Gretsch Renown Shell Pack - Drummer's Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ต.ค. 2024
- Here's our review of a Gretsch Renown fusion shell pack. Filmed at Middle Farm Studios, January 2019. For full specs, please visit our website: www.drummersreview.com, and to connect with us further, check out our social media channels...
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Long sustain can always be made short, but a dead kit can not be opened up.
nice mate
Ask any DW Collectors owner. They won't admit but that kit is one trick pony. Thud, thud. Renowns are the shit.
The barber can always cut more of your hair but he can't put it back on.
I completely agree and hate hyperdrive tom.
What is the kit with longer sustain on tom? This gretsch, Pdp cx/lx/x7, Pearl Session Studio Select Drum Kit, or....? Thanks
thanx bro, good advice!
My go to kit is a Gretsch Renown, 22", 12" and 16" in Blue Oyster finish (Ringo Starr esque). I play in a hardcore band and every time I've recorded with it the engineer says "GRETSCH? For hardcore?!" And every time at the end of the session they've told me it turned out to be one of the best sounding kits they'd had. Love this kit, for hardcore, jazz, weddings, whatever, it's never let me down!
I get it ,same hear I play hardcore too and after they hear it all the sound men love it.
Erick First Sound guys experience so many garbage kits that any time a quality well made drum rolls through their work load they’re shocked. I get the same compliments with my Tama drums. “Best drums I’ve ever heard”. Especially the snares.
I think one reason why it’s so good is because it’s made in Taiwan. Drum factories in Taiwan have a history of making great drums. I think it started with Pearl drums years ago. So the skillful knowledge probably spread
That's sick dude! What heads do u use? I'm very interested in recreating the amazing tone you speak of
@@ramencurry6672 totally agree, I’m very happy with Taiwanese made and USA made drums equally
Nolly is goals when it comes to professionalism. I get just as much out of his speaking style as I do the content of what he's saying
Out of all the "mid-range" kits I've seen, this line takes the cake for sure. Gretsch always sounds fantastic, and the price of the more premium builds reflects that as well as the quality of construction. However in my opinion NOTHING beats out the Renown series for price/performance. You get the crystal clear, elegant sounding shells, the stellar build quality, and the screaming deal of a price, which is why I said "mid-range", because of the very humble pricing compared to how they sound. This will be my next kit for sure! (P.S. thank you for demoing the Fusion sizes, my favourite shell pack and surprisingly devoid of reviews on TH-cam) :)
Despite the lower price, I’ve read that the Renown has been used by pros. It’s considered to be equal to other major league brands.
It shows how competitive Asian made drums are...built under strict USA Gretsch guidelines ..
I really Love these Renown kits. They have a great tone and they're beautiful. Styling is excellent, and like you said, they're very satisfying to play. Thanks for the vid...
Can't wait for that Tama Starclassic W/B vid ;-)
Yeah the Starclassic w/b needs to be reviewed professionally like this. Every video that's out, currently, is just lack luster.
I know I'm in the minority here but I like having tom mounts on my bass drum. I have this kit in big rock sizes and they sound better than a lot of kits I've played that cost twice what I paid. they are perfect for me
I agree. I don't want any thing more on the floor.
jermss Same here. It makes things easier, cleans up your floor area (which usually has plenty of stands cluttering it up anyway) & I personally think it’s more aesthetically appealing.
@@susanmaggiora4800 preach!
Nolly is ruthlessly professional, like damn. Every one of these reviews blows every other comparable channel out of the water.
His articulation on his descriptions is beyond the ozone. haha
That's because he's using proper logic, and level reasoning. He's not a hype man.
Seriously. These reviews are the new standard!
I love my Renowns RN2s. I married it with a Gretsch USA Bronze Snare. I have silver oyster pearl which looks great especially under lights!. They are easy to tune, the build quality is great! I really love the way they sound. The 20" bass drum is drowned out by the rest of the kit. Of course, micing would fix that, but I'm trying different muffling techniques and possibly different heads to get the best unmic'd sound I can. Plenty of folks using 20" bass drums for rock so not worried about getting the goods from it.
