You guys are the best drum reviewers on the planet! Very candid and not afraid to say it the way it is. Not everything is roses like other channels put out there. Thanks and keep up the great work. BTW this kit sounds awesome as you’ve identified.
First time seeing a video from this channel. I IMMEDIATELY thought - "Who the hell uses e22s on toms for a kit review" Then I saw Nolly and it all made sense :) Absolutely killer channel !!
Natal is a drum company owned by Marshall (yes the amplifier builders). The company is headquartered North of London in Bletchley (Milton Keynes). I'm not a Britt so excuse me if I am stepping on location tradition here. The drums are made of Tulipwood, which comes from the East of the US, but mostly the Southeast. Tulipwood is a hardwood which grows freely in that area of the US. These types of hardwood have not traditionally be used in drum shell manufacturing, because maple (especially rock maple) was plentiful enough and considered historically to be the base wood for instrument manufacturing. .......................................... Today we find many different species of woods being used to make drum shells as well as many types of metals and fiberglass. I find the Tulipwood interesting, because it provides a rounded tone like that of maple but a sustain and attack more like that of birch. To my ear its a cross between maple and birch, having the desirable qualities of both. I have owned maple drums before, but they never have the projection and sustain I desire. I have birch now but cannot seem to get the rounded tone I'm looking for. Since I actually live in the Southeastern US, its probably time for a trip to South Carolina to find out about some Tulipwood drum shells >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Lastly, I noticed a complaint in the video about using a single ply resonant head on the bass drum. I have found lately that my best sound comes from using single ply heads as resonant heads. The very idea of resonance begs for the use of something thin which can vibrate easily... I have used two ply heads as resonant heads in the past and which resulted in choking the drums ability to sustain tone. I am aware that recording engineers despise any ringing coming from drums, but for live playing, I find it to be a desirable condition. Music is about the mix of instrument sounds, start choking that back and one looses the richness of that mix.
i've always thought this kit was gorgeous. the matte seafoam, the lugs, the bass drum hoops, the simple tom mounting. very nice looking kit. And of course, Nolly can make ANY kit sound like a million bucks.
Hmmm, this or a Pearl BCX kit . A little less money for the BCX right now here in the US but I don't know if I could live the Pearl's optimount system.
The Natal kit I played on had the rack toms attached to the cymbal stands. Very awkward for those like me, who are very fussy about the distance between the crash and rack tom. For the money, you can buy better sounding kits second hand. I think they are English made, so I’d rather a vintage Premier.
I played the arcadia model, and all the resonat drum heads did not have any brand Remo by Natal (to give an example), toms, snare and bass drum all with the same detail, maybe that's why in this model speaks of the problem of the front head it is of poor quality (maybe it could be that).
Single ply front head won't have as good attack, less punchy sounding and more overtones than may be required. More suitable in general for jazz perhaps.
Lol these do sound great but I hope people realize tulipwood is of the poplar species. The same wood, much like basswood, you see in many entry level kits. Does it matter? Actually no. Some of the best drums I've heard were a maple/poplar combo. Smart move on Marshall's part. Use a wood exclusively for a line no one else produce under the tulip moniker. And they sound great. But it IS a soft wood and something consumers should keep in mind when purchasing.
These drums sound fine. All this BS about wood species is just that ..BS. Some of the finest drums i have ever heard were not made from wood at all. The Fibes company made killer sounding fiberglass drums in the mid to late 70's especially their snare drums. Buddy Rich loved them! Louie Bellson and Jeff Hamilton both sound great on their Remo kits and let us not forget John Bonham rocking those orange Ludwig Vistalites. Yes every wood has different sound characteristics but they are very subtle differences at best. Shell thickness, Shell density, bearing edges and most importantly the choice of heads play a much bigger role in the overall sound of a drum more so than the shell material.
I live in Japan so these cans are unavailable!! Uhh Natal should vintage sizes and market them as vintage and charge more!!! That,s what other companies are doing!! Vintage sizes?? Bass drum 14" deep! Toms 8-12" 9-13" 14-14" 16"-16"! That it! Modern deep bass drums are one trick ponies!!!! Try playing big band ir jazz with them!! No matter what you do it sounds like rock fusion!!!
You guys are the best drum reviewers on the planet! Very candid and not afraid to say it the way it is. Not everything is roses like other channels put out there. Thanks and keep up the great work. BTW this kit sounds awesome as you’ve identified.
This kit sounds awesome! Would love to see some more Natal videos.
First time seeing a video from this channel. I IMMEDIATELY thought - "Who the hell uses e22s on toms for a kit review" Then I saw Nolly and it all made sense :)
Absolutely killer channel !!
Wow! That drum set sounds absolutely thunderous! Great video!
Natal is a drum company owned by Marshall (yes the amplifier builders). The company is headquartered North of London in Bletchley (Milton Keynes). I'm not a Britt so excuse me if I am stepping on location tradition here. The drums are made of Tulipwood, which comes from the East of the US, but mostly the Southeast. Tulipwood is a hardwood which grows freely in that area of the US. These types of hardwood have not traditionally be used in drum shell manufacturing, because maple (especially rock maple) was plentiful enough and considered historically to be the base wood for instrument manufacturing.
