I am based in good Old Europe and am never going to have the chance to waltz into your shop and carry out a fab drum kit ... but I so enjoy your videos. Informative, full of passion, good sprinkling of light humour... Just sourced myself some Meinl Pure alloy cymbals based on your extensive cymbal set reviews. Not disappointed, I am glad I spent all those hours going through your various shootout videos!
@@wyrlismike Yes you can, but we're all terrified of sales tax and import tax, as we have no idea how much that will be. In the UK all prices are inclusive of VAT (you call it sales tax) and the distributer has already sorted any import duties etc. So, the price advertised is what we actually pay. There are too many stories out there of people buying something from one of your excellent retailers (if I lived in New England, DCP would probably have taken out a restraining order against me by now!!) at what appeared to be an excellent price, only to end up paying hundreds more in hidden costs. As a result, we stick to our own. I will be visiting the East coast a few times in the coming years as my son is moving to NY for work, so I WILL be visiting DCP, even if I only end up buying a pair of sticks and a T-shirt!
I know setting up & breaking down kits all day can’t be a lot of fun, so I just wanted to leave a comment of appreciation to everyone at the Drum Store of Portsmouth who’s involved in making these great videos for us🫡
@@goldenageofdinosaurs7192 Especially upstairs...I bet it gets hot as a smelting furnace up there, in the summertime. True fact: You'll never see an overweight person working in a steel mill. The heat in those places just melts any extra flab right off...well, you'll sweat so much that it's basically the same thing. As part of my training in Mechanical Drafting, my trade school class visited a steel mill in Seattle and it was an eye opener. And a lung burner. And a nasal passage burner. And an eye burner. 😅.
It's all in the heavy die cast hoops Gretsch uses. You can buy generic die cast hoops of same weight and quality for a fraction of Gretsch price, install them on any drum kit and it'll sound just as good or even better than an inflated Gretsch. I'm a drum builder and restorer with connections to other drum builders and vintage cats, and the consensus across the board about Gretsch isn't rocket science to those who research beyond trying to be a stick chopper and brand tag fan.
@@DG-sf9ei Interesting, I have a set of gretsch marquees that have 2.3mm triple flanged hoops. They have a nice bright bite to them with clear 1 ply heads or a really warm punch sound with 2 ply heads. What sort of effect would die cast hoops have on them?
Glad you're showcasing George Ways here. I have a George Way kit and a few snares. The kit is the Tuxedo Acacia so different wood for the plies but the hardware is the same. I've never had any issues with tuning stability on the long tension rods. Ever. They are so very fun to play and the tuning range, even on the Tuxedo lugs, is outstanding. The bearing edges are top notch and you can go as low as you want to for head tension and still get good tones. Highly recommend these very high quality and affordable drums. They record like a dream like Tony said!
I wanted to hate that Roger’s kit at that price, but couldn’t deny just how good those sounded. It’s great to see them make a come back. I hope they don’t price themselves out of the market. And, ALL 3 of those snares sounded great. Then again, every snare in EVERY video sounds great. I still would love to see you guys do a really good, up-to-date, thorough tune-bot video on snare tuning. Great videos guys (as always)!
Listening on the studio speakers.... very subtle differences. George Way > Ludwig/Rogers (tie) > Gretsch. Makes me interested to learn more about George Way Aristocrat. Great video & thanks!
Excellent presentation guys, as always. It’s interesting to see how the trends come full circle. I still own my Slingerland kit I ordered in ‘73. 3ply (Maple, Poplar, mahogany) with maple re-rings. 13, 16, 24. I ordered them 13, 14, 16, 18, 24 with a 5x14 Krupa COB and now they’re back in vogue. Lol
Interesting that you have a 24" kick drum as Slingerland generally featured 20" kits in their catalogues (my first kit was a 1968 Slinger/Leedy 20, 12, 14 with a COB Shelly Manne snare (same shell as the Krupa "Sound King"). I also assume that your shell lay-up is from interior to exterior plies as my Slinger/Leedys were mahogany (outer), poplar (middle) and maple (inner), which Slingerland adopted in the early-mid 1960s (according to Vintage Drum Guide). The same source indicates that Slingerland continued to use mahogany in their outer ply for wrapped kits as the glue bonded better to the more porous mahogany. I might note that I'm currently using a modern/vintage Ludwig kit and have returned to a 20" Ludwig Legacy Mahogany kick drum teamed with 12' and 16" Classic Maple toms and on many occasions a 5.5 x 14 Krupa Sound King. I love my Ludwig snares, but I just can't get away from the sound of those old Shelly Manne and Sound King snares!
@@CactusJack-j1k very cool. For me, the catalog original config offering was 12, 13, 16, 22 & 5x14. My order went larger. Truthfully, I should’ve stayed with a 22. I’m 5’8” and with the 9x13 & 10x14 sitting on top of the 24” kick it was a bit of a stretch to get up to them. I’ve compensated by only using the 13 or the 14 on a single mount instead of the double mount. The single mount allows the tom to hang lower. So, in the end it worked out for me. Btw, my ‘73s are wrapped in their copper finish and they still look great after 35+ years of gigging. They are now relegated to the studio and only come out for special occasions.
Great job guys. Two things we can't hear/feel via video are the volume of each kit and feel under the hands and foot. So the best decision can be made when the drum is played and heard live.
You guys did an excellent job, once again. My take: Gretsch Broadcaster sounds the most unique; the other drums are maple/poplar, and your crew did such a good job tuning the drums to the same note that what we are basically hearing is the differences in bearing edges on those drums. I've owned Ludwig Legacy Classics, and I've also owned Gretsch USA Custom. The Ludwig comes closest to a vintage sound of all the kits because of the undersized shells. The Rogers sound surprisingly good. George Way, though, is the way to go (pun intended) if you don't have Ludwig or Gretsch kind of money. The Mod Orange is gorgeous, but Gretsch USA Custom Nitrocellulose lacquer finishes are in a world of their own.