Try lifting the kick with a bass drum riser so that your beater is centered. It will do wonders for your sound. Also make sure you get the proper angle of the bass drum ( via kick spurs) so that you find the right beater response for you. Finally, tune both heads a 1/4 to 1/2 turn beyond wrinkles to get a great kick sound. If you need a bit more response for the beater tight the batter side a little more than the rest. Lastly, make sure you pitch match each tension rod using a mallet so you can match the undertones for best consistency. Best of luck
Listen to some John Bonham bass drum work and power up that bass drum foot and you will be fine!😎
Maybe get a bigger kick drum or maybe even a DW kick. Gretsch kick drums are usually better suited for studio so they tend to be a little more polite. Personally I think the Gretsch kick drum is very refined sounding. The tone is just right IMO
I have the 2004 renown maple turqois oister 6 piece limited kit and i still love it.Great sound no mather what batterheads you put on.1ply -2ply or hydraulic.I think these are one of the best drums are in drumworld.
First Gretsch kit I ever owned. I took a chance on them. Have had mine for about 2 years and everytime I play it I'm reminded of how fun being a drummer is. These drums give back everything you give them. Sensitive, articulate, punchy, rich and warm. Love them!
Great review, thanks! It really highlights the major charakteristics of the set. I purchased this kit last year with 22 bassdrum and 16 FT. Phenomenal sound and quality!
I sold a highend Yamaha kit to finance this Renown and did not regret it for one second...In my opinion the Renown can keep up with any other highend kit! It sounds best in medium to high tuning, the downward tuning range is rather limited...it sounds huge, punchy, lively with lots of tone on recordings though! I recommend it for any style and any level of playing!
Recently restored a Renown Bubinga Purewood. Amazing.
Beautifully tuned, played and recorded. Nice job, guys.
Whatever happened to the normal 13” and 12” toms.
They seem to be getting smaller.
You can still buy 13" toms (including a 13x9 Renown) but fewer and fewer people want them. Deep toms are sometimes difficult to angle properly.
There is NOTHING like the sound of a Gretch kit...doesn't matter which series it is...that unmistakable sound !!!!!
It has a nice clarity and smoothness. They are top tier level drums even if the prices tend to be lower
Always a professional review by you blokes! I bought my RN2's a year ago - White Marine Pearl with the 22" Bass Drum. Outstanding drums. BTW - Greetings from Oz.
Have the same set of RN2. Just with snare. And they sound amazing with Evans UV 1 and reso 7 head's.
I recently grabbed this kit in piano black to gig with and I love it. It gives my DW collectors a run for their $ when tuned the same. I really find that you guys give a true representation of this kit in this video. You capture the sound exactly and explain it perfectly. I’m going to swap out heads with some coated single ply and see what happens even though I love their sound now and I grabbed some plastic washers for the tension rods instead of the metal ones it came with. I find it handles any style of music
It really gives a DW collectors series a run for its money? If so, wow. Don't collectors kits start around $4k?
Thanks for interesting comments! So how did the coated heads work on your Renowns? I am wondering about getting a kit myself.
I don’t own a DW but someday I’ll probably just buy a DW snare for maybe a song or two in a studio session with my Gretsch kit. Should be fun
I've been playing two different sized Gretsch Renown kits since 2003 The Best !!!
I’ve read that it’s been used by pros. It’s considered to be a serious kit on the Olympic level playing field.
I have a Gretsch Renown motor city limited edition - Love it - the whole kit goes to all kinds of levels with different head types and tunings - I have coated Ambassador X on at the moment with a fusion tuning range and it sounds awesome
I have the 24 13 16 configuration in Piano Black and it is downright thunderous. Great sound. I agree with Nolly about the lugs being grindy, approximately 50% of my lugs can't be finger tightened because the tension rods get stuck. Not the biggest deal, but to me worsens my tuning experience. Doesn't affect the ability to get these drums in tune though, when they're dialed in they produce some very clean tones!
Just bought a Gretsch renown Tom Tom drum to add on to my kit. Excellent drum.
Gretsch Renown offers a very articulate punchy hit with a glorious sustain. I just love mine !!
I've never played on or owned a Renown kit (or any Gretsch for that matter), but these do look and sound like great kits for sure. Lotta bang for the buck, especially with the good Remo heads already included. However, I was VERY sad to note upon looking on their website that the Gold Sparkle featured in this video is no longer available as a finish option. Damn......
