Downbeat Drum Set Battle | 20 Inch Bass Drum Comparison
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- Опубліковано 30 чер 2024
- In our latest over-engineered comparison, we get down with some downbeat configuration drum sets. Which is best? You tell us! If you'd like to buy any of these drums or cymbals, the links are just below the chapter selection.
Chapters
00:00 - Intro
02:19 - Gretsch Brooklyn
03:16 - Gretsch Demo (John Funk)
04:38 - Tama Starclassic WB
05:38 - Tama Demo (Anthony)
07:12 - Ludwig Classic Maple
08:12 - Ludwig Demo (Max)
09:41 - Mapex Saturn Evo Hybrid
11:12 - Mapex Demo (Jayme)
12:41 - New Meinl Cymbals
13:20 - Head 2 Head Comparison
Drum Sets Featured:
Gretsch Brooklyn 4pc Drum Set Vintage Oyster White - DCP Exclusive!
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/GB-E404-VOW
Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch 3pc Drum Set W/20BD Molten Dark Raspberry Fade
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/WBS30RSMDR
Ludwig Classic Maple 3pc "Hepkat" Drum Set Glacier Blue
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/LUDCM-203-GB
Mapex Saturn Evolution Hybrid Straight Ahead 3 Drum Set Without Snare - 20/ 12/14 - Tuscan Red
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/SE401XHBPA
Snares:
Gretsch USA Custom 2mm Copper Snare Drum 14x6.5
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/G4164C2
Tama Starphonic Maple Limited Edition Snare Drum
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/PFM145EFM
Ludwig Supraphonic Raw Bronze Snare Drum 14x5 W/Tube Lugs
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/LB550RT
Mapex Black Panther Design Lab 14x6 Jeff Hamilton Snare Drum - "Maximus"
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/BPDLMH4600LPB
Cymbals
Meinl Pure Alloy Custom Extra Thin Hammered Hi Hat Cymbals 15"
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/PAC15ETHH
Meinl Pure Alloy Custom Extra Thin Hammered Crash Cymbal 16"
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/PAC16ETHC
Meinl Pure Alloy Custom Extra Thin Hammered Crash Cymbal 20"
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/PAC20ETHC
Meinl Pure Alloy Custom Medium Thin Ride Cymbal 22
Available for purchase here: buydru.ms/PAC22MTR
Microphones used to capture the drums:
Bass Drum:
Audix D6 Dynamic Bass Drum Microphone - www.drumcenternh.com/audix-d6...
Audix A133 Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone - www.drumcenternh.com/audix-a1...
Snare Drum:
Audix i5 Dynamic Microphone - www.drumcenternh.com/audix-i5...
Audix ADX51 Condenser Microphone - www.drumcenternh.com/audix-ad...
Toms:
Earthworks DM20 Small-diaphragm Condenser Drum Microphone - www.drumcenternh.com/earthwor...
Overheads:
Earthworks SR25 Small-diaphragm Condenser Instrument Microphone - www.drumcenternh.com/earthwor...
Room Mics:
Earthworks QTC30 Small-diaphragm Condenser Microphone - www.drumcenternh.com/earthwor...
www.drumcenternh.com
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#drums #drumset #drummer
If Phil Collins can rock a 20" kick, then it's good enough for the rest of us too. I've been gigging a Yamaha Stage Custom Birch with a 20" kick for a few years and it sounds phenomenal. Great punch, attack, and bottom end. Also loving the slightly smaller footprint, improved ergonomics with mounting my toms over the kick, resulting in everything mounted a little lower for easy access. I get many compliments on my drum sound and can easily be heard over screaming electric guitars
Totally agree.
How do you have the kick tuned? Full front head or ported? Just curious what's working for you.
@@strong_voice_of_truth I use the Rob Brown method for tuning all my toms and kick. Look him up on UA-cam. I use an Evans Heavyweight EMAD batter and ported EMAD reso on the kick with one or two EQ Pads inside
20x17”?
Immediately thought of Phil too!
1st off I’ll just say that all of those kits sound very very good and you guys did an amazing job tuning them. My favorite though is the Gretsch Brooklyn series. I love that round, open tone that just sings from them.
