Gretsch Drums Catalina Maple 7-piece Drum Kit Review by Sweetwater

[@toxievope3617]

Why aren't more bands using Gretsch drums? they sound fantastic.

[@batouttahell454]

Maybe Gretsch not helpful when on the road for parts? Maybe doesn't pay enough to Endorse?

[@dagwoodz28]

I just bought this kit a couple weeks ago. I absolutely LOVE IT!!! The drums have an absolute KILLER sound! I was playing a Pearl Export before with Aquarian heads, and this kit sounds way better. Great attack!

[@catherinelotito6858]

by far the best drum reviews by Sweetwater and Nick...ND'V is the best honest and informative.

[@PadrinoRazor]

This guy knows how to review a drum. Super!

[@jmjrevelation4449]

I agree bro

[@alanissexy99]

Made me stay on this video 💯🙏

[@llRoBoBinHoll]

He can certainly play. But his job is to sell you the kit, not to give you a honest review. He’s picking up on some details that supposedly make a significant difference, but that in practice don’t change the sound by more than 1%.

[@spurs4159]

That opening groove was incredible

[@aa-gb5uv]

LeBron James nice profile pic

[@drummerboy0620]

I know right!

[@willbrewer9253]

Just got this kit, loving it so much. I’ve been playing a birch gretsch 4 piece for a while, finally gotten to a good point on a smaller kit and got this for a good bigger kit, also wanted maple drums.

[@ronniek7748]

Very impressed with this kit! The kick drum and snare sound great, ah they all sound great!

[@LELNM]

Just bought this 7-piece drum kit : AMAZING.. I was playing on a basic Pearl Export, Catalina Maple is just so much better !!

[@richkane1977]

LELN any muffling needed?

[@LELNM]

Just on the floor tom, because I wanted it with a fat sound, so I put muffle on ;)

[@kalebeollier1682]

LELN I've played enough on Pearl Export is a good drummer, but despite never having played in a Gretsch Catalina Maple but just looking and listening to the sound Gretsch seems to be very superior indeed.

[@drummerboy0620]

I have a question: when you got it, did you get stock heads with it or was it just a shell pack

[@curtisjohnese2484]

Lukas Williamson they come with heads, you just have to put them on and tune them. Your 8" tom may already have them on it but the others you will probably have to put on yourself. My Ludwigs came with remo pinstripes and I will use them for a while but will change them in the near future. The kit does come with heads though.

[@VinceAnity]

came just for the sound, but got inspiration from your playing :)

[@pearpiece97]

Incredible review! Just purchased one of these - you're making me think twice about the finish I chose!

[@billdrummer1197]

Hey Nick, These drums sound incredible!!! I own a set I bought in 2012 and they kick some serious butt. I am impressed with how warm and musical they are. I tuned all the tom shells to a particular note sequence using a Tune-bot studio that I bought from Sweetwater. The note progression I came up with for MY kit is: 8"tom- E3or 165Hz 10"tom-C3 or 131Hz 12"tom-G#2 or 104 Hz 14"tom-E2 or 82.4 Hz 16"tom-C2 or 65.4 These settings are , in my opinion, the best for my own particular shells. Try tuning your kit using these settings, Nick, and let me know what you think. By the way Nick.....You ROCK...keep up the good work.

[@JakeStaffin]

Love this video, it inspired me to get my Catalina Maple a little over 4 years ago (in walnut glaze). Wish I could get my toms to sound like this though!!

[@toxievope3617]

Those Gretsch drums sound fantastic.

[@joelrainey1979]

I got to play a kit at guitar center and wow I fell in love with them

[@patrickglenn4086]

Love the look and the sound!

[@emrahercancakir]

Thank you for the great review. I am glad to see that you have started review more affordable drum kits.

[@erictorres4889]

Affordable drums are great high end is a waste of money and will still sound like these

[@ronnieburton9593]

My kit just got here and I'm excited to play.

[@drummerboy0620]

Ronnie Burton what was it like? And did it come with stock heads?

