One point that didn't get mentioned is that modern kits are likely more consistent while the vintage kits vary more from kit to kit...

The difference with Ludwig kits is astonishing. To me the vintage one just sounds perfect!

It's nut how easily I was able to tell the modern and vintage apart after that tip about listening to the kick and how it resonates. 100% on the blind test!

In the case of the Ludwig you compared completely different kits. Vintage is 3-ply mahogany-poplar with maple reinforcement rings, 12-14-20; Modern is 7-ply maple with no reinforcement rings, 12-16-22. Not surprising they sound completely different. I prefer the Vintage Ludwig here (I have a modern Classic Maple though). However, in the blind test I thought it was the Modern, when it was actually the Vintage.

The acrylics got me. Otherwise I was clean. I'm torn. I like the modern kick better for it's tightness, but vintage toms just sound better to me.

100% accurate answers here! There is a clear difference on how the heads and shells interact and resonate. (the acrylic was the toughest for me).

I think a common trait in vintage drums is they can have more overtones, but the overtones are also more pleasant.

Just keep hearing the Sgt pepper riff in my head on the vintage Ludwig

Vintage, I hear more dry and low end, you can feel the wood // Modern, I feel more the drumhead and harmonics

I got all the blind tests right except for the acrylic one at the end. Really interesting how different vintage kicks sound once you point it out!

I would love to see more blind tests like this. It was really fun

I play 1965 Ludwig Superclassic and Gretsch Renown Maple Euro...I got 2 correct..Great idea comparing ..as usual big thanks to all you guys. Cheers from Montreal

The Gretsch: what you hear (toms) is the huge difference in sound between die cast en triple flanged hoops, interchange the rims between the drums and you'll see what I mean, (and "that great Gretsch sound", it's especially the super heavy diecasts ...) What I do miss in modern drums: that thinner bass drum sound with less lows (but more music ...) in it in a 20", now drum company's seem to make only 20" bass drums that come as close as possible to the sound of a 22", what's the point? With the Yamaha, me being a jazz player: I wish they would make that exact old kit again, especially for the basdrum sound ... (and also the old Yam toms sound more musical to me ...)

We know Dave always screen looked as a child during gaming LAN parties back in the day...

I’m super impressed by the 1960’s Ludwig. Great video all. The acrylics at the end threw me for a loop but so cool.

As a drummer Musician and professional Audio engineer thank You! I've gotten great results with Both. I had a Ludwig gold badge kit that was killer and I mourn not having. But I have used many different kits... All drums like anything that has its own resonance ( voice ) it's how one uses with passion that's the key. Respect. Seth Ballou🎶👍👍

Great video! I've played both modern and vintage but couldn't tell which kit was being recorded until you pointed out the bass drum sound. There's definitely a difference but the the title of the video asks which is better. BTW Tyson is definitely the man!

I personally like the way old drums sound. My kit sounds like a John Bonham, Bull ward, and Neil peart mix.

Great Job on a super cool video idea...More like this in future please!:) You snuck a Zickos in there!...I had a Zicko's Bass Drum for several years so my heart definitely lends towards Vintage but after a massive downsize of the drums for while I play modern currently. Did do a Full reWrap on a Force 2000 in Very Vintage printings,(mostly ad's from 30's-60's), just to pay homage nuthin else. Again, Nicely done vid here guys...!

Nice idea of video! I've liked a lot the blind test, please do more!

Awesome video, thank you! I'd love to see videos about legendary vintage snare drums (rogers dynasonic, ludwig supraphonic\black beauty, Slingerland radio king, premier 2000, leedy broadway, etc)

It's strange because I feel the vintage as a cool live drum sound. As if the vintage would sound better on a small theater or venue. Don't know if that would be true, but that was pretty cool!

I got right every blind test except for the acrylic drum sets! I play a modern kit with a vintage snare drum, but I also like to play with a modern snare drum!!