Another in a long line of the highest quality content. 'Beat off' killed me😂. Anyway, I've played a Brooklyn 12, 14, 20 for a while now. I've had every major brand across the whole range of sizes over the years. As much as I loved my 13, 16, 18, 24 kits (like driving a massive truck), the convenience of the smaller kits has won through over time. I find a 20 to be the most adaptable to head / tension changes and the Brooklyn to stand out as having the purest, 'widest' sound. That's my view - beat that! 😮
The Brooklyn and the Ludwig stood out. Great when you do head to head, clearly hearing the difference in tones. Nice work.
Amazing! You know which one my favorite is, but they all sound great! I LOVE 20” bass drums for everything. Great demos as always guys and Jayme…can you save some of those ghost strokes for the rest of us???? WOW!!!
fantastic playing all around as always! You guys rock!
In my honest opinion, the Gretsch had the most resonance and character.
Gotta love that ludwig classic maple kit. Even with the smaller sizes. ❤
1. Tama 2. Mapex for me. Sounded the most versatile and modern.
Big fan of 20" bass drums,love them dearly.I would be proud to own anyone of these kits demoed here.The star for me was the starphonic snare drum.I play these exclusively. By the way,them cymbals were wonderful.
Beat Off was a winning video title.
If you're a male, sure. As a woman, I'm rather disgusted.
@@DrummerGrrrl no im pretty sure its just funny…
@DrummerGrrrl you beat a bass drum using a beaterhead. It is a comparison of drums you will beat using the head. What is disgusting about a beatoff?
To her point, we aren’t very funny.
@@adamfrost3722 to your point, true…
The 20" kick is a great compromise between the 22" and the 18". Big enough to have some real punch, no need for a pedal lift, and still small enough to make gigging a little easier, especially if it involves navigating up and down stairs..
I was presently surprised by the sounds achieved from these kits. The nice thing about being a drummer is you don't have to just like one brand and say that's all you like. I thought before this video started that I'd prefer the star classic kit, and I was wrong. I loved the toms from the Gretsch kit, and the kick from the Mapex. you could've fooled me and told me that the Mapex had a 22 inch kick. Lol! For whatever reason, the Tama and the Ludwig kits just didn't meet my sound preferences. But that could change with different heads, tuning, room, or mics. Great video, guys! Really enjoyed getting to hear a 20in kick and these downbeat kits.
That Mapex snare surprised me. It definitely competes with the best out there.
You guys are incredible and you do incredible work. Of course this is a double edge sword because I now want one of everything you compared in the video. My wife thanks you! Great stuff gentlemen!
The Saturn bass drum plus that Black Panther snare drum : amazing, kick hat snare with that combo would be amazing. I liked the Brooklyn a lot too in this video, but none of the drums sounded bad. Great dialogues too, perfect amount of awkwardness. :-)
Mapex were my favs. I own a set of Sat V’s so I might be biased
Idea for a video: can you guys go over your tuning settings for lug tensions on each drum size and head (top/bottom? Seems you have that nailed down to a science since you always go for that consistency in sound when comparing kits. Please?
I'd love to know what tunning they have set...tunebot numbers
The Tama, then the Mapex. I also liked the clean sounding toms of the Mapex, but the thick / deep sound of the Tama is right for me.
I dream of that Black Panther Maximus snare!
Fine taste you have!
This vid sounds awesome. All the kits sound incredible. Love the choices in snares as well. +1 to whomever decided on the cymbals too! Great work!
Love 20" kicks! My Starclassic Bubinga/Birch is the best sounding bass drum I've ever heard. Such a deep warm sound. Thanks y'all!
Oh, that Gretsch kit is sooooooooo amazing in looks and sound! Wow! 🎉🎉❤❤
Love a downbeat configuration. All the drums sounded great as usual from DCP. Mapex Saturns are a nice inclusion - I used to have a set and they’re great bang for your buck. I have a Classic Maple Downbeat with an added 16” floor tom now and I love it. The 14x20 kick is awesome and sounds great recorded.
The Gretsch was definitely my favorite kit, and the Starphonic and Supraphonic snares sounded amazing!
