Gretsch Catalina Birch Shellpack Reviews 5

I actually got this set by accident about six months ago. I went to Guitar Center in Tacoma, WA to purchase a Pearl set they had advertised with a free 8 inch tom for 599.00. It wasn't available, and I whined, so they sold me a six piece Gretsch kit for the same price!

This drum set sounds incredible. Even with the stock Gretsch heads with evans rings on them, they sound beautiful. The bearing edges hold a tune very well, and the floating tom mounts are very well made. The finish is also very nice. It is basically a "wash" with the wood-grain showing through. I have the Carribean Blue and there are no visible seams on the shells. But my favorite thing about this set is the 18X22 inch kick: it really booms. I have a DW double pedal and the bass really thunders whether I'm playing heel-up or heel down.

I have struggled with the tuning of the snare drum, but that's probably more my fault than the drum's. I played electronic drums for years and lost my tuning skills.

Very nice. As I stated before, the GTS suspension system on the mounted toms bears the weight of the drum evenly without altering the shell or the overall sound. The bass drum spurs are also rock solid.

This is a professional kit at a mid-level price. The bass drum alone makes it stand out. I am now a believer in "That Great Gretsch Sound"!

James rated this unit 5 on 2004-06-24.

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