Thanks so much guys!
I agree about the long lugs having a really cool distinct look Justin....especially think they offset the dark red stain nicely.
Yup Goki, that's the configuration. I checked out this thread at work (on a smaller monitor) and unfortunately about 25% of the pics were cropped off the right side. They should be centered, but definitely weren't when I checked em out on that computer. Will have to start posting pics smaller I guess.
Hey Kel! Ha ha, word travels fast! Yeah, I'm buying J's maple light Designers in green stain (13, 16 floor, 22, & 6.5" deep snare) to add to the kit I already have. When all's said and done, that monster will be: 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 16 (ft), 22 (x2) and the matching 6.5 snare. My days playing a kit that big are over, so I'll definitely be splitting it up into 2 kits before long. Also trying to work out something for that other smaller kit he just got in the same finish (13, 16, 20). Been giving my girlfriend lessons and she's kicking some serious ass. Told Cliff it would be pretty cool having his & hers matching Designers! At only 4' 10" tall, a 20" kick would be good for her.
Regarding the comparison between the Hilites and the ML Designers: Unfortunately I can't give a true A/B comparison because of the reso heads, but here are some thoughts regardless. As much as I love the Hilites, the toms are somewhat thinner sounding. Kind of "watered down" for lack of a better term. Certainly not as focused and missing some of the punch and fullness that the Designers have. Kelly wrote somewhere about Hilites probably choking a lot quicker that Designers when tuned up high and I'm sure that's the case. There's been a lot of talk about the Link era mounting system sapping some of the life out of toms, especially the thinner shells (which I can see) but it's not as pronounced on the Hilites. I'm sure some of that is obviously due to the isolation improvements in that particular line. Would love to hear an 8" Hilite tom, but the smallest one I have is a 10. By the way, I have clear Emp batters on both sets. As far as the resos....on the Designers I'm using clear Ambassadors, on the Hilites I settled on Evans Genera Resonant heads (which I believe are
very thin). They sounded a little flat w/the Ambs so I made the switch to those Evans and it helped. The toms on both kits are extremely sensitive. You barely tap on em with your finger and you'll set them off.
Will definitely get pics of the green monster when I get it all together, but here's a few pics of the birch Designers (10, 12, 14, 15, & 22) since ya asked. The quest for a matching snare continues, probably forever!
And hell yeah Ron...one of these days brother!
Thanks again for the compliments guys. The driveway looks like hell (especially in the Hilite pics), but the drums look pretty killer!