This Drum Set SHOULD Sound This Good - $4,000 DW Collectors Maple Drum Set

[@rdavidr]

Would you play this kit? 👀 Check out the links in the description for all the gear I used!

[@nepstruesom5100]

I'll play any kit along as it'd not my alesis nitro mesh. I have played for 7 years and that is my only kit other than a really old one from 2013 that was a kid one.

[@Pure_KodiakWILD_Power]

Is that a trick question? OF COURSE 🤣🤤🤤🤤

[@alessandrogambino420]

I would make love to DWs. Quick reccomendation...you need to tighten your heads a little more to get the key they were set to. You are missing out on some nice over tones with your heads so loose.

[@TheDayisMineTrebeck]

Nah. While I love their pedals, I honestly don't like DW's sound unless it's cherry/mahog or purpleheart. My uncle has a 6pc collectors maple in gold sparkle and the toms just lack the punch and depth compared to my Spaun Maple Custom. Check out the N&C Union series with Tulip shells. That will be my next kit 100%. Sweet baby jesus they sound good.

[@idiotburns]

Id play the hell out of it, if I had the money, Id buy Sonor

[@dissidentagressor7397]

Would I play this kit ? Yes . In the music store that it is featured in. Provided the store allowed me to.

[@rdavidr]

😂

[@TheDenOfTimbsStudios]

I am lucky that I do own a dw cherry/mahogany. Good god they are expensive!!!

[@weareallbeingwatched4602]

Not that expensive. A ride cymbal can cost that much.

[@weareallbeingwatched4602]

@@tj32408 It is nothing compared to rent in LDN or NY. Music shops and venues alike are getting wiped out. However, all considering, for a musical instrument $4000 is about the same as a good handmade-quality factory guitar. A good quality zildjian ride from the 1960s will cost a lot more. Stradivarius / gunaneri money is a different story, those instruments are $millions. They are rare because the european forests the wood came from haven't existed in centuries.

[@BurnTheNuance]

@@weareallbeingwatched4602 Who the hell makes a ride that expensive? Honest question. I've never seen one (outside of collector items) go for over 2k.

[@clinterz]

As an audio engineer, I've always found DW's easy to make sound good on a recording; the best/easiest snare I ever recorded was a DW, I don't think I even needed to eq it. But, I've also found cheaper Yamaha kits consistently easy to record. If money were no object, yeah, I'd go with DW.

[@dakotajensen181]

Stage customs are crazy good sounding especially under some great mics. That was my first "professional" kit. Now that I've owned a stage custom, oak custom and now have dw's they all sound great when it came to the dw kit it was the lugs at the end of the day, I always broke the lugs in half on the Yamaha snare drums to the point where I only use snares that have separated lugs to this day. Hahah

[@larrytate1657]

@@dakotajensen181 rly I’ve never broke one.

[@darrinthorpe9292]

Go with noble and Cooley instead, if money is no object.

[@billbradleymusic]

... what really matters.

[@johnknight9150]

I have a DW snare, which I use as my main kit snare, but they certainly wouldn't be my first choice for the rest of the kit.

[@claysmell]

right away you can tell the punch of that bass drum, and the rest of the kit, just awesome. DW never seems to disappoint

[@matthewdrumz9340]

are they worth $4,000

[@125sloth]

Well they never disappoint any prediction of how much they will cost. Over priced. Spaun drums are just as good and half the cost. Personal opinion.

[@joeldrummer23]

@@125sloth feel of DW are amazing got two of em, both great

[@125sloth]

@@joeldrummer23 Im sure they are. Still badly overpriced

[@Xcrv]

@@125slothgot a DW Performance for €2700, its the best sounding kit i have played but with tuned nicely (my tuning skills arent really that good) they sound the best, especially my snaredrum...

[@Justamedic77]

I bought my DW kit almost a year ago. They're absolutely amazing. It's the first new kit I've bought in almost 20 years and paid over $4000. The reasons I bought them were they look amazing, they sound amazing, but most importantly they're built very solid and the customer support from DW is top notch. I have used all DW hardware for years and have needed parts and DW just tossed them in the mail and sent them to me with minimal or no costs. I'm hoping this kit is the last kit I will ever buy.

[@Vor_Tex_Sun]

Tama also make amazing kits. I played Pearl, for 20 years and got an Imperial Star recently - and for that price range it´s a really great kit

[@Justamedic77]

@@Vor_Tex_Sun I love the Tama starclassics. Those are spectacular sounding and looking kits. DW won out because of the blue moonstone finish. I was also looking at the pearl masterworks kits

[@erictorres4889]

You dont need an expensive drumset for it to sound great i have Tama superstar classic newer set that sounds just as good as these and there maple as well and got more toms then these

[@tyrekecantrell5941]

My tama snare is beautiful. I can’t afford a whole set, but the Ludwig toms sound groovy to match.