I have the first Renown series, which is said to be mid-level, but then all developments since (like the rims) do not seem to have improved the sound. No wonder. Initially, however, I was not particularly impressed by the wooden snare in the pack. That is, until I changed the standard rims for wooden (Yamaha) rims. That did the trick. Now it’s really wonderful and a great company for many styles. A cheap and very effective upgrade.
Yes, thanks a lot for this, the sustain and musicality is fantastic, that is going to be my next one, stepping up from my Catalina jazz. :)
Sounds great really great actually thinking about getting these sizes for a gigging kit. I think they are the best bang for your buck
Not a fan of the new tom mounting system. Doesnt look "Gretsch". Sounds amazing though!
Tuning rods being "grindy" is an easy fix. I apply a very light film of white teflon lube to the threads to eliminate this friction and the tuning is much more precise because the only tension is from the heads on the shell bearing edges.
If you want, you could also use a special shell bearing lube to let the heads slide down easier on the first tuning, but I just rub a wax candle over the edges, just like I do the wooden drawers in my furniture.
Magic tuning..
Or maybe it’s just the great sound of Gretsch..
The first Tom sounds good the others no I have heard cheaper Yamaha kits sound better
Prefer the warmth of the Brooklyns and Broadkasters.
Very good sound and value for the price, however..
Wow! Wide open and classy. Amazing.
Lovely kit! Would love to see the Catalina Club and Club maple reviewed to see how their mid range kits stack up in their line! Thank you for the time you put into informing musicians, it’s a wonderful service and truly appreciated!
Have the plain 3 piece Catalina kit. Also bought 2 Renown rack Toms to use as an option for different songs. Its mismatched drums but it doesn’t matter since I only play in the studio
Beautiful, fluid playing and succinct review. That floor tom......wow. The bass, for some reason, hurt my ears and annoyed me after a while. Don't know why, but I'm part dog. (which part is debatable)
Still no signs of Sonor SQ1?
Great work, keep on please.
I love that color but it looks like they don't offer that anymore.
I've been thinking about possibly getting a Gretsch renown kit recently and then this video popped up in my email and now I am really heavily considering it. Love the video!
👍You just can't go wrong with a Gretsch drumset!!!
What's that ride? Big Apple? Nice sounds.
I thought the mounted toms on renown kits mounted to cymbal stands?
they were on the rn1, this is the newer rn2
It seems that if I ever bought a new set before it’s all over it would be a Gretsch. We’ll see. Once I got a Yamaha a million years ago there was never a need or want for another kind.
I enjoyed the floor tom the most out of them! Are the hoops a little bit ,,bigger" than from the other manufacturers?
These have the "302" 3.0mm double flanged hoops...they are a bit taller than a regular triple flanged or die cast hoop. They are like the older "stick chopper" hoops from the 1950's which had a thinner top part and would tear sticks up...but these are much thicker and are much easier on the stick. These hoops are a great balance that fall in between a regular triple flange and a die cast hoop.
Great sounding kit! Great review too, but what I miss is different tunings. Would like to hear this kit in higher tuning.
These drums sing and respond so well to accents. Amazing.
Would this work for jazz and Latin
Sound rather highly tuned.
Lacks the warmth of the Brooklyns or Broadkasters.
Lovely kit, however.
I think that only 10" tom sounds higher but it is not about tuning, that is natural tone of Renown's 10" tom. For example compare this kit with Natal Originals Walnut review from this channel or any other kit. Other drums have warmer 10" tom sound
Travis Woodall
That’s why they sound different, obviously.
Great sounding Gretsch drums and great review! Thank you!
I’m still not sure which bassdrum size I should take. I want to play mostly funky stuff like Maceo Parker and sometimes jazz.
20" all the way man. I've gigged with bass drums everywhere from 24" down to 16". Not kidding. The 20s always take the cake by a long shot, not sure why 22 is such a standard size when I've found 20s to almost always sound better.
@@stenduginski2306 I'm 22" bass drum player, but I like 20" because it's more softer and buttery than 22"
Stefan Duginski I agree the sound on "20 is more defined, with "22 tends to loose focus.
The recording sounds incredible. What is the combination of microphones that were used to record the kick drum?. Regards
Yeah, sound is great, you have to know that Nolly is top notch sound engineer. At 5:54 you can see he's using Josephson E22S on bass drum as well. Let's just say that one of these puppies costs more than the whole renown kit (and there are four of them on the kit if I counted correctly)...
