what's the deal with Exports?

I just got the guitar center catalog in the mail today... they're selling a Pearl Export kit with black lugs and rims for $500. Now I've heard all kinds of things about these drums, but i'm telling you, this set looks badass. To top it off GC is throwing in a free Firecracker side snare... which might be very important judging from what i've heard about export snares.

It just sort of seems like the quintessential Vanilla drumset. And apparently it has "6-ply hardwood shells." What the hell does that mean? Hardwood is a whole family of woods last i checked.

I know there's plenty of info out there already about exports... but what are your personal experiences with them?

Hardwood too means {censored} wood lol, to me it means something low quality like basswood etc.

I think theyre overated (exports that is), the whole thing about them seems to be based on reputation. They are superb value and everything but they are overated in my opinion. 4 out of 5 drummers i know have one lol because they automatically get it because of the reputation, they dont bother checking out ohter kits because the pearl export is "best value and sounds the best ". My college automatically choose them when we get new kits they dont even bother checking the other brands available.

Theyre like yamaha pacifica's lol, a lot of people buy them because they seem to be the industry standard starting point type thing. There is nothing wrong with them at all, I just hate the fact that a lot of people buy them without even trying them. In fact ive made a promise to myself that id never buy a Pearl Export

my thoughts exactly. i could care less about reputation... if i played the same drumset as everyone else it would be that much harder to stand out.

And on the same page of the GC catalog is a Gretsch 4 piece MOP jazz kit, made out of mahogany. Infinitely cooler looking, and I'm more used to jazz sized kits anyway. (side note: i found out i don't need a big boomy kick and lots of toms to play LOUD ROCK MUSIC;)

they say they are six ply hardwood because they change the wood type depending on what is available. Typically it's either cheap mohoghany (luan) or poplar.

as far as wood goes, isn't it strange that mahogany- the finest and most expensive wood for furniture, gun stocks, pretty much wooden anything- is the one found in cheaper drumsets? And maple and birch- the two drumming heavyweights- are generally seen as cheap woods?

I just bought that Export set two days ago and I love it.

My honest opinion?

I have no problems with the shell of the exports. It's the lug I don't like. Now, I haven't really looked at the newer exports, but the late 80's-mid 90's sets had this 3 piece lug - 2 lugs with a piece of metal that fit between them to make it look like a high tension/die cast lug.

I hated them.

The hardware packs stink - just buy the shells in the sizes that you want, and buy their top of the line hardware.

It's funny, I spent all this money on a custom kit- and I'm not willing to leave it in a club over night - which means I'm probably going to invest in an export as my "club" kit.(It's going to be an electric kit anyway....so, it's just for looks.)

Tim

it's a different grade of mahogany. They use the cheap stuff (known as luan) in the exports. The genuine high grade mahogany is found in pearl's masters series.

My friend used to have an Export kit and we never stopped making fun of it. The description said it had plies of basswood and "other various woods". We thought it was funny so we started a rumor that they were made out of pine. Anyways, this was like 10 years ago, and I know that the export line has come a long way. Personally I'd go with the Pacific kits because they sound the best out of that whole group.

My boyfriend has a couple months old Export kit in wine red with black rims/lugs,it's an ok kit but no where near as well put together or finished as my Mapex Pro M kit,the shells are less well made,the hardware is less well built and overall it doesn't seem in the same league even tho the two kits are not that different in purchase price,maybe a

I own exports from this time. Look at the Yamaha recording custom - full length lugs and they are still the drums played by many studio musicians.

My drums have been through tons of gigs, they've been to italy, they have sounded good in every weather, hot, cold, humid, everything. They can be tuned to any style, they can be played by any beginner, pro. And you can leave them in a club overnight, you can put them in your car without padding between the drums, because you know they are covered and have those 3-pc lugs to protect the shell. They aren't worth more than a few hundred after a few gigs so who really cares about scratches on the covering? Point is, these drums have a great sound if you need a real versatile drumset. And from my experience and the last owner's experience, these drums can be trusted for any task.

I've had mine for a month now and like them