Ok TAMA bros, we need to do our own.

My experience is for sure that learning to tune better and learning to strike the drums and cymbals better makes a huge difference. Those skills are useful for both lower and high end drums and cymbals. And yes the maple gum sounds amazing. But if you’re in a pub, it’s not sound treated, you have cheap microphones, you haven’t played for long, it’s a loud 4 piece rock band, the maple gum kit won’t help you more than the Roadshow would. For a high quality studio recording, i’d definitely consider the maple gum kit. Excellent video! Really enjoyed watching it.

I think when it comes down to it, the price of a kit doesn’t matter. I have a Gretsch Energy Kit that sounds amazing. As long as you have nice drum heads and can tune them good, then you’ll be rocking hard. Imo, it’s the cymbals that matter the most (despite the Wuhan B20 cymbals sounding good for the price).

My first drum set was a middle range sunlite, added same snare set up and evans g2 on the toms and then later ec2s. It did wonders to a cheap cheap drum set

True... For me... what makes a good kit.... good heads, good tuning, good snare and cymbals... great video!

Older drummers that are fortunate enough to step up in terms of kit and cymbal quality when they later buy their own kit, quickly forget what their first kits were like and how easily they were trashed, haha! I must have played on beat up heads and cymbals for years before realising that I needed to change the heads. this video was great fun, nostalgic and humbling at the same time. No matter what you can afford to play, this video perfectly sums up the spirit of playing drums. For richer or poorer, better or worse.... I do.

True. Good heads and tuning can improve the sound of almost any kit. But I for one was pretty impressed with how the hardware of the entry level Pearl kit held up during the "test to failure" phase of the experiment. I expected to see a lot more rocking and rotational movement of the toms and snare, but everything seemed pretty solid.

Awesome comparison, Guys! Thank you so much! Drummed for 15 years in my younger days, now 52 I'm getting back into it for exercise and hobby. Bought the Roadshow based on reviews and your video... thank you again!

Good cymbals are a bonus too, you can notice some difference in hardware and it all depends what the brands bring out as an entery level kit and a pro kit

Guys - Thanks so much for this video. I’ve been out of drumming for about 20 years and thinking about getting back into it. The new products are amazing to see and the way you guys break it down is so appreciated!! Well done!!

Let’s go these video with Adam are bangers. Thank you to both of you.

I'm a guitar player and this is like comparing the Gibson Les Paul to the Epiphone Les Paul...but the point of those is usually that the setup is what makes a great instrument...and from the standpoint of a guitar player that is looking to buy a drum set for his basement jam space, this is truly enlightening. Thanks guys!!!

I have a TKO brand kit. The hardware is really good, the shells are real good, as well as the finish. I changed the stock heads with Remo ambassadors and tuned them really nice. They sound almost as good as my Rogers kit I've had new since 1977, and it's still in excellent condition.

Ok so my first drum kit was a 1979 slingerland 10 piece with zildjian cymbals and hardware included. Also still had the original heads on it and original stands when I bought it for $490. Crazy collectible kit today. Dude didn’t know what he was selling he just wanted it out of his house

I still have my first drum kit (shells) my dad bought for me in the early '90s back when I was in second grade. Its rebranded, but Pearl factory made. I have played on everything from a "Costco" kit to a custom $15k kit I was lucky enough to even be in the same room with. My old '90s shells still sound amazing to this day. I have taken very good care of them over the years and it just goes to show, even a budget kit a dad buys for his young child can withstand the test of time. I remember in the mid 2010's touring with a band I was in, being asked if they were custom shells, because at that time, those big, loud 1990's drums looked so bizarre to newer, younger players. I agree with these guys, as long as the shells can physically hold up to the playing style, they could last forever and sound amazing - given they are treated properly. No matter the price point.