I play an early 80s Tama Royalstar. Surprisingly, I was fooled only by the acrylic kit. But I was going by what was said about the difference between the bass drum sounds, and listening for the slightly delayed reso head flap. However prior to seeing this video, I wouldn't have known what to listen for and I definitely wouldn't have been able to tell which kit was the vintage. Also, if I didn't have my hearing aids on, I know I wouldn't be able to hear the subtle differences. Which makes me realize how much I was missing over the years, since I have always had hearing issues. I also have been wearing ear protection for the last twenty odd years. It doesn't help for noticing the finer details, but it has kept me from losing my hearing completely.

This was fun! Nailed all the blind tests except for the acrylic. I personally love that vintage sound. Did a session earlier this year on a 60s Ludwig champagne sparkle and was in heaven. 😂

Hi, what a superb idea to compare all these kits back to back. I play a "modern-vintage" Pearl Masters Mahogany Limited Edition from the end of the 90's and it sounds huge (22 kd, 10, 12, 13 toms, 16 floor and 14x6,5 snare) after 25 years of playing. About the blind tests I missed one (the acrylic kit), did not have an answer to another and got the rest... 💪

does drumeo respond to comments? i love your channel guys

I got 4/4, but apart from being a drummer I’ve been producing/mixing/recording for a couple of decades almost. I have a 1964 gretsch kit, 24, 18, 14 and a 1972 ludwig blue oyster, definitely love them!

Huge difference. I guessed the wood drums right, on the acrylic i had no idea what so ever. Very, very nice test!

Yep, I have a modern maple mapex and a vintage sonor 3 piece beech kit, love both, different vibe.

I received a Reuther 4 piece grey on Christmas day '76 . That little kit got me through jr. high and high school. Wish drums would transfer well to apartments. Hope someone out there enjoyed them as they sadly ended up in a pawnshop after leaving the service.

I like how Jared is just a hobbyist lol

It really all comes down to the kick, doesn't it? I had no idea on the acrylic. Got all the other blind tests right.

My favorite pack in SD3 is decades and I’ve always loved vintage music and drum sounds but like Brandon I’ve wondered why I love it, what makes it vintage and this video helped i think, the vintage is warmer I think, and the toms has sometimes more of a buzz

I got the Ludwig question wrong... I have haven't played vintage kits myself but I do love the sound from this video! It's weird how there's not really a lot in it from modern and vintage! It's crazy, you'd expect them to be completely different in sound... Loved the video though and being able to hear the different kits. I've had the Mapex V series kit and recently I've been thinking about trading it in for a new kit but having been playing it since 2004 I honestly don't think I can part with it. Think I'm going to change things around instead and make it a slightly different set up and then see how I feel. Would love to have the space for a couple kits so can play different kits to switch it up. Great video brandon, love watching your content and how you play!

What would have been great is to grab an 80s maple kit and a modern maple kit to see if something happens with the wood, like a 90s pearl masters and a newer model exact same shell and thickness.

The only blind test I got wrong was the acrylic. Not sure if its because that tech hasn't really changed since it was invented or if it was because that was the only one they didn't show in the first part of their video. I would like to hear those side by side.

Well done comparison! Vintage wins for me! Obvious difference - much warmer

I really didn't think I'd hear much of a difference, but I really love the way vintage kicks sound, and the toms have a nice midrange. The Pearl almost got me, but the kick was the giveaway. I think I prefer the vintage sound overall, but would still buy a modern kit for the improved build quality. Great comparison!

These drums sound so good, regardless of what they are. That Yamaha kit though, sounds like it had a life in stadium rock, you can feel and hear the energy in the kick.

I play a modern ('96) GMS and a vintage ('67) Rogers. Everything you hit in this video applies. I love them both for different applications.

Very cool comp!

4 out of 5 the Ludwig vintage kick stumped me as well, very interesting video, I do agree with others mentioning wood types contributing to pretty big differences, but still thought there was noticeable difference enough to tell. Both Ludwig Floor Tom also really sounded the opposite to thier kits (modern sounded more vintage etc)

Cool video. We need more content like this. I like (and own) both vintage and modern. Its all in the ear of the beholder though. The things the companies are doing with hybrid shells and different bearing edge techniques these days is pretty interesting. Buying vintage can be tricky. Just because a kit is 20 years old doesn't mean it sounds better than modern nor should you add an extra grand to your asking price. Keep up the interesting videos!!

