Gear Reviews

Detailed assessments of the latest drum kits and accessories

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KBrakes - Bass Drum Anchors

Mitigate kick drum creep with these simple-to-install feet.

BJ Kerwin
Jun 28, 2017

Paiste - PSTX DJs 45 Series

Affordable, micro-sized effects cymbals from the mind of one of today’s most distinctive beat-smiths.

Michael Dawson
Jun 28, 2017

VK - Aluminum Drumset

High-end, lightweight shells with a unique tonal character.

David Ciauro
Jun 28, 2017

Spaun 20th Anniversary Kit, PDP Daru Jones New Yorker Kit, TRX Cymbals and More!

Spaun 20th Anniversary Kit, PDP Daru Jones New Yorker Kit, TRX Cymbals and More! TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN

Modern Drummer
May 31, 2017

Awolnation’s Isaac Carpenter

“When we were rehearsing for the latest album,” says modern pop group Awolnation’s drummer, Isaac Carpenter, “Masters of Maple owner Sahir Hanif brought his bell brass snare, and it seemed like our band sounded twenty-five-percent better. You can hit it…

Sayre Berman
May 31, 2017
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1938-41 Slingerland Hollywood Boulevard Outfit

Most of today’s drumkits include at least one rack tom, a floor tom, a hi-hat, and a ride cymbal. But back in 1938, renowned American drum manufacturer Slingerland’s most popular setup, the Hollywood Boulevard Outfit, came only with a bass…

Harry Cangany
May 31, 2017

RTOM - Black Hole Practice System

Snap-on mesh heads that convert an acoustic kit to a low-volume rehearsal set in seconds.

Michael Dawson
May 31, 2017

Remo - Classic Fit and P3 Felt Tone Drumheads

No more struggling to fit skins on oversized vintage snare and tom shells or wrestling with testy felt strips to achieve a classic fluffy/punchy kick tone.

Michael Dawson
May 31, 2017

UFIP - Class and Vibra Series Cymbals

Centrifuge-cast for the purest B20-bronze tone possible.

Michael Dawson
May 31, 2017

Yamaha - DTX760K Electronic Drumset

Expanded sounds, more customization, and a responsive, natural feel.

Willie Rose
May 31, 2017

Medeski, Martin and Wood’s Billy Martin

We recently visited MMW co-founder Billy Martin at his home studio, which is a custom-built shed on the drummer’s New Jersey property that he uses to teach, compose, practice, and conduct workshops. The simple, beautiful, four-piece drumkit that lives in…

Dave Previ
Apr 26, 2017

Bucks County - Semi-Solid Mahogany/Poplar Drumset

Unhappy with the quality of drums that were available to him at the time, lifelong woodworker Chris Carr put his years of experience to use and started building his own drums in 2005. After selling a few kits to other…

Michael Dawson
Apr 26, 2017
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Nord Drum - 3P Multipad

These days, Swedish company Nord is most known for its distinctive red-colored keyboards. But the company’s founders, Hans Nordelius and Mikael Carlsson, originally collaborated in 1983 to create the world’s first commercial-grade digital drum, the Digital Percussion Plate 1. An…

Michael Dawson
Apr 26, 2017

Brass Ball Drums - Stave-Shell Snares

Every so often, established drum shell designs are revisited for different reasons—to achieve increased resonance, to offer distinctive appearances, or to incorporate unconventional materials for construction. From the mind of a career woodworker in Buda, Texas, Brass Ball Drums is…

Stephen Bidwell
Apr 26, 2017
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