Anybody knows what ride cymbal model are they using here? Thanks!
Where did you find this kit in this color ?
Great review, thanks guys!
Gretchen has such a round sound
do they have virgin kick version? I can't decide between renown and pearl session select:/
Very underated kit😊
On their site it says Gretsch maple formula shells but it also says that about the catalina’s so which maple shell is it do you know?
in the market for a new kit. the renown is top of the list, but what are some alternatives? i prefer the more vintage, thumpy sounding drums. ta.
I'm debating between the Gretsch renown and the Mapex Saturn V tour (20/12/14). Probably going with the renown though.
Gretsch's Catalina Club kits are made with mahogany which makes the more vintage thumpy sound. They make them in 12/14/18, 12/14/20, and 13/16/24.
I have the 12 14 14 18 version of this kit. I am in love with it. Tunes easily and the pearl white looks pretty cool.
Great review Nolly!!
The new Renowns do not compare to the older ones. The one thing I do like about these is the mounting system. You can easily clip mics to them (Audix). I had to get rid of my older Renowns because it became a pain in the *** trying to clip mics to them.
I have to respectfully disagree. I've heard recordings of both and give the edge to the new Renowns. They've got the newer bearing edge and the 302 hoops are every bit as good as diecast, maybe even better. Lastly, the GTS mounts and drilled bass drum are perfect for the working drummer. To each their own but the RN2s are in no way inferior to any other version of the Renowns.
Super rullante, in complesso poi buona batteria.
Love the sound of those toms!
I just ordered this kit in the cherry burst finish in 8/10/12/14/20 inch drums. I've been playing a 22" for 35 years now and figured since I'm actually playing with a big band jazz group, it was time for a change. I've owned quite a few kits through the years and my desires were the following: bass drum tom mount, lacquer finish, chrome hardware, and "that" sound. I've been a birch guy forever, so these are my first maple drums. I was also seriously considering the Ludwig Classic maples, but they are wrapped, have no tom mount, and are obviously much more money for only 3 pieces. I know the reasons why, I just couldn't justify the price especially considering we don't get paid and I lost about $500 on selling my Tama Starclassic B/B's. Can't wait for them to get here! I also ordered a Ludwig LM400 snare.
I have the same kit you are getting, minus the 8" Tom but added a 16" floor. Fit and finish is top notch, I think you will be very happy with the purchase. I found coated Ambassadors really are the sweet spot as far as heads go. Enjoy the kit.
@@mikedulin1325 still waiting on it and the Ludwig LM400. Looking forward to it. Seems like the Renowns are in a league of their own at their price.
@@Stclairm1 I also had a new Yamaha Tour Custom which is essentially the direct competition in this price point and I sold the Yamaha, tells you which one I like better. The Renown is every bit a pro kit, minus the pro kit cost.
@@mikedulin1325 that is awesome to hear from so many people. I miss my 06 Tama Starclassic birch drums and wish I would have bought Premier Genistas in the 90's instead of XPK's.
@@Stclairm1 we are like kindred spirits...my first real drum set I bought in 1991 was a Premier APK. I also had mid 2000's Tama SC Perfomer birch in Diamond Dust finish.
Thanks for the clear review. Helped me to make a choise.
How we can call a $2000 drum kit “modest price” is beyond me.
Sonor AQ2 is about $1300 and I would be more likely to call that modest. Even better buy is Yamaha Stage Custom Birch - at $709 it’s the best bang for the buck on the market. GREAT hardware and great sounding.
Yeah, but they aren't Gretsch. The alternatives are really good drums, but they do have a different sound. It's like picking your favorite flavor of ice cream. Do you want the better flavor or the better price.
Sounds amazing!
Sounds great really great actually thinking about getting these sizes for a gigging kit. I think they are the best bang for your buck
Great presentation - Thank you!
Can't choose between this and the Starclassic walnut birch!
I had the same choice believe it or not. I chose the Gretsch. I love the Gretsch kit because of the unique sound but in saying that it's not as versatile as some kits and I do use a Pearl for when playing rock.
Nice to see fully finished bass drum hoops on a mid range kit
this drums has a wonderfull sound
The reason what makes these reviews so accurate is the good tuning!
What other drums compare to these in your opinion?