Vintage ludwigs blow away the modern kits every time. Glad they were able to prove this

I use a Pearl Masters from the 2010s. Hearing the Pearl test, I was reminded of how much I love those drums. In the hearing test, I got 4 out of 5. The acrylic one threw me off. Thanks for the great video!

would have been interesting to hear these within the context of an actual song

I got all the questions correct ...I play a Gretsch Catalina Maple at home and then have a Majestic de Luxe vintage set which is essentially Tama before it was Tama ...this video was awesome

GREAT video! Fun and interesting. I missed two kits. The difference in the Ludwig vintage vs the modern was huge. The Gretch kits sounded the best. I'd like you guys to compare modern kits to help people like me make more confident decisions on purchasing a kit. I live days away from any drum store with high end drum kits. Thanks!!!

Loved the vid . I missed the Yamaha and Pearl kits , I have a couple of Ludwig Super Classic kits ( 22x 14 . 13 x 9 , 16 x 16 ) a 70s Rogers mini kit ( 20 x 20 kick , 10 x 8 , 14 x 10 ) and a mid 60s Japanese Gretsch clone called Dia Deluxe ( 20 x 14 , 12 x 8 , 14 x 14 ) I have played lots of modern kits and they all have their charms but I just like the round-ness and warmth of those vintage toms . I have a bunch of snare drums , old and new , but my go to is a late 70s Supraphonic 6 1/2 . Still a drum tragic after all these years .

Very Nice ! Mine is a Gretsch stop badge 1974 ! So long !

That Gretsch Vintage sounds so great 👍👍

I play a MODERN Gretsch Catalina Maple, and guessed all but 1 blind correct, didn’t catch the difference in Pearl sounds... that Ludwig was so sweet sounding all around!

That vintage Ludwig just sounds superb. The kick on the 80’s Yamaha tho! Made me want a Yamaha kit badly!

Ohhh snap I got them all right :) Great video! I play a modern acrylic kit... so that section was easy :)

The ludwig vintage...oh my God!!!🤩🤩🤩

Love that u used the most modern possible. 2021! Wowie

Missed the acrylic, otherwise correct guesses (they were fairly obvious to me). I play mostly vintage kits- I own two Rogers and play another at church, but also have spent some hours on a 60s Ludwig, Star, and a MIJ stencil kit. I also own a modern Yamaha that I played constantly for over a decade. For me, modern drums are usually more in-your-face and project more, which doesn't work well for the settings and styles I'm playing- I think this was very apparent in the tests here with the toms- except for the Grestch, the vintage toms were warmer/rounder sounding. Vintage kicks may not be as tight, but they usually have great character. The switch from my Yamaha to my first Rogers was bizzare, though- I went from a 22/10/12/14 setup to a 20/13/16, where the kick shrank and the toms grew- talk about feeling weird behind a kit at first! The other super interesting thing here is that the snare sound changes with the kit changes- the reverse was true, too, in a recent Mike Johnston video where he shot out snares, and it made the sound of the kit change.

I have Earthtone calf skins on my Mapex Saturn V kit at home, and the sounds are very warm and solid. I feel like you can get a vintage sound from modern kits, you just need to be intentional about it.

The Ludwig kit was the one I got wrong. The vintage sounds good to me. Difficult to tell if it's an old or new kit! Great video, really cool to listen to the differences between vintage and modern!

Thank you so much for making this video. I always had this question

Nailed it . . . got ALL blind tests right . . . but only because of the hints your commentators spoke of BD sound, etc. On the acrylic kit, the floor size gave it away . . .

Man.... I feel like comparing vintage to modern kits would only be accurate if the wood types were the same. Comparing a mahogany/poplar/mahogany w/ maple rerings to a full maple kit, they are going to sound different even if they were from the same era.