[@PNW_Sportbike_Life]

@@erictorres4889 amazing kits for the money. It was between the Tamas and Gretsch; I love both

[@omarcortes5754]

Congrats, this kit is insane. And that crash hats also sound great. I think I'm gonna get those two crashes.

[@drngaawai]

This is by far the best playing I've seen from you. Absolutely killer!

[@johnniesmith3041]

I too own a DW and it still amazes me how easy they are to tune, They just never fail whether i'm doing live performances or in the studio. Great vid btw.

[@SagoGenesis]

Bought a 5-piece silver abalone collectors kit a year ago and I'm never even looking at a different brand of drums ever again. I love everything about my DW kit.

[@KyleBrianAbbott]

That floor tom sounds sooooooo goooooooooooooood Ahhhhh Kick and snare sound great too - I mean everything does, but I was just waiting for you to hit that floor tom the whole time hahaha

[@SnCroadster]

I feel the same. I love the sound of the Yamaha stage custom it’s an amazing sounding kit for the money but the build quality of my DW kit and the easy tuning of the drums is why I own the DW they really sing back at you and look and feel amazing every time I play.

[@jamesgarrison2158]

Sweet kit! It seems like every video the production gets better and better. Thanks for making awesome content David!

[@elinolasco1019]

Would I play this kit? Yes. Do I know how to play the drums? No. Am I a subscriber mainly because David’s voice is soothing? You betcha.

[@jacealcazar]

Man that jam was so soothing to watch, impeccable timing, ridiculously clean fills on one one of the best sound drum kits ever made. 🙏

[@tsandphotog]

Right????!!! that playing was subtly off the hook!!

[@edkrstic6423]

I have owned a DW broken glass finish set for five years. I love them. They are the best set I have ever played on.

[@Mighty_Average]

great to see you trying out the DW. i use a performance series with the exact same sizes and its literally the best kit i've ever played. DW just make super solid and consistent kits. get some coated emperors on those toms. a black dot on the kick and a coated control sound on that snare and you'll be the happiest guy in the world

[@brycenwhittington280]

I have wanted any DW kit for MANY years. I now own a collector’s series maple. More specifically the Santa Monica series. Man… well worth the wait. I will never go back…. Ever. You can just really feel the craftsmanship every time you even sit behind the kit let alone play it. It really gives you this sense of self expression and pride and it really sparks the inspiration. Trust in DW… they will never let you down. I truly BELIEVE in DW

[@vitekchaloupecky4281]

I've had vintage Ludwig kit for 10 years, toured Europe with it and it never let me know, but I must say that those drums get easily out of tune, and if you are playing with no mics, in a club or DIY show, it's difficult to make it through the wall of sound. Then I bought DW design kit for the purpose of having a "tour" kit and I must say, that with the true pitch tension rods, reliable hardware, and shell construction, I have never had such issues as I had with my Ludwig kit. I wouldn't trade it for anything, but having such a reliable and good-sounding option, if you are an unendorsed musician is just nice and affordable. DW just makes heavy-duty and reliable products and I will never use different hardware than DW.

[@DrewishAF]

I played guitar growing up but always wanted to learn drums. I didn't ever yet to try until my senior year of high school but between school, work, my social life and college prep, I never really got to do anything with the kit so I sold it. Around 5 years ago, my eldest told me he wanted to play drums so I used that as an excuse to get an entry kit and upgrade cymbals for the next several months. He got too frustrated to play because of our situation and his lack of finessed fine motor control. But I kept playing. I can say that I've been pretty proud of my progress being self-taught but I'd like to actually get lessons and progress more rapidly. One thing I will say is that for some reason, you are more inclined to get behind a drum kit to make a fool of yourself when your set is something you really like the look of. Investing in good cymbals helps a LOT too because it's much more gratifying when they sound like the cymbals on your favorite albums rather than a commemorative ceramic NASCAR plate hitting the floor while your day gives your mom a black eye. For me, the biggest parts of your kit/sound are the cymbals, drum heads, and your hardware. For myself and about 90% of drummers, the shells aren't going to make too much of a difference, especially if you're not in a studio trying to hone in that perfect sound. But you can't do much to alter a cymbal. Sure, I've hammered a brass cymbal into a bastardized china where I cut holes into it and places a 14" L80 on top as an effect sound. But your most distinctive sound as a drummer is your cymbals. You can change drum heads, tunings, and dampening on your drums to get various types of sounds across the spectrum. But one of the most of overlooked aspects is hardware. It will do the job if holding your parts in a consistent position, but budget hardware is the downfall to many otherwise good kits. Some can come loose quickly. Some can lock for virtually the lifespan of the universe. but being able to tune, locate, adjust, transport, and adapt to various scenarios usually comes at a price that make novices second guess their choice to learn drums. There is hardware to solve nearly every type of problem/complaint a drummer could raise. But, most importantly, none of these issues was a true impediment to the success of aspiring drummers. To me, the shells (especially like these) are more a signal of success to other players that "you've got dedication, money and time.) They look cool, sound cool and have that x-factor. But for me, it's too much to justify those if I still can't maximize my cheap Imperialstar ki.

