On drums...

Ha ha, I was thinking the same thing about the kick. Out of all the kits I own, still no 20" (pretty certain that I'd LOVE that size too). Actually, the kick on that kit is only 14" deep!

Correct on the yellow toms, 10x8 and 12x9. The more I play that kit, the more I'm leaning toward liking birch Designers over maple.

Well...

...then play the maple Designers more!

_________________
Cliff

River City Trio

What if we did all have the same opinions?

LMAO

Gunnar, that just might be the difference in the depth. I would have pegged you for the deeper toms though.
And not all Designer kick drums are created equal. A 22 Designer kick I did not like much. A 20 x 18 is wonderful. And I find when the kick drum is working for me, the toms also sound better to me. What size is the Birch kick?

I suspect that birch functions well with an aggressive style, as it is easier to control; quicker decay and a scooped out middle keep it more percussive and less tonal, out of the way of the other instruments. Maple is more sensitive (at lower volumes, at any rate), and requires greater stick control, but has more jelly in the belly than birch. So in a live setting, maple can seem muddy, although isn't necessarily (muddy) in the mix. Birch, on the other hand, can seem thin at times, and there is no way to get it to spread out like maple. I'd love to try the birch Designers to see if that holds true for the breed.

Sonor made all its birch drums shallower than the comparable maple or beech sizes. Designer racks, for instance, could not be had in square sizes in birch, except for the smallest sizes. 22" bass drums only 16" deep rather than 18". And though you could get 16x16 birch floors, an 18x 16 deep was the deepest birch size. I've often wondered what that's about.

_________________
Gregory

Some good points on birch Greg. The toms definitely have more bite than the maple lights. Yeah Kel, I've always been more into the deeper toms. Maybe why I'm really getting into the birch kit lately...they sound so different than anything else I have. The kick is a 22.....will have to double check but I'm almost positive that it's 18" deep.