I used to have a set of North Drums. I love their sound, so did everyone that heard them. They didn't sound, or look, like any other. That in turn, helped me develop my own sound, and helped me stand out from the rest of the drummers. I really wish I hadn't been forced to sell them. My dream was to put two sets together, like you did, and build a new rack system for them, my original rack was all dented and scratched as well. It's really nice to see that 15 to 17 year old me had a great plan back then. Your set looks, and sounds, amazing Brotha.
Thank you very much. I had to wait from 1976 until 2017 to start accumulating these, and then the next 3 years restoring them and adding to them until I finally have the set I wanted for over 40 years!
The North kit: God bless you for restoring such a beautiful antique. Only a certain age group of our current population (55+) will appreciate a vintage drum set such as yours. Music will never be the same... 1970s & 80s rock bands are pretty much history now days.
I go back and forth on that. Sometimes with the ring off the natural sound of the drum really appeals to me. Other times, when I am in an 80s mood, the dead snare seems to fit the bill...
@@christhedrummerkimball "To be honest", I WISH I HAD THEM!! I remember when North Drums first came out...Just saw you made a "tuning" video with them... will check it out! Good luck man- bp
You are correct--I misspoke; I meant "cloud badge." I was thinking of an old Gretsch bass drum I had years ago (which I now have again--see my later, really long, video for details) Thanks for catching that!
Nice. I used to daydream about how fantastic the North drums must sound and how I just had to have a kit like that in order to get the sound I wanted and life would be perfect. I was a big progressive rock fan (still am, but I've widened my horizons). I loved the sound Phil Collins got on "Seconds Out" and then Bill Bruford's sound with UK. Of course North drums sound nothing like what I imagined. Teenage fantasizing. Bruford's sound came from Roto-toms, about as far as you can get from something looking like North drums. Maybe closer to Phil's resonant headless drums though. As I got into jazz I discovered that good looking drums don't always equate into good sounding drums and ugly drums can sometimes sound the greatest.
Absolutely. For projection and coolness North are arguably the best. For tonal quality and resonance, though, not so much. Still, it depends on what you're looking for. Some jobs require a hammer, others tweezers. Using either tool for the wrong job will lead to disappointment. Recognizing what each tool is designed for and using it for its intended purpose leads to satisfaction. That's why I have both a North Kit and a Sonor Hilite Exclusive kit.
CHeck out Alan White of Yes. He played a North kit. I've always used Evans Hydraulic heads on my North. Mine are from 1982, bought them new. They always sounded great and still do! They gave me a distinct advantage over other 80s metal bands that we would play out with because they projected so well, people could hear my tom fills. Back then you were lucky if the sound guy gave you 2 channels! Also they look awesome on stage! Sorry for necroing the thread. Big time north fan!
I see the white set of drums and the only thing i can think of is the 'Drum Solo Of Life' sketch with Neil Peart on Aqua Teen Hunger Force *"NEIL! PLAY THE DRUM SOLO OF LIFE!!"*
@@christhedrummerkimball, I’ve known a few drummers. I knew a guy I worked with who had a big club van. He had nowhere to practice so he set up his kit in it. He could barely play in there all hunched over. It was hilarious! He would play while parked in the job’s parking lot. You could hear him a mile away. Never saw THAT before or since! We would hang back just to watch passers by looking around for the source. Ha ha! His nickname was Animal, as in Animal the drummer from the Muppets Show. He was the human equivalent of that character. Even looked like him! He played like him too! Real hard and aggressive! He was a cool guy.
I'm a huge fan of the Alex Van Halen snare dampening technique of placing strips of duct tape underneath the batter head, and then just barely applying the internal felt muffler inside the snare drum to taste.... doing that really does produce that nice deep "wooden:" sound accompanied by the sound of the sticks making contact with the rim and batter head
@@christhedrummerkimball Yeah, been around forever. I'm tempted to go digging, but Im turning 50 in 22 days and holding paper that old might bum me out. 🤣👨🦳
Wow that North kit sure must project sound to the audience but I don't know about not having bottom heads! Pretty crazy looking design though. Thanks for sharing!
I remember the North "marching drums" that the Blue Devils used. Supposedly very heavy. They did not catch on with the marching market but looked cool nonetheless.
