Mapex MB5255T M Birch Standard 5-Piece Drum Kit

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zZounds Gear Experts Say...

8-ply Birch shell construction. Exterior Maple veneer. Matching lacquered bass drum hoops.

Overview

The M Birch, new from Mapex, gives you the sound you've been waiting for. The shells are made from multiple birch plies with an exterior maple veneer, giving you great tone - and a great look. The shells deliver incredible attack at the high end, a narrower mid-range and significant 'punch' at the bottom end. The exterior maple ply is finished with eight coats of hand applied, transparent lacquer for a shell that looks as good as it sounds.

The best drum shells start with the best wood
Mapex selects only the finest woods for its shells. With individual plies less than 1 mm thick, the result is overall stronger and thinner shell. The seams are staggered around the shell, providing additional strength and acoustic distribution. Each drum is finished off with a precision-ground 45 degrees bearing edge, counter-cut at 0.5mm for optimum tone.

Hand rubbed with tender-loving care
Mapex drums are given eight coats of hand-applied lacquer, each of which are hand rubbed, to give the finish a deep, high-gloss shine. Mapex lacquer finishes are tough and easy to maintain and are crystal clear, allowing the beauty of the premium veneer to show through.

Physics meets aesthetics
The Mapex Isolated Tom System protects the shell's integrity and allows toms to vibrate freely, ensuring maximum projection and resonance. The Mapex Isolated Tom System is discrete and visually attractive and adds very little weight to the drum.

The worst thing to do to a drum is to drill a hole in it
Fewer holes… read more means truer tone and resonance. That's why all Mapex drums use single point contact lugs. Only one hole is drilled into the shell for each lug, protecting the shells' tonal properties. The lugs are low in mass as well, meaning less direct contact with shell, also protecting the overall integrity of the drum.

How can a thick piece of felt enhance sustain?
It can't. That's why Mapex 950 and 550 series Performing Artist Hardware comes with OS Cymbal Accentuators. Minimal contact with cymbal gives you maximum sustain. Unlike felt, the OS Cymbal Accentuator wont compress or shred and enjoy a longer life.

Playable quality right out of the box
Mapex drums are exclusively equipped with Remo drum heads. Like Mapex, Remo is a worldwide symbol of quality manufacturing and premium performance.

Other Features
exterior maple veneer

matching lacquered bass drum hoops

500-Series double-braced Performing Artist hardware

padded throne included

Specs

Components
22 x 18 in. Bass Drum

12 x 10 in. Rack Tom

13 x 11 in. Rack Tom

16 x 16 in. Floor Tom

14 x 5.5 in. Snare

Hardware
S550 Snare Stand

H550 Hi-Hat Stand

P550 Pedal

C550 Cymbal Stand

B550 Boom Stand

TH650 Tom Holder

T350 Throne

Documents and Manuals

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: 888-627-3987
Web: https://mapexdrums.com/us/contact

Reviews

(23 ratings)

Submitted April 1, 2005 by a customer from charter.net

"Do the math, do your research, and you'll end up disapointed if you get something else. This is the kit that justifys the hard e"

Overall:

(see rating details)

This review has been selected by our experts as particularly helpful.

After you buy this set you done. This is not like the computer industry. What you have right here will last the test of time. This set is just going to get better with age.

Sound
I'm an seasoned musician and concert sound engineer. I've mic'ed up drum sets for close to 20 yrs and have played many brands. I've always been partial to Gretch and had my heart set on picking up a set. The only other set that even came close to the sound I expect out of a kit was a Mapex and a D'Marzio custom ($10 K) drum kit. When I did my research, all the drummers I talked to that were in the business said that the new Gretch kits were only 5 ply maple / mahogany and not the 8 or 9 ply birch that they used to be. And that the new Gretch's were cheaply made in Taiwan. When asked about the new Mapex's they all agreed that these kits awesome in sound, construction & price. After picking up the "M" standard 5 Pc (with bonus 10" free tom) kit and played it, I have to agree. This set ROCKS. I do session work in many styles and this kit can accompany them all. The one thing to change is the tom heads unless you like (or want) that loud hollow ring of sustain out of the toms. I mean after hitting a tom with a good amount of force it would resonate 2 to 3 seconds. The floor tom for about 8 seconds. Concert applications would be great. Studio applications the heads could use dampening down a bit in the sustain department but the tones are great ! ! ! The Snare head is… read more cool, the kick needs a change in heads or just dampening and it will punch a hole through the wall with it's hard projecting thud. I was expecting an better than OK kit when I ordered it, but got a greater than awesome kit. The color I got was the Transparent Sapphire, which looks like a cool transparent aqua ocean blue. Really cool. My last comment is to buy it before the set gets popular and the price goes up and it will.

Features
The accessories are a bonus that I wasn't expecting to come with the deal. The hardware is top notch, all of the accessories are not their bottom of the line stuff but one notch under their best stuff that they offer on the higher priced deals. All quality in every piece. Really, I'm also a Quality Engineer for an Aerospace Company. I know quality when I see it.

Quality
I've already commented on the quality. Top notch !!!

Value
Can't go wrong and can't beat the price. Catch it now before it goes up.

Manufacturer Support
No worries yet.

The Wow Factor
If this were a car it would be a Porsche, Ferrari, or a Lotus. This kit performs. And it has the sex appeal to match. The eye candy is attractive and the sound is spell-binding. A real magnet.

Musical Background:
Profesional Concert Engineer, Active Musician

Musical Style:
All styles execpt opera

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