[@jabronasaurus]

It's the kick drum that sells it for me. Its really hard to balance getting a note that deep and keeping a natural "non Eq'ed" punch.

[@dominickcrouchelli7464]

Had an out of body experience at 8:24 when that fill hit the way those toms blended into the sound OOOOOOOOOHHHHWEEEEEEE

[@jasonm3871]

Not sure it I could condone the cost, but with that said, it's not hard to see why so many touring acts and studios use DW's. Easy to get a great sound, and they hold it for a surprising amount of time. They do sound fantastic in this vid.

[@Lavo68]

I’m a converted DW guy for about 17 years and 5 kits in now. They help me play more expressively. Love the snare drums. love the low end produced by Vlx+ on floor toms and bass drums.

[@GeoffBosco]

Sounds really good. I do tend to side with team, “DW are overrated,” but they can be a little too rabid for me sometimes. But, since I’m a hardcore Sonor guy I would really like to see you do them next!

[@GeoffBosco]

BTW the song kinda remind of “whatcha gonna do” by Pablo Cruise

[@jamescaliendo1030]

20 years of playing DW's and I switched to Sonor (SQ1). Absolutely no comparison! I'll never play anything but Sonor again, best decision I ever made

[@adamimberti6948]

I think they try to reinvent the wheel too much and stray too far from shell formulas that are known to work which leads to some drums being underwhelming.... and it makes the whole line confusing if you're not a DW aficionado. They also have a pretty polarising once-modern aesthetic which isn't on trend right now so people turn their nose up at them.... they have a very early 2000's vibe which is not cool, especially to young people who are currently hell bent on making Gretsch drums and round over bearing edges cool again.

[@Alex-Grt]

Same with me🔥🤘 my birch infinite is waitin' lol

[@markmullen9919]

Sonor makes the best sounding kits in the world. I'm all about ppl getting what they love but DW doesn't impress me. I've heard Mapex Armory kits sound way better than this kit.

[@elithepitbulldog2209]

“They are built incredibly well” as the lug screw rattles around in the bottom of the drum. I saw the chip on the re-ring as well.

[@allanmalloy8266]

I've played on several collectors sets, and they do sound great and impressive - but I wouldn't really say they sounded much better then my Pearl Masters maple kit. If I had both a collectors and a masters set up side by side and had to play them both blind-folded, I doubt I could pick out which is which.

[@xaverk]

But I am shure that I would prefer the Masters snare!

[@webstercat]

Same here. I have maple in both & I can’t hear the difference…

[@davidcipolla4036]

Pearl shells are superior in every way compared to DW shell technology & manufacturing. I may be biased b/c I play a custom Pearl Masterworks myself, yet even cheaper Pearl session drums sustain/resonate longer & have a more pure tone compared to high end DW drums.

[@stevenfederico2594]

DW are the best built best sounding drums on the planet. Pearl drums sound boxy no low end no warmth no roundness

[@toddwilson4105]

I watch your videos on my smart tv,so it's not easy to leave a comment, but however I felt very compelled to say a little something,something..Like this dude,is a big ,huge influence to myself an consider this man a genius and not only that he is an EXCELLENT DRUMMER,an find myself trying to copy his livks...David your a great dude an keep all of your hard work up!An thank you so so much for all the videos!

[@themadkraken1912]

My church’s kit is a DW. It sounds so incredible. Going home after playing a service and laying down tracks with my Pearl Roadshow kit with drumheads that look like golf balls is always such a letdown.

[@xaverk]

I would say: Change the drumheads. I am shure, Dave could show you how to get a good drumsound out of a Roadshow kit.

[@EvilSewnit]

@@xaverk I got great sounds from my roadshow, use a p3 batter on the kick, emperor on the snare, and clear/coated emperors on the toms depending on your style

[@themadkraken1912]

@@xaverk Soon after I made this comment, the craziest Facebook Marketplace deal I've ever seen dropped into my lap. I'm not in possession of an early '70s Slingerland kit, a mid-90's Premier kit, several Paiste and Zildjian cymbals (and not the beginner B8 lines), cases for the kits, and a full golf bag of stands and hardware. All of that together for only $400 bucks. The bearing edges on all of the kits are a bit rough, and some of the lugs took some work to get turning again, but I swapped most of the heads on both (for another $250 total, yikes) and they sound absolutely fantastic.

[@chrisburton4487]

Dw Drums are awesome. I bought my first kit in 1997. Back then they were not in stores for demos etc.. You got a video and a pamphlet with colors and finishes. You picked what you wanted, ordered, payed and waited. I still rennet unboxing them. I still play that kit today. Sounds as good as the day I got them.

[@muchopomposo.6394]

Terrific vid, RDR. The music at the end was excellent and you played it sublimely. Bravo..! 👏

[@kevinr1704]

If you're in the Christmas spirit you could always donate them to me hahaha. Our drummer is leaving our church after Christmas and taking his kit with him so now we're getting another kit. I would absolutely love to have a set of DW's but could probably never afford them. Yours sound great and as always, you crushed it! Thanks for another great video.