Cool video! I actually paid my way through college playing a set of black Norths with a Ludwig Black Beauty snare. That kit was miked up so it sounded very present. Now, I use a Ludwig set with Tama snare and DW/Yamaha hardware, but I do use the Aquarian studio rings along with Evans UV1 batter heads, and really like the resonant tone with some of the excess ring suppressed.
I wanna know what kind of sound you can get out of that rather pleasant piece of equipment I see on the right hand side of the screen at 6:12? I'm sure there's a pedal or two right there that has an interesting tuning! 😁
It surprised me how similar that white north Star kit sounds like my old single headed Tama imperial star. I put black dot heads on it to. I love my old Tama.
Old Imperial Stars are great. I had a silver wrapped kit with black Remo ebony heads as my first kit. Tuned the bottom heads as tight as I dared and the top heads so loose they were all wrinkled. Had a really fun and weird wet but dry (I know… how’s that even possible..) sound. Still have the kit but it was sadly damaged in transport years ago. Slowly being restored now (restomod would be a more fit word I think)
Very interesting video. I used to be a drum tech/roadie which means I did everything except play them. Part of our “drum kit from hell” was an eight piece Sonor Phonic set (eight-ply beechwood). These are meant for studio, yet I was shlepping these heavy mothers all over the place. Like you, my drummer preferred Tama hardware. I would attach a photo but you can’t here. I’m 62 now and have taken up guitars in my retirement. They are much lighter and I’ve always wanted to learn how to play. Now I have nothing but time on my hands so this is a perfect opportunity. So far I have eight electric guitars and an acoustic guitar.
That's funny--roadies never get enough credit, especially for taking care of huge drum sets! My dad, who was a pianist, always said I should play flute. He said he had helped drummers haul their stuff all over the place for decades, and he wasn't about to do the same with my drums! He did help though, and to make him feel better I married a flute player...:) Best of luck with your retirement--I'm almost there, too. Thank you for watching!
The copper plating on the Rototoms and Octobans looks incredible! Where do you get something like that done and how much does it cost? (for the roto's specifically)
Many years ago I took them to a place in Seattle called Art Brass www.artbrassplating.com/company/contact/ but I also had all the snare drum hardware and octobans with their hardware as well as the rototoms in one package. The cost for all of that was $1,100, which was a lot at the time. I'm sure if you sent them pictures of what you want plated they would give you a quote. They did a fantastic job, even plating the little, tiny washers for the lug bolts! Good luck, and thank you for watching, I appreciate it.
Chris thx for a great demo of a very interesting drum kit and I love your restoration work...those North drums had me curious for years and yours look in great condition...
That's an interesting idea. One of these days when I have some time, and get done with some of the other videos I'd like to post, I'll give that a try. Thanks for the suggestion!
@@jamiesmith6838 I've always liked big drum sets, ever since I saw a band on TV play Indian Reservation by Paul Revere and the Raiders and the drummer used a Ludwig Octa-Plus for the big tom fills!
Both are really nice kits. I remember the North drums from the jazz fusion band Return to Forever. One of their drummers, Gerry Brown, played North Drums and this guy was a monster. Chris, in regards to your Sonor kit, I would be interested in hearing what they sound like using Moon Gel instead of studio rings. The rings take away too many overtones for IMHO, but of course that is a matter of preference. I just think you get more of the drums true tone with the gel as opposed to the rings. Just my two cents. LOL! Great video and I like your kits.
Thank you very much for watching and commenting! I do use moongels on some of the drums I have, depending on what kind of music I'm l'm playing and the size of the drum, The only thing I don't like about them is they sometimes fall off, or are a bit finicky to work with. They are very effective, though.
I make my own tone rings out of the old drum heads every time I replace them. Works just the same. Also, I love your Sonor kit, but that must suck to tear down, move, and set up for gigs.
Thanks for watching! Yeah, I rarely take the Sonor kit to any gigs. It's mainly for my own playing enjoyment at home. I do take it out once and awhile, though.
Sadly, Mapex only made the Janus pedal for a short time and discontinued it years ago. You might find one on eBay, but they're pretty rare. Thanks for watching!