I am a Ludwig lover. I'm totally with Tony in the end. I think there's something about split lug designs that allows for easier tuning. But man, that Rogers kit was surprising. I didn't realize they sounded that good!
That's because Roger's disappeared a long time ago and you may have never heard one back in their heyday. It's great to see them come back. And I'll tell you from experience of buying, selling, rebuilding, and performing live on drum kits for decades..... ROGER'S DOESN'T TAKE A BACKSEAT FROM ANY DRUM COMPANY. They were never over gloryfied with famous drummers in rock promoting their brand, tho Roger's proof was in the quality and sound.
@@DG-sf9ei It's interesting. Fortunately, I've owned a lot of Rogers. I've had prototype kits from the Cleveland era (one of 11 for dealers to showcase the "new" beavertail lugs) and "newer" Fullerton-era kits too. My favorite design is definitely the Cleveland era three-ply shell. It was so far ahead of its time. Later, I know Keller supplied most of those five-ply shells. The rumor is that they cost Rogers as little as 10 dollars a piece in the 60s, if you can believe that. Great shells, and I can definitely hear a similar character in the import drums they're making now. But that's where my hesitation lies - the import element. I know this drives the price down significantly, but because this is coming out of one of the two big hardware factories in the world, they're still slapping what are essentially generic hardware on these drums. Specifically, I'm disappointed in the bass drum spur design. If they were going to try and bring back the brand, then wouldn't they want to go the extra mile and try and improve and recreate some of those iconic Swivo mounts, spurs, and other parts? For me, so much of this comes back to the fine details. Rogers got the shells down. You can hear it. But I really wish they would've gotten the hardware down too so that we could see it and feel it and have that same functionality that drummers loved 60 years ago.
@@timbofromkenoThanks for all the info. Yeah I agree with the hardware needing updates since then. The 1970s Roger's kits were beasts as far as hardware mounts, alot of extra metal & weight, no doubt it was sturdy, tho almost overkill in weight when transporting. However to be fair about vintage drum kits up until around late 70s....none of the other major drum companies from back then had user friendly drum hardware mounting systems either, that all started to improve when the Japs Tama and Yamaha got into the market more with Omni ball system, Slingerland had something similar too ahead of the rest. My 1st real kit from the 1970s had that Slingerland ball mount that equally tilted both Tom's. Now I only use 1 rack tom, guess it's all preference including sound.
DCP product comparison videos are absolutely best-in-class. Well done, gentlemen. Very closely-matched comparison. Completely agree with the takeaway about George Way/Ludwig. If the Way had different lugs, it would be my favorite bar none.
I’m a Gretschman, but I have to admit that the George Way is maybe the best sounding with the all the mics on and without any other instrument. The attack and « whack » of Gretsch shells often make the difference when the entire band is playing. A giant thank you to the DCP team for your videos, the very best. Advice, humor, filming, producing, and the sound of course… everything is on the top level!!!
Thanks guys for really playing the drums and not just some continuous standard groove...you played each drum so we could really compare them. Nice sounds from each set....loved the big sound from the Ludwig and Rogers....was really amazed with the George Way set....very nice for the price....please let us know what Paiste cymbals you were playing...nice sound....Thanks for a great comparison video!
@@drumcenternh well darn I just checked it again and yep you came back to tell us about the cymbals....I signed off too quick... went back to the beginning to listen again.... Classic lol... thanks for letting me know....
DCP videos are top notch, so informative and yet always fun to watch with the humor. Thanks guys and keep up the great work! They all sounded great but I’m a Ludwig guy so I’d have to go with Ludwig but like I said, they all sounded great!
@drumcenternh I love your humor!😂 and everything you post is appreciated. Top notch tuning, mixing, demonstrating etc. Buuut… just one thing.. When doing the head to head please- DON’T FORGET TO TURN THE SNARE WIRES OFF! When demoing the tom’s. Thanks
My C&C kit has the same lug and rod design as the G. Way and they are rugged enough for any application and the tuning is perfect. In fact, it's easier to set up and do finger-tight tunings on the floor toms and the bass with longer lugs than it is with shorter ones. All these kits sounded great, with the Ludwig COB snare taking it.
@@topsyturvy5485 Agreed, as I bought them because I got tired of tuning issues with vintage Luds and Gretsch drums, even though I loved the sounds. C&C nails the vintage sounds but with flawless, modern shells that are so easy to tune without fuss.
You really can't beat the sound of those Ludwig drums. They really do make a great drum. That being said, I honestly thought all of the sets here sounded great. Nice job on the video.
I think the George Way kit sounded most consistent between the full mix and the room mics, and I liked those best during the head to head. I can imagine those long tension rods can make mounting a new head challenging since it seems it they (and the whole hoop) might shift off center. Keeping those perfectly straight can't be that easy, especially on the floor tom. Thanks for another great video!
Thank you for all the timenand effort you put into these reviews. I really like the more agressive attack on the Gretsch - especially the rack tom and bass drum. Second for me would be the Ludwig Legacy - it sounds a bit more open and warm. The George Wayvset was a pleasant surprise, but the floor tom lacked some bottom end in the comparison I think. It’s a good value set - but I would never take it to a gig with those center lugs and long lug screws.
Excellent video, thank you. The George Way kit has a lot of similarities to the vintage Ludwig Clubdates. Sometimes less hardware is just what you need in certain situations. Cheers.
I really love me some Gretsch but you were definitely feeling it when you played the George Way. Super fun. I obviously have my 2 faves but all four of these are fantastic. I also like the Ludwig Snare.
I’m with you guys; I loved the sound of the George Way kit, but I am a heavy hitter and would be tuning it constantly, I’m afraid. Ludwig has a heavy duty quality that stands out from the crowd, and the sound is right there also. So for me, either the George Way Aristocrat series or the Ludwig. Great video as always.
