Gear Reviews
Detailed assessments of the latest drum kits and accessories
Yamaha — Crosstown Advanced Lightweight Hardware
They’re just as sturdy as steel, single-braced options, yet taken together have over ten pounds less heft.
Gretsch — Brooklyn Series Micro Kit
It’s a testament to Gretsch’s world-renowned craftsmanship when a tiny setup like this can be coaxed to produce such deep tones.
DW — Collector’s Series Pure Almond Snare
Almond is a difficult timber to work with, especially for drums, because the trees are thin and they rarely grow above 30 feet.
Craviotto Drum Company
Craviotto is also expanding its focus to include handcrafting more drums from exotic and rare wood species for its Private Reserve collection.
Percussion Kinetics Vector G1 Double Pedal
A strong, smooth option for double-kick players looking to make foot positioning more ergonomic. Percussion Kinetics developed the G1 single pedal several years ago so drummers could sit at the kit with a more natural outward-turned foot position without having to…
Beck's Chris Coleman
MD checked in with pop/R&B drummer Chris Coleman while he was on tour with Beck. “Beck is very meticulous about every sound that comes off that stage,” says Coleman, “but I couldn’t be more different from his drummer of the…
Doc Sweeney RX Series Drumset
Doc Sweeney Drums specializes in building top-notch snares and kits out of exotic and domestic woods in solid, single-ply, stave, and now hybrid configurations.
New Gear from Tama, Zildjian, Roland, Sabian and more!
Tama Starclassic Performer B/B Exotix Tigerwood Kit and S.L.P. Big Black Steel Snare Tama’s Starclassic Performer BB kit is now available in Gloss Natural Tigerwood and Midnight Blue Tigerwood finishes with Brushed Black Nickel hardware. Features include die-cast hoops and Star-Cast mounting…
Amedia Jazz Legend and Vision Series Cymbals
Amedia is one of a handful of cymbal companies in Istanbul, Turkey, that employ centuries-old manufacturing methods done primarily by hand.
Tama Classic Stand Series
Sturdier versions of vintage-style, lightweight designs for more modern applications. A couple years ago, Tama revived the simple, compact, and lightweight design of cymbal stands from the 1960s with the flat-base Classic model. The company has since fleshed out an…
New Gear from Gretsch, Vic Firth, Porter & Davies, and Croaker!
New Gear from Gretsch, Vic Firth, Porter & Davies, and Croaker! TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Portugal. The Man’s Jason Sechrist
Portugal. The Man’s Jason Sechrist first spotted Ludwig’s new hot pink Vistalite kit at Summer NAMM 2018. Although it took a few months for his to arrive, it was worth the wait. This stunning set fits perfectly into the lefty…
LCD/Legado - B20 Bronze Snares
A limited run of rolled-shell drums built from handcrafted Turkish cymbals.