Your kits are rad !!! Your drum skills are rad and you killed 7/4 like it was no big deal. Love to hear you do John Bonham's "fool in the rain" or "when the levy breaks"
Thanks very much for the kind words! I'm lucky to have the kits I do, it took a long time to finally get what I wanted, but they are fun to play. BTW, have you seen the video of the drums I made from sewer pipe? Those are pretty fun, too! ruclips.net/video/prKSmz729SE/видео.html
The North drums (also similar Staccato drums) are the type of "Concert" type drums meaning they only have a batter head. Phil Collins used to play Gretsch concert drums.
@@CSPDesign I've never seen anything else like it, although it's been a while since I've looked. I would check the drum forums to see if anyone has a used Mapex Janus pedal.
The Mapex Janus Hi-Hat is getting very difficult to find...harder and harder as time goes on. I've searched it out on eBay before and that is a hit or miss scenario. Maybe Reverb or Music Go Round, but it will require time and patience. They go fast once posted (if in good condition). Would love to try it out myself.
The North kit reminds me of better music days in the 70's and 80's. I will always have the image of Jackson Browne's Running on Empty album cover (1977). First time I ever saw them and wondered what they were. Distinct look. Distinct sound. Always reminded me of the tom's section of a marching band. They have that live sound to me. I think I saw YES when Alan White had a black set.
awesome dude! im a yound drummer in england and have a mapex mars kit, mainly play jazz so dont really have much need for big, retro peart-esc kits but damn theyre cool and you really know your stuff! keep it up!
What a pleasure to see this beautiful North set up. Something you may not know about North drums, they were invented by my old friend Graham Davies (rip), NOT as claimed by Roger North, to whom he sold the original moulds. He had the original idea whilst looking at the flair on a trumpet and imagining what effect it would have on tom toms, visually and audibly. Among other inventions of his like the Octobans by Tama, originally designed with different lengths to be tuned to an octave, so a lot of them...12! A genius, started as a motor mechanic and even worked for Downton Engineering UK (who did engine developmant for BMC , Mini Coopers etc), their race cars which Graham worked on were legendary. And now so are his drums.👍🇬🇧🎺
@Dale McComb i am a guitarist. i can't speak for anyone else but i hate drums that ring out as if they have a built in reverb - honestly, i would like to stuff a pillow into every single drum that i have to share a bandstand with. no offense meant to any drummers who do not agree with me.
@Dale McComb "24 bass" i assume that means inches - is that diameter or depth? either way that doesn't seem very big to my imagination. anyway i like a drum sound that goes "tap tap thump splash splash thump etc" - i don't like "bonngg bongg booomm crash!" wow i probably sound like an idiot. ok my 2 favorite drummers are mitch mitchell and stewart copeland.
I remember when my mom and dad gave me my first real drum set--they had it set up in the garage and took me out there to see it, but it was a surprise. Red sparkle MIJ, it was the coolest thing I had ever seen! :)
I had a 7 pce set of Staccatos and I used Evans hydraulic heads and that was the absolute best sound I ever got using concert toms. Nice job and great kits Chris!!
@@christhedrummerkimball Yeah, me too. It's free, and it's better than brand ones as they can be a lot heavier and you can cut out the exact size yourself. This goes for snare, where a homemade heavy ring from say a fiberskyn 3 head is superior to any brand ring out there I've tried. For toms, I go with the brand stuff. Works well on toms and looks clean. By the way, I love that Sonor kit. Wonderful look and sound.
Thank you. I would encourage you to go ahead and refinish them if you want. Check out some books from the library (am I showing my age??) Or go online for some insights of how to go about it!
When I was 7 or 8 Chet McCracken lived across the street from me. I played with his daughter. I remember he had a brand new kit just like that one in his driveway. He used to let me play his practice kit in his garage 😄
When I first started trying to tune double headed drums it took me awhile for my ears to get used to REAL drums. I remember reading quotes with bill bruford with him saying muffling has no place on drums. Some other famous drummers have said when you start muffling you have give up on tuning. I definitely agree with that statement. You get the truest pitch from having a single ply head top and bottom tuned the same. Emperors are closer to an ambassador, so if you use emperor (or Evans G2) top and ambassador (or Evan's equivalent) bottom you can get a cleaner pitch.
Thanks for your comment! What you say is true, but on the other hand there are many drummers who prefer a more muffled tone in certain circumstances. This is evidenced by the fact studio rings sell in the marketplace. Thanks again for your thoughts!