Nice video! Purchased roadshow here in the 🇵🇭 after 39yrs of existence. Been a drummer for almost 30yrs but w/o a kit. I just listen to music, float the drum part in my head, then goes to the studio & play what I just heard. Honestly, I already upgraded the roadshow that I bought after watching this. Bought the same heads but in Amazon because there are no UV2 here. Voila, it really sounded way better. Thanks Man! 🥁🇵🇭👍

Great comments on this stream. I have wanted to make this video for quite some time! I have been playing and teching for the better part of 50 years. I have learned over time how to make a lower end kit sounds leaps and bounds better by sanding any burrs off the bearing edges, head combinations, snare wires etc .. I have multiple high-end kits including two Pearl Masters kits, DW kit and a Pork Pie kit but, I played the Sunset Strip with an 80's Pearl Export kit. I swapped the cheap heads for quality REMO heads and changed the snare wires for Noble and Cooley or Blasters wires. I'm not a fan of gel or muffling except for the pillow in the Bass Drum. As you covered, the extra money you save you can invest in a better throne (buy high end thrones people, your back will thank you years down the road) and better cymbals and hardware. Stick to your personal budgets and HAVE FUN ! Awesome video Coop ! P.S. If possible, buy high end hardware used. This will save you so much $$

Credit to both of you guys for being experts on hiding your fails over and over again, many times by switching between grooves when your talent falls apart.

I think the warmth was added from coating versus the clear stock heads. I think putting clears on would be a closer comparison.

A few years ago, I spent over $2000 on a Pearl Reference shell pack. I could never tune the damn thing. It looked okay as far as the finish. It was called Root beer. I now own a Yamaha kit and this five-piece set up only cost me $800. This kit kicks ass! It's easy to tune and the toms sound awesome. I was surprised how well the snare sounded. My reference kit didn't even come with a snare! I'm now looking at a DW kit and I'm only interested because the seller has a lot of cymbals with this one.

I did the same with my Yamaha stage customs. Sound’s just as good as my DW collectors set

Adam: *employs beast mode* Roadshow brass cymbals: 🥵😵‍💫🤯😭😫😖

Loved the video!!! this reminded me when I started playing drums in 1993, I bought a Power Beat drumset, saved for almost a year (I was 12 back then) never changed the cymbals just bougth 3 Sabian B8,a 18 inch chinnesse, a 16inch crash and a 10inch splash (by the way I stil have them) few Years later I started a band.. by then I had taken some lessons, learned about heads and tunning. During those years I met a guy who had a Tama Rockstar drumset, but it was in very poor condition, never changed the heads, didn't know how to tune. Once on a school festival he said we were going to use his drumset, but he didnt arrived, so the sound guy asked me to set mine. We spent almost 1 hour seting it up, microphones, cables, audio check up and he said "that drumset sounds really good, what brand is it?" when I said "Power Beat" he looked really surprised hahahaha... 3 hours later this Tama dude arrived and was pissed cuz my cheap drumset was on the stage, so he demanded to take mine down and set his. When he started playing the sound guy was like "dude tune your drums" , took them like 45 min just to get it sound "acceptable" hahahaha when he approached the drumset and saw how bad the heads were he said "dude take your drumset off the stage and let us set the previous one yours sound like shit and he replied "but it is a Power Beat and this one is a Tama" ... the sound guy just rolled his eyes and said "sure, but yours sound terrible".... to this day (25 years later) this guy has not got over this hahahaha. Definetly, good quality heads, good tuning and good playing makes huge difference. cheers from Mexico!!!

My wife bought me a low end Ludwig kit. First kit I’ve had in 20 years. Swapped out the batters for Evans Onyx, hd dry snare and emad kick batter. Sounds as sweet as my old $2000 Tamas.

First video I found with someone specifying what kind of reso heads to use lol I’m new and have a cheap kit but didn’t know what to use for the reso heads

Great sharing my dear friend Mr Cooper!! Love and respect Kyle!! 😊🥁🇵🇭

Awesome video! Really really honestly good content, thanks

love your honest truthful post . spot on guys you are 100 % correct. superb.

The masters sounded really really good. The road show was good. Roadshow with a masters snare coild be the call.

That kick sounded really really good!

You can make the stock heads sound expensive too just by adding Vinyl material underneath the rim from one side to the other and then tune it. Also going for a lighter stick makes it sound mint too! For those of you who cant afford I hope this helps, super cheap fix for cheap stock heads.

