No common ground between sets

[kv968]

I'm looking to buy my first edrum set and I am truly bleary eyed. Between flipping back and forth between sites (zzounds.com, samash.com, musiciansfriend.com, etc...) to find the best deal out there, reading endless (but very helpful) posts here, and going out and demoing different sets, I am beat. I guess that's the only way to research an investment like this, but to tell the truth I'm still not sure what I'm getting. Getting closer, but the search continues.
Anyway, in my quest I've found one thing kinda frustrating. The sets never seem to come with exactly what you want. For example, the Pro and Concert kits come with decent-sized mesh heads and the TD-10 but with the "inferior" KD-7 kick, whereas the smaller headed Custom set with the TD-8 comes with the (in my opinion) better KD-8 mesh kick. I imagine it's so the price doesn't get TOO out of hand but it just seems like you have to compromise something in every set. Except of course the very expensive Session set. I'm wondering if anyone "mixed and matched" pieces when they bought their set and if they did did they still get a "package" deal type price on the set?
Please excuse my rambling but it's 3 in the morning and I'm just about V'ed out. Thanks to everyone for their posts, they've been most helpful and informative in my search.

[Drummersdad]

kv- Although I've never owned one, I don't think most people would call the KD-7 inferior in actual performance. But to get to your point about mix and match - which is well taken - 2 suggestions... I can't speak for him, but try Dwight at BPM music. He matches low prices and might be able to pull off what you want since he is both small and flexible. Then, there is always e-bay which has a thriving market for Roland products. You usually can make out very well - especially if you sell off the parts you don't want as "unopened" boxes and tell your story well. Howard

[Jgel]

kv-
The KD-7 is the best kick made by far IMO. Don't knock it 'till you try it. BUT, I also think tha tif you contact Midwest they will also give you the pieces that you want and switch out teh ones that you don't want.

[kv968]

I have tried both kicks. I didn't mean that the KD-7 is performance-wise a bad kick it's just that IMO the KD-8 feels better (personal preference that's all). I may just need some time to get used to the "perverted" action of the KD-7. I've also read on some of these threads about people having misfiring problems when the head is rested against it. I have a tendency to do that and may experience the same problem, but then again it may cure me of a "bad" habit who knows?
I know that ebay is always a reliable source for getting rid of stuff, but when spending that kind of money I'd rather not go through the hassle. Also, I'm worried that as soon as you trade a piece out it won't be considered a "package" deal anymore and you'll end up paying almost as much as if you bought every piece seperate. I still have some shopping and comparing to do and I appreciate the tips on who to call. I'll give them a buzz, throw them in the mix and see what they can do. Thanks.

[kv968]

Jgel,
I just noticed that you have the Pro kit with the CY-6 cymbals. How are they working out for you? In all of my demoing I also tried the Club kit (actually found it quite nice). I especially liked the CY-6's for their realistic feel but got kinda nervous about them when I noticed that that's the only kit that has them and that they are a bit less expensive than the PD-9's that the Pro kit comes with. I figured that they'd be more considering that they are cymbal shaped instead of just a pad. I know that price isn't everything but I was just wondering if they are that cheap for a reason? I mean the V-cymbals are about $250 a piece compared to the $100 or so for the CY-6's. I could be comparing apples and oranges here I'm not sure. Just wondering if you've had any problems with them.

[Jgel]

kv-
The CY6's are the best upgrade that I have found for cymbals. The feel is GREAT. The work perfect with tht TD-10. I have 2 and I am ordering 2 more. I can't say enough about them. In my book, the CY6's are better than the V-Crashes. And, you cab get them for $79.00. I got mine at Sam Ash. Put it this way, you can get 4 CY-6's or 1 V-crash. Get one as soon as you can. I think Roland finally did something I NEVER thought they would do.....a low cost, high performing trigger. Hard to believe.