All of those kits are great to my ears. Small differences in sound, but they are definitely noticeable. Best snares were the ludwig and the george way. Those cymbals were sweet!
They’re all great sounding kits. It has to be said, the playing was outstanding throughout this video. Gretsch would get the nod from me with Rogers being a close second. That Ludwig snare was great too.
All great kits, but I would go with the Gretsch. The softer, more rounded sound is just picked up better by the microphones as well (they are less "jumpscared" when a tom is hit, in a way). I guess that's why most sound technicians still prefer Gretsch drums for studio recordings? They just record better, a fuller sound because they are not as loud. When it comes to the snares I preferred the "pop" of the Ludwig COB though. I have a Gretsch USA Chrome over Brass myself and those are always great snares with a nice, sharp attack.
Those George Way drums most definitely caught my interest. I’m wondering if the lack of hardware helped them ring and resonate just a bit more than the other kits. Additionally, I can only say that I too must have a bass drum that speaks back to me. It’s the first thing I do when I’m playing a room, put up the kick drum put the pedal on it and give it a thump. It tells me everything about the room and the way my drums are going to sound that gig. My Gretsch Brooklyn’s from DCP are still my all-time favorite kit out of the four that I own. But dang those George Way drums have got me thinking! Love your videos! :)
I'm loving the new product offerings from Rogers, including the drums and hardware. I still own an early 70's Rogers Powertone kit, and it sounds so great. Much more fun to play than my newer drums--even when compared to my high-end Tama Starclassic and Ludwig Classic Maple kits.
The George Way sounds kinda like a classic maple Ludwig 🤔 kinda? They all sound great for sure! I wish I could get my Remo Ambassadors to sound that good ✌️ Great job as always!
As the owner of a Gretsch Broadkaster, I've always been crazy satisfied just tuning them up to a medium tuning with coated Remo Ambassadors on the toms, can't go wrong! That being said, this video might have convinced me to pick up a Ludwig Legacy in the future too LOL
Ludwig all the way!!! Just like my first 1966 King Beat set in white marine pearl!! Pat Travers sound man, said it was the best sounding kit he ever miked up!! 3ply mahogany with reinforced rings!! Damn!! Why did I sell those in 1985!!!! lol… miss those baby’s!
ALL great kits! ***CLOSED-EYE LISTENING TEST*** BEST SMALL TOM: Gretsch BEST FLOOR TOM: It's a draw BEST KICK: Gretsch BEST SNARE: Ludwig I'd take any one of them on a gig, but if I had to pick one kit, it's Gretsch. Their snare was my second pick, so it's the winner for me, in terms of looks too. 🥰 Great video again guys!
Love Ludwig, Rogers and Gretsch drums. The George Way surprised in sound - the GW snare just 'cracked'... Not a bad pick in any of these. Of these, I'm going Rogers Cleveland in Purple Diamond Pearl - freaking beautiful. Speaking of 'surprised', really surprised the Sonor Vintage set didn't make this comparison vid. Love it in the Rosewood Semi-gloss.
Thank you for the great work you put into this video. Great job guys.I would buy the Geo way kit.,they sound great, laquer finish is stunning,and may I add,the hardware lugs are triple A chrome plated.Great kit, especially for the money.,pretty hard to beat.!!!!
All the kits looked and sounded great! I wonder how well the Geo. H. Way hold their tuning. In these sound comparisons, like you, I generally pick the Ludwig’s. Is that because it is the sound we grew up with or do they really sound better? To my ears Ludwig’s just sit better in the mix compared to other brands.
I love the head 2 head portion of these videos. You could really hear the sound differences in each kit. Like Tony and Adam, I'd probably buy the Ludwig kit, but that Rogers kit was pretty on looks and sound. Really liked their snare drum. Another great video from DCP.
When a kid, some 65-70 years ago, I played Slingerland in middle and high school.. always looked forward to getting Ludwig. The top of the heap (best U.S.) I always wanted was Gretsch. Then along came the Japanese stuff - most excellent, but left U.S. kits in the dust because all the kids now wanted the "new" Japanese gear.
They all sound great , but the Gretsch Broadkaster is the most vintage and overall best sound especially for recording., and the Bass drum …. Thanks for doing this video . The Gretsch also has internal mufflers available
Your welcome, you guys make great videos . I plan to make a visit to your shop hopefully before the winter sets in. Living in upstate NY the winters are long too.
Thr more I watch this channel the more I realize that there is very little differences in kicks and toms. Makes me realize I have been correct focusing on my snare(black beauty), my kick pedal, and cymbals….and of course what they look like
I love the wide open sound. Especially the bass drum. The Rogers kick drum sounds HUGEEE. They all sound great but I'd probably go with the Rogers kit.....just not that finish. 🙂
Great stuff as always gents! I’ve got a bunch of George way snares and they’re amazing. Lil detail question: did you tune the 12” gretsch down or tuned the other 13” toms up? Thanks again for all the killer content! 🙏🏼🤟🏼
Absolutely love the sound of vintage drums. Here the Ludwig had more low end in my opinion so it wins for me. I wouldn’t have painted it white though but that’s just me. Love Gretsch also but not a fan of the silver and wish they had an option for clear. Thanks for the Demo always excellent.
The Gretsch kit was good. Toms were ok, but the kick really stood out. The Ludwig sounded great across the board. Not sure how I like the Ludwig kick versus the Gretsch. May be a toss up. I was impressed with the details mentioned about the Rogers drums. Really dig the Rogers snare (not in comparison to the others, just in general). Rogers kick drum was on par with the first two. With the Geo. Way kit, I wish I could have heard it before all the talk. My expectations were really lowered and I think I may have had a prejudice. In the head to head, the floors seemed pretty consistent. The Gretsch kick drum sounded higher pitched than the rest, certainly missing some low end rumble. I really didn't consider the snares as they weren't all matching the shell sets. Over all, if budget wasn't of concern, the Ludwig would be my choice. In a pinch, the Geo. Way was ample. Great video.