[@ronnieburton9593]

@@drummerboy0620 omg love this kit it packs a punch come with stock heads but there good to start with I probably won't change heads til next year if you can offer it then get you one I have the deep cherry burst color and I only payed 899.99 for it saved 2 hundred bucks of off ebay . Pixler music store. Lukas go get you one.

[@AECEntertainment]

Mum and I are toying on getting one of these as I play in a band that covers all the bases. Reggae, country, blues, pop, rock, old school metal, funk and all sorts. I use sabian pro sonix cymbals and I extend my rig with a Roland td10 module. I mainly play keys and bass for session work.

[@jakelucas5588]

If this is your job.....I want it, seen you playing all kinds of good stuff!

[@scottlowell493]

This kit has made me say " WHY would I ever spend more on a kit?" These sound fat and clean like "pro" drums. These newer models also have better-looking shells than previous models which had gaps in the plies.

[@MathyuB.W.89]

You got Style, man!

[@zhongxina8426]

0:14 tries to hit the crash...tries nice playing btw as always :)

[@randywoolum2648]

The kick pedal beater seemed to be turned to where the plastic side was hitting the head instead of the felt side as mentioned in this video.

[@pawelmorrison]

0:35 holy tits that fill is great

[@rayfield8890]

Hi Nick - great playing as always - I just got a Catalina kit mic'd correctly. It's under KZbin " Ray Fields Drum Solo 2" Would like your read on how the kit is Mic'd

[@Legolion17]

Amazing!! I've been wanting this for a while, just don't have the money for them.

[@JohnHoffmanDrums]

Without question Gretsch Catalina Maple and Yamaha Stage Custom are the absolute best drum sets for the money, period.

[@drummerboy0620]

TAMA Superstar Classic would like a word with you

[@michaelanderson2881]

@@drummerboy0620 And Mapex Armory.

[@bgnPrinceton]

@@michaelanderson2881 Especially Mapex Amory! Lol!

[@PowerTom_kyle]

Every kit Sweetwater reviews has 8x7, 10x8, 12x8/9 rack toms. Get adventurous. Use some POWER TOMS for variety. We POWER TOM players are still a part of the drumming community.

[@mikefiorello5621]

I hope they make a shell pack with 12 and 13 mounted toms

[@ivannio5836]

Brilliant. Thanks

[@johnjamesmclaughlin]

Kits amazing

[@tomas3238]

Nick can you review the 5 piece kit of this catalina maple?

[@itsgalaxyy1808]

Just got this kit! Any tips on tuning the toms?

[@dunnigan66]

Man I cant decide these Superstar classics maple or the PDP concept maple grrrrr!!!!!

[@thomashope373]

I'd personally say the Superstars

[@scotttaylor7211]

dunnigan66 n

[@dynamitekid8967]

Thomas Hope agreed Superstar is better! Try to check out Jimmy Rainsford Gretsch Maple drum kit drum cover Toto - Stop loving you you will hear how flat the sound is at the end of the video without the backing tracks.

[@candelariocardenasjr]

The PDPs sound better than the superstar and Catalina maple. The superstars don't cut it in a pro setting. The PDPs just seem more versatile to me in terms of being able to get any sound you want.

[@kuringmundo]

nice video! question: what were you mic-ing the kit with?

[@sweetwater]

if I remember correctly ( we shoot the videos a bit differently now ) we had a RODE NT4 stereo mic above the kit and a ROYER 121 in front of the kick drum. All the best!

[@rpd2d]

Anyone know the cymbals/hi-hat he is using? This combination sounds great!

[@hobdukkkkv]

hi! thanks for the video. Can you tell me the name of that ride cymbal???? Thanks!

[@drummerboy0620]

21” K-Custom Organic

[@Joseph_Leysath]

Does the snare have a stand with this kit, and does the tuning key come with this set?

