Can't say much about them since I haven't had any in my hands but if they didn't improve them from the ones from the 60-70s ( that I assume they are copying), then they are going to be just as crappy. Never been a Gretsch fan, didn't care for the drums and the guitars as well. Their older tube amps weren't bad. Ting
Tube lugs on maple shells that follow the older Gretsch tradition of ticker as they get bigger? Totally Tubular, O Yeah! Silver sealer? Great!
A band that owns one? A grateful drummer willing to travel and endure their schedule, I am! Despite no longer being made and whatever condition they exist in, they are forever examples of why love may be blind but not deaf!
I think enough research and thought went into something only Gretsch could do!
Meh, IMPO, Asian made stuff (guitars OR drums) just aren't all that great and after looking them up, the "Gretch Classics" seem very overpriced for what you get, I mean, c'mon, a 1-mounted tom, 1-floor tom, snare and single bass drum kit in small sizes lists at $900+ and it's Asian made stuff, so you know Gretch paid much less to have that kit made in a sweatshop, as opposed to one made in a union factory in the USA and could have priced them more accordingly, but due to their corporate greed you ARE only paying for a name that hasn't meant much to any serious players since the 1950's.
And no thanks!
I also wouldn't want to pay that much for an American made 4 pc kit, let alone an Asian made kit of inferior plywood, which is what they make everything out of in Asia!
I just don't ever believe it when a drum or guitar says "Made of Maple" and "Made in China" on the back of it, and than it's covered in a wrap and spray coated on the interior, because than it's probably NOT real maple nor a good quality maple and they don't want you to see what it really is, and in Asia, they will use an Evergreen wood and call it "Maple", seen it done a few times with guitars, basses and drums and even a violin that was made out of a darker Evergreen wood, but was sold as being "Walnut", which was probably why it was only $250 and not $3500! lol
There are cheaper and better options out there if you really want Asian made drums and you have to also remember that things made in Asia are always made in metric measurements, so if/when you should ever need replacement parts (even screws, nuts and washers), they will be slightly harder to obtain in the USA, as most US parts sellers and even hardware stores will only have US standard sized stuff and little to no metric sized stuff at all.
Assuming that you are in the USA?
Went thru that hassle with one friends 80's Pearl kit that started falling apart, he had me repair it and It wasn't easy finding the right parts or metric screws and washers for it all and he did not want any "new" holes drilled in it anywhere to covert it to US standard size, so I was stuck searching for metric parts and hardware and also with my wife's CB700 kit and another guys Yamaha kit, since they're made in metric it took a long time to find used and brand new parts in metric sizes that not only fit, but also looked right.
At least with Ludwig's and a few other USA made brand drums and hardware, you CAN get their genuine replacement parts and lots of after market parts companies make replacements for them that look and fit just like the originals.
And at least for $900, Luddy often gives you TWO rack toms, not just one!
More toms=more rolls, more fills!
LOL
Ludwig and PDP and a couple other US companies make some really nice looking and sounding kits that are less than half the price of the Gretch "Classics", which, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Gretch discontinue that "New Classic" line already anyway?
And not for nothing, but the lugs on those look a lot like lugs that Tama used back in the 80's on a few of their lower end kits of that era and stopped using, because they break pretty easily.
But good luck on whatever you decide to get, just know that YOU have to like both the look and sound and feel of whatever you buy.
Do what I do, visit a few different stores all around and try out different brands and different sizes, if possible, cause who knows, you might thump on a set up that you like even more and it might even be one in a more affordable price range and may even come in colors or with some eye catching graphics or details or whatever that Gretch doesn't even have or offer.
BTW, has anyone here ever tried to make their own shells/drums?
King Louie Music
3 years agoCan't say much about them since I haven't had any in my hands but if they didn't improve them from the ones from the 60-70s ( that I assume they are copying), then they are going to be just as crappy. Never been a Gretsch fan, didn't care for the drums and the guitars as well. Their older tube amps weren't bad. Ting
J. Blair
3 years agoTube lugs on maple shells that follow the older Gretsch tradition of ticker as they get bigger? Totally Tubular, O Yeah! Silver sealer? Great!
A band that owns one? A grateful drummer willing to travel and endure their schedule, I am! Despite no longer being made and whatever condition they exist in, they are forever examples of why love may be blind but not deaf!
I think enough research and thought went into something only Gretsch could do!
Lee Redfern
3 years agoI’ve owned a bop set and a snare. All were great drums. I still look for them, as they were extremely well built drums. Solid. You cannot go wrong.
James Knapp
3 years agoAsian built to compete with Pearl and Yamaha mid-price range, maple "blend" shells. The lugs are unattractive IMO.
DJ Metal
2 years agoMeh, IMPO, Asian made stuff (guitars OR drums) just aren't all that great and after looking them up, the "Gretch Classics" seem very overpriced for what you get, I mean, c'mon, a 1-mounted tom, 1-floor tom, snare and single bass drum kit in small sizes lists at $900+ and it's Asian made stuff, so you know Gretch paid much less to have that kit made in a sweatshop, as opposed to one made in a union factory in the USA and could have priced them more accordingly, but due to their corporate greed you ARE only paying for a name that hasn't meant much to any serious players since the 1950's.
And no thanks!
I also wouldn't want to pay that much for an American made 4 pc kit, let alone an Asian made kit of inferior plywood, which is what they make everything out of in Asia!
I just don't ever believe it when a drum or guitar says "Made of Maple" and "Made in China" on the back of it, and than it's covered in a wrap and spray coated on the interior, because than it's probably NOT real maple nor a good quality maple and they don't want you to see what it really is, and in Asia, they will use an Evergreen wood and call it "Maple", seen it done a few times with guitars, basses and drums and even a violin that was made out of a darker Evergreen wood, but was sold as being "Walnut", which was probably why it was only $250 and not $3500! lol
There are cheaper and better options out there if you really want Asian made drums and you have to also remember that things made in Asia are always made in metric measurements, so if/when you should ever need replacement parts (even screws, nuts and washers), they will be slightly harder to obtain in the USA, as most US parts sellers and even hardware stores will only have US standard sized stuff and little to no metric sized stuff at all.
Assuming that you are in the USA?
Went thru that hassle with one friends 80's Pearl kit that started falling apart, he had me repair it and It wasn't easy finding the right parts or metric screws and washers for it all and he did not want any "new" holes drilled in it anywhere to covert it to US standard size, so I was stuck searching for metric parts and hardware and also with my wife's CB700 kit and another guys Yamaha kit, since they're made in metric it took a long time to find used and brand new parts in metric sizes that not only fit, but also looked right.
At least with Ludwig's and a few other USA made brand drums and hardware, you CAN get their genuine replacement parts and lots of after market parts companies make replacements for them that look and fit just like the originals.
And at least for $900, Luddy often gives you TWO rack toms, not just one!
More toms=more rolls, more fills!
LOL
Ludwig and PDP and a couple other US companies make some really nice looking and sounding kits that are less than half the price of the Gretch "Classics", which, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Gretch discontinue that "New Classic" line already anyway?
And not for nothing, but the lugs on those look a lot like lugs that Tama used back in the 80's on a few of their lower end kits of that era and stopped using, because they break pretty easily.
But good luck on whatever you decide to get, just know that YOU have to like both the look and sound and feel of whatever you buy.
Do what I do, visit a few different stores all around and try out different brands and different sizes, if possible, cause who knows, you might thump on a set up that you like even more and it might even be one in a more affordable price range and may even come in colors or with some eye catching graphics or details or whatever that Gretch doesn't even have or offer.
BTW, has anyone here ever tried to make their own shells/drums?