Drum Kits · Models

Model

Tama Starclassic Maple

Drum kit · Japan

Starclassic Maple is part of Tama's flagship Starclassic line, built with all-maple shells for a warm, full-bodied tone and a broad tuning range. Over its history the Starclassic family has been offered in maple, birch, bubinga and walnut/birch shell formulas.

Model

Pearl Reference Pure

Drum kit · Japan

Pearl's flagship professional drum kit series using blended shells of maple, birch, and African mahogany, with thinner shells than the original Reference line, engineered so each drum size produces its optimal voice.

Model

Mapex Saturn

Drum kit · Taiwan

Saturn is Mapex's long-running maple/walnut hybrid drum series. The hybrid shell pairs the bright attack and sustain of maple with the warmth and depth of walnut for a fuller, rounder, versatile tone, and current Saturn Evolution kits add the SONIClear bearing edge and Halo tom suspension.

Model

WFL Super Classic

Drum kit · United States

Built while Conn held the Ludwig name, WFL kits are Ludwig drums in everything but the badge — same shells, same lugs, same factory, same man. They trade a little below their Ludwig equivalents for no reason a drummer can hear.

Model

Taye StudioMaple

Drum kit

StudioMaple pairs maple shells with Taye's SlideTrack mount, which carries a tom on a rail so it can be moved without changing angle — a small idea that solved a real setup problem.

Model

SJC Tour Series

Drum kit · United States

Tour Series is SJC's production custom kit: maple shells in whatever finish the order specifies, from plain lacquer to inlaid and painted work built for stage visibility.

Model

C&C Player Date

Drum kit · United States

Player Date kits use thin mahogany, poplar, or maple shells with reinforcement rings and minimal hardware, and the resulting warm, quick-decaying tone put C&C behind a wave of Americana and indie rock records.

Model

Natal Arcadia

Drum kit · United Kingdom

Arcadia is Natal's mainstream line under Marshall ownership — birch, maple, and acrylic shells with the company's own hardware — and the range that reintroduced the name to drummers who knew it only from congas.

Model

Sonor SQ2

Drum kit · Germany

The SQ2 is less a kit than an order form: shell timber, thickness, bearing edge, hardware, and finish are chosen drum by drum, with maple, beech, birch, and American walnut all offered in more than one thickness. Every SQ2 is made in Bad Berleburg and takes months.

Model

Camco Oaklawn

Drum kit · United States

Camco's Oaklawn-badge drums, built in Illinois before the company moved to Kansas, are the most sought of the brand: thin maple shells, minimal hardware, and a following far larger than the production numbers justify.

Model

Dixon Little Roomer

Drum kit · Taiwan

The Little Roomer packs a full kit into small diameters and shallow depths so it fits on a stage that cannot hold a 22-inch bass drum, and it ships with hardware built for the same constraint.

Model

PDP Concept Maple

Drum kit

Concept Maple is the kit that made PDP's reputation: 7-ply maple shells with DW's bearing edge angles, low-mass lugs, and suspension mounts, at a fraction of a Collector's Series price.

Model

Asba Caroline

Drum kit · France

The Caroline was Asba's professional line, with cast lugs, distinctive hoops, and a following among French jazz players that has kept the drums circulating in Europe.

Model

Tempus Carbon Fibre Kit

Drum kit · Canada

Tempus shells are moulded carbon fibre with no seam, ply, or glue line, and they neither move with humidity nor add a wood colour of their own. The kits are very light and very loud.

Model

British Drum Co. Legend

Drum kit · United Kingdom

Legend is the British Drum Company's flagship: thin birch shells, in-house lugs, and the Palladium bearing edge, all made in Britain at a time when almost no kits were.

Model

Sakae Almighty Birch

Drum kit · Japan

Almighty Birch was Sakae's flagship under its own badge, built in the Osaka factory that produced Yamaha's drums for decades, with the same shell forming and hardware quality behind a different name.

Model

Canopus Neo-Vintage

Drum kit · Japan

The Neo-Vintage series builds thin three-ply shells with reinforcement rings and rounded bearing edges — the 1960s American construction — with modern tolerances and Japanese hardware.

Model

Trixon Speedfire

Drum kit · Germany

The Speedfire's bass drum is a single elliptical shell divided internally into two chambers of different volume, played with a twin pedal so a drummer gets two bass pitches from one drum. It did not catch on and is unmistakable.