Another great comparison by DCP! The Gretsch was definitely outclassed by the other three: the toms sounded thin and papery and the bass drum had no 'oomph' whatsoever. (Listening on Klipsch Cornwall 15" 3-ways.) When I owned a Gretsch USA kit from '84 to '95 I found the same exact thing, which is why I switched to Ludwig in 1990. In your comparison the Ludwig bass drum was the definite winner, although the Rogers and Geo. Way were also very good. I agree about hearing the Rogers' sound 'jumping out' at you more than the other three. I'm a Dyna-Sonic owner and that SuperTen snare sounded surprisingly good to me. A good set of hard cases would make the Geo Way kit roadworthy; without cases those long tension rods will wind up bent in short order (ask me how I know).
Rogers now owned by Yamaha. It's almost same story with Premier (and KORG; then they buyback). So, there is added modern manifacturing to Rogers drum like Premier?
I'd love to compare these in a mix. At first, I didn't the Gretsch as much as I expected to, and I started thinking that maybe the essential Broadkaster tone is with giant drums, but on second listen, I think that the Broadkasters and Tuxedo sound the most spacious and biggest in the mix because of the way their mids cut through. The Ludwig has such a classic sound, and the kick sounded huge, but I don't think that the floor tom sounded as good as the other sets. Could have been tuning. The Rogers sounded a lot like the Ludwig, but with a slightly lower center of gravity. I liked their authority and their lows. They sound like they're made for rock. The George Way kit sounded the best to me. It had some of the pungent old-school mids of the Broadkaster, with some of the authority of the Ludwig and Rogers. Club Date-style sets look cool and sound cool. And that green is an exceptionally cool color. I'd go for the George Way or the Rogers because they have the most distinct personalities.
Spot on with the Ludwig tuning feel. I've been playing mine for 24 years. When using another kit whether it be a backline or someone else's, that's the first thing I notice about the drums is how the tuning lugs feel. The same thing on guitar tuners. Makes a huge difference. Also as a side note, I feel quality control has gone downhill. My local drum shop had a $3000 DW kit with flawed chrome hoops. For that kind of dough everything on a kit should be flawless. If I worked there those hoops would have been sent back to the manufacturer.
Matching snares should have been used on all kits, to give prospective buyers a chance to hear them with the rest of the drums.. What was the Ludwig snare..? Great demonstration.
I own a George Way walnut tuxedo kit and a broadkaster kit in the exact sizes and finish in this vid. If I was to part with one of these kits it would be the broadkaster. its good, but there is something about the GHW kit that I don't ever want to part with. its like owning a beautiful piece of art. It's pretty near perfect in my opinion
I am based in good Old Europe and am never going to have the chance to waltz into your shop and carry out a fab drum kit ... but I so enjoy your videos. Informative, full of passion, good sprinkling of light humour... Just sourced myself some Meinl Pure alloy cymbals based on your extensive cymbal set reviews. Not disappointed, I am glad I spent all those hours going through your various shootout videos!
You can buy from them online you know
@@wyrlismike Yes you can, but we're all terrified of sales tax and import tax, as we have no idea how much that will be. In the UK all prices are inclusive of VAT (you call it sales tax) and the distributer has already sorted any import duties etc. So, the price advertised is what we actually pay. There are too many stories out there of people buying something from one of your excellent retailers (if I lived in New England, DCP would probably have taken out a restraining order against me by now!!) at what appeared to be an excellent price, only to end up paying hundreds more in hidden costs. As a result, we stick to our own. I will be visiting the East coast a few times in the coming years as my son is moving to NY for work, so I WILL be visiting DCP, even if I only end up buying a pair of sticks and a T-shirt!
"Down in my plumbs" will live on forever as the only way to judge a bass drum. I love the inserts you guys put together. Great sense of humour!!
Maybe a limited run of shirts is in order...
@@drumcenternh At least. I was thinking a special run wrap. "Down in my plumbs" burgandy sparkle...only available with a 26" kick
I know setting up & breaking down kits all day can’t be a lot of fun, so I just wanted to leave a comment of appreciation to everyone at the Drum Store of Portsmouth who’s involved in making these great videos for us🫡
It's a labor of love, thanks for noticing!
@@goldenageofdinosaurs7192 Especially upstairs...I bet it gets hot as a smelting furnace up there, in the summertime. True fact: You'll never see an overweight person working in a steel mill. The heat in those places just melts any extra flab right off...well, you'll sweat so much that it's basically the same thing. As part of my training in Mechanical Drafting, my trade school class visited a steel mill in Seattle and it was an eye opener. And a lung burner. And a nasal passage burner. And an eye burner. 😅.
Don't suppose you'd rather set up drum kits in a heated/cooled facility than climb the telephone poles and work 14'000 volt lines that feed it huh?
@@TempoDrift1480lol the ridiculousness in going, “but my job is harder.” Is a fuckin joke. Grow up. No one makes you do that gig.
@@drumcenternh Yeah - you guys do good stuff!
Broadkasters are an absolute joy to listen to!!
It's all in the heavy die cast hoops Gretsch uses. You can buy generic die cast hoops of same weight and quality for a fraction of Gretsch price, install them on any drum kit and it'll sound just as good or even better than an inflated Gretsch. I'm a drum builder and restorer with connections to other drum builders and vintage cats, and the consensus across the board about Gretsch isn't rocket science to those who research beyond trying to be a stick chopper and brand tag fan.
@@DG-sf9eium, those 302 hoops, not die cast🤦♂️🙄
@@DG-sf9ei Interesting, I have a set of gretsch marquees that have 2.3mm triple flanged hoops. They have a nice bright bite to them with clear 1 ply heads or a really warm punch sound with 2 ply heads. What sort of effect would die cast hoops have on them?