[@sweetwater]

Hey, Joseph. Thanks so much for reaching out. Unfortunately this color has been discontinued and is no longer available. At the time, it did not come with a snare stand but it did come with a tuning key. Here is a link with the currently available Catalina Maple lineup: www.sweetwater.com/store/search?s=catalina+maple I hope this helps. Jason Thiele, Senior Sweetwater Sales Engineer, [phone] ext. 1391, [e-mail]

[@captainweyauwega7031]

So I went to a guitar center today and tried out this set. I liked it, but the snare was a bit on the high echoy side, and didn't sound much like this snare-do you think you could tune this drum set to have a lot of different sounds?

[@jazzvids7924]

Can you do a review of this kit with the same mixing and room as the Tama superstar classic tangerine laqure burst? I find that this room isn't doing the kick drum any justice.

[@bradencutright-head6629]

Does that 8 inch tom sound choked and thin to anybody else?

[@34672rr]

+Braden Cutright-Head if you got 7 toms, you have to stretch the range to maintain the intervals, so it's super high.

[@drummerboy0620]

If you have a lot of drums sometimes you need to exaggerate the pitch

[@denizcetiner4756]

I was wondering do you send this amazing kit to Turkey ? Please respond.

[@TomSpithalerrattler347]

Nick - Question. Replacing my 7-piece DW kit that I had to sell for financial reasons (yep, it's true, struggling musician with money problems...). Ready to buy a new kit but can't spend $4,000 this time. Really struggling to pick between this kit, and a PDP Concept Maple 7-piece. Any advice or preference? Any distinctions you'd like to make?

[@DZNTZ]

DEFINITELY the Gretsch kit! Please don’t fall for the “PDP by DW” sales pitch - PDP are entry level drums, period. There is nothing pro about PDP. (Coming from a DW kit, you’ll be disappointed) Catalina’s may be ‘mid-level’, but they’re respected and can hold their own with pro kits, in fact there are pros who prefer these. The hardware is great, literally same stuff you’d find on USA Gretsch. Tom arms - great, rims mounts - great, round badges- great! Finishes are incredible, the satin fades are just beautiful, the glosses are flawless. Every aspect of these drums says “high quality”, and they sound as good as anything out there. I’ve had a set for about 5 years, zero complaints. Right now they’re sporting Aquarian Modern Vintage heads, T-rods, and 302 hoops - they sound fantastic and look vintage beautiful. The maple is clean and clear, bearing edges are tight, maple bass hoops and die cast claws are well done. The 30 degree bearing edges are a dream - nice warm sound and a huge sweetspot. I have the 10/12/14/20 and I can play that as a “rock” kit OR I can do 12/14/20 and get a nice bop sound. Not every kit can sound good at high and low (and in between) tunings, but these can. That makes for a very versatile, great value set. With the 7pc you’d have every configuration you could EVER need. The cons: obviously you’ll need quality heads for a really good sound, but that’s par for the course The snare drum is mediocre, that’s to be expected with any ‘included’ snare in a kit. It’s playable, but it’s the weakest link in a very nice set.

[@sweetwater]

Hey, Tom. Thanks for the question. Bummer about your DW kit, I had one of those many years back as well and had to sell it, they are fantastic drums. As for the 2 you mentioned, both are very good for the budget and pretty similar. There are a few "DW-ish" things on the PDP which are nice… true pitch lugs, STM mounts, MAG throw off, etc. If you are used to the DW, I'd say the PDP kit would be a good way to go. Let me know how I can help you or answer any other questions. Derek Senestraro, Senior Sweetwater Sales Engineer, [phone], ext. 1243, [e-mail]

[@MrW3iss]

Hey Nick, thanks for the great videos. What's that K crash you are playing above the ride (player's right), if you remember?

[@drummerboy0620]

K Custom Organic 21”

[@Mj12332]

Do you replace the reso heads and if so which ones would you direct me to?

[@andrewmurphy5310]

This sounds great.

[@Drummerboy-ql3rh]

Ok too confused, First of all, What cymbals Are those He's using ? Second of all, Are those The K extraordinary Cymbals? And why is he have a 8x7 On the cymbal? I need some answers ok!

