert or two..." Singular or plural, it's Hertz. 1 Hertz. Two Hertz. This comment Hertz. Great demo, man! Thanks for this video :)

[@andymckenna5387]

Since I use to build custom drums I got it right! Very impressed with my ear since it’s been 6 years since I last built. But Mahogany, so soft and warm ❤❤. My favourite

[@samcook1545]

The Maple Classic had the most sustain. That said, if I had all tuypes on a drum kit I doubt it would make a huge difference, especially in a live venue. I have all but the Legacy Mahogony (BTW the Classic Oak is 5-ply). The Classic Oak (which was originally the Keystone Series) seems most resonant to me due to the dual 45 degree bearing edge.

[@steverok67]

Classic Maple definitely sustained the longest. Legacy Mahogany seemed to have the most beef. I would like to see a similar test with a 16" floor tom.

[@em8340]

Number 3 Classic Maple! My favorite!

[@thomasmoje5926]

Yeah I picked out tom #1 as being the 'Legacy Mahogany' during the blind test. Nice warm full tone. My favorite of the group as well. Truth be told it would be hard to tell the difference in a playing situation with a band. They all sound good.

[@OliKember]

I liked 2,4,1,3. Really surprised to see that 2 and 3 which I liked the most and the least are both maple!

[@stephendufort4154]

THE 3 RD CLASSIC MAPEL RESONATED THE MOST EVERYTIME

[@augustdrums1247]

Classic Oak isn't 7 ply. It's 5 ply.

[@ColeParamore]

Whoops! Good catch.

[@schally46]

As remarked, good / less good heads make a much greater difference than the variations in woods. The very slight differences you may hear now will completely disappear with use in a gig or in the studio. Then it is the sound technician who will make the difference

[@tonyjackson4099]

This test would be great, however, not to be a dick, it's highly inaccurate for two reasons. One...you never tune the batter and reso heads to equal tension. By equally tensioning batter and reso heads you've essentially put them "in-phase." They cancel each other out and kill sustain just like we heard here. Listen with good headphones. These were dead "thuds" and had almost zero sustain. Any sustain you think you're hearing is actually all four drums....which leads us to the second problem... The second problem is this... *For the purpose of this test you need to conduct it with each drum SEPARATELY, isolated from one another!* You might be hitting one drum at a time but you're actually hearing all four drums at once due to "Sympathetic Resonance." Sympathetic Resonance is a harmonic phenomenon that occurs when a vibratory body, like a drum, responds to external vibrations, like another drum being struck right next to it or in close proximity. Simply put, it's what causes snare buzz. So, to accurately hear what each drum sounds like, one head should be tensioned slightly lower or higher than the other; most guys tension the reso lower than the batter. Then record them individually and isolated from each other. I guarantee you'll hear a much bigger difference between them.

[@ColeParamore]

Hey Tony! Thanks for the input, and you make a couple of great points. I'll address the second one first - I actually do exactly what you're recommending just a few minutes into the video. Check the timestamps - I do a back to back test with them all on stands next to each other, and then all isolated for exactly the reason you described. For your first point, I'm going to push back slightly. Although cancellation is possible, it's actually far more common for heads tuned the same to sympathetically resonate and actually give you more resonance. Phase cancellation is completely based on the distance of the two waves, and in the case where the two waves are in phase, you get a doubling of the frequency, not a cancellation. We'd have to do some higher level math to determine exactly what's going on with these drums and their depth specifically based on what I have them tuned to, but I can assure you there isn't any significant cancellation going on between the heads. I have them tuned a bit lower than some people do, and I'm in a fairly dead room here, which may be what you're picking up on. Thanks for checking it out, and watch the whole thing, you may find the second part revealing!

[@rylieriley]

I know I'm late, but the classic maple resonated the most and the longest. Classic oak was slightly behind that (but it was definitely a noticeable amount). Legacy mahogany resonated the shortest and the least (it was focused, which I would love for certain songs). The legacy maple resonated slightly more and longer than the mahogany, but not as much as the classic maple. I could go into more detail about the overtones, but who would care enough to read it all😂(plus others have already discussed the overtones🙃). I have a classic maple kit, but I'd also love to have a mahogany kit.

[@clementnicolaas2697]

I own a legacy maple , but based on this shootout I prefer the classic maple ,on a side not I must say that when playing with my band the guitarist tends to complain a bit on not hearing my legacy drums (never had that feedback with my previous all maple drums), ..guess legacy don’t project as much as the classics which might explain why Alex Van Halen went back to classics after using the legacy’s for a while when they were newly introduced.

