Gear Reviews
Detailed assessments of the latest drum kits and accessories
Malletech - SP2 and SP3 Scholastic Packs
Build a proper stick/mallet collection with theseselections of core essentials. Malletech is one of the most respected and creative keyboard instrument and mallet manufacturers in the world. It is owned and operated by marimba virtuoso Leigh Howard Stevens. Stevens not…
Canopus - 4x14 Solid Bronze Snare Drum
A slim but ultra-thick drum with unthinkable sonic prowess. Tokyo-based company Canopus, one of the world’s premier custom drum makers, prides itself on crafting some of the finest instruments on the planet. Over the years, we’ve tested many Canopus snare…
Gretsch, 64 Audio, DW, Malletech, Dust Palace, Craviotto
In 2011, Gretsch introduced the special-edition Renown 57 drumset, which had a unique look borrowed from classic car colors and the chevron logo. Ten years later, the company revived the series for a limited run of drumsets and snares featuring…
Donn Bennett’s Drum Vault
A few of Bun E.’s Ludwig bass drums. Over the last three decades, Bun E. Carlos assembled one of the largest and most renowned collections of Ludwig drums in the world, with over 200 snares and drumsets dating from the…
Revolution Drum T-Loks, Survival Drum Key, Brass Cymbal Fasteners, and Capitola Suede Stick Bag
An assortment of smart, innovative, and high-quality accessories for the working drummer. Revolution Drum is a small accessory manufacturer that focuses on creating fresh, outside-the-box ideas that are innovative, practical, and trustworthy for drummers of all styles and levels. You…
Papa Roach’s Tony Palermo
Tony Palermo has been a Pearl endorser since 2008, and for his most recent set the company custom-made shorter-sized floor toms to give them a faster decay. MD caught up with Palermo to get more details about his setup changes.…
Angel Drums - Segment-Shell Maple Drumset
Massive, upfront tones that will steal the show live and in the studio. Angel Drums is a small Hungarian company that prides itself on making no compromises when it comes to the quality of the snares and drumsets that it…
Zildjian - Aaron Spears and Kaz Rodriguez Artist Series Drumsticks
Extra-long but perfectly balanced models for two of the most versatile drummers around. With such a deep history in cymbal making that dates back hundreds of years, Zildjian still seems like a relative newcomer as a drumstick manufacturer. Yet the…
DW, Adoro, Gibraltar,Black Swamp, Tama, Roland
DW Collector’s Series Private Reserve Exotics Exotic finishes over available DW shell configurations include Tortoise Shell Pommele, Moabi, Horizontal Padouk, Vertical Padouk, Super Maple Curl, African Chechen, and Monkey Pod. Each can be ordered in a hand-sprayed polyester gloss or…
Donn Bennett’s Drum Vault
The Who’s Zak Starkey’s Collection Keith Moon provided the magic ingredient in the unique chemistry that created the legendary rock band the Who. Moon’s passion and unpredictable drumming propelled the band to heights that no other drummer could duplicate. When…
Roland V-Drums Acoustic Design VAD506 Kit
The ultimate immersive e-drums experience. Can you believe it’s taken forty-plus years for an electronic drumset to emerge that looks and feels nearly identical to an acoustic kit? Well, the time has come, folks. Roland’s new Acoustic Design series of…
Doc Sweeney - Pure Series Snare Drums
Three solid-shell snares designed to let the timber speak for itself. The last time we checked in with Rancho Santa Fe, California–based boutique brand Doc Sweeney was in the May 2020 issue, when we reviewed the gorgeous 1920s-inspired Classic series…
DW, DrēmTrigger, Gibraltar, RTOM and more
DW Design Series Additions These drums are offered in standard five-piece configurations with three add-ons: a 7x8 rack tom, and 12x14 and 16x18 floor toms. The shells are said to sound full, resonant, and responsive. Features include True-Pitch tension rods,…
Attack Drumheads - The Baron Red-Dot Batter
A durable, easy-to-tune option with just the right amount of built-in dampening. Attack Drumheads has been around since the ’80s, under different ownership. In October 2018, the brand was acquired by Cardinal Percussion of Youngstown, Ohio. This was my first…