But I wish you’d had a Pearl in the mix! Would love to have a 20” comparison with Pearl and Sonor included, especially the Session Studio Select👌
Gretsch just absolutely nailed it when they created the Brooklyn series. Not only do they sound unique and amazing but they look unique and amazing. Also the drummer who played that Gretsch Brooklyn kit knows how to demo a drum kit, much better than Shane does it. If I had 4000 laying around, I would probably order that exact kit with that amazing snare drum. Great job on the video fellas.
Not every single day you hear a snare through room mics that sounds that full!!! The Black Panther is unbelievable good
Right? What a drum!
you guys accidentally also just posted the first demonstration of the new meinl pure alloy extra thin hammered hats. love that!
That was no accident 😉
@@tinterlande I realized this by the end 😂
Love the Ludwig all around. The tone speaks to me. Interestingly though, I thought the Mapex kick was one of the best.
WOW! That Mapex Black Panther Maximus snare sounded fantastic. So did the Ludwig kick drum.
20" kick drums in general, are better than 22" kick drums for a few main reasons.
They allow for lower mounting of toms and cymbals, easier to transport, smaller set up space on stage/riser, and they more closely resemble the smaller overall size of the electronic drums that you may practice on.
Really appreciate this video! I've looked at tons of videos of 20" bass drums, and know how versatile they are supposed to be, so I wish we could have also heard them all in higher jazz tunings as well. I've been stuck in a 20" vs 18" limbo for months now, and seen plenty of videos of trying to make 20" kicks sound bigger, but hardly any showing them tuned higher in a jazz range.
For the kit, I'm liking the Gretsch. Overall nice tones and a lot of depth for the sizes. The 20'' kick would be a nice addition to anyone that plays in a space that isn't very large but still provides a punch when needed. The Supraphonic is my favorite but the Mapex was no slouch. Both sounded great. Nice vid gang!
The rack tom on the Tama kit was the best sounding drum of all the drums from every kit. I love my Starclassics, almost went with that Molten Raspberry but hunted down my Jade silk finish. The quick locks are genius.
That Gretsch sounds phenomenal! I fell in love with 20 inch kick drums when I first heard a recording custom 20” kick, and then the following year in 1996 the stage customs came out and the 20” bass drum blew me away! The 20” BD is a sweet spot between bop and Rock! Think like Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters album. 20” BD are perfect for that type of feel. Or just singer songwriter stuff. The feel of the 20” is amazing to me.
Thanks for the video. Loved them all.
Thanks for watching!
Great vid guys!!!
Great video as usual guys! Man, it's all SO close for me, but I'd have to say (no surprise) that the Ludwig kit, overall, sounds best to me ears. There's a crispness to the attack on the toms, and the snare is, well..... a Supra! Love the 12" depth. For me, it's Ludwig, Mapex, Tama, and Gretsch, in that order, however, I'd LOVE any one of these kits. It's all really splitting hairs. Bang-for-the-buck goes to Mapex.
I had a Saturn and yes, they sound amazing.
Really Liked the Gretsch Demo wow, cool Drumming !! Those Cymbals sound great as well !!!
20"x14", 22"x14", and 24"x14" are my favorite, the 14" depth just has something to it
Another great video. My kit has a 20" bass drum. It's a 13/16/20 by Vox (yes, it's quite well used). I'd probably stick with a 20" bass drum if/when I buy something new, so this video was right up my alley. The TAMA Starclassic Walnut/Birch was my favorite, followed by the Mapex. The cymbals sounds great as well. I particularly loved the sound of that 16" thin crash.
Good video! 20, 12, 14 Yamaha 9000 has been my gigging kit for years. The sizes are big enough for most styles, versatile and easier for transporting. Good to see them in the limelight!
I’ve almost gone exclusively to 20” kicks, most versatile size there is. I am continually amazed at how Ludwig doesn’t know how to make a bad kick drum. It’s like every Ludwig kick drum ever made/played just sounds better than every other brand.
Idk man, the tama neo mod kick that’s a 20 x 10 is just ridiculously good sounding, they know how to make drums that project and mine is an absolute powerhouse of resonance and body. Constantly have people asking me if it’s got a mic at gigs where it doesn’t.