[@richdileo8769]

PDP kits use a lot of the same mainline DW features and kits are typically less than $1K. I love my PDP Concept kit, but will likely be the closest I get to owning a DW

[@spinessticksandhooks4640]

7 piece Sonor sq2 heavy maple, stratawood exterior, african marble interior, 8-10 months build, 13k$. Over 20k$ drums, cymbals and hardware. Cant wait

[@statusseeker11]

Cool vid Dave. I owned a Collectors set for 15 years and they are awesome drums. That said, if you want to drop $4k on a new kit, there are custom drum makers that will work with you to create your own creation for the same cost. I worked with a local company (N&C) and got a custom creation for the cost of this DW. Both great kits? Absolutely! For the money, though, I’d rather have my own custom drums.

[@Shidokan77]

After buying Both Collectors and Performance sets - And after doing this hobby for over 58 years my opinion of these drums are, The Collectors Mahagany and Maple Blue sparkle wrap is Amazing to play and I agree as a working drummer these drums are amazing to play but if your moving them yourself and have a little age, its a pain so I keep them now set up for practice. I have two performance sets that I use for shows. Both are Maple and sound GREAT ! Easy to work with and tune ! DW is my choice in drums now!

[@dmperc]

Toms sound KILLER! Fantastic playing, man!!!

[@ValentBesley]

Congrats on your new 🥁, what a great upgrade, and the sound so much dw luxury clean sound out of the box.

[@jakeyjervis]

I have a Gretch catalina maple 6pc and a PDP 5pc. They both have their own sound, and I have to say from what I can tell not a whole lot of difference in sound between the Catalina Maple and the DW. That snare sure means business though lol. Thank you that was a very helpful video!

[@lemontree15]

Sounds like an absolute eargasm! 🔥🔥🔥

[@jazzcabbage666]

I've been playing a scaled down PDP X7 (which is made by DW) for almost 10 years now, and they have sounded phenomenal, even by DW's standards. Not as innovative and fancy, but it seems that's where DW goes the extra mile. I definitely still would like a Collectors Edition *someday*!

[@jonathanrichard6881]

I played on a DW Set Years ago in Houston at Guitar Center to a SRV Tune. It Sounded incredible! Can't afford a DW Kit so I bought a GMS w/ a Gretsch Bell Brass 6.5 Snare for Half the Price of the DW $4000 Kit. Life is Good! P.S I do have a used DW 5000 HH Stand and Love it Holding up like a Champ!

[@ferrousdogma]

I personally wanted DW drums for the sound and the look , but I didnt want the high cost. The performance series gave me that , in a laquer shell kit. The shells are the hvx type , the timbre key doesnt appear inside , but tuned up they sound fantastic. After adding hardware and cymbals , I ended up paying about the same , but Im glad I did ! These drums have an obvious difference in tone , punch and projection. Great for loud situations. And , each drum had candy in the box !

[@coreyw5981]

Im so glad i waited and waited on my performance because then they came out with charcoal metallic finish. Its exactly what i wanted. A nice beautiful matte black that only previously existed in design series

[@mgt81music]

Yeah, I actually think the Performance series are a great value compared with Collectors. You’re getting most of the good stuff for a lot less $.

[@BernieTheBoxer]

it sounded nice.....what a marvellous understatement! It (and you) sounded freakin' awesome!

[@LTDLimiTeD1995]

DW is cool AF, but I'm happy with my PDP Concept Maple. My only gripe with the DW/PDPstuff is that the tom mounts can sometimes have the rubber gaskets buzz against the shell or if not quite hanging properly can actually choke the drum. Honestly a more basic RIMS mount would be better.

[@jcollins1305]

I’ve played a friends DW set, and it was the most solid set I’ve ever played. Absolutely insane.

[@0Somerandomguy01]

Are they pretty? Yup. Do they sound good? Sure. Has this video done anything to change my mind that DW drums are overpriced and nothing overly special? Nope. Has it reaffirmed my view? Yup. Thanks for taking the time to do this Dave!

[@jgdevoe]

Wish I had a kit again. Had to mine as bills blew up. Sad for me. Great set.

[@brendanerazo]

The thing about DW that's odd is that their lower end PDP stuff is incredible for the cost. That said, I would love to hear your take on the Gretsch Range. I own a first gen Gretsch Renown, and most recently a DW Centennial, and they are both so so similar in quality for that market range, but I think the Gretsch is built just a little nicer.

[@Shakillyou]

DUDE!!! Your playing gets better constantly!!!

[@CaptainBlueSam]

I'd play the crap out of this kit. My DW Design kit is amazeballs, but this looks even better!

[@TempoDrift1480]

Your playing is getting spectacular.