@@DG-sf9ei do you feel like the 30 degrees bearing edge would also contribute to recreating the gretsch sound?
WOW! They all sound great but I love the way the broadcaster kit sounds overall especially the snare!
Yeah, they are great for sure!
Glad you're showcasing George Ways here. I have a George Way kit and a few snares. The kit is the Tuxedo Acacia so different wood for the plies but the hardware is the same. I've never had any issues with tuning stability on the long tension rods. Ever. They are so very fun to play and the tuning range, even on the Tuxedo lugs, is outstanding. The bearing edges are top notch and you can go as low as you want to for head tension and still get good tones. Highly recommend these very high quality and affordable drums. They record like a dream like Tony said!
I wanted to hate that Roger’s kit at that price, but couldn’t deny just how good those sounded. It’s great to see them make a come back. I hope they don’t price themselves out of the market. And, ALL 3 of those snares sounded great. Then again, every snare in EVERY video sounds great. I still would love to see you guys do a really good, up-to-date, thorough tune-bot video on snare tuning. Great videos guys (as always)!
Finally, a classic DCP video in my timeline again! Can't wait to visit your store in October!
Good to be back and glad you liked! See you then!
Listening on the studio speakers.... very subtle differences. George Way > Ludwig/Rogers (tie) > Gretsch. Makes me interested to learn more about George Way Aristocrat. Great video & thanks!
Rogers sounded great.
Excellent presentation guys, as always. It’s interesting to see how the trends come full circle. I still own my Slingerland kit I ordered in ‘73. 3ply (Maple, Poplar, mahogany) with maple re-rings. 13, 16, 24. I ordered them 13, 14, 16, 18, 24 with a 5x14 Krupa COB and now they’re back in vogue. Lol
Interesting that you have a 24" kick drum as Slingerland generally featured 20" kits in their catalogues (my first kit was a 1968 Slinger/Leedy 20, 12, 14 with a COB Shelly Manne snare (same shell as the Krupa "Sound King"). I also assume that your shell lay-up is from interior to exterior plies as my Slinger/Leedys were mahogany (outer), poplar (middle) and maple (inner), which Slingerland adopted in the early-mid 1960s (according to Vintage Drum Guide). The same source indicates that Slingerland continued to use mahogany in their outer ply for wrapped kits as the glue bonded better to the more porous mahogany. I might note that I'm currently using a modern/vintage Ludwig kit and have returned to a 20" Ludwig Legacy Mahogany kick drum teamed with 12' and 16" Classic Maple toms and on many occasions a 5.5 x 14 Krupa Sound King. I love my Ludwig snares, but I just can't get away from the sound of those old Shelly Manne and Sound King snares!
@@CactusJack-j1k very cool. For me, the catalog original config offering was 12, 13, 16, 22 & 5x14. My order went larger. Truthfully, I should’ve stayed with a 22. I’m 5’8” and with the 9x13 & 10x14 sitting on top of the 24” kick it was a bit of a stretch to get up to them. I’ve compensated by only using the 13 or the 14 on a single mount instead of the double mount. The single mount allows the tom to hang lower. So, in the end it worked out for me. Btw, my ‘73s are wrapped in their copper finish and they still look great after 35+ years of gigging. They are now relegated to the studio and only come out for special occasions.
Brother Tony did the triple double take on himself when he clicked his sticks on the floor tom at 10:53 - You were like "what the" - Love you guys!!
Sure did... doing it live!
Great job guys. Two things we can't hear/feel via video are the volume of each kit and feel under the hands and foot. So the best decision can be made when the drum is played and heard live.
Thanks! I did my best to describe how they felt while playing, but that is hard to explain just using words.
You guys did an excellent job, once again. My take: Gretsch Broadcaster sounds the most unique; the other drums are maple/poplar, and your crew did such a good job tuning the drums to the same note that what we are basically hearing is the differences in bearing edges on those drums. I've owned Ludwig Legacy Classics, and I've also owned Gretsch USA Custom. The Ludwig comes closest to a vintage sound of all the kits because of the undersized shells. The Rogers sound surprisingly good. George Way, though, is the way to go (pun intended) if you don't have Ludwig or Gretsch kind of money. The Mod Orange is gorgeous, but Gretsch USA Custom Nitrocellulose lacquer finishes are in a world of their own.
Thank you!!
All sounded great. My choices would be Ludwig/GWAY/Rogers/Gretsch.
I am a Ludwig lover. I'm totally with Tony in the end. I think there's something about split lug designs that allows for easier tuning. But man, that Rogers kit was surprising. I didn't realize they sounded that good!
🤘🤘
That's because Roger's disappeared a long time ago and you may have never heard one back in their heyday. It's great to see them come back. And I'll tell you from experience of buying, selling, rebuilding, and performing live on drum kits for decades..... ROGER'S DOESN'T TAKE A BACKSEAT FROM ANY DRUM COMPANY. They were never over gloryfied with famous drummers in rock promoting their brand, tho Roger's proof was in the quality and sound.
@@DG-sf9ei It's interesting. Fortunately, I've owned a lot of Rogers. I've had prototype kits from the Cleveland era (one of 11 for dealers to showcase the "new" beavertail lugs) and "newer" Fullerton-era kits too. My favorite design is definitely the Cleveland era three-ply shell. It was so far ahead of its time.
Later, I know Keller supplied most of those five-ply shells. The rumor is that they cost Rogers as little as 10 dollars a piece in the 60s, if you can believe that. Great shells, and I can definitely hear a similar character in the import drums they're making now.
But that's where my hesitation lies - the import element. I know this drives the price down significantly, but because this is coming out of one of the two big hardware factories in the world, they're still slapping what are essentially generic hardware on these drums. Specifically, I'm disappointed in the bass drum spur design. If they were going to try and bring back the brand, then wouldn't they want to go the extra mile and try and improve and recreate some of those iconic Swivo mounts, spurs, and other parts?