Good stuff guys, I played an excellent 20" Mapex in the late 90's, one of the best kicks i ever had. Was going to downsize pretty soon again from my current 22" and was thinking Tama birch/Starclassic. In terms of playing in cover bands, and acoustic trios who's setlist spans from the 60's to modern day, the size works fine for me. Usually play wide open unmic'd, and in larger clubs in a full band setting, can get a nice punchy sound mic'd up. I've just had it lugging around the deeper larger kicks all the time.
20" bass drums are the perfect size with proper tuning and head combination. good for rock ,pop,jazz,country, folk,americana,blues,etc,etc.easier to carry-don't take up much space on stage and great for tom height and cymbal placement. i play a gretsch brooklyn-12",14",20" with a ludwig 6.5x14" black beauty 8 lug snare and (sometimes add a 16" floor tom if the music and space allow), and get a lot of compliments on the look and sound of my kit.i was playing 24" and 22" bass drums for years-usually with 18" depth and found them more difficult to tune with slower response between batter and resonant heads. 14" depth seems to me to be the best depth, but, that ludwig 12"x20"has me thinking.also, next kit i order will have direct to shell mounts-no more rims. kudos to adam and tony...you two should be a comedy duo-it's all in the facial expressions...and i prefer drum beat-off to showcase.jus' sayin' your drum brother, don fab.
When you zoomed in on the starclassic tom I thought holy crap look at all those finger prints. Then you say what a beautiful finish. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Personally the Ludwig. Seemed the most resonant and I could always muffle but I couldn’t add resonance to the others. I prefer the 20-12-14 for the versatility.
I have always said the same thing: resonance can always be damped out if needed, but can never be added. I am a fan of resonant drums.
Great video! Gretsch was my favorite kit and that supraphonic is amazing.
I own a 20 inch Premiere birch 7x drum kit (I am missing the 10 and 12 toms :c) and it sounds great!
I love the versatility and mobility of the kit and I wouldn't trade it for bigger resonance.
Great video🔥😇 please do the best crash rides / multi functional cymbals next 🤘🏼
Damn Tony that was some sick playing! Even got a stank face in there for a minute! Lol
Haha thanks! Stank facing grooves
What I love about the DCP videos the most is the Head 2 Head comparisons. Each kit really had its own distinct sound. I think Gretsch and surprisingly Mapex sounded the best. I loved the sound of these 20" bass drums, and I have to get a Gretsch snare drum. Great video as always.
So many new faces in this video. Customer appreciation? Audition what you purchased and get a you tube feature? Sign me up!
I wasn't sure a 20in Kick would keep up unmic'd but when I put the right heads on this little Japanese Mahogany kick inwas totally surprised. I'm only 5'6 andni like a very tight kick so I prefer a 20in now
I love the 20" kick - it's tight and punchy - a great all-arounder. Would have liked to hear the Yamaha Tour Custom Maple in this beatoff. Or if you want to spend more monies, the recording custom fusion with the 20" kick, sans the 10" tom... ;)
I have been playing a 20x16 bass drum since the mid 90's (Premier Genista). My favorite kits in this video were the Gretsch Brooklyn and the Mapex Saturn. They both sound amazing. I was pleasantly surprised by the Mapex sound. The kick drum was nice and deep. Sweet! I do like the 20" kick because it is versatile!
I would've really liked seeing Sonor Vintage Series in this lineup. Of the four, I think I preferred the Gretsch overall. All kick drums sounded really good, with a slight edge going to Gretsch. I liked the copper snare as well, and the Mapex Jeff Hamilton was really nice. It might be a tough choice. But the Gretsch toms sounded great together and blended perfectly with the set as a whole. I think I subconsciously expected Ludwig to emerge victoriously.
I ordered a 9 piece Starclassic Maple kit from DCP 4 years that included 20" and 22" bass drums. I had never had a 20" kick before and decided to only unbox that one initially. Four years on and I still haven't gone back to my storage room to unearth the 22" box from all of the boxes it's buried under in my studio. A 20" kick is slept on by too many people. They are easier to get a more pleasing sound out of morr immediately and seem to record better/ offer a more pleasing sound in the mix to me.