Those blue acrylic drums in the background 🔥

Like the sound of the new Ludwigs with clear heads but the best sounding imo are the vintage Ludwigs. You can hear a much richer mellower tone. I have a set I bought new in 1976, first year of the 6 ply classic maple/poplar that is hard to surpass in tone. Love and play them still 45 years later. 😎

Interesting. I've never had an opportunity to listen, but have always wondered about the difference. Tested about 1/2 right. My ear has not learned the difference's fully yet. There is a difference though. I most noted it in the bass drum as well. Toms secondary. Have a Modern Ludwig kit from 1981.

Got them all but the acrylic one. Currently playing a Yamaha Live Oak Hybrid and a Yamaha Beech Custom.

Good video, and great lesson. Funny that the sound guy said he'd EQ the vintage kits to sound like the modern kits, so it's almost silly to argue...lol

How about compare E-drums vs acoustic and see who can tell which is which ?

Man I love that round badge kit

Got all but the acrylic right. My theory is that you train yourself to hear the differences with the first bit of the video and that makes it easy to recall what the answers are. I think it would be interesting to do a follow up with only blind tests and the answers at the end. That should prevent people from "learning" the kits. Aside from that I prefer modern every day. Modern kids sound like they have build in EQ and more punch. Would love to see some 80s vs 2000 kits as well. It's cool to see the "sonic progression" :)

I really love your channel and appreciate the effort behind doing these videos. In the case of Gretsch, the comparison is useless, it is not apples vs apples. The progressive jazz kit is a USA Custom, 6-ply maple/gum shell with die-cast hoops and the new Broadkaster kit is a 3-ply Maple/Poplar/Maple with 302 hoops, without mentioning the differences in shell thickness and bearing edges. Also, you chose a Broadkaster kit with center lugs, which may eventually have some impact on shell resonance and tone. Why you did not compare two Broadkaster or two USA Custom kits? There are tons of them out there in really good shape to do a fair comparison of the "vintage" element.

Great video guys🎯🏆

I play in a classic vintage brazilian kit, a brand called "Pinguim", I have two of it, onw with 18" kick and the other, a 22". The sound of both is unique and I could recognize it anywhere. In your test I was able to get around 70% of right answers. The Pinguim kits were descontinued in the 80's through 90's but one still find it. Since the beginning it was a copy of Ludwigs classicals with different decoration. The main model was the kind you show in the video. As a suggestion you could search for several brands over the world that were inspired in English, German or American kits... I swear you would find several interesting instruments...

I was surprised to find that I didn’t like the modern Ludwig toms at all, which is great because I have a 70s Ludwig standard kit. Also, the Yamaha toms are damn near identical between the two, but that modern kick is amazing.

This man really said YAM uh haw.

“Local drum hobbyist” lol

i play on old Krupa 1n slingerland with the matching artist series snare its the 5 ply I had hoped it was the single or even 3 but I have to say it's impressed me no re rings the rest of the set is 3ply with re-rings 20 13 16 x2 black diamond pearl hoping though to find a 22red sparkle with a 12 tom

I failed on the acrylic kits. I've owned both over the years, and I'm still looking for that magic vintage kit, mainly a 60's Slingerland, but I mainly play an Eames kit that I had built for me in 2006. Although I love vintage shells, I prefer modern hardware, the Yamaha Yess system in particular, which I had my Eames outfitted with at the build. I also wonder how much of the bass drum sound is a result of the depth of the shell. Vintage kits generally have 14" depths, thereby bringing the reso head more into play.

Got 3 right and I have a mapex Saturn iv a pearl crystal beats and at the moment I’m playing my pearl 75th anniversary Luan kit which is my favourite atm. 🤘