For me, so much of this comes back to the fine details. Rogers got the shells down. You can hear it. But I really wish they would've gotten the hardware down too so that we could see it and feel it and have that same functionality that drummers loved 60 years ago.
@@timbofromkenoThanks for all the info. Yeah I agree with the hardware needing updates since then. The 1970s Roger's kits were beasts as far as hardware mounts, alot of extra metal & weight, no doubt it was sturdy, tho almost overkill in weight when transporting. However to be fair about vintage drum kits up until around late 70s....none of the other major drum companies from back then had user friendly drum hardware mounting systems either, that all started to improve when the Japs Tama and Yamaha got into the market more with Omni ball system, Slingerland had something similar too ahead of the rest. My 1st real kit from the 1970s had that Slingerland ball mount that equally tilted both Tom's. Now I only use 1 rack tom, guess it's all preference including sound.
@@timbofromkeno I feel the same way. This is the exact reason for my hesitancy in buying any new Rogers kits.
DCP product comparison videos are absolutely best-in-class. Well done, gentlemen. Very closely-matched comparison. Completely agree with the takeaway about George Way/Ludwig. If the Way had different lugs, it would be my favorite bar none.
Thanks so much!
🤘❤️🤘
I’m a Gretschman, but I have to admit that the George Way is maybe the best sounding with the all the mics on and without any other instrument. The attack and « whack » of Gretsch shells often make the difference when the entire band is playing. A giant thank you to the DCP team for your videos, the very best. Advice, humor, filming, producing, and the sound of course… everything is on the top level!!!
I'm a Gretchman!
Wait...
Good to see the tune bot settings again. I miss the days when they were posted on every review. Love this channel!
Thanks guys for really playing the drums and not just some continuous standard groove...you played each drum so we could really compare them. Nice sounds from each set....loved the big sound from the Ludwig and Rogers....was really amazed with the George Way set....very nice for the price....please let us know what Paiste cymbals you were playing...nice sound....Thanks for a great comparison video!
Thanks for all the kind words! At the very end of the video we tell you what all the cymbals are.
@@drumcenternh well darn I just checked it again and yep you came back to tell us about the cymbals....I signed off too quick... went back to the beginning to listen again.... Classic lol... thanks for letting me know....
DCP videos are top notch, so informative and yet always fun to watch with the humor. Thanks guys and keep up the great work! They all sounded great but I’m a Ludwig guy so I’d have to go with Ludwig but like I said, they all sounded great!
Thanks so much!!
@drumcenternh
I love your humor!😂 and everything you post is appreciated. Top notch tuning, mixing, demonstrating etc. Buuut… just one thing..
When doing the head to head please- DON’T FORGET TO TURN THE SNARE WIRES OFF! When demoing the tom’s. Thanks
Great work, guys!
Thank you, Kirk!
My C&C kit has the same lug and rod design as the G. Way and they are rugged enough for any application and the tuning is perfect. In fact, it's easier to set up and do finger-tight tunings on the floor toms and the bass with longer lugs than it is with shorter ones. All these kits sounded great, with the Ludwig COB snare taking it.
@@FAKusch Really surprised they didn’t include a C&C in this comparison.
@@topsyturvy5485 Agreed, as I bought them because I got tired of tuning issues with vintage Luds and Gretsch drums, even though I loved the sounds. C&C nails the vintage sounds but with flawless, modern shells that are so easy to tune without fuss.
You really can't beat the sound of those Ludwig drums. They really do make a great drum. That being said, I honestly thought all of the sets here sounded great. Nice job on the video.
Couldn't agree more, thank you!
Thank you for sharing tune bot settings!
You got it, Brent!
I think the George Way kit sounded most consistent between the full mix and the room mics, and I liked those best during the head to head. I can imagine those long tension rods can make mounting a new head challenging since it seems it they (and the whole hoop) might shift off center. Keeping those perfectly straight can't be that easy, especially on the floor tom.
Thanks for another great video!
Thanks gentlemen! Love them all! I’d take the Ludwig as well
Thank you for all the timenand effort you put into these reviews.
I really like the more agressive attack on the Gretsch - especially the rack tom and bass drum. Second for me would be the Ludwig Legacy - it sounds a bit more open and warm.
The George Wayvset was a pleasant surprise, but the floor tom lacked some bottom end in the comparison I think. It’s a good value set - but I would never take it to a gig with those center lugs and long lug screws.
Thank you for watching and supporting us!
Excellent video, thank you. The George Way kit has a lot of similarities to the vintage Ludwig Clubdates. Sometimes less hardware is just what you need in certain situations. Cheers.
Another great video, thx. Excellent comparisons.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Watching the Mod Orange Ludwig section, I would dearly love to see Tony dressed up as a young Bun E. Carlos.
I second that comment.
A missed opportunity on my part. Accept my apologies!
It's OK. We just wanted you to get hundreds of teenage Japanese girls screaming, "Tony!! Tony!!!" 🙃
All the motivation I need for the future!
killer vid, thanks guys!
Thank you, Julian!
Ludwig was my favorite. Also really liked the Rogers.
I really love me some Gretsch but you were definitely feeling it when you played the George Way. Super fun. I obviously have my 2 faves but all four of these are fantastic. I also like the Ludwig Snare.
Sounds similar, But with a different feeling for each medium they would be playing. AWESOME JOB THANKS
Thanks for watching!
I’m with you guys; I loved the sound of the George Way kit, but I am a heavy hitter and would be tuning it constantly, I’m afraid. Ludwig has a heavy duty quality that stands out from the crowd, and the sound is right there also. So for me, either the George Way Aristocrat series or the Ludwig. Great video as always.
All of those kits are great to my ears. Small differences in sound, but they are definitely noticeable. Best snares were the ludwig and the george way. Those cymbals were sweet!
Thanks and I know... those Paistes were PERFECT!
Such a great video! Thank you for putting this together!