Model

Pearl Masters Maple Reserve

Drum kit · Japan

A professional Masters-series drum kit built on a 4-ply 100% maple shell with maple reinforcement rings, delivering the warm, full, classic Masters maple voice for stage and studio.

Model

DW Collector's Series

Drum kit · United States

DW's Collector's Series is the company's flagship line of American-made custom drum kits, handcrafted to order in Oxnard, California. Kits are built from premium shell woods such as maple, birch and mahogany using DW's Specialized Shell Configuration, then finished with hand-applied lacquers and exotic veneers. It sits at the top of the DW range, with extensive options for sizes, finishes and hardware.

Model

DW Jazz Series

Drum kit · United States

The DW Jazz Series is a Collector's Series configuration inspired by American jazz. Its shells use a 3-ply gumwood core, paired with maple, mahogany or cherry plies, to produce a round, focused tone suited to everything from bebop to pop on stage and in the studio. A vintage-style rounded bearing edge broadens the kit's tonal range.

Model

DW Collector's Series Classics

Drum kit · United States

The DW Collector's Series Classics is a vintage-voiced configuration of DW's flagship line, built to revive big-band-era drum tone with modern construction. Its shells pair a 3-ply poplar-and-mahogany core with maple reinforcement hoops and DW's vintage-style 'butter' bearing edge for dark, punchy, quick-sustaining tones. It offers the Collector's Series' full range of finishes, shell sizes and hardware options.

Model

Tama Imperialstar

Drum kit · Japan

Imperialstar is Tama's complete entry-level and intermediate drum series, built with 8mm 6-ply poplar shells for a full, warm tone with medium attack. Kits ship ready to play with hardware and Tama's precise bearing-edge cutting for open, responsive tuning across many genres.

Model

Tama Starclassic Performer

Drum kit · Japan

A Starclassic drum kit series built on a hybrid maple/birch shell (6mm 4-ply birch + 2 inner ply maple on toms), combining maple warmth with birch clarity for a complex, powerful, expressive sound.

Model

Tama Club-JAM

Drum kit · Japan

A compact drum kit series built on poplar shells (7-ply, 7mm) in small sizes for portability and tight stages, delivering a focused yet deep tone for club and cafe gigs.

Model

Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch

Drum kit · Japan

A professional Starclassic drum kit series with hybrid shells of birch outer plies and American black walnut inner plies (6mm 4-ply birch + 2 inner walnut on toms), pairing birch attack with walnut warmth.

Model

Tama Superstar Classic

Drum kit · Japan

A popular mid-range drum kit series with all-maple shells (6-ply, 5mm toms; 8-ply, 7mm bass drum), reviving the Superstar name with a full, powerful, balanced maple tone.

Model

Pearl Decade Maple

Drum kit · Japan

A mid-range drum kit series with thin 6-ply, 5.4mm all-maple shells, the Opti-Loc mounting system, and low-mass hardware, offering an affordable all-maple Pearl kit.

Model

Pearl Masters Maple Complete

Drum kit · Japan

The Masters Maple Complete is a professional Pearl drum series built on the EvenPly-Six shell, a premium six-ply North American maple shell with reduced-thickness, cross-laminated plies. It blends the tonal purity of Pearl's Masters MMX with the projection of the thicker MRX, and ships with triple-flanged SuperHoop II hoops for resonance and articulation.

Model

Pearl Session Studio Select

Drum kit · Japan

A drum kit series built on a 6-ply, 5.4mm shell with five outer plies of birch and one inner ply of African mahogany and 60-degree bearing edges, combining birch clarity with mahogany low-end warmth.

Model

Pearl Roadshow

Drum kit · Japan

Pearl's entry-level complete drum kit series built on 9-ply poplar shells and supplied as a full set with hardware and cymbals, aimed at beginning drummers.

Model

Pearl Crystal Beat

Drum kit · Japan

A drum kit series using seamless, molded acrylic shells (rather than rolled), producing a bright, loud, cutting tone with a transparent visual look built to withstand touring.

Model

Pearl Export

Drum kit · Japan

The Export (EXX) is Pearl's best-selling drum series, reintroduced in 2013. Its shells use Pearl's Superior Shell Technology to blend premium poplar and Asian mahogany plies into a 6-ply shell for a warm, punchy tone with strong projection, and the kits use Pearl's Opti-Loc tom suspension mounts.

Model

Mapex Venus

Drum kit · Taiwan

An all-inclusive entry-level drum kit series with 100% poplar shells and SONIClear bearing edges, aimed at first-time drummers and supplied as a complete setup.