Thanks, very interesting! I have to say that I think the vintage drums sounded best in all examples. The bassdrums sound different where vintage is more open and light while the modern drums sound more punchy and tight, so here it is a bit of a question of what to play. The toms of the vintage drums have a fuller, richer, warmer and more homogeneous sound where you hear the glory of the drum. The modern drums generally sound a little cleaner and lighter and the sound is a little more hollow where it feels like you can not hear the full sound of the whole drum in the same way as on the vintage drums. I think the Yamaha sets were most similar in comparison and that the Ludwig drums were most different. As for the Ludwig drums, I have to say that I do not really recognize the sound of the Classic Maple here. Classic Maple are very good drums that in my opinion sound warm and punchy with an open tone. I just think it is not representative of how I know the drums and I have a feeling that you have been a little unlucky with the tuning and heads. In the test I got it wrong with the Acrylic and Pearl. My drum kits are modern - Ludwig Classic Maple and Ludwig Club Date. Club date is a modern version of Ludwig Club Date from the 60's with round bearing edges, so they may be called modern / vintage. They definitely have their own sound and they sound pretty vintage, I would like to say that they just need to age a bit then they are there 😇🥁

I got every answer right at the end, except for the acrylic kits because I have no experience playing them, so I had no idea what a vintage one or modern one should sound like. It may sound weird, but the vintage ones, while having less low-low emphasis and more idiosyncrasies to the sound, somehow sound more, I don't know, like, solid.

I play a vintage Rogers big R kit, and I only got the acrylic kit wrong! Cool video I’d play a modern Ludwig kick and the vintage toms!

The acryclics were tricky but got the rest! Love the rawness of vintage and full body sound of modern.

Damn, here's me hoping my 2005 Mapex M Series can withstand the test of time. The new kits sound thicc! How about a snare shootout with different woods/metals?

I play both as well. I have a ‘67 Ludwig Super Classic (22-13-16 w/ a LM400 - Supraphonic). I also play a Canopus Yiaba 24 (24-13-16 w/ a Canopus 5x14 aluminum snare). They are not meant to to be duplicates of each other. The Ludwig has mahogany shells and the Canopus has birch shells. They are not constructed at all the same, which is why I play them. When I want a more open sound I go vintage, when I need a tighter, controlled sound it’s the modern. Like all things in music, it all about what the song needs.

I'd be interested to see a china cymbal comparison video, from all brands that exists here. If that ever happens, which I'll have some doubt on.

What i find so fascinating is the dryness in the basses. The dry bass is almost a classic be-bop drum sound. Just really interesting to see the difference. I also got only 2 wrong in the test the audience segment 😆

I enjoyed this video a lot. Most modern drums have this punchy bass drum sound while the vintage has flat sound. 4/5 score lol

Where can you get those excellent Drumeo t-shirts in this video?

Preferred the modern Gretsch, the vintage Ludwigs, Yamaha couldn’t pick a preference (but the Yellow Tiger is a KILLER finish).

Oh my! Finally a good video on vintage drums. I feel the world makes sense again

Thanks for doing this but it should be pointed out that the modern Gretsch toms have air holes which the old Gretsch kits didn’t

Hi I have a vintage Tama Superstar set early 80's. I got 3 out of 4 correct on the comparison.

I always liked the vintage drumsound...great tone!

1989 USA Custom Square Badge Birds Eye in Natural Finish with twin 16x24 kicks, 10x12, 11x13, 14x14 18x18, 8x14 20 lug snare with lightning throw off

Thanks for the comparison. We can see the difference with the same heads and tuning quite easily, but I don't think we can say which one sounds better yet! Because I believe each drums would sound best in their own situation. Maybe try and make each drums sound it's best in it's own way and then compare them. But that would be too complicated. Aka Rocket Science :)))

I play vintage Ludwig (1971), Rogers (1960s) and John Grey (1920s). I got one wrong which was the vistalite kit comparison.

The Difference in Sound Comes From The Original Bearing Edges Being Uniquely Shaped and Altered By Decades of Drum Head Tension and Use. It Actually Creates a Barely Perceivable Degree of Warping & Piling of The Wood Layers In Between Each Hoop and Lug Contact Point. Then Factor in Age, Hardening and The Very Slight Shrinkage of the Wood and You've Got The Resonance Changes That You Can Hear When Playing a Modern Version of The Same Kit against the Vintage.

With the Ludwig kit, I love the Classic Maple kick, but I love the tom sounds on the vintage kit. It could be just that the tuning didn't work well on the Classic Maple kit.