[@AnodyneHipsterInfluencer]

The thing about DW's is they're almost impossible to make sound "bad." They record and mic up very, very well live and in the studio. They're also built like brick shithouses. I can understand the perspective of people who say the tones you get from their kicks and toms are "safe" in that they're classic. They sound like the records we've grown up hearing the last 30 years or so. Whether or not that's a "good" thing is a matter of taste and application. To be frank, I can't help but wonder if David's tepid opinion of them stems from the kit being a Sweetwater loaner and already having made up his mind that he will not be buying a DW kit now or likely ever. Luckily, we're in the golden age of "rock n roll" instruments and you really can't go wrong at almost any price point. Also, DW's _REALLY_ start to get good once you're a seasoned player who's tried *many* kits and tonewoods and go to them to build a totally custom kit made to your exact specifications; materials, construction style, bearing edges, finishes etc.

[@drumdotpizza]

I play a friend's DW Collector's kit in a cover band I play in, and I have had the screws back out of the lugs as well under heavy playing. It's a good idea to check the tension on those screws whenever you change heads. I have been tempted to put some blue thread lock on them, but haven't just yet as I haven't wanted to create future problems for future owners (though the blue thread lock is the lighter of the two and is removable). Beautiful drums, though, and some of the smoothest bearing edges I've ever felt!

[@ShawnxEdge]

I’ve owned 9 collector series kits. I know that sounds ridiculous but I used to buy sell and trade drums so I’ve had lots and lots of drums come into my possession to play with and learn about. With that said! I keep finding myself favoring Ludwig’s maple classic USA drums. Take that as you will... if you must know what the best sounding drums on the planet are look no further than Yamaha Recording Customs which I’ve also had the pleasure of owning. Still I like the vintage rock sound and mojo of a Ludwig.

[@weschilton]

Can't argue with any of that... I played Recording Customs for 25 years. Also have my original 1965 Ludwigs! All amazing sounding drums, though very different. I would love to add a DW Collectors kit to the family.

[@schneibgamer1]

Not ridiculous at all! that's how a lot of us musicians get to experience high quality instruments without having to commit to them haha

[@footnotedrummer]

The funny thing is... I have have an older (2001) DW Collectors maple and lacquer kit, and it certainly sounds amazing. I love it. However... I also have a PDP Birch kit (which is what Recording Customs are made of), and they are so different. The birch seems to produce a sweet, high tone with great attack and definition. I've recut all of the bearing edges on the PDP, to sweeten things up, since they don't really do a great factory job on the lower end kits. After I did that... I'd honestly put them up against the DWs for sound quality. Hardware... not so much, but not bad at all. I've never played a Recording Custom kit, but if it sounds similar to the PDP Birch kit that I have... I'd love them. I never realized how much I like birch shells. Oh... one more thing... I'm building a Walnut and Ash shell kit currently (Nordic Shells), and I'm stoked to hear that vs. the others.

[@ShawnxEdge]

@@footnotedrummer your PDP and a Recording Customs are 2 totally different animals. Higher end drums uses the best woods out there. Slow growth sourced woods from my understanding are denser and grown in cold environments (Canadian maple for example) where cheap drums are usually built from fast growth birch and maple species in warmer climates and are softer. Also no other company builds birch drums like Yamaha does for their high end kits, they’re truly magical! Also... cheap “maple and birch drums” are rarely fully maple or birch plies, often times they’ll use filler plies of luan (Asian mahogany), poplar or some other cheap mystery wood between the maple or birch plies. The Recording Customs I had sounded nothing like any other birch kit I played. Your DW 2001’s are most likely made of Keller maple shells, if the re-rings inside the shells has a straight seam it’s Keller if the seam has a “finger joint” seam it’s DW made shells. In my opinion the Keller shell DW’s are more lively and project more where the DW shells are have more low end and sound naturally eq’d. Honestly I enjoy the lively sound of the Keller shells over the DW XYZ whatever shells. The Keller shell DW’s also had black badges (not to be confused with the Performance series), the gold badge DW’s were DW’s factory made shells (Keller copy shells), the current silver badge collectors are made with the current technology using various ply directions vertical, horizontal, diagonal etc...

[@876jonop]

Recording customs are also the best shells I’ve ever played

[@glfriendliness9793]

Excellent post….and that was some damn amazing drumming! That song you played was AWESOME!!!!

[@rdavidr]

Thanks!

[@kevinmessercola3839]

Killer sticking & kicking. I believe for that kind of $$, Noble and Cooley is the way to go. Would like to see your take on those.

[@ShawnxEdge]

N&C kits are Keller shells just like SJC, Truth, Gretsch USA (modern), DW (pre collectors era) and many many others! The real N&C experience is their snare drums built by them, their kits however overpriced!

[@ashleykinzie2460]

@@ShawnxEdge n&c are not Keller shells, steam bent hardwood made in their shop

[@ShawnxEdge]

@@ashleykinzie2460 only their snare drums are steam bent the full kits are Keller. I’ve owned a N&C kit 26 18 16 14 natural finish.

[@kevinmessercola3839]

They offer both. They have the less expensive (still pricey ) Classic Maple by Keller to their spec but also offer 100% custom made by them, same as their snares.

