Reader Buzz Drumkit Of The Week

Video: Art Cruz & His Mighty Double Bass Set

Winds Of Plague’s blast beatin’ drummer Art Cruz gives us a video tour of his massive kit, and explains how and why his drums, cymbals, heads, pedals, and even in-ears help bring to life the sounds in his head. In a nutshell — it’s a very cool setup. Drooling yet?

Reader Buzz Drumkit Of The Week

Mike McGill’s ’60s Vintage Gretsch Kit

Some guys have all the luck. Not only does Mike McGill have a great Pearl Reference kit, with its advanced design, but he also has a vintage ’60s Gretsch kit, which is our Drum Kit Of The Week. MORE »

Gear Showcase

Zildjian Dennis Chambers Signature Stick

With a practical twist on the Dennis Chambers Artist Series stick, Zildjian now offers one of its most popular sticks in a in a funkadelic black nylon tip version.

Cover Story

Sabian XS20 Cymbals Reviewed!

With its revamped XS20 series, Sabian is offering a combination of professional-quality B20 cast bronze with a semi-professional level mid-range price tag. That’s very unusual, and here’s why MORE »

Soundlab

Righteous and Red: Cherry Bomb Snare

While the invention of aluminum revolutionized beverage cans in the ’60s, it also impacted snare drum design when Ludwig introduced the Acrolite model. Its thin, beaded, spun-aluminum shell became a popular and enduring design and a benchmark sound. The Acrolite ruled the aluminum roost until recent years, when a number of new aluminum snares boasting shells of various thicknesses appeared on the market. Several name drummers, including Billy Ward and Dave Weckl, now play aluminum snares as their primary instruments, and with impressive results.

MORE »

Soundlab

Hornets Sticks: Investigating The Buzz

Lets face it – we live in a culture that values looking good over feeling good. That’s usually a bad thing, except for those rare times when it’s possible to have both. Such is the case with Hornets drum sticks.

Gear Showcase

LP Teams With Carlos Santana On Abraxas Congas

LP’s new Aspire conga features flashy graphics lifted from Santana’s Abraxas album.

Reader Buzz Drumkit Of The Week

A Sparkly Custom Classic Kit

Andy Mendoza has sent in a couple of photos of his new Custom Classic Kit. Check them out and see his set's specs too! MORE »

Cover Story

Peace Metal Shell Snares Reviewed!

Peace is still a new kid on the block, yet over the last few years the company has made a mark with a line of budget drums that offer a tremendous bang-to-buck ratio. The company also makes pro gear and, to my great surprise, some pretty groovy high-end snare drums. I received three of the company’s metal snares, all from the shockingly large Peace Drums catalog. These are the real deal, and Peace has priced them as such. I found some grand delights and some small letdowns. Peace snares rock! Who knew?

Gear Showcase

Toca 12” Acacia Tambourines: Light & Loud

Toca builds on the success of its 10" Acacia tambourine with a new 12" version without sacrificing sound, appearance, or functionality

Cover Story Soundlab

Trick Sapphire Sparkle Aluminum Kit Reviewed!

The close-minded among us may wonder, “Why would anyone want a metal drum set?” This question may arise even in the minds of those who already own a metal snare drum, yet have never questioned its purpose. Trick Drums, a company that has been making high-tech drums since the early ’90s, has become known chiefly for its custom aluminum shell drum sets.

Gear Showcase

PDP & Sabian Offer A Big Box O’ Drums

Talk about one-stop shopping! Pacific Drums And Percussion has made it easy as pie for entry-level drummers to slide into their first kit with the Mainstage Series.