..........................................
Today we find many different species of woods being used to make drum shells as well as many types of metals and fiberglass. I find the Tulipwood interesting, because it provides a rounded tone like that of maple but a sustain and attack more like that of birch. To my ear its a cross between maple and birch, having the desirable qualities of both. I have owned maple drums before, but they never have the projection and sustain I desire. I have birch now but cannot seem to get the rounded tone I'm looking for. Since I actually live in the Southeastern US, its probably time for a trip to South Carolina to find out about some Tulipwood drum shells
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Lastly, I noticed a complaint in the video about using a single ply resonant head on the bass drum. I have found lately that my best sound comes from using single ply heads as resonant heads. The very idea of resonance begs for the use of something thin which can vibrate easily... I have used two ply heads as resonant heads in the past and which resulted in choking the drums ability to sustain tone. I am aware that recording engineers despise any ringing coming from drums, but for live playing, I find it to be a desirable condition. Music is about the mix of instrument sounds, start choking that back and one looses the richness of that mix.
very extensive story, bro. thanks!
Tulip sounds great
i've always thought this kit was gorgeous. the matte seafoam, the lugs, the bass drum hoops, the simple tom mounting. very nice looking kit. And of course, Nolly can make ANY kit sound like a million bucks.
I like what he played here a lot better than the intro he usually plays.These drums sound incredible.
Just bought this kit and it looks and sounds fantastic.
I have a question for you. How many millimeters is thickness of the shell on toms and bass drum?
Please review the Natal Arcadia acrylic drum set.
Sounds amazing
Hmmm, this or a Pearl BCX kit . A little less money for the BCX right now here in the US but I don't know if I could live the Pearl's optimount system.
I have an MCX and the toms are choked because the Optimounts. Switch the mounts for RIMS and they will sing.
I have been looking at this kit and the Ludwig neusonic. Has anyone heard both? How do they compare sound wise?
These sound so cool, but I have just never been able to get into their lug design and I gotta love the way the drums look too lol
Sounds like the tom mics are either muted or too low. Or maybe the snare mic is just too loud.
Any chance of a review of the new Dixon Artisan drums.
Everyday is christmas with Natal drums
.
It's shame there isn't add ons available in this series?
The Natal kit I played on had the rack toms attached to the cymbal stands.
Very awkward for those like me, who are very fussy about the distance between the crash and rack tom.
For the money, you can buy better sounding kits second hand.
I think they are English made, so I’d rather a vintage Premier.
I would own this kit
I don't follow: what's the big disappointment with the single ply front head - what exactly is the problem?
I played the arcadia model, and all the resonat drum heads did not have any brand Remo by Natal (to give an example), toms, snare and bass drum all with the same detail, maybe that's why in this model speaks of the problem of the front head it is of poor quality (maybe it could be that).
Single ply front head won't have as good attack, less punchy sounding and more overtones than may be required. More suitable in general for
jazz perhaps.
Nolly!
Fab kit
This or Yamaha Stage Custom?
Lol these do sound great but I hope people realize tulipwood is of the poplar species. The same wood, much like basswood, you see in many entry level kits. Does it matter? Actually no. Some of the best drums I've heard were a maple/poplar combo. Smart move on Marshall's part. Use a wood exclusively for a line no one else produce under the tulip moniker. And they sound great. But it IS a soft wood and something consumers should keep in mind when purchasing.
Yes. And Brazilian tulipwood is much better quality
Its Called Tullip But Has Nothing To Do With The Poplar Tree. Google It.
Wrong. Tulipwood is not related to poplar although some call it “yellow poplar.” Tulipwood is a hardwood.
Tulip is from the Magnolia tree. North American hardwood. Not as hard as Brazilian but the Noble and Cooley American tulip kits are incredible.
These drums sound fine. All this BS about wood species is just that ..BS. Some of the finest drums i have ever heard were not made from wood at all. The Fibes company made killer sounding fiberglass drums in the mid to late 70's especially their snare drums. Buddy Rich loved them! Louie Bellson and Jeff Hamilton both sound great on their Remo kits and let us not forget John Bonham rocking those orange Ludwig Vistalites. Yes every wood has different sound characteristics but they are very subtle differences at best. Shell thickness, Shell density, bearing edges and most importantly the choice of heads play a much bigger role in the overall sound of a drum more so than the shell material.
Natal kits are great just don't like the pedals their not great unfortunately
I live in Japan so these cans are unavailable!! Uhh Natal should vintage sizes and market them as vintage and charge more!!! That,s what other companies are doing!! Vintage sizes?? Bass drum 14" deep! Toms 8-12" 9-13" 14-14" 16"-16"! That it! Modern deep bass drums are one trick ponies!!!! Try playing big band ir jazz with them!! No matter what you do it sounds like rock fusion!!!
DOOF