My favorite 20 inch bass drum is a 22 inch bass drum. Still you guys make great videos. One video could be about the subtle differences between the picnic table outside the store vs another picnic table outside another store and I would enjoy.
Thanks again for another great comparison video. Shoutout to Tama for being the only one in the group to not require an extra stand for the rack tom. That speaks to the gigging drummer in me 😂🙏🏼🤟🏼
Sound-wise kits: Gretsch # 1, Tama # 2, Ludwig # 3, Mapex # 4.
Sound-wise snares: Gretsch # 1, Ludwig # 2, Tama # 3, Mapex # 4.
Features: Tama # 1 (love the bass drum tom mount), all others # 2.
Love a 20" kick, especially for gigging, versatile, smaller, lighter.
Own 2 Tama so think would like most and it was Mapex. Tama second and thought other 2 sound dead or cheap. The Tama Bronze snare sound best then the Black Panther. All just my opinion. Not into 20 inch for myself but was cool to hear difference, snares and new Meinl :)
As an allround kit I'd choose Gretsch, that jazzy resonance killed me, 2nd option Ludwig by far
I'm a fan of 20" bass drums. They're versatile and easier to haul around. I liked the Gretsch Brooklyn overall, including the snare. I love the darker tone of copper. That said, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised at the bottom that came out of the Ludwig bass drum for such a shallow depth.
Can't help but notice the beautiful Sonor drums behind you.
That one of a kind candy black burst over silky oak SQ2 kit does look exceptional…
I LOVE 20 in. Bass drums!!! I've combined that as my main one,and Frankensteined in my "black" Peart set (with a 22 in. Bass drum) and tuned both of them to sound almost identical,but when I'm double-pedaling it,You can hear a very slight difference between the two,but to me,that GIVES the overall sound,even MORE Character!!! : >)
1. Gretsch 2. Ludwig (close). The TAMA is a bit too clipped while the Gretsch and Ludwig had that old school airiness no one can touch sans Sonor. I appreciate the Saturn, but it’s a modern kit like the SC.
Great Job MEN!
They all sounded not only great but very similar. 20" is my 'go to' size although I play a 22" and and 18" in some situations. To me that configuration 12/14/20 is the most versatile and any of these kits would be welcome in my house. The Mapex snare is amazing, as is Jeff Hamilton. :-)
OH Lets GO!! DCP absolutely BRINGS it each time out! Much appreciated! 🙏 🥁
Woah! They were sounding good & then i heard the mapex holy schnikey!
Love that Mapex Evolution and I already have a Mapex 14x5 snare with Evans heads. Trying to put together a Rockabilly Kit. Thanks.
That Mapex kit is an interesting combination of what I'm looking for. I tried out a Mapex kit in a store several months ago, and I was impressed by how responsive it was, and how good it sounded with halfway worn-out heads. The mounting hardware for the toms sucked, but the drums sounded impressive for the price.
so dope seeing the homies max and Jayme demoing the drums!!!!
great video! I recorded the mapex saturn V 22" and the 20" kicks with the same heads on, and have to admit that the 20" performed better. It had more punch. You can always dial in low bass information in the mix with EQing or a subsynth, but getting that punch is more difficult. If I have the choice I am going with the 20" kick :)
Yamaha makes some fire 20” kicks as well. The Live Custom Hybrid Oak in particular. I heard Snarky Puppy’s Jamison Ross behind one of those and you’d think it was a 24” with how massive it sounded.
The Mapex and Tama bass drums, Ludwig toms and the Gretsch snare!
I play a ludwig classic maple downbeat that I put together from orphans of different decades. Best kit I've ever owned..But that Mapex was a real pleasant surprise.
Classic Maple did it for me, but I gotta tell you... it's getting harder and harder to just dismiss Mapex. Being a huge Jeff Hamilton fan I was familiar with his signature snare, but in a much higher tuning than what you guys had. More depth and body than I expected. And as far as the 20-inch goes, there's definitely some punch there, but for my style of playing they leave me a bit wanting. Great video guys!
My last two kits have had 18“ x 20“ bass drums. A TAMA Starclassic and a DW Collector Series. With the right head selection, these are cannons.