They’re all great sounding kits. It has to be said, the playing was outstanding throughout this video. Gretsch would get the nod from me with Rogers being a close second. That Ludwig snare was great too.
Thank you! 🙏
Well done! Nice to see the Classic American drums representing so well!
All great kits, but I would go with the Gretsch. The softer, more rounded sound is just picked up better by the microphones as well (they are less "jumpscared" when a tom is hit, in a way). I guess that's why most sound technicians still prefer Gretsch drums for studio recordings? They just record better, a fuller sound because they are not as loud. When it comes to the snares I preferred the "pop" of the Ludwig COB though. I have a Gretsch USA Chrome over Brass myself and those are always great snares with a nice, sharp attack.
Those George Way drums most definitely caught my interest. I’m wondering if the lack of hardware helped them ring and resonate just a bit more than the other kits. Additionally, I can only say that I too must have a bass drum that speaks back to me. It’s the first thing I do when I’m playing a room, put up the kick drum put the pedal on it and give it a thump. It tells me everything about the room and the way my drums are going to sound that gig. My Gretsch Brooklyn’s from DCP are still my all-time favorite kit out of the four that I own. But dang those George Way drums have got me thinking! Love your videos! :)
I know... they have a few of us thinking right now too!
@@drumcenternh those Aristocrats are stunning, I gotta stop opening your Friday fills emails!! 🤣
Ludwig all the way! Those toms and bass drum sound amazing, also the best sounding snare drum. Imo of course.
I'm loving the new product offerings from Rogers, including the drums and hardware. I still own an early 70's Rogers Powertone kit, and it sounds so great. Much more fun to play than my newer drums--even when compared to my high-end Tama Starclassic and Ludwig Classic Maple kits.
The George Way sounds kinda like a classic maple Ludwig 🤔 kinda? They all sound great for sure! I wish I could get my Remo Ambassadors to sound that good ✌️ Great job as always!
As the owner of a Gretsch Broadkaster, I've always been crazy satisfied just tuning them up to a medium tuning with coated Remo Ambassadors on the toms, can't go wrong! That being said, this video might have convinced me to pick up a Ludwig Legacy in the future too LOL
Haha oops! Can't go wrong with either.
Ludwig all the way!!! Just like my first 1966 King Beat set in white marine pearl!! Pat Travers sound man, said it was the best sounding kit he ever miked up!! 3ply mahogany with reinforced rings!! Damn!! Why did I sell those in 1985!!!! lol… miss those baby’s!
Huge love for those Paiste cymbals with the Gretsch Broadkaster kit.
Right? A great combo!
ALL great kits! ***CLOSED-EYE LISTENING TEST*** BEST SMALL TOM: Gretsch BEST FLOOR TOM: It's a draw BEST KICK: Gretsch BEST SNARE: Ludwig
I'd take any one of them on a gig, but if I had to pick one kit, it's Gretsch. Their snare was my second pick, so it's the winner for me, in terms of looks too. 🥰 Great video again guys!
They all sound amazing! At the of the day best deal will win!
Love Ludwig, Rogers and Gretsch drums. The George Way surprised in sound - the GW snare just 'cracked'... Not a bad pick in any of these.
Of these, I'm going Rogers Cleveland in Purple Diamond Pearl - freaking beautiful.
Speaking of 'surprised', really surprised the Sonor Vintage set didn't make this comparison vid. Love it in the Rosewood Semi-gloss.
Thanks and glad you enjoyed it! The Sonor Vintage kit is great, just not a maple/poplar shell like the rest in the comparison.
Thank you for the great work you put into this video. Great job guys.I would buy the Geo way kit.,they sound great, laquer finish is stunning,and may I add,the hardware lugs are triple A chrome plated.Great kit, especially for the money.,pretty hard to beat.!!!!
Thanks for watching!
I have a GW tuxedo kit in same color and it looks, feels, and sounds amazing!
All the kits looked and sounded great! I wonder how well the Geo. H. Way hold their tuning. In these sound comparisons, like you, I generally pick the Ludwig’s. Is that because it is the sound we grew up with or do they really sound better? To my ears Ludwig’s just sit better in the mix compared to other brands.
George Way green finish is gorgeous.
Oh man those Rogers are a beauty!
I love the head 2 head portion of these videos. You could really hear the sound differences in each kit. Like Tony and Adam, I'd probably buy the Ludwig kit, but that Rogers kit was pretty on looks and sound. Really liked their snare drum. Another great video from DCP.
Thanks so much Dan!
George Way - interesting set!
guys, beautifully made video, thank you! :)
Glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
Lifelong Ludwig guy here ! But , they all sounded great.
When a kid, some 65-70 years ago, I played Slingerland in middle and high school.. always looked forward to getting Ludwig. The top of the heap (best U.S.) I always wanted was Gretsch. Then along came the Japanese stuff - most excellent, but left U.S. kits in the dust because all the kids now wanted the "new" Japanese gear.
Definition of TOP SHELF!! DCP 💯
🙌❤️🤘
I greatly appreciate the Nasty Nate cameo @12:44.
The "come abuse our E-drums sign." Is pretty boss level stuff!
😎
They all sound great , but the Gretsch Broadkaster is the most vintage and overall best sound especially for recording., and the Bass drum …. Thanks for doing this video . The Gretsch also has internal mufflers available
Thanks and good feedback!
Your welcome, you guys make great videos . I plan to make a visit to your shop hopefully before the winter sets in. Living in upstate NY the winters are long too.
Thr more I watch this channel the more I realize that there is very little differences in kicks and toms. Makes me realize I have been correct focusing on my snare(black beauty), my kick pedal, and cymbals….and of course what they look like
It was a no-brainer for me the George way kit
George Way drums sounded nice and warm and had a nice ring to them.
Four awesome kits.