[@davidmcaninch4714]

I got a DW Design kit in Midnight Blue Satin for Christmas!!! It’s incredible!!!!!

[@ozzku]

I’d still prefer Tama, but it’s a nice set.

[@jooplin]

I still prefer Keller shells :)

[@Joshstix95]

Tama allday

[@adamklein9320]

But overpriced

[@mr.d7429]

Same here, Tama for life! But this DW drum set does not sound bad at all!

[@Sgt5105]

Became a fan of DW a few months ago when I bought their DW, Diamond Nebula, 14x6.5” snare drum. Beautiful wrap, I might add. I’m a vintage Ludwig and Slingerland guy. I own several Supraphonic Ludwigs and Duco wood shells. Have some Gene Krupa Slingerlands and a wood shell Radio King too but when I played the DW, there’s a sound only a drummer loves and understands. Nonetheless, the DW is my primary go-to snare. I use it in my church worship team. Love the sound. Rich, heavy and solid.

[@lodougherty]

You should buy a Mapex Mars and do a demo. Seriously the best 549.00 I've ever spent, got the Smokewood, had a virgin bass drum shell, and 12, 14, 16 floor. Drummers out there that sleep on Mapex, SERIOUSLY... for under 600 bucks, it's like a legit contender as a shell pack, and the wraps are SUPER robust.

[@arodgoogle6327]

Your video hit right at home! My son who is a drummer owns a DW Jazz Series Drum kit - 5 piece witch cost $5K. The kit is made out of Cherry Gum wood and sounds amazing. But funny thing he was in a music store the other day and played a Pearl Session Studio Select in Ice Blue Oyster was so surprised how good the kit sounded at a fraction of the price of his DW kit. He has now had decided to go ahead and purchase the Pearl drum set and make that his main gigging kit. He’s conclusion between the 2 kits is the same as yours. Nothing wrong with a DW kit if you have the money. But not needed. And the DW is a heavy kit to move around. Great video - keep posting and happy holidays!

[@vazquez808]

I’ve owned 2 of them. Pure maple and the maple mahogany. The maple mahogany was the better of the two with the traditional sizes. That being said I sold them both when I discovered a 1959 transition badge Ludwig. And that kit was only $1200

[@thebassplayer4327]

kit sounded amazing!

[@hoochrocks]

Your assessment is great. I've played DW's alongside Starclassics which I also own, and I prefer the Starclassics.

[@MeshuggahFan-iy6tb]

Hell yeah!! Starclassic birch bubinga all day long! That being said I do own a DW collectors purpleheart snare that I just used to record my bands new EP with and that thing is just a MONSTER. Both in the studio and live. Well worth the money!!

[@MeshuggahFan-iy6tb]

@@Avedis_ how is the g bubinga? I’ve been looking at getting one for a while now

[@janetremsing6988]

👍🙂 My Dad’s studio (The Tracking Station) has a DW 25th Anniversary maple set & it’s amazing! My personal set is an 80s vintage Yamaha Recording Series & it too is amazing!

[@ARRGHcheese]

I mean the kit sits in the mix really nice. If you were to just park it in a studio maybe it could pay for itself after a number of sessions. Btw the drumming in this demo was super tasty. Seems like you've really stepped it up in the past year or so!

[@ericmalone3213]

I've sat in on a few DW kits, & obviously, they're superb. You get what you pay for, & it's money well spent. Having said that, when I wanted to sell my Gretsch kit and make an upgrade for my new recording studio, I was looking at DW & Noble & Cooley drums. A pal suggested I take a look at the Mapex Studioease kit. He said, "Your microphones won't be able to tell any difference between the Mapex, DW, or Noble & Cooley drums, & you'll save three or four thousand bucks". Because the Mapex kit was under $1000, I bought one thinking I could use it as a back-up kit, if I decided to go with another more expensive kit. But I didn't have to. The Soniclear bearing edge on the Mapex drums makes tuning effortless, no fussing required. The hardware is super-solid, it will never strip-out or wear (the hardware on my Gretsch kit was quite poor by comparison) & will outlive me by many more lifetimes. The Mapex Studioease drums are incredibly resonant, they have a wide tuning range, the transparent walnut finish on mine is gorgeous, & the price point was rather astonishing considering the quality. The drums are a maple-birch hybrid. I added an 8" tom so I have three up, two down. Among my assorted snare drums I do have a DW custom 14" X 8" maple snare with maple hoops. It's gorgeous & cracking, tho it doesn't tune as easily or stay in tune as consistently as my Mapex snares & toms. I'm glad my pal advised me, so I could put the extra thousands I'd have spent on a DW or Noble & Cooley kit into other gear for the studio. Dave's playing on this video is world class, & his videos are always interesting & useful. CHEERS

[@tommytom6341]

Would you buy a Chinese automobile? Enough said!