[@BrooksTheDrummer]

I really liked the classic maple

[@joeschlicht]

Before the reveal, I'm going to guess Tom 1 is the Legacy maple, Tom 2 is the Legacy mahogany (sounds lower) Tom 3 is the Classic Maple (most resonant, no re-rings) and Tom 4 is the Oak (sounds the most different to me). My favorite is Tom 2 and Tom 4.

[@blueavadis22]

Ludwig was my first love back in 78 but I didn’t got the chance to own one so later I could afford Tama , Pearl and finally I got the high end ones:Noble&Cooley, Sonor Designer , HiLite, DeLite but now I rediscovered Maple Classics and I got a lovely kit .

[@awesomefanger]

The reinforced shells (legacy) should have a quicker decay, DW actually added re-rings to make this happen on their collectors series drums so drummers wouldn’t use dampening or 2 ply heads. I have a 1963 ludwig downbeat set (12/14/20) with mahogany Toms and a maple bass drum. i think the reason i like them so much has more to do with the Tom’s having brass hoops and no lug gaskets. It’s also worth noting i have a 1964 Ludwig clubdate set with the same shells and sizes and it’s definitely more resonant with just the single lug in the middle of the shell.

[@Spagz]

I heard the classic maple having longer sustain as well. Liked the Mahogany tone best overall, but would be happy with any. I do like the classic maple due to the extra overtones though. You can always calm them a little with dampening, heads, eq, compression etc. Bit you can't truly add it if you want it. So I'd rather have it be there if I want it. Kind of like wearing layers in winter. You can always take some off if too hot, but you can't add any if you left the house with one layer. 😂 Nice job!

[@64desertsurfer]

Great comparison. Love the warmth and tone depth of the Legacy Mahogany (#1), my favorite. Was surprised how much I liked Classic Maple (#3), so open and resonant. Not crazy about the attack on the Classic Oak (#4), but it would totally depend on the music scene you’re in. Cheers!

[@Kiekhaefer6]

My preferred order from favourite to least favourite: #2 warm and controlled #4 warm and controlled #1 funny overtones but warm #3 blah But to a😢 9min mark: #1 full punchy complex #4 full punchy #2 a little boxy #3 blah

[@MartyMcFlyV]

If the shell makes all the difference in the world when is the last time you put on an album and said- 'maple, yeah'. Or walked into a club and immediately said 'Mahogany kit nice!' Drum wood....Its marketing.

[@alexalja]

Legacy Mahogany and Classic Oak in this tuning range to me. Maybe that’s it, different woods could sound better in different tuning ranges for different genres of music. I personally would like to tune the Legacy Maple high and the Classic Maple low. My Ludwig drum set wishlist: Legacy Mahogany. 20/12/14. Classic Oak. 22/10/12/16. Legacy Maple 18/1?/14. ?=10 or 12. Classic Maple 24/13/16/18. Thanks so much for the video! Cheers

[@MarkMonolithOfficial]

The Classic Oak (Keystone X) and Classic Maple sounded best to my ears

[@teagle1064]

Amazing! I liked Tom 1 best followed by Tom 4. Tom 3 was too swarmy, sustained too long. I loved the big fat tone of Tom 1 with a much shorter decay. Overall I’m Impressed at what a difference they make. I’m surprised that I really like the oak!

[@elithepitbulldog2209]

The wrap kills some of the sustain. Do drums without the wrap and you will notice more difference

[@ColeParamore]

Interesting thought - let's try and get Ludwig on board!

[@toddcapiton6285]

Not true. Tests have been done on here somewhere. I think at inde drums.

[@PilusPrimus]

I find drum tone is a lot more about the ratio of fundamental tone to overtone than other instruments. In these examples I found the loudest fundamental compared to overtones are in order, 4 3 2 1 (to my ear, as recorded). In the overtone series, the fundamental tone is usually the loudest, but the question is by how much compared to the rest of the overtones. If you’re playing in a louder band where volume is an issue, you might want a stronger fundamental tone (“closed” sounding). If you’re playing in a lower volume group, or where a more complex tone is wanted and can actually be heard with more sensitive mixing perhaps, then the mahogany here would be a good choice (more overtones=more “open” sounding) Fwiw, I’ve always liked the very strong fundamental of maple properly tuned. The sustain of maple tends to be long but relatively quiet compared to the initial attack, giving maple a very punchy sound. Add more compression in the signal if you want more of that ring to come out. Also more plies=more mass=less energy dissipation is a contributing factor to increase the volume of the sustain phase. Hope this sparks a thought for someone - ymmv!