I love the wide open sound. Especially the bass drum. The Rogers kick drum sounds HUGEEE. They all sound great but I'd probably go with the Rogers kit.....just not that finish. 🙂
I’m a big fan of open bass drums. Such a great boom to them!
Rheameaux is going to be my next Canadian art rock band name. You heard it here.
Great stuff as always gents! I’ve got a bunch of George way snares and they’re amazing.
Lil detail question: did you tune the 12” gretsch down or tuned the other 13” toms up?
Thanks again for all the killer content! 🙏🏼🤟🏼
Great drums! All drums were tuned the same frequency wise top and bottom using the Tune Bot. Here is where we landed: Top 208Hz Bottom 236Hz
@@drumcenternh thanks fellas!
Absolutely love the sound of vintage drums. Here the Ludwig had more low end in my opinion so it wins for me.
I wouldn’t have painted it white though but that’s just me.
Love Gretsch also but not a fan of the silver and wish they had an option for clear.
Thanks for the Demo always excellent.
A pity you didn't have a Sonor vintage. Thank you for the content and effort.
I hoped there would be a Slingerland set in there as well. Would have been cool to hear it.
Not currently available, maybe someday...
They all sound great but as usual for me give me the Gretsch with the Ludwig snare.
The Gretsch kit was good. Toms were ok, but the kick really stood out. The Ludwig sounded great across the board. Not sure how I like the Ludwig kick versus the Gretsch. May be a toss up. I was impressed with the details mentioned about the Rogers drums. Really dig the Rogers snare (not in comparison to the others, just in general). Rogers kick drum was on par with the first two. With the Geo. Way kit, I wish I could have heard it before all the talk. My expectations were really lowered and I think I may have had a prejudice. In the head to head, the floors seemed pretty consistent. The Gretsch kick drum sounded higher pitched than the rest, certainly missing some low end rumble. I really didn't consider the snares as they weren't all matching the shell sets. Over all, if budget wasn't of concern, the Ludwig would be my choice. In a pinch, the Geo. Way was ample. Great video.
That Broadkaster FTW. The 12" tom helps.
I would love for yall to review Natal's Zenith series if possible. All 3 of these sounded great!
You guys should do a battle of the Acrylic kits.
Another great comparison by DCP! The Gretsch was definitely outclassed by the other three: the toms sounded thin and papery and the bass drum had no 'oomph' whatsoever. (Listening on Klipsch Cornwall 15" 3-ways.) When I owned a Gretsch USA kit from '84 to '95 I found the same exact thing, which is why I switched to Ludwig in 1990. In your comparison the Ludwig bass drum was the definite winner, although the Rogers and Geo. Way were also very good. I agree about hearing the Rogers' sound 'jumping out' at you more than the other three. I'm a Dyna-Sonic owner and that SuperTen snare sounded surprisingly good to me. A good set of hard cases would make the Geo Way kit roadworthy; without cases those long tension rods will wind up bent in short order (ask me how I know).
Thanks for watch and glad you enjoyed it!
George way all day and half the price. Great review
I looooove that Mod Orange!
The George Way really impressed me
It impressed all of us as well!
Rogers now owned by Yamaha. It's almost same story with Premier (and KORG; then they buyback). So, there is added modern manifacturing to Rogers drum like Premier?
I would like to see something from Pearl. As they have one for sure that would be in this class.
I'd love to compare these in a mix. At first, I didn't the Gretsch as much as I expected to, and I started thinking that maybe the essential Broadkaster tone is with giant drums, but on second listen, I think that the Broadkasters and Tuxedo sound the most spacious and biggest in the mix because of the way their mids cut through.
The Ludwig has such a classic sound, and the kick sounded huge, but I don't think that the floor tom sounded as good as the other sets. Could have been tuning.
The Rogers sounded a lot like the Ludwig, but with a slightly lower center of gravity. I liked their authority and their lows. They sound like they're made for rock.
The George Way kit sounded the best to me. It had some of the pungent old-school mids of the Broadkaster, with some of the authority of the Ludwig and Rogers. Club Date-style sets look cool and sound cool. And that green is an exceptionally cool color.
I'd go for the George Way or the Rogers because they have the most distinct personalities.
That Ludwig was gorgeous.
All are good, maybe the Ludwig edges out the others but I'd buy all 4 of them.
I liked the Geo Way kit the best. Crazy that it's 1/2 the price.
Hard to argue with the value that kit is bringing to the table!
Spot on with the Ludwig tuning feel. I've been playing mine for 24 years. When using another kit whether it be a backline or someone else's, that's the first thing I notice about the drums is how the tuning lugs feel. The same thing on guitar tuners. Makes a huge difference. Also as a side note, I feel quality control has gone downhill. My local drum shop had a $3000 DW kit with flawed chrome hoops. For that kind of dough everything on a kit should be flawless. If I worked there those hoops would have been sent back to the manufacturer.
Matching snares should have been used on all kits, to give prospective buyers a chance to hear them with the rest of the drums..
What was the Ludwig snare..?
Great demonstration.
Not in stock. It is what it is. Snare is supraluxe, in video and description
Have you guys heard of Baltimore drum co?
Do you guys eq and compress the drums on these videos, the sound is great
I own a George Way walnut tuxedo kit and a broadkaster kit in the exact sizes and finish in this vid. If I was to part with one of these kits it would be the broadkaster. its good, but there is something about the GHW kit that I don't ever want to part with. its like owning a beautiful piece of art. It's pretty near perfect in my opinion
The George Way kits have a feel and vibe to them that is pretty hard to beat!
Proud owner of a Rogers Covington kit 2020
Wow! The sound of the Broadkaster set blew me away!!!!
Ludwig Legacy Maple bass drum ❤❤
These are all cool in their way, but I'd be hard pressed to give up my Sakae Trilogy set for one of them.
With respect…what about. Canopus’ NV series?
I don’t know why - it really doesn’t matter - but my heart broke into a thousand pieces when he sharpied on that blank head lol
A worthy sacrifice.