[@ericmalone3213]

@@tommytom6341 What do Chinese automobiles have to do with musical instruments made in China? You make zero sense. I have some superb Zildjian, Bosphorus & Paiste crash cymbals, and I have a couple of superb Wuhan crash cymbals. Lots of pro drummers play Mapex kits. You're giving the thumbs down to Mapex drums because they're made in China? Get a clue, Dude.

[@chiah3456]

It sounds great. I love DW and of course I own one. The best kit I’ve ever owned in the 43 years I’ve been playing. If you can afford one buy it.

[@aslefjeldstad]

4:08 Don’t scoff at the resonant floor tom legs, can make a surprisingly big difference in how the drum sounds. Try a drum with and without Pearl R-40/3 Suspension Rubber Feet and you’ll see. Or hear I should say.

[@a.j.wilkes6352]

I like those feet! Although, have had to add some muffling because it was resonating too much. :D

[@vikq5655]

I own a couple of DW Collector’s kits and love them. I recently bought a DW Jazz series kit and now I realize why this series is Dave Grohl’s favorite DW series. The Maple/Gum wood combo and die cast hoops break through walls like the Koolaide Guy! DW should rename them “ Rock Series”.

[@RedeyePerc]

High end DW is like an expensive sports car. They obviously look amazing, sound great, and are put together very well. Cool if you have the money, but not that much better than the rest of the pack.

[@mark-remanHamilton]

it's the driver

[@drummerjms]

I definitely love how the Earthworks mics comes through so nice and flawless. I'd definitely invest in it

[@sralairt]

The only thing more expensive than those drums is that drumming like damn

[@andrewwarrendrums8969]

Came for the drums, stayed for the playing on the track! CLEAN!

[@ichigo56]

Where can we see the footage of you playing in church??

[@CBRansom35]

My tail always starts wagging when I get a notification that you posted a new video! Excellent playing, (you just keep on improving), well tuned, great mix, and your typical drummer practical approach and review makes this a superb video. Thank you! BTW, love my Performance Series, but would love a Collector's one day.

[@bonniebarber6114]

TAMA FOR LIFE BABY!!

[@arsonne]

DW is my next purchase. I am really into acrylics and I think their acrylics sound amazing.

[@ryanwilson5782]

Your playing was far more impressive than the drums in my opinion, damn Dave! What's the track called?

[@RolfHering]

Yeah, we need that tracks name!

[@edweird790]

The High Point by Martin Landström

[@edodonnell5042]

I have a DW kit collector series maple I love it it kicks bud keep playing Dave you’re awesome have a great day

[@rensjanssen1172]

Now you can combine your Pearl kit with this DW to make a huge drumset 😂

[@rdavidr]

ha! that definitely has crossed my mind!

[@mattryan6886]

What an absolutely beautiful DW dream drum kit!!!! I absolutely love the Zildjian cymbal choices you made especially the hi-hat and the raw crash small bell. I know they are expensive cymbals for having much less time and labor hours put into them , they sound fantastic to me. I love the EFX lines of cymbals from all of the major cymbal manufacturers. They all have at least 1 cymbal I would like to own from them. I play lots of edm, house, hip hop, trap, pop dance music and those EFX fast attack, quick decay are perfect for those genres. The DW maple drums sound soooooo good especially that snare drum!!! I love the look of the DW Mapa Burl, and the DW Purple Heart 💜 wood kits. The video DW did with Mick Fleetwood and his Cherry DW custom is worth a watch. I don’t believe I had heard of cherry wood drums before that video

[@postvaccologne]

20 years ago I worked in a shop for vintage drums, we had some dw's but they were impossible to sell with with all those nice vintage gretsches, slingerlands, ludwigs or sonors around. The dw's lacked any character compared with the others. It seems that did not change at all since then. This kit sounds very professional but is lacking any character, sorry. People love instruments because they have character, not because they're perfect.

[@larrytate1657]

Yeah I’ve def noticed that. What do you think it is about their shells that cause this? Because their finished are the best but the tones just not there. Shame.

[@vassilisbakalas3423]

What would you consider a kit with character, for example? One that stands out than the others

[@theshop1672]

I was lucky to own some old slingerland and there really was something special about the sound. The snare is still the best sounding I've heard.

[@postvaccologne]

​@@larrytate1657 Thats hard to tell, dw are really quality drums. I think a lot of modern drums sound a little "characterless". Maybe it's because nowerdays there are lot's of glue in the shells compared to vintage drums, maybe it's the different construction. I just regulary find especially dw drums to sound very sterile and so does this.

[@yatesdrumportfolio]

your drumming has improved! sounds awesome, cool kit.

[@mechanismstudios3459]

It's kinda sad to say, but I think most all of the other kits you have sound way better

[@sarojaband4664]

6:29 $ums up my experience with dozens of DW ' Dollars Wasted ' drums live and in studio. Waaay overhyped / overpriced. 11:19 Typical case-in-point. Always something with these drums....

[@Ticonderous1]

Damn , Brother kit looks awesome .... I have 2 DW collector Kits, a Ludwig a Pearl and a Tama kits ... I always find myself going back to the DWs for both practice and gigs....