[Jgel]

Also, about the KD-7. I play my bass drum, where I reat the beater on the head between hits. It might not be the best, but it is what I do. Anyway, I was going to get a KD-80 or KD-120, but I could not stop the bounce. Just me, but I really do like the kd-7 better. But I love the look fo the kd-120,

[kv968]

jgel,
Maybe that's one thing that I'll see if they can trade-out cause I do like their feel. The PD-9's for some CY-6's. That's about the only trade-out that would actually cost LESS money.
The KD-80 does have more bounce than the KD-7 but I think that you could correct that with tension. That's how you stop the other V-drums from bouncing if I'm not mistaking. As a matter of fact now that I think of it the KD-7 is actually quite "dead". That's OK though, just have to use the old leg a little more.
Well I'm off to Sam Ash and Mar's Music to check out some more. I kinda hate checking out all of these kits cause the price range just keeps creeping up the more I look if you know what I mean.

[Steve Gardner]

Back to the mention of differences between kits...The Concert kit is purple, the Session kit is red. This is one piece of Rolands offering that I have not figured out. Its just plain idiotic. Why can't someone have a Session kit in purple? Are the pads any different? What effort would it take to offer both kits in purple, red or white? I am missing something on that one....

[jrcel]

You might want to think about a component kit, you can mix and match any way you want. There are some great independent companies out there who would love to have your buisness.

[Steve Gardner]

Yeah, I know. I just have never undertood why Roland does not make the Red and purple colors interchangeable between the sets. It adds a little more maketability and costs them zero. Has anyone had any ideas of when they do not offer that?

[kv968]

I just got back from checking out sets at Mar's Music. I asked the salesguy would it be possible to trade-out some of the pads on a Pro set for different ones. He said that they don't do it and a lot of places won't for the mere fact that if they do, then they're stuck with individual left-over pads. I didn't really pressure the guy but it does make sense.

The colors. First of all who picked purple and red anyway? I can't believe market research would come up with those colors. I don't know why the colors can't be interchangeable since the only difference IS the colors. Even though I'm not interested in those models I'll have to ask just out of curiosity.

By the way I'm leaning towards the Pro set now. The price I got at Mar's is $2800. I thought it was just a clearance on the floor model (and I still do) but the salesguy said that that's their price for new in-the-box. How does that sound? It's the best that I've seen so far. I was originally leaning towards the Custom set but I feel for about $100 more it would be better to get the Pro. Agreed? Although I keep hearing that the TD-8 has better sound and more flexablity in its tweaking of the drums than the TD-10. If it ain't one thing it's another.

[BONZO]

I RECENTLY PURCHASED THE SESSION KIT AND ASKED IF I COULD SWITCH OUT THE RED FOR PURPLE, BUT NO DEAL. OH WELL, ROLAND KNOWS BEST. IF THEY SAY I NEED THE RED ONES, RED IT IS.

[Electrode]

I have the only purple V-Session kit in Europe at the present time. The drum shells don't fade from purple to white like the V-Concert....

... It's ALL purple. Hell, the rack is even purple! I think that my cymbals will even be purple (when Roland have actually made them for me and shipped them out )... currently I only have black PD-9's for crashes and ride and a PD-7 for hi-hat...

Oh, and my kit is not the package V-Session. For one thing, I have the TD-10 with TDW-1 V-Cymbal expansion (probably comes as standard), and I got the personal V-drum monitor system (PM-3) free with the kit, and I chose to have 3 PD-100's and 1 PD-120 for toms, as I didn't like the idea of having 2 toms + 2 floor toms. Personally, I prefer 3 + 1.

I have a PD-120 for snare and KD-120 for kick.

E-mail me if you want a picture of my kit.

By the way, I don't like playing out of the speakers of the PM-3 that much. That's not to say the speakers are bad. The reality is far from it. However, I just prefer headphones. I plug the PM-3 into the TDW-1 brain. I then plug the headphones into the 200-watt subwoofer of the PM-3...

200-watts. Woohoo!! And the neighbours haven't complained yet!!

[This message has been edited by Electrode (edited July 12, 2001).]