[@tupirul]

What do you think compare with the pearl decade maple 7 pieces?? Same range price. Which one is better?

[@sweetwater]

Thanks for the interest. Those are both great drums, unfortunately the Gretsch isn't available anymore. I would suggest looking at this (and it is on sale this month!): www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/CL72SSAP--tama-superstar-classic-7-piece-shell-pack-arctic-pearl-white That is a great deal, and very similar to the others we are talking about. Let me know if I can be of further assistance. Derek Senestraro, Senior Sweetwater Sales Engineer, [phone] ext. 1243, [e-mail]

[@erictorres4889]

Tama superstar classic 7 piece drumset anyone ?

[@Circadianarrhythmia]

What’s that flat crash next to the hi hats?

[@justice576]

I'm debating between this and the Tama Superstar Classic 7-piece. They seem fairly comparable based on price and number of drums. I want to know if these Gretsches are considered better or about the same. They command a slightly higher price (about $150 extra), I am wondering what that translates into since they are both all maple shells. I want a very versatile kit that can blend with several styles and sounds. Easy tuning for different styles is also a must. Any thoughts?

[@bradencutright-head6629]

I'd recommend this because you get larger tom sizes

[@cyclonedrums]

+justice576 I have both and prefer the tama ... Tama builds them in china w/ tama engineers. gretsch farms them out to big box makers in China or Taiwan. Last I knew Dixon was making these. They are both great kits.

[@bradencutright-head6629]

To each their own I guess

[@timothyblake8058]

+cyclonedrums I actually ended up going with a Gretsch Marquee kit and Im very happy with it. The sizes are what I was looking for and the price was right. I actually highly recommend the Marquees at the moment since they are being forced out. They sound lovely and I got mine sounding like a classic ludwig jazz/rock kit with the right head combo

[@timothyblake8058]

+Timothy Blake oh btw I am the original commenter on another account lol

[@walter-yq6qb]

so,did the remo drumheads come with the set?

[@The_Nightman_Knives]

Is it possible to get the 7 piece with a 20” kick instead of the 22”?

[@curtisjohnese2484]

Tubby Mclumpkins go on the Gretsch website and it has all of the kits sizes and options for different rack and floor toms and kick drums. Im fixing to order the Catalina maple 7 piece kit and the extra 13" rack tom and the extra 14x12 floor tom. I don't really want a double bass kit so I'm gonna just get a double peddle. If you are planning on expanding your kit beyond the 7 piece kit then I would order them from Gretsch so the finish will be the same.

[@hobdukkkkv]

@SweetwaterSound hi plz can you tell me what the ride cymbal he using?

[@bradencutright-head6629]

Zildjian K Custom Organic 21-inch ride

[@jovanna3689]

Can I apply a double kick pedal to this? Or can I buy like a separate bass drum to do double bass?

[@bradencutright-head6629]

You can do both

[@34672rr]

+Braden Cutright-Head you can get a couple of bionic legs as well to get quad bass. No, seriously, they make bionic limbs controlled by chips in the brain. probably cost an arm and a leg though.

[@totigerus]

wiremessiah ba dum tiss

[@a.7801]

Hey guys, I've been playing music for some time but never really had the money to spend on a decent Drum kit. Now that i do i'm quite lost when it comes to picking one out. Any tips ?

[@drummerboy0620]

A. You don’t really need an amazing drum set if you know how to tune really well, but only to a degree. B. You could always get a starter kit from Pearl. They’re really good. They also make great hardware, like cymbal stands C. If you’re looking for cheap cymbals, Zildjian ZBT’s are a great option. They’re bright, sound decent, and the 14” Crash costs about $60 D. A solid kick pedal is the DW 3000 pedal. There is a single version and double version Hope this helped

[@curtisjohnese2484]

Tama has a 7 piece maple kit that sounds great but I personally like the Gretsch 7 piece maple kit. It really just depends on how much money you want to spend and how big of a kit you want to buy , do you want a descent kit or do you want a high end kit , if so then the maples are great kits. If you want to spend a lot of money then you can do that with just about any brand. DW is the most expensive but they sound great. They are way overpriced but if you have the money to spend then let it go. Lol. Just take your time and go to some music stores and play on different kits and listen to some KZbin videos from sweetwater and see what you like and that may help. The Tama 7 piece maple kit runs around 8-9 hundred and the Catalina maple 7 piece kit runs around a thousand. If you wait till the Christmas sales go on then Gretsch usually sells for about $899. Anyway hope I didn't bore you with the info. Have a great day.