[@scuderiasquidstew]

Full disclosure, I play a 2012 Keystone X (which I think later became the Classic Oak shells?) but as soon as you hit Tom 1&2 I knew those were the Legacies. Embarrassingly, though, i got the wood wrong on both pairs😮 (which might kind of prove your point that build and configuration matter more than the actual material?). Know I'm late to the party, but really interesting video, thanks!

[@linoperretta2528]

it's crazy how much of a classic maple nut I am and yet on a blind test..that's the one I liked least! My ears loved #1 and #4 for their depth and sustain balance. Thanks for the video.

[@garywood5892]

For me it's the resonance length of the tone. I've always loved the s CLassic Maple for that reason.

[@jeffballou2940]

They are all good. I love the combination of the maple / oak shell in the Classic Oak line. Played all these in person, the Oak's kick drum is what I really noticed to be a bit more aggressive than the others. The oak did not sustain as much as the maple, but sound engineers gate that all out anyhow live or studio.

[@julianboyd8719]

I play a classic oak kit and I get so many compliments from sound guys and engineers. You barely need to EQ or muffle anything and it has some very serious punch.

[@MyFatherLoves]

I for sure knew that the first two were in the Legacy series and the 3rd was the classic maple. My personal kit is a legacy mahogany kit and I've both played and mixed a classic maple kit for the past 10yrs live. Also, I would argue that an SM57 was not the best choice for the close mic in getting the differences between the shells to be more prevalent. You need a mic that doesn't have as much of a low end roll off as the SM57 does. An SM57 actually starts to roll off at 200hz to -6db around 65hz (generally point of inaudibility when there's a lot going on). In the live situation I'm in, we've noticed the best tom mics for our setup (Classic Maple) are the EV RE20. They have excellent rear rejection (so they don't pick up hardly any cymbal bleed if at all) and have a far better frequency response than most mics with the -6db point hovering around 36hz. Absolutely phenomenal mics. Anyway, that would be why there was very little difference in this shootout. The Legacy series digs a lot deeper (specifically the mahogany) into the frequency spectrum and sound absolutely massive by comparison to the Classic series.

[@NEALBABBITT]

So much of playing drums is how they feel. I've been in the store and hit those. Immediately the legacy maple felt clearly the best, second was legacy mahogany (felt and sounded good but more quiet than legacy maple), third was classic maple, then the classic oak (oak/maple blend). I got all of them correct, maybe mostly because that's the order I played them in the store, so there's that. LOL

[@Oneness100]

Here's some other measurements you can do to scientifically analyze each drum. 1. Look at the Attack, Decay and Sustain of each drum. You'll need to look at each time you hit the drum and look at the wave form. 2. Look at the Harmonic Structure of each. There's software that can show you the amplitude of the fundamental and all of its harmonics. This will give you a look at the timbre of each drum. If you do these measurements, I would suggest you get a microphone that's as flat response as possible. Earthworks Microphones have a very flat response curve, they will impact the tone the least. as far as room is concerned, I would suggest picking different room treatment. the type of open cell foam you're using doesn't have a good absorption coefficient curve. it's just typically low priced open cell foam. There are other brands that are far superior that have a more linear absorption coefficient curve for a more natural acoustic properties.

[@GeoffBosco]

Lol this comment section is hilarious. This just goes to show why these types of videos will never be science. Not a single person changed their mind about their preconceived notions. And I say that for myself as well. But I have no idea how anyone can possibly th think that all these drums sounded the same. You people are nuts.

[@mickeyfinnegan7469]

They all sound the same,that said I'd like the 3ply with rings,I am old old school!,I have all junk-SP, percussion plus(5lug,thin shells) old pearls, toI put all kinds of heads on them,complete mishmash,that's what I like!!!

[@Darrylizer1]

I got them correct. Tom 1, Legacy Mahogany sounded the best to me, shorter decay, fewer overtones and a lovely round tone. Tom 2 came in second. I didn't like Tom 3, the Classic Maple, to ringey, to many over tones. Tom 4 was nearly identical to Tom 3 but had fewer overtones.