@@christhedrummerkimball People are like that. Didn't Motown's go-to bassist use the same set of strings his whole career, because he preferred that dead sound? I will never not put a pillow in my bass drum and then expect to get the quick, tight kick sound I love. I'd be a fool to expect that desired result without a pillow!
This takes me back to a live recording (Matie Moss Clark, Greater Williams Temple Live) that I played a set of North Drums, it took a while to tune them to a "G" scale and preparing for the room temp to change. We got a great live mix on the kit. Big Fun,, Chris Colemans Uncle Rich
Here is one of the tracks on RUclips of the live recording Part 1 & 2, ruclips.net/video/Cnwpfq7SDa0/видео.html - the North drums sounded great after tuning to play in a large full church that came to the concert. I used my Pearl hardware, Patise cymbals. Rich
@@RitchieColeman Sounds good! Awesome song, by the way. I toured with a Gospel band back in the early '80s out of Nashville. It was great group called Bridge.
Not at all. The North kits have much longer shells and the Roto-toms have no shells. North drums are loud when you are in front of them because they are projected specifically towards the audience. Roto Toms disperse the sound in all directions.
I have a Slingerland Gene Krupa Radio King snare from 1946 or 7 and it has a slightly different cloud badge. I think yours is a little bit older. Definitely 40's era. Edit: I remember people playing North kits when I was a kid and recently saw one for sale at my local used instrument store. Cool looking, but moving those things for gigs would be a huge headache!
North was my dream drum set back in the late seventies. Not having access to any kind of drum set until Senior High, I did a lot of dreaming. Tried to keep up with Neil Peart, Bill Bruford and Phil Collins...in my head.
Thank you! I was really happy with the way it turned out. I had the hardware copper plated , but a furniture shop did the refinishing and did a great job. Thanks for watching!
North Jerry Mercer cool old school kit ! Back when we were kids I’m 55 it was normal to not have bottom heads during the 70’s and we got good sound ! North took it a step further and put the sound in ur face pretty sharp concept at the time !
Part of the problem is the lack of quality in microphones in the cell phone. I'm hoping to get some better equipment so my recordings will sound more accurate..
@Electric Jesus Even when perfectly in tune, without rings there are still many overtones. That's what gives the open sound the rich quality so many people like (including me, for certain types of music). The thing is, drum sound is, as I've said before, a very personal thing. The key is to understand people have different likes and dislikes, and one person's trash is another person's treasure! .
I agree. Lifeless, definite lack of tuning skills and playing skills. I just can't even wrap my head around this video. I'm not even sure why it came up on my feed
@Electric Jesus Really? Quality of sound has everything to do with playing skill. Stroke integrity, velocity, push or pull sound from or through the head, among many other fundamentals.
I love to see that bas/hihat connection in close up .. That North kit, reminds me of my ultimate wet dream the Staccato drums. which i believe were also from Italy.
@@christhedrummerkimball that would be nice. The Sonor is in great condition btw. .i,ve seen some sets in terrible shape with Copper lugs and stands that almost made me cry..
Where, how & how much did you get that gold/copper finish on your roto toms and stuff to the left of your snare? I have been wanting to turn all of my chrome to black nickel. I prefer moon gels on double ply batter heads but that is my preference for me. You do what you feel is best sir. I love that snare open. I don't muffle mine at all, I don't like em choked. Again, you do you my friend.
Thank you for being one of the open-minded commenters! I had a place called Art Brass in Seattle plate the snare hardware, roto Tom's and octobans many years ago. Back then it cost me $1,100. I dont know what it would cost now.
I didn't know Stephen King could play the drums ;) The Norths look too cool for school, but they sound too tinny to me. Yes, as someone said, too bucket like.
Bella la Fibes La suonava anche Billy Cobhan, anche io ho la batteria in casa, ma se non viene un bassista o un altro strumentista a trovarti … ti rompi le balle🌶e poi fai dei video come questo perche’ ti annoi🧏🧏
Sweet kit. Thanks for the tour. Love that combo left foot pedal. Nice Mini!! “Play all around you’re bound to hit something!” Man after my own heart!!!