Model

Ludwig Classic Maple

Drum kit · United States

Ludwig's Classic Maple is a professional drum series hand-crafted at Ludwig USA in Monroe, North Carolina. Kits use 7-ply, 6mm cross-laminated North American maple shells formed with Ludwig's Radio Frequency Shell Technology, giving full tonality, rich sustain and a wide tuning range across many size and finish options.

Model

Ludwig Classic Oak

Drum kit · United States

A drum kit series using a proprietary 5-ply cross-over shell with a 3-ply maple core flanked by American red oak inner and outer plies, producing a balanced, focused tone with dark presence for high-volume settings.

Model

Ludwig Legacy Mahogany

Drum kit · United States

A drum kit series built on a 3-ply mahogany/poplar/mahogany shell with solid maple reinforcement rings, delivering warm, woody, vintage-style tone in the tradition of Ludwig's classic shells.

Model

Ludwig NeuSonic

Drum kit · United States

A modern drum kit series built on a 7-ply crossover shell with a 4-ply maple exterior and 3-ply cherry interior, made in Monroe, NC using Radio Frequency Shell Technology for a warm, full Ludwig voice.

Model

Mapex Mars Birch

Drum kit · Taiwan

A mid-range drum kit series with birch shells and SONIClear bearing edges, offering a bright, punchy, focused tone as a step-up kit for progressing drummers.

Model

Mapex Armory

Drum kit · Taiwan

A versatile drum kit series built on Mapex's hybrid shell concept, fusing birch and maple with a SONIClear bearing edge for broad tonal expression across studio and stage.

Model

Mapex Mars Maple

Drum kit · Taiwan

A mid-range drum kit series made of 100% premium European maple with SONIClear bearing edges, delivering a warm, smooth tone at an accessible price.

Model

Ludwig Breakbeats by Questlove

Drum kit · United States

A compact drum kit series designed with Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, built on 7-ply hardwood shells in small sizes (14x16 bass, 7x10 tom, 13x13 floor tom, 5x14 snare) for tight spaces while keeping professional tone.

Model

Gretsch Renown

Drum kit · United States

The Renown is a Gretsch maple drum series built with the classic 7-ply Gretsch formula maple shells, 30-degree bearing edges and the exclusive 'Silver Sealer' interior. It delivers Gretsch's signature warm, focused tone in a more accessible imported line.

Model

Gretsch Brooklyn

Drum kit · United States

The Brooklyn is a USA-made Gretsch drum series built with 6-ply North American maple and poplar shells, made slightly thicker than Gretsch's USA Custom. It uses 30-degree bearing edges and classic Gretsch 'Silver Sealer' shell interiors for a punchy, vintage-leaning voice.

Model

DW Performance Series

Drum kit · United States

The DW Performance Series is a handcrafted, U.S.-made drum kit line built in Oxnard, California from 100% North American maple shells (DW's HVX construction). It pairs professional shell tone and hardware, including True-Pitch tuning rods and triple-flange hoops, with a more attainable price than the flagship Collector's Series. A limited birch shell option is also offered through DW's California Custom Shop.

Model

DW Design Series

Drum kit · United States

The DW Design Series was conceived at DW's California Custom Shop to bring custom-inspired drums to a wider audience. Kits use 100% North American maple shells in DW's HVLT construction, with precision-cut bearing edges, UV-cured lacquer finishes and Mini-Turret lugs. It is positioned as a more accessible entry into DW's professional drum kits.

Model

Ludwig Club Date

Drum kit · United States

Club Date used the same thin shells as the professional lines with simpler mounting and less hardware, which made it cheaper then and, because there is less metal touching the shell, sought after now.

Model

Slingerland Modern Solo

Drum kit · United States

Slingerland's professional outfit through the swing years, sold around the Radio King snare and the endorsement that came with it. Original Modern Solo kits in white marine pearl are among the most photographed drums of the century.

Model

Ludwig Downbeat

Drum kit · United States

A 20" bass drum, a 12" tom, and a 14" floor tom — the configuration Ringo Starr played and the one every jazz and small-club drummer bought. Its size is the reason 1960s records sound the way they do, and the reason the format came back.

Model

Gretsch Round Badge

Drum kit · United States

Round Badge kits — named for the badge shape used until about 1971 — pair three-ply maple and gum shells with silver-sealed interiors and die-cast hoops. The dry, woody tone is the sound of American jazz drumming, and Art Blakey, Tony Williams, and Elvin Jones all played them.