What a fantastic video! I too would like to use this drum setting in my videos 🥁❤️

Great video guys

4:33 was hilarious

I have upgraded my Road show with hydraulic heads ziljian I series 18 “ crash ride and 14 “ trash crash , Paiste 7 14 “ high hats wuhan 10” splash and 16 “ China and evans eq 4 22” bass drum batter pearl export snare throw off and pure sound equalizer snare wires with Evans 300 reso head drums sound great in my studio

I’d love to see Eloy Cassagrande take whirl at those roadshow heads and pearl cymbals 😂

thanks guys! helpful!!

I hope somebody sponsored you both for this video. I was on the fence for this kit, but I think my mind has been made up. Thanks for sharing your expertise!

Youre the beste off all!!

I play on house kits for almost every gig I have, so my personal kit only comes out of the basement a handful of times a year. Because of this, I sold my beautiful $2000 maple shell kit that I absolutely adored and bought an old Export for practice and gigging. I used the money from the nice kit to upgrade my cymbals (which I do bring for a lot of my house kit gigs). After that, I bought a Ludwig Breakbeats kit and darn if that ridiculously tiny kit doesn't feel just as good to play as my nice kit did. I'm now selling the Export and hope to use the proceeds from that to buy another nice crash. Moral of the story- if your goal is a "pro" sounding drum kit, you can absolutely get there without a $1000+ budget.

I took a Premier kit, put Evans heads on them and stuffed the kick. I think it sounds great. But...I played a kit that was made by an Italian percussion instrument crafter OMG it was like playing a Maserati. It was used and being sold for 3 Gs. There is a lot to be said for high quality/crafted kits

The chip is nice

In live concert, master maple still make a big difference l.

I really liked the RoadShow once the Evans were on!!

this is fun to watch

I like that 😍

Good heads, well tuned and a good set of mics and you wont notice what the price is. Without mics it can be noticable but not much i guess

Love your content Cooper. Can you please tell us how you tune your kits? I have tried to get the same sounds your kits make but haven't been able to do that.

Excellent

Don't throw away the cymbals! Make stacks or something. If you don't use them I WILL!!! lol! Great video!

Enjoy your time and effort

That Masters Maple sounds AMAZING!!!

In most cases I like the sound of the cheap one with upgrades better than the expensive one

using drum honeys also works magic on cheap sets

Subscribed! new drummer here

Hi, great vid. I'm confused about where you were using the G1? could you explain? and can you recommend ride and hats that aren't too expensive?

Drums are meant to be beaten like they owe you money! Esp Pearl drums! I've been beating and breaking kits since I was 2! And only Pearl or 90s Tama kits really can take a beating!

I’ve always wanted a Spaun Drumset

13:09 Funny coincidence: I use the same Pillow for Training speed and Technique😂. Poor pillow seems to get beaten a lot around the world.

Nice drum. Nice drum

My 6 yo is slowly growing out of his junior set. Which drums should I choose for him Pearl, Tama or something else? I'm considering lower budget sets.

New good heads and quality cymbals will make a decent kit sound Great.

Earthworks Microphone really help to make a kit sound good

Wouldn’t changing he bottom heads improve the sound even more or just remove the bottom heads so they sound a bit more like concert drums?

my left ear enjoyed this

Ok imma spill the beans, im looking to buy an tama imperialstar 22", im looking for a deep low sound, and the highs a bit sharp. Good choice? Any tips? Lotta drummers out here😊

The fact that this is a 500$ kit makes no sense whatsoever.

i’ve had a roadshow for 6 years and i think i’ve done a good job at making it sound good so i feel no need to buy a high end kit, even though that would be sick.

I'm just a drum head banger in my basement having fun-not even in a band. 1500.00 was my spending budget. I almost went digital as the drum set can be programmed to sound so different without spending 1000s of dollars on other drums.

Yeah I still rock a Pearl Soundcheck series. Evans Emad2 on the kick. Evans EC2 on the toms. Evans Reverse Dot on the snare. Evans 300 on bottom paired with Puresound Twisted Snare wire. I've upgraded from the stock snare to the Pearl Heritage Brass snare. Same head and wires kit 👌 Currently, I'm taking a break from the drums and ended up selling cymbals. But, itching to play again. Cymbals and the snare imo shouldn't be cheaped out

I would have loved to buy a master sound, but just like everyone likes leather from Italy more than any other country, I like my $5k+ drums made in either Europe, or the Americas. Basically I’d rather have a Sonor or DW same price because of where it’s made. My personal take on it. If you agree drop a like. Btw the Matsersound is manufactured in Taiwan while Sonor is made in Germany and DW IN USA

do you know what you torqued the heads to? (using the drum tuning tool)?