@@christhedrummerkimball Definitely!! Just rewatching this now and I missed the fact that the LH bass pedal appears to be on the hihat stand. Love that slideover pedal. So this is the Mapex Janus that you adapted onto your Tama HH stand? Is there a video on that somewhere? Mini and a Vmax too, nice!
Both kits and your playing are great. Man, that copper finish is gorgeous.
Thank you--I appreciate the kind words! I do like the copper--I had the snare drum, rototoms and octobans plated to match the Sonors.
It’s great how you interrupted yourself when talking to play another fill at 10:07
I find myself interrupting myself quite often...!
Dr Drummer and Mr Interuppter
@@EmperorsNewWardrobe :)
@@EmperorsNewWardrobe should be Dr Drummer and Professor Interrupter!
(Alan Parsons reference)
@@badeugenecops4741 Great song and great Album!
You should charge your neighbors for the concert
😅
Tried that, and they charged me with noise pollution
@@destroythenarrative9034 Some people just don't appreciate good music...:) Thanks for watching!
lool
@@christhedrummerkimball keep doing what you love and everything will be all right my friend !!
‘Oh no big deal, my drum set is so big it hides an actual classic Mini Cooper!”
I never thought about it, but maybe I'm compensating with the North kit because my car is so small...:) :) :)
😂
Man buys pint-sized car to make room for second drumkit🤣
@@xp50player 😂yes!!
@@xp50player :)
“If you flail around enough you’re bound to hit something!” Hilarious. Awesome kits 👍😎🇦🇺
Thank you, I appreciate your positive comment!
This dudes drums looks like he jams tom sawyer by rush every time he plays😂😂
If only I were that good...:)
@@christhedrummerkimball Well, you got the first part of 6 notes of YYZ @ 7:47 down pretty well ;)
@@blahuhm6782 :)
Chris Kimball actually you are that good man 👍🏽👍🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽
@@princewarior2554 I wish! :)
I used to have a set of North Drums. I love their sound, so did everyone that heard them. They didn't sound, or look, like any other. That in turn, helped me develop my own sound, and helped me stand out from the rest of the drummers. I really wish I hadn't been forced to sell them. My dream was to put two sets together, like you did, and build a new rack system for them, my original rack was all dented and scratched as well. It's really nice to see that 15 to 17 year old me had a great plan back then. Your set looks, and sounds, amazing Brotha.
Thank you very much. I had to wait from 1976 until 2017 to start accumulating these, and then the next 3 years restoring them and adding to them until I finally have the set I wanted for over 40 years!
The North kit: God bless you for restoring such a beautiful antique. Only a certain age group of our current population (55+) will appreciate a vintage drum set such as yours.
Music will never be the same... 1970s & 80s rock bands are pretty much history now days.
Thank you, I appreciate your perspective!
I think the video for Iron Maiden's "Flight of Icarus" might feature a North Drum Set played by Nicko McBrain. I believe he usually played Sonor.
There's good modern music. You just have to hunt for it.
Take that ring off the snare in the studio. It has a phenomenal sound, even in the room. Absolutely pure.
I go back and forth on that. Sometimes with the ring off the natural sound of the drum really appeals to me. Other times, when I am in an 80s mood, the dead snare seems to fit the bill...
Agreed! Sounded awesome with the ring off. But I'm a huge fan of that sound and loved a lot of Rim shots when I'm playing
So true! People deaden their drums too much.
If you like that really ringy Lars Ulrich St. Anger snare sound.
@@jamesbrennan5886 The snare resonance sounds nothing like Lars' trash-can snare. Not even close.
Thanks for sharing, Chris! Great kits and obviously you're truly passionate about them and playing. Right down the the hardware! Nice.
Thank you for the positive comment!
@@christhedrummerkimball "To be honest", I WISH I HAD THEM!! I remember when North Drums first came out...Just saw you made a "tuning" video with them... will check it out! Good luck man- bp
round badge? I think they call it cloud badge?
You are correct--I misspoke; I meant "cloud badge." I was thinking of an old Gretsch bass drum I had years ago (which I now have again--see my later, really long, video for details) Thanks for catching that!