[@andreferreira3417]

I'm about to buy this for rock/metal, os it good for that?

[@sweetwater]

Hey, André. Thanks so much for your interest. Absolutely, these maple shells are extremely versatile and will work well in a lot of styles of music. I hope this helps, and enjoy! Jason Thiele, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, [phone] ext. 1391, [e-mail]

[@roybeckerman9253]

Small toms always sound like bongos.

[@ronzelinski471]

clear drum heads is very 1985 . coated is a good look on this kit and it sounds pretty decent .I wish people would get over this bs Asian wood vs north American wood crap. I have kits made in china and they sound awesome...we are all the same.

[@34672rr]

+ron zelinski not only that, all kits made of plywood sound basically the same. 95% of the sound is heads and tuning, then bearing edges, rims, etc. The shell material is not much of a factor, if they are the same thickness.

[@aleksander7014]

ron zelinski id still go clear on the snare because it makes it crack more on my kit

[@DieselTrucker2018]

Judging heads on their looks is pure ignorance! It's what SOUND you are going after. White coated heads give a totally different sound from clear. Typically hard rock/metal guys will use clear heads and Justin Bieber drummers will play white coated heads... hahaha...!! But coated heads muffle the drum a bit where clear heads allow the drum to sing wide open.

[@tuulofdstrxn]

Looks are not a trivial selling argument. What heads the kit comes with might not be what the customer will eventually use, but making the kit look appealing is just as if not more important in these days of single-click web shopping. Most people are aware of the fact that great heads can go a long way, and you can get non-coated white heads as well. Having an idea of what the drums will look like with a certain drumhead configuration also factors into the decision to buy.

[@blazenblues8031]

Just need copper colored heads for this.

[@roybeckerman9253]

Still just prefer a 4 piece kit. Enough drums and easy to carry around.

[@1122stardust]

Top Gretsch drums can't be that much better than these Catalina. C'mon.

[@MrEmanthedrummer]

What are all the cymbals? Is a cymbal pack on Sweetwater?

[@sweetwater]

Thanks for the interest on those cymbals. I believe they are all from the Zildjian K series. I am going to check with Nick and will post again when I hear back (hopefully he'll remember!). Thanks again. Derek Senestraro, Senior Sweetwater Sales Engineer, [phone] ext. 1243, [e-mail]

[@MrEmanthedrummer]

Sweetwater thanks a lot!

[@sweetwater]

@@MrEmanthedrummer Talked to Nick. Zildjian K Organic Dry Ride and Zildjian K Dark hats. The crashes we are not quite sure, but probably Zildjian, as well. So I was heading in the right direction. I hope that is helpful. Derek Senestraro, Senior Sweetwater Sales Engineer, [phone] ext. 1243, [e-mail]

[@MrEmanthedrummer]

Sweetwater yes it did. Thanks

[@adrianyuijanflores5243]

What tune is it?

[@earlsweezy3440]

what heads are those

[@dizzytoledo]

I hate coated heads. Except on the snare of course.

[@34672rr]

+dizzytoledo I hate clear heads. Sound plasticky and unfocused. And they look bad. I like the sound of coated heads and the look of renaissance heads. Actually real skin look the best, fiberskyn look cool as well, but way overdone. Everybody uses fiberskyn as bass drum res head.

[@Grit489]

+wiremessiah I totally agree with your statement concerning clear heads, hate them!