Cool video 🤙

HI CASEY ! I absolutely ADORE you, your work, your passion.... I have watched your videos so many times I can't even count, you're incredible. I never got the chance to play the drums but watching you it makes my heart bumps so hard. I was wondering if you'd take any request. Most of my favorite songs you've already covered fortunately but I've got a few suggestions. Could you cover any songs by Little Mix ? Upbeat, meaningful, crazy good, any song you'd like I'de take. Any over cover of Imagine Dragons would be more than LOVED. I know you've covered several but any other. Praised be you'd like the song ONLY which is a masterpiece. As a huuuuuuuuuge fan of muse and how I discovered you, I would love to watch you perform any of their song from Will of the People. That would make my dreams come true. And if you fall upon CITIZEN ERAZED and have a friend crazy good guitarist to perform it I'm sure THOUSANDS of us would LOOOVE it. Finally if I may and if you have some spare time would you mind covering some of Demi Lovato's songs ? Which one of your choosing would be the best. FYI I think Irresistible (with Fall Out Boy) or Two Pieces would be incredible playing by you. Or any other really. Surprise me. Anyway thank you for the work and the passion you give us. You're an inspiration. You're so talented and can't imagine the hours of work you've put behind. But THANK. YOU. Thank you for your work. Thank you for sharing with us. Much love and inspiration from L. writing and touched by you all the way to a small town near Paris, France.

What do drummers think about the Hydraulic heads? Does it give a good sound having that oil in between the 2 ply?

Lol that floor Tom head is done.

I love these videos and wanna make videos like this but I don’t own a kit 😢

everyone is talking bad about the initial set up and i would love to have it! i LOVE playing the drums its just a shame i cant afford any!

Ok DW bros we need to do our own

Never understood why you would spend the bucks on one of those "Twuddy-Duddy" Evans Emad heads and put it in the kick, only to throw in a pillow as well. 😅

Casey please make a drum cover of "Lost" linkin park 😭💙

When i got my first pearl kit i wondered why they taped my heads and placed a pillow inside now i remember why

they look like a happy couple

I have Pearl Vision and i have Remo pinstrip wow

I OWNED A VERY CHEAP 2ND DRUM KIT BUT ONE ASPECT OF THIS WAS I ALSO BOUGHT A $20 SNARE FROM A GARAGE SALE. THIS WAS MY DOWNFALL. HAD I BOUGHT A DECENT SNARE FROM ANY GOOD-QUALITY SUPPLIERS, I BELIEVE THIS WOULD HAVE MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. YOU CAN SCREW AROUND WITH TOMS AND THE BASS DRUM BUT A CHEAP SNARE WILL KILL ALL YOU DO!!

Put a K&N sticker on every head. Bam, you got yourself a 2000 horsepower, million dollar kit!

Nice video, I was debating about buying a new drum set or buying new cymbals once I get the money. I am excited to watch this video, but I am on the middle of a recording now. I play a Ludwig accent kit and am looking at a pearl decade maple, but I have to save up for a while.

it has bigger difference if u hear it closely. the expensive one is much better in terms of sound quality.

you converted the cymbals into hand hammered =D

Omg.. They both sound like drums

Just as guitar tone is mostly pickup, the tone of a drum is mostly head and tuning ability. Wood and cost has little to do with it. At the end of the day the magic is in your skills and talent. This should be inspiring to all musicians..

Did you cut a small hole in the head to out that little pillow in?

The title of this video should be " how to make any kit sound like the box it shipped in".

👍🏻👍🏻👌👌

Just try to put some ISS or Optimount to the Roadshow to ear some improvement 😎

Can the Roadshow take the demands of Travel! Also i NEVER hear ANYTHING about Drum Cases etc.

Master 4000$ ouffff😮

My favorite part is when you guys were playing almost as hard as a Spanish church drummer

If you can tune your kit with the right heads you can make a intermediate kit sound almost identical to a $5000 dollar kit. Save your money! Get good cymbals though and save on the expense hardware!

Pretty cool that Edward Snowden was willing to sit down a put this video together.