God those toms sound so clean yet BIG
Nice job
#Gretsch4Life
Just ordered a set. Won't see for at least 3 months though.
You're gonna love them!
One of the problems with the sound on these videos is (not what you're expecting) that it's almost too good. I find every kit sounds great! It would be interesting to hear all the kits without mics, and just recorded straight to a decent camera, like a Zoom Q8.
Michael McIntosh, I would agree with you if I didn’t have this kit except for color.
Un-miked these drums sound as you hear in this video, full and projecting.
One other selling point for me is the quality of the finish and hardware. I’ve read reviews about rough bearing edges, chrome finish being blemished etc. I guess if I was paying $3,000 for a USA Gretsch kit I would expect a perfect kit. But for the money the Renown sold me.
@@pcgkjrn You're missing my point, Daniel (and I have a Gretsch Brooklyn, so it's not a comment on Gretsch). If you listen to all of the review videos, ALL of the kits sound great - that's the point. If every kit was also filmed without mics, it would be much easier to judge.
Love these reviews.
Sound great!
That 20” kick is unlike many I’ve played in the same size. It just has a punch and sustain that more kind to the ear than others.
I’m not a fan of kick drum mounting, but for the price and ease of transport, I’ll deal.😉
Great sounding kit! In terms of tuning; what fundamental notes do you usually tune the toms to when tuning 10,12,14 or 10,12,16?
What I've seen is this... Major chord for 10/12/14 or 10/12/16 - 3C (131Hz), 2A (110Hz), 2F (87.3Hz). Perfect 4ths for 12/13/16 - 3C (131Hz), 2G (98Hz), 2D (73.4 Hz). If only two toms, one up - one down, the difference between the two toms is usually a perfect 5th.
Kirsten Ray I think the interval between 10 & 12 could be say a perfect 4th, i dont like tuning 12 any lower than 110 Hz (A) which will make 10 a D. My 16 would then end up being an E, which I think is too high in pitch. If I double the interval between 12 & 16 I end up at a B, could work..
My 'A" kit is an older Renown (DC hoops) I normally tune G D A E B- 8 thru 16 respectively
I agree with the comment by Tailgunner in here, in that I too am impressed with the floor tom. I also liked the 20" bass drum.
I must admit that I am a Gretsch kit player myself, so I might be a little bit biased, but I thought this lower end (lower on the budget scale) was rather impressive, and provides a great bang for the buck. I would put this kit up against any other manufacturer at the same price point, and I bet it would be hard to find another one that sounds this good and is as versatile as this one for the money.
Great review, guys!
What snare is used here .
Gretsch USA Aluminum 6.5x14
Ouf! Those sound & look fantastic! I'm not a big fan of wraps, especially sparkle, but these definitely 'pop'.
This is no wrap, it's a lacquer finish!
1200.00 BP. = 1925.00 CAN. + the 15% tx of my province, = 2200.00 yeah, cheaper..😑😑 I can get a used Tama Starclassic for half that. Gretsch drums are way too expensive. Even their lower Catalina club jazz line goes for 1100.00 these days.
Nothing wrong with used drums if you don't mind nicks and dings and tom rash. I'm done with that scene. You get what you pay for with Gretsch. My RN2 kit is easily the best kit I've sat behind and I've played MANY.
That finish is so beautiful! What snare was used in this review?
Marko Marković Hi.. it was a DW thin aluminium shell.. thanks for watching..DR
I just acquired a Renoun used, circa 2000-2004. I hated it at first, but after tuning it…well, much happier now! Got new cymbals, heads, and much more comin in! Looking forward to getting it up to speed. The only thing is I cannot identify its finish. Deep red wood grain finish. Lacquered. Also the 14 inch is mounted, rather than sitting on the floor, but a heavy duty stand made that a non issue. Thamks
Just bought the renown jazz kit in this same finish. Just a few initial thoughts. The shells are excellent , perfect edges and well finished. Nolly wasn't lying when he said the tension rods were a bit grindy......they are bloody awful. I took the kit apart and replaced the tension rods and the swivel nuts inside the lugs. Now its great and easy to tune but really disappointing that i had to do that. With this kit you get some high end features and some bottom of the barrel ones also.
See my note above about the white teflon lube.
I won't buy anything that has a price point.
Your money of course but if you're passing on Renowns for this reason you are missing out - BIG time.