I found this randomly but stayed for the talent & imagination! Say hi to your neighbors for me!😆✌🇺🇸
Thank you! I appreciate your watching. And I'll let my neighbors know you said hi... :-)
Nice. I used to daydream about how fantastic the North drums must sound and how I just had to have a kit like that in order to get the sound I wanted and life would be perfect. I was a big progressive rock fan (still am, but I've widened my horizons). I loved the sound Phil Collins got on "Seconds Out" and then Bill Bruford's sound with UK. Of course North drums sound nothing like what I imagined. Teenage fantasizing. Bruford's sound came from Roto-toms, about as far as you can get from something looking like North drums. Maybe closer to Phil's resonant headless drums though. As I got into jazz I discovered that good looking drums don't always equate into good sounding drums and ugly drums can sometimes sound the greatest.
Absolutely. For projection and coolness North are arguably the best. For tonal quality and resonance, though, not so much. Still, it depends on what you're looking for. Some jobs require a hammer, others tweezers. Using either tool for the wrong job will lead to disappointment. Recognizing what each tool is designed for and using it for its intended purpose leads to satisfaction. That's why I have both a North Kit and a Sonor Hilite Exclusive kit.
CHeck out Alan White of Yes. He played a North kit. I've always used Evans Hydraulic heads on my North. Mine are from 1982, bought them new. They always sounded great and still do! They gave me a distinct advantage over other 80s metal bands that we would play out with because they projected so well, people could hear my tom fills. Back then you were lucky if the sound guy gave you 2 channels! Also they look awesome on stage! Sorry for necroing the thread. Big time north fan!
@@lanceh4653 Alan White y Billy Cobham los usaron.
Oh hell yeah man, my head was considerably swinging during that 7/4 jam, huge. First time on the channel, love this.
Thank you! It is a!ways nice to get positive comments.
Cool as mate. Enjoyed every moment. Beautiful drum kits and fantastic playing. Thank you.👍✌️❤️
Thank you for the kind words! I appreciate it, and thanks for watching!
I have a set. Baby Blue with the black rings. 4 toms on a curved bar, one floor, one kick.
Love them !
I had the Janus system for years! I built my double bass skills with it, kinda miss it, don’t miss gigging with it!
Yes, moving it around it kind of a pain! :)
Tommy Lee used a set of drums in the color yellow like those open horn white drums on one of Motley Crue's tours.
Thanks for watching! They look pretty cool in yellow.
Alex Van Halen used them in 88' too....
@@smashdalde9713 Alex was a great drummer.
Chris Kimball still is
@@thomasedmundrichards oops, that's what I meant! 🙂
You've done a fantastic job restoring both kits very nice sound thanks for sharing this, now I need to go back and check out your tuning videos.
Thank you--I appreciate the positive comment!
Fantastic to see & hear both of these kits thanks for sharing this with us 👍🏼🥁🙂
My pleasure, thanks for the comment!
I see the white set of drums and the only thing i can think of is the 'Drum Solo Of Life' sketch with Neil Peart on Aqua Teen Hunger Force
*"NEIL! PLAY THE DRUM SOLO OF LIFE!!"*
If only I were that good...
That's from aqua teen hunger force movie lol cheers
@@jessenoneofyobussines7560 That's a new one for me--I'll have to look it up!
3:13 Don't think you can sneak that in their without anyone noticing lol.
:)
Come on! He didnt😂Thats not even the right beat for it and he might not even know what youre talking about
It's missing a kick drum hit at the end, but close.
Please keep making videos, seeing you that happy makes everyone happy:)
Thank you! This was only my first or second video, and I hope to do more once I get a better microphone hooked up.
(Banging on door) Dad! Keep it down!
It’s a school night!
:) There's more truth to that than you know!
@@christhedrummerkimball, I’ve known a few drummers. I knew a guy I worked with who had a big club van. He had nowhere to practice so he set up his kit in it. He could barely play in there all hunched over. It was hilarious! He would play while parked in the job’s parking lot. You could hear him a mile away. Never saw THAT before or since! We would hang back just to watch passers by looking around for the source. Ha ha! His nickname was Animal, as in Animal the drummer from the Muppets Show. He was the human equivalent of that character. Even looked like him! He played like him too! Real hard and aggressive! He was a cool guy.
@@philstone3859 I received a t-shirt once with a big picture of Animal on the front! I still have it, actually, and wear it on special occasions!