[@bobsondugnutt7526]

Several points: 1) What heads were used? Clear 2 ply? 2) Legacy: 30 degree bearing edges; Classic: 45 degree bearing edges 3) Was surprised about the extent of higher frequency presence in classic maple. Also surprised to hear the role of the oak in dampening these frequencies. 4) A db meter might be helpful in distinguishing classic oak from the legacy models, all of which have notably shorter sustain. This test was awesome!!! Great format, thanks for the effort here.

[@andrewwong6158]

Nice video. I liked the legacy maple the best because there was a little bit of head rattle that I didn't hear in the others. The maple was the brightest and most resonant. The oak was also resonant but not as bright. The mahogany didn't do it for me. So, for this hardware config, legacy maple was my favorite.

[@alfonsoobando3616]

Immediately knew CM was Tom 3. Resonance was a dead give away. Cuts through better. Resonance was a dream!

[@Avaloctus]

To my ear,..shooting the video through some good AKG head phones, the shells sound 99% the same. Especially in a band setting, there should be no recognisable difference.

[@aluminati9918]

Great demo! Not a huge tonal difference to my ear. A little more ring maybe to #3. Not a gamechanger in the band mix IMO. I own a 90s Ludwig Classic Maple and find head choice to be more of a factor than the shells.

[@broeheemed32]

Of course the shells matter. The material and it's denseness matters. The thickness matters, the bearing edge matters, the heads matter, the tuning matters. Never compare drums when they're dampened, always have them wide open and only use single-ply heads. This is the proper way to hear the tones they're capable of, whether or not you choose to muffle them later.

[@jeffsousa399]

Classic Maple, all the way! From a guy that owns original 67’ Mahogany rings kit!! They sounded alive!!

[@andrewlau2939]

Not a night and day difference. I doubt anyone would be able to tell the shell material of a drum once they're in the mix or in a live situation. The three most influential elements that make a drum sound unique are head selection, tuning, and playing style. Next to that would probably be hardware and shell construction/thickness.

[@nathanielbrice8725]

Easy! Drum 1: Ludwig Drum 2: Ludwig Drum 3: Ludwig Drum 4: Ludwig Hope you got the same answers!

[@mwdollar]

Tom 1 all day long. I was 4 for 4 being a Ludwig guy and recording engineer. I was surprised I got one of them correct using laptop speakers lol.

[@keithpratt1849]

Classic maple best overall. I also liked the oak. Can Definitely hear the difference. Would like to hear with satin stain shells.

[@matthewpredmore6523]

For me the Legacy Maple (#2) sounded like a classic 60’s-70’s rock drum. They all sound good though.

[@markr1550]

#1 and #2 are close, wasn't sure which was the maple. #3 was clearly the classic maple, great resonance. And #4 was clearly the oak, not as bright as the maple.

[@badwolfsat5]

I knew 4 was Oak and 3 was Classic Maple. You can hear the difference in some woods. Others, not so much.

[@boinknook]

I know ludwig has their supraphonic snare drums, but I have the much cheaper supralite and it sounds so incredible for the money!!

[@dancalabrese3523]

While all the toms had that nice "thump" sound, the Classic maple, tom #3, had the most resonance and sustain, especially in the isolation segment. I could also tell more of a sound difference between the Legacy Maple and Legacy Mahogany in the isolation segment and curiously preferred the Legacy Mahogany over the Legacy Maple. But based on this video if I could only pick one kit to purchase it would seem the Classic Maple would be my choice. You can always take resonance out through tuning and muffling, but you can't put it into the shell.

[@davidm.448]

Maybe slightly more attack in the maple

[@ed.polinski]

My sentiments exactly

[@tobiaswinter1358]

Is that the real comparison we should do here? I think it's more about if certain shell types sound better in certain tunings. They don't have to sound extremely different when tuned exactly the same imho, as long as they do certain ttypes of tunings better than the next configuration.

[@ColeParamore]

A good point to bring up! I've had others say something similar, and it's worth considering. Personally, I think it's far more likely that shell dimension will have a far more significant impact on optimal tuning range than shell material/density. It's worth experimenting with, I just personally chose not to do it because once you have each drum at a different tuning, you haven't controlled for all other variables anymore.

[@larrytate1657]

Yes and there’s something about the way birch sounds with remo pin stripes or ec2s compared to the way maple reacts with stripes and ec2s.

[@larrytate1657]

Other than that shell thickness and hardware plays a bigger role than wood type imo.

[@ColeParamore]

@@larrytate1657 That's been my belief lately too.

