cliff wrote:
It might be time to put that anemic brown kit out, and let the Gretsch kit rule the roost. 
I’ll come get them if you want, and if I am able to get that little kick drum to speak up a little more, then I will start working on training it to walk back to your house…
…but I won’t let it go until I am confident it will succeed on both counts. 
Yeah, you and the 18" horse you rode in on.
cliff wrote:
... I guess I would be interested in hearing the result of putting it to the same standard that you usually apply, ultimately: Have you had / will you have a volume problem with the Designer 18” in any un-mic’d musical situation that you would actually use this kit in?
I haven't just yet got done talking about it. I put a coated Ambassador on the batter, backed up by a felt strip. The volume problem disappeared, though it is not as loud as the 20" Drop.... but of course, as you said, is a 20" drop (makes me really want to try an 18" drop). Allowing the beater to extend high up the face of the drum, and muting the Amb with felts enables a solid SMACK!.
To answer your question, I like having that ability even though I wouldn't use it excepting for emphasis. The rolling tones off that kick are generally precisely where I want them to be. In fact, in the church environment I last used them, I'd probably haul the EQ4 back out to ensure proper muting.
One of the oddest events in this expedition has been the discovery that the Sig pedal is as fast as the GS pedals - or at least it is as fast as I think I am on the GS pedal, though I have no way to prove it. What is slow on the Sig is start up. Even though I can play the same swift figures, I tend to lag on the start up with the Sig. It's like a train that's never on time; all the cars arrive promptly one behind the other, but the engine gets to the station late. Making that pedal start fast requires too much extra effort. The 600 and GS are easier to tame.
cliff wrote:
Dunno what to say about the comparison to the Gretsch 18”; never had the chance to A/B with one. Maybe you better let me pick that one up, too, while I am there. It's almost worth handing over the Designer to have you come up, but I don't want to complicate your life with too many of the same thing. But if you come up, we can A/B the two kits in a number of sonic environments that should settle all questions about them. Oh, wait a minute. I can already do that.
Seriously, though, it would be a great experience to have a "group together" with our kits. And I have enough here for four people, just bring your own cymbals and thrones.
Login
Register
FAQ