[@DAVID.PIANISTA.PENTECOSTAL]

wiremessiah are there a difference between the clear heads and the white coated heads?? I ask you because I have a drum player friend that thinks that clears heads sounds much better and am unsure if am gona buy white Evans heads or the clear ones..Can you give me an advise please I need to take a decision between the white ones and the clear ones

[@westondifranco9313]

david pianista Hey bro. So the difference between clear and coated is that clear heads give a lower thuddier sound usually associated with rock, heavy metal, and heavy music. And coated are generally used in lighter music, and produces a brighter sound. The ply matters too. One ply is very open and resonant ,two ply is a lot more concentrated and darker.

[@DAVID.PIANISTA.PENTECOSTAL]

Weston DiFranco thanks for your advise..I APRECIATE IT..

[@tagusan8999]

Is that a Zildjian K Custom Organic Ride?

[@sweetwater]

Hi Gary! Yes you are correct, a K custom organic ride. Killer cymbal! Take care, Nick

[@bradencutright-head6629]

What about other cymbals? What's the diameter of that ride? Thanks

[@tagusan8999]

+Braden Cutright-Head It's 21 in. Natural finish on top and brilliant on bottom. Super clean.

[@tagusan8999]

+SweetwaterSound Thanks! By the way, I love your drumming! :D

[@RoeShamBoe]

close. its the orgasmic ride!

[@HaloAdmiral]

If I were to ever buy this kit, could I request that you put on Aquarian drum heads instead?

[@SirHiggalot]

+Derpmuffins The Great You could just...put them on yourself. I know, scary.

[@HaloAdmiral]

Girlish Goat Well, I know I can. But I was just wondering if you could make requests or if it would end up as you saving with them already on there instead of paying extra to replace them once shipped over. But yeah, scary, I suppose.

[@jesusFlores-tp1ce]

Aquarian force ten.

[@HaloAdmiral]

jesus Flores I prefer Super 2.

[@jesusFlores-tp1ce]

Have you played the forcfe ten?

[@philipsnider5079]

anybody know what heads he used in this?

[@philipsnider5079]

never mind lol

[@lazydobo1094]

dat snare unfff

[@asanmartinjr07]

Does Gretsch make the additional rack tom mounts for attaching to a cymbal stand? Thanks.

[@markdemell8056]

He said they were real attacki.

[@jasonvanhorn8203]

is anyone from sweetwater on i have a question

[@batouttahell454]

HOW MUCH!!!!!!¡!

[@nimrodoneil4021]

For now and the best and can xaseomnannen vs. Jason

[@morgunstyles7253]

620. Sorry . The mount system is weak. Very weak. For all that fancy hardware, there are only 2 small screws holding the toms in place at the spike. The brackets ought to be 3 point mount. Another shortcut on gretsches part. The mounting post coming out of the "gas cap" wont get tight enough to prevent swiveling. Even with the mem lock. The 8" drum? For novelty maybe. The drums sound great. The hardware won't hold up to the riggers of three nights a week because of those two very small screws. Somethings gonna break. And it will be at the worst time at the worst place. Replacement parts? 6 months out. If at all. Sorry sweetwater. I like you guys. I just think gretsch ought to be called out on this one. I will say in positive, they didnt mount the toms to a cymbal stand. Dont know who came up with that. Good grief. The drums are beautiful, and sound great. Although, i prefer deeper drums. Another shortcut or maybe only fashion. Who knows.

[@PensalemStudios]

can you please go by diameter first. depth-first always confuses me!

[@DieselTrucker2018]

Ludwig will Blow these out of the water!

[@annastaishabracey6930]

cars pm

[@ilikemusic76]

the shellset is absolutely great. The snare is crap. Not playable at all.

[@Grit489]

The Tama Superstar classic sounds much better than these.

[@scottlowell493]

Asian maple... a bit softer than North American.

[@34672rr]

+Scott Lowell I think it's a bit yerrower as well.

[@scottlowell493]

+wiremessiah

[@34672rr]

Scott Lowell tripre franged or die cast?

[@totigerus]

You guys are plicks for talking like that 😂