Are DW drums still cool?

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One thing DW has over most is your option to come up with almost any finish you can think of and they will really make an effort to figure it out for you.. I think Pearl Masterworks is the only other company that has the ability to really put in the work on a custom finish that you come up with.
 
Lots of pro and con opinions on these types of threads. I think it’s safe to say that DW is one of the more polarizing brands, especially on drum forums. No doubt it’s The Good Effect (my terminology) that turns a lot of people off on them.

I don’t know or care if they’re still cool or not. They make a sound I like, have a look I like, and they always work, so I play them. I can’t say that about some of the other brands that people have mentioned here on this thread and elsewhere on the forum. No need to bring them up, though, because who cares what I think?! 🤪

There are so many options available now, at so many price points, that I wonder if these types of threads are more an excuse for people to see/hear themselves talk or to just yell at clouds because they don’t drink the Good Kool Aid. That’s ok, too!

Believe it or not, there are some of us out in the world who use the brand, aren’t fanbois, and who also don’t care about wood whispering, unicorn tears or timbers harvested from the third moon of Saturn. Some of us just like the way they sound and look. Oh yeah, I don’t and never have tuned any of my overpriced, overhyped drums to any of the notes written on the paper tags in the shells. LOL
 
Larry said:
Yes DW drums are still cool.

The way I really feel about it is drums aren't cool, people are cool.

Drum brands hijack too much of people's focus. It's a big detour from the main road.

The truth is, the brand of drums someone plays has zero to do with how good a drummer that person is. It's like the prevailing attitude is drum brand is far and away the #1 most important thing a drummer can do and the playing is way down the list. It's completely backwards.

You could play a Spongebob kit and kill if you are a good drummer.

My suggestion is don't waste mental energy on drum brands. These days you can get a great sounding kit with everything included for less than 2 large.

You said you bought the DW's. You are good to go. You have a world class drumset, period. Time for the next step, lessons. Investing in lessons, now there's an actual investment. Drums are a purchase.
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SpongeBob!

Immediately understood the reference...even if it was subconcious to you :p

2017...wow!
 
I don't mind DW but they don't play in the Red, Green, Black. Gold, Marine Pearls...trad US (ok whatever) drums do.

Then and then if they would be "comparable"..

They have to go "Speckled Bird Wheat Grain Shimmer" " Monsoon Whipped Speckled Burnt Toast Fade"
"Yellow Hamster Hair Silent Sheen" finishes
then they become a side show fit for mockery

"Red Dot Barnum Sideshow Fade and Gloss...'
Willy Wonka Chocolate Sparkle Burst"...

Come on man.
Black. Ok. Black. Now we're cool.


"Lemon Abbreviated Melon Squirm Twist"...

s-l1600.jpg


"Zebra Midnight Swirl Halo Twist"

they ain't going after the traditional buyer :sick:
So no.
In the beginning they were..

"P-41 WW2 Rosie the Rivetter Lady Luck Grey"..
"Speckled Berry in a White wine Sauce"...
 
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DW drums are wood cylinders with metal hoops and mylar drum heads, just like every other drum set out there. To say that they sound (on the whole) better or worse than 'brand x' or 'brand y' is just silly.

Put good heads on them and tune them properly and they sound every bit as good as any brand out there.
 
yammyfan said:
DW drums are wood cylinders with metal hoops and mylar drum heads, just like every other drum set out there. To say that they sound (on the whole) better or worse than 'brand x' or 'brand y' is just silly.

Put good heads on them and tune them properly and they sound every bit as good as any brand out there.
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Don't bring logic and facts into a drum forum.
 
yammyfan said:
DW drums are wood cylinders with metal hoops and mylar drum heads, just like every other drum set out there. To say that they sound (on the whole) better or worse than 'brand x' or 'brand y' is just silly.

Put good heads on them and tune them properly and they sound every bit as good as any brand out there.
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Thank you. That's really what this whole silly and pointless thread boils down to.
 
All drums are cool- 19 pages and quibbling over one maker. What I’ve observed is a mid to low range kit can sound great with proper heads and tuning and I’ve seen higher end kits sound like crap. I’d think a drum kit will sound as good as it’s caretaker lets it.
 
jda said:
I don't mind DW but they don't play in the Red, Green, Black. Gold, Marine Pearls...trad US (ok whatever) drums do.

Then and then if they would be "comparable"..

They have to go "Speckled Bird Wheat Grain Shimmer" " Monsoon Whipped Speckled Burnt Toast Fade"
"Yellow Hamster Hair Silent Sheen" finishes
then they become a side show fit for mockery

"Red Dot Barnum Sideshow Fade and Gloss...'
Willy Wonka Chocolate Sparkle Burst"...

Come on man.
Black. Ok. Black. Now we're cool.


"Lemon Abbreviated Melon Squirm Twist"...

s-l1600.jpg


"Zebra Midnight Swirl Halo Twist"

they ain't going after the traditional buyer :sick:
So no.
In the beginning they were..

"P-41 WW2 Rosie the Rivetter Lady Luck Grey"..
"Speckled Berry in a White wine Sauce"...
Click to expand...
1709236430180.jpeg
1709236516666.png

Found these before I decided I was putting way more effort into this than is healthy.
 
The only time I have played a DW set, the heads where way beyond bad. The PA people who owned it made it sound good out front. Peace and goodwill.
 
Maybe it's time to close this thread down, Jon. It's ridiculous.
 
Jeremy Bender said:
A few decades ago, DW had beautiful lacquer finish they called "Superman's hair" and that was the perfect name for it.
Black with blue specs of color added to the paint. It's no longer available I think.
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It has made a return (Thomas Pridgen's and Christian Eigner's new kits) , and it turns out to be a blue-based finish.
 
Why not? I think the DW Design is of great value, and sounds like a "maple" kit. The higher-end ones have got their features, and only you can decide if they are worth the price.
 
Who cares whether people think they are “cool”? Why should that matter? Only thing that matters is whether you like how they sound and whether you enjoy playing them. I’ve never understood why people need the approval of complete strangers for anything.
 
I like them but as long as it's and sounds good I will play it. The thing you need to worry about is your wallet, partner in life and playing as much as you can.

As far as cost goes, drums are expensive no matter the brand.....maybe not CB700.
 
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