[@SmangItDrums]

First off, the good: your playing was top notch, the toms sound great, the cymbal choices were tasty, and your analysis was logical. The “bad”: the snare and kick were okay, definitely dependent on tuning and mics, and the lug screw backing out, while common on any kit, was still unfortunate considering the price. My thing is this; we live in a day and age where find a genuinely bad sounding set of drums is next to near impossible. Just about every manufacturer either already has, still does, or has the capability to make a great sounding maple kit. While I hugely respect DW and their contributions to the drumming world, I’ve played more Collectors kits that I didn’t like than I did. Some of it boiled down to tuning, some of it boiled down to the room, bu ultimately they all had one thing in common: there are other lighter, more affordable alternatives that can get you something close to or even better than that maple sound. If so ever have to recommend DW kits, it’s usually their cheaper alternatives (PDP Concept, DW Design or Performance), mainly because those kits at their prices ranges end up surprising me more and leaving me impressed with (even sold on) the results. If I’m gonna spend $4000 on a set of drums, (1) they’d damn well better be special enough to justify the cost (I’m sure the Collector’s justify the cost; I see no point when there are more affordable alternatives), and (2) they’ll never be gigged (I have to protect my investment at ALL costs). TL;DR: Cool drums but not for me.

[@bingus2358]

ok

[@adamdiazzz]

ok

[@Lavo68]

That kit sounds perfect. Great playing!

[@the6ig6adwolf]

Easily the best sounding kit you've had on the channel. Next a DW pedal and hihat and you'll be a full convert.

[@RyanSpeed-fi3cq]

There so many good kits out here and I wouldn't say, one particular kit is the grandest of them all. It's a matter of taste and preference. The kit sounds nice..

[@ryangroom2959]

“Over the years DW has proven to me that Noble and Cooley is the best drum company. That’s why I play Ludwig kits with Tama hardware, because Mapex is a good deal and Yamaha is not a good deal. But Yamaha’s sound cool and A&F drums are just really cool in general. All in all, Pearl will be Pearl and Gretsch is an option”- Me

[@ldcsam1]

WHAT???

[@bettywolfe1727]

😆

[@larrytate1657]

Yamaha stage custom. Once of the best sounding affordable kits.

[@ryangroom2959]

@@larrytate1657 oh yeah no doubt they have great stuff but they’re entry level all maple kit starts at over $2000. Not great considering Tama and Mapex have their all maple kits starting at $700-800 and most other brands around $1000. I understand Yamaha is sort of a premium brand but idk that’s a little over kill

[@ryangroom2959]

@@larrytate1657 I mean I understand stage custom is widely regarded as a great value but why isn’t there a maple kit around that same price range, maple might be a little more expensive in general but not $1300 more!!

[@Jay-Go]

Dude, nice playing. Always great to see someone just play and not chops out. Good stuff. 👍🏼

[@matwashington2784]

DW are obviously great kits, but they are the 'Apple' of drums, by this I mean that there are better/cheaper options out there, but some people think because something is expensive that it's the best - Don't forget that in Dave's videos, kits are recorded with lovely microphones and mixed to sound nice, I'll put my Starclassic Performer B/B against this any day, costing less that half what of what this does!

[@paulaeden5934]

Totally agree..

[@paulaeden5934]

Also look how Davidr sets his kits up? Just like a magazine photo? All straight and awkward? No ergonomics at all! Lol!

[@unikboricua]

Well done brother. Your playing was the highlight of this review. Those hats tho. They are amazing. Thanks for the honest review. I have been debating between this and another kit and your review has helped me decide. Cheers.

[@georgeian405]

Absolutely lovely kit mate

[@Peter-ff1tp]

Those rings feature flame figuring. A “quilted” maple is a much more… rippled, watery effect, rather than the relatively straight, relatively even figuring in a flame. PRS guitars are always great examples of flame vs quilt. They’ve got the best wood library in the world.

[@thecoolestdad]

The kit sounded awesome. I can't afford DW, but I would have a huge set if I could afford them. Your drumming was outstanding. I am not familiar with that piece you drummed to, but you were spot on dude. I have been drumming for over 50 years and I enjoy watching you play.

[@DWBubinga]

I think so much of it boils down to if the drums inspire you. Doesn’t matter if it’s a DW, Yamaha or whatever suits your fancy. If you enjoy playing it that’s all that matters. I’ve been a fan of DW for years. Excellent quality and top-notch customer service. Don’t know too many owners that would reply back to emails. But John Good has replied back to me on many occasions to the answers of my questions.

[@sleuth2077]

I bought a collector series shell pack from my instructor like 20 years ago and they were worth every penny I paid for them. Once I got the heads locked in, those things stayed in tune better than any other drums I have owned. I had to sell them when I got into financial troubles and I miss them everyday. About the only negative I can remember, was they were pretty heavy to lug around.

[@neil6958]

Your knowledge of drums is amazing.