[@carlupthegrove262]

Marketing wins.... yes, there is a difference but could anyone tell if they were not played back to back as in this demo?

[@toxievope3617]

They all sound virtually the same, but to a sharp ear there is a ever so slight difference. I would go for the Legacy maple.

[@jonashellborg8320]

They all sound great! I slightly prefer legacy maple, it has a thick attack, I think that means a low a low mid frequencies burst, then highs in the decay. Classic oak the smoothest of the bunch. Would love oak for a quiet cafe gig, but would not bring my 2B oak sticks for it.

[@SimplicityForGood]

Andy drums that are oval or rectangle shaped? What difference would it make? 🤔

[@davidlanier7006]

They were the same. Any minor differences in sound that someone could hear may be coming from small differences in manufacturing. A drum is a drum.

[@Diesel0807]

They all sound so similar it kinda makes all the shell hype laughable

[@DavidLeeKing]

What size drums are those? Also - thanks for sharing! If I was being real picky, I THINK I heard a slight more "punchiness" in the two legacy shells, and a slightly more "clear" tone from the classics. Otherwise agreed - pretty much the same!

[@ColeParamore]

They are 9x12. I'll add to the description - thanks for watching!

[@sherwincody5025]

i picked out the mahogany and the classic maple instantly, no 1 mahogany nice dace full tone, no 3 classic maple slightely higher tone

[@NeighborGatsy]

Personally, I would’ve tuned them a bit higher so that the note sings and is more audible

[@Zionist_Eternal]

Excellent test. And, the comments, above all, are very telling. Honestly truly is a rare commodity.

[@Lavo68]

I always I.d. mahogany shells. The oak I thought was maple with re-rings. The classic maple was my fave.

[@marc8vino]

Some shell sing at certain tunings. Even though they are all the same tuning range if the tuning range was different it might favor a different shell type.

[@ThomasMetal75]

I play the Classic Maple and I wasn't able to match any of the shells correctly.

[@davidsuprenant893]

I only picked #3 classic maple..Wow. it resonated the most.I guess that's what I would buy if I was in the market,and they cost a lot less,even better.

[@markpmar0356]

It was odd, but the side-by-side demo of the Legacy Maple seemed to indicated high overtones in the sound but when isolated, it was the best-sounding drum, by far. The pitch was truly centered, it has excellent resonance with no bad overtones in the resonance. Indicates good tuning, too. My guesses were correct for the first two, the Legacy Mahogany gives itself away with that gorgeous sound right in the middle and the short decay. Both the seven-ply shells seem the same, couldn't tell them apart.

[@DryestBirch]

expected to like mahogany the best, and did. Didn’t hate the others but thought the Oak was a little bright. There is something buttery about the mahogany though

[@cvrobertogiammanco]

Maybe there are some small differences but, in view, they are not relevant.

[@mellilore]

I got them right, helped me knowing that the 3ply (the "Legacies") have rounded edges (and the mahogany sounds darker than the maple) and the Classic have sharper edges. I loved them all quite a lot except for the classic oak (I'm not saying I didn't like it, just a little less). Cheers!

[@toddmckenzie0420]

The Legacy kits have 30 degree bearing edges. They aren't rounded, just not as sharp as the 45 degree on the classic maple, plus you have the re-rings. You can order classic maple with a round over bearing edge though.

[@mellilore]

@@toddmckenzie0420 Agreed. When I said "rounded" I meant in fact "rounder" than the Classic Maple. My bad.

[@les-ti6lo]

4 to me seemed almost eq . Was surprising as i thought ther would have been more throat . Not at all like Yamaha's

[@Wade522]

The Classic Maple hands down. More complete full sound & warmer.

[@chopperking007]

The acrylic one sounds best

[@ColeParamore]

Ha!

[@stromghouls]

classic oak is a 5 ply shell. a core of 3 ply maple with a fairly thick inner and outer ply of oak.

[@raymondmcabier9614]

The Classic Maple is the best. It doesn't have the funky after tone. It has a nice clean sustained tone.

[@jopo6388]

Liked #2 maple as the ring harmonic went way low in frequency.

[@severihanninen334]

So, this just proves the old theory that shells don't matter, i'ts always the skins...

[@thesolsters5784]

The only things that really ever matter these days are the drummer and the soundman.

[@troyheffernan1261]

It's the shell. Maple and Ludwig has better spind than all thr rest. It s that round note.