Any info on the Pearl prestige session select series?

[bengerm77]

I found a guy on craigslist who's willing to sell a 4 piece shell pack for a good price and I want to know if I should hop on this deal?

 

It's a kick and three toms for $250, and I don't think I'm going to come across a better deal than that. I read other places that the shell may be maple on the outside and mahogany on the inside, is that a good wood combination? I just want to know as much as possible before I go all that way to pick up a kit.

[melvinspeed]

Prestige Session Select series replaced the late 80's WX and WLX World Series drums. They were also known as SLX and SRXs in the early 1990's. The shells were 7-ply, 7.5mm: One inner ply of maple, one outer ply of maple, and five middle plies of mahogany. Toms had Superhoops. Rack toms had I.S.S. Mounts. In 1997 the SPX became the SRX Prestige Session Select (the kit you have). In 2001 SRX Prestige Session Select became the SRX "Session Custom" and finally in 2004 SRX became the SMX Session 100% maple series. Great sounding drums Omar Hakim particularly loved this kit.

 

What Pearl refers to as Mahogany on certain lines is really luan. If the shells are in good shape, I think $250 is a fair price. The all maple or all birch shells of the SMX and SBX series are more highly coveted, but the SLX/SRX versions are fine drums.

[lossforgain]

Agreed, they are good drums. $250 is a great price for a good working/gigging kit. Although you would want to check out the hardware and edges before committing - I owned a mid 90s Masters MRX kit with questionable edges.

[boomerweps]

 

Prestige Session Select series replaced the late 80's WX and WLX World Series drums. They were also known as SLX and SRXs in the early 1990's. The shells were 7-ply, 7.5mm: One inner ply of maple, one outer ply of maple, and five middle plies of mahogany. Toms had Superhoops. Rack toms had I.S.S. Mounts. In 1997 the SPX became the SRX Prestige Session Select (the kit you have). In 2001 SRX Prestige Session Select became the SRX "Session Custom" and finally in 2004 SRX became the SMX Session 100% maple series. Great sounding drums Omar Hakim particularly loved this kit. What Pearl refers to as Mahogany on certain lines is really luan. If the shells are in good shape, I think $250 is a fair price. The all maple or all birch shells of the SMX and SBX series are more highly coveted, but the SLX/SRX versions are fine drums.

 

 

Mostly true. However there were a few years when the innermost and outer plies were birch, 1995 & 1996. I have a set where 3 of the drums are the birch ply and one is the maple ply. ALL are marked simply "Sessions Series". You can tell when they went to all maple ('99 or '00) and then a year or two later had the choice of either all maple or birch. The all maple had Optimounts standard and the all birch has the word STUDIO on it. See attached 1995 specs from Pearl.

 

boomerweps

[LouisPearl]

I have a 7 piece Pearl prestige sessions select drums. They are the best drums I’ve ever played and I’ve been playing for over 50 years. I’ve played on many kits and even sold my vintage 60’s Ludwig kit once I got these. They are priced right and eventually will be priceless as they will become rare.