Gear Reviews
Detailed assessments of the latest drum kits and accessories
Dave Matthews Band's Carter Beauford
“I tried to assemble a kit that would fit with what we were doing musically,” says Carter Beauford. “Everyone in the Dave Matthews Band comes from a different musical background, and we were all those different backgrounds through the music.…
Product Close-Up - Roland TD-25KV and V-Drums Kits
Roland recently made some changes to its V-Drums lineup, including discontinuing the TD-15 series and adding two mid-level kits with the TD-25 module. This new series capitalizes on a lot of the technology found in Roland’s flagship TD-30 line, but…
Product Close-Up - Bosphorus 20th Anniversary Series Cymbals
Bosphorus, one of the leading cymbal manufacturers in Turkey, is commemorating two decades of operation with the new 20th Anniversary series, which comprises a limited range of thin, vintage-style pies. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Product Close-Up – Turkish JC Soundscape Series Cymbals
The Soundscape series is a collaborative collection designed by U.S.-born/Europe-based drummer/percussionist Jarrod Cagwin and the Turkish cymbal company out of Istanbul. Much of Cagwin’s work is in traditional Middle Eastern and Northern African genres, world-influenced jazz, contemporary classical, and film…
Product Close-Up - Cask Drum Craft
The Cask Drum Company is a boutique manufacturer out of Post Falls, Idaho, owned and operated by Micah Doering. He sent us two snare drums for review. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Product Close-Up - Index Drums
If you’re looking for new percussive sounds for low-volume gigs, then you might appreciate what the Forest King line of wooden drumheads from Index Drums has to offer. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Provenance - 6x14 Jaguar XJS Snare
English company Provenance has carved a unique niche in the collectors market, offering high-quality snare drums built out of reclaimed materials from retired high-performance machines. With a stated mission to build the ultimate historical musical instruments, Provenance is careful to…
Istanbul Mehmet - X-Ray Series Cymbals
For drummers favoring more unusual cymbals, there’s the Xperience line, which includes the X-Ray options we have for review. All X-Ray cymbals are perforated to increase trashiness and decrease decay, and they are available with three different patterns of holes.…
Natal - Café Racer Series Drumset
Natal’s initial drum catalog included metal and stave-shell snares and ply-shell drumkits made from ash, birch, maple, bubinga, and American walnut. In early 2016 the company released a new series, Café Racer, which features North American tulipwood shells. TO READ…
Paiste - Signature Rides
This past year Paiste collaborated with some of its top artists to craft a handful of unique cymbals. These new models include the 20" Signature Vir2ocity Duo ride for prog-rock legend Carl Palmer, the purple-finished 22" Signature Dry Heavy ride…
Roland - KT-9 and FD-9 Kick and Hi-Hat Controllers
Finally! Near-noiseless pedals for a quieter e-drum experience. TO READ THE FULL STORY: SUBSCRIBE TO ACCESS LOG IN
Gibraltar - Beat EFX Bass Pedal Enhancers
Always looking to introduce unique accessory items to its catalog, Gibraltar developed a trio of bass drum beater attachments that add an extra layer of sound to every stroke. The Beat EFX enhancers are constructed using a small hard-plastic mounting…
RBH - 6x14 Poplar Prestige Snare
The Prestige series is Virginia Beach–based custom shop RBH’s line of single-ply, steam-bent snares that are crafted by hand out of premium North American lumber. These drums are finished in hand-rubbed oil and wax to preserve and accentuate the natural,…
Latin Percussion - Americana and Matador Cajons, Cajon Saddle, and Percussion Pack
LP’s catalog of cajons and accessories has become quite expansive over the past few years. New additions have been arriving in various shapes, sizes, and materials. We received a couple new cajons to check out, one of which is shaped…