Jazz and Rock are not the only genres. I have both size kicks but love the punch on my 20.
Sorry to go off topic, but last night I bought a bunch of hardware from you guys off Reverb. I just bought a Ludwig classic maple kit (burgundy pearl), and I'm decking it out with Ludwig hardware.
Thanks, from Nashville!
Love my small Tama Starclassic maple 20x14” kick. That little kick kicks. The Tama toms here sounded more throaty if that makes sense.
They all sounded great miked up! I would be happy with any of these kits, but If I had to rank them, then it would be Ludwig, Gretsch, Tama, and Mapex.
I have a Starclassic with 24 x 18, 24 x 16, and 20x18 configurations.... My favorite is the 24x18 and gets used by far the most. It is the easiest to tune for hard rock and you can use the widest variety of heads to get a pleasing sound with the least muffling. I have also used 22x18 and 22x16 in the studio. 24x18 with a powerstroke 3 clear is my go to now
Also, for the purposes of this test a 20x14 maple with the same double ply batter is going to sound way different under a mic with good speakers than a 20x18
ANY DRUM MANUFACTURING COMPANIES READING THIS - PLEASE make a standard configuration of 20x16, 10x8, 12x8, 14x14, 16x16 For the love of god! IM BEGGING YOU!!!
Yeah seriously wtf why is it so hard to find a freakin 20” bass drum configuration!?!
Pearl does
20, 12, 14 is not only a great sounding combination, but for most of us gigging drummers, they’re portable and set up well. Loved all of these drums but the Gretsch and Ludwig kits just sing! LOVE the Ludwig 20x12 bass drum!
I liked the Gretsch best overall. It had the most pleasing tone to my ears. But wow that Ludwig kick was seriously impressive. Everyone go back and listen to the Ludwig kick with just the room mic. Incredible low end.
Guess that's a great size.....Ginger Baker played one in early days and a dw 20x12 at the Cream concerts 2005 in the Royal Albert Hall
The Gretsch just seems to have the best overall tone. It sounded bigger than the sizes...That Mapex was really holding it's own against the older brands tho.
I rock a 20 by 15 sonor vintage beech kick, as well as a punchy sound it makes ot easier to lay into a tom thats not mounted higher as a bigger bassdrum impedes the tom setup.
Also a 20 is so much more portable moving through doorways and up flights of stairs and in or out of my small classic vw bug to jams or gigs!
Win, win.
All great kits!
I disagree that a 20 is too big for jazz!! I have a 14x20 Ludwig that I use for a jazz quartet that sounds wonderful! It’s tuned high and doesn’t overwhelm the music
Ian Thomas. Enough said.
That gretsch sounded huge
That is right! You never can go wrong with a Supraphonic! And you definitely NEVER can go wrong with a Ludwig!! These drums are legendary! 👍
I have a 20 kick and a 22 DW maple. I love my 20 it’s perfect in so many venues. Hardly ever take the larger anymore.
Testing with the stock heads, and different length drums is mainly going to reveal differences in the head choice and length of drum
Gotta say. My ears loved the Gretsch kit the most!
Damn, I know this video was supposed to be about 20” bass drums but all 4 snares stole the show.
The Mapex evolution kit was my favorite, mostly because I have one and it’s awesome, but I have 22” bass drums. Nothing against the other kits, they sounded great as well.
Still don’t love 20” bass drums, just sounded like something was missing, must be the other 2”s
Conclusion; You can't go wrong with any of these kits. The Ludwig is all maple, while the others are combinations of various types of woods. I would pick the Ludwig as my first option and the Tama Walnut as my second.
20” Beatoff Part Deux - Yamaha, Sonor, DW, Pearl
Love the gretsch and the mapex. Favorite snareswhere the gretsch and the ludwig.
The Gretsch sounded the best to me. Mapex for the runner up. The Mapex snare hands down...cheers!
Joe Morello used a Downbeat with Brubeck so the configuration has an unimpeachable jazz credential. Steve Gadd used a 20" frequently as well. It's probably the most versatile size in bass drums of all of them, definitely more so than a 22".
Amei o bumbo da Tama 20x14❤