I'm a huge fan of the Alex Van Halen snare dampening technique of placing strips of duct tape underneath the batter head, and then just barely applying the internal felt muffler inside the snare drum to taste.... doing that really does produce that nice deep "wooden:" sound accompanied by the sound of the sticks making contact with the rim and batter head
Cool. Drum sound is a very personal thing, it turns out (judging from all the comments!)
Wow, this brings me back to my early days, memorizing every article and ad in Modern Drummer.
My dad used to subscribe to Down Beat when I was a kid. I just loved the drum ads!
@@christhedrummerkimball Lol, I still have mine in my closet. Drums & Drumming too. Those ads made my head explode, the sets were so...80s.
@@MrRezRising I'm dating myself, but the Down Beat Magazines I was reading was during the '60s!
@@christhedrummerkimball Yeah, been around forever. I'm tempted to go digging, but Im turning 50 in 22 days and holding paper that old might bum me out. 🤣👨🦳
Gorgeous drum sets,and amazing drumming sir . That was a pretty tricky time signature.well done,badass!
Wow that North kit sure must project sound to the audience but I don't know about not having bottom heads! Pretty crazy looking design though. Thanks for sharing!
" You flail around you're bound to hit something!" HAHAAAA! THATS A DRUMMER RIGHT THERE.
:) Thanks for watching! I appreciate it, and I'm glad you have a sense of humor!
I remember the North "marching drums" that the Blue Devils used. Supposedly very heavy.
They did not catch on with the marching market but looked cool nonetheless.
I always thought they looked cool, and heavey, too!
You're old school!
@@MrGrundle That's 'cause I'm old! :)
The original model was coated with porcelain, which is what made them so heavy. They also cracked and chipped when you tried to crank them.
@@Tansea That's fascinating! I had no idea about that.
Very cool video and awesome drum sets and playing..have a great day..
Thanks, you too! I appreciate your comment.
Loved watching this video. Really amazing to hear the differences. I love both sets.
Cool, thanks! And thanks for watching!
That drum solo at the end was epic!
Thank you for the kind words! I wish I were in better shape, I really don't play that much anymore.
I always wondered who bought the 1 and only north kit that was made. NOW I KNOW
😄
LOL.....they are a bit rare to come by.
That’s some great drumming there, Pard!
Cool video! I actually paid my way through college playing a set of black Norths with a Ludwig Black Beauty snare. That kit was miked up so it sounded very present. Now, I use a Ludwig set with Tama snare and DW/Yamaha hardware, but I do use the Aquarian studio rings along with Evans UV1 batter heads, and really like the resonant tone with some of the excess ring suppressed.
Exactly how I feel about the sound!
Did I see a vmax? Those bikes are crazy fast. Awesome drums
Thanks. Yep, it's a 1992 but only has 15k miles and is still very quick. From the day they came out I wanted one!
Im a Vmax guy as well. I have 3. 1985, 92, 94. The 94 is tricked out, and has a 1500 build motor on it
@@ronald3752 very cool! 1500cc sounds awesome!
Vmax..I have a 2004..its my second one...
@@vmax-cv1ml they're great bikes!
Thank you for the tour of your drums, I wish you were my neighbor.
Thanks for watching! If you are ever near Tacoma look me up and you can come by and check them out in person.
My dad and uncle went to school with Rodger North, the inventor of North drums. I met the guy. He was really nice. He is a avid tennis player also.
Very cool! I've always wanted to meet him. Thanks for watching!
I wanna know what kind of sound you can get out of that rather pleasant piece of equipment I see on the right hand side of the screen at 6:12? I'm sure there's a pedal or two right there that has an interesting tuning! 😁
Absolutely! :)
It surprised me how similar that white north Star kit sounds like my old single headed Tama imperial star. I put black dot heads on it to. I love my old Tama.
Tama are cool. I have a black 5 piece Tama I got for $150 about a year ago.
Old Imperial Stars are great. I had a silver wrapped kit with black Remo ebony heads as my first kit. Tuned the bottom heads as tight as I dared and the top heads so loose they were all wrinkled. Had a really fun and weird wet but dry (I know… how’s that even possible..) sound. Still have the kit but it was sadly damaged in transport years ago. Slowly being restored now (restomod would be a more fit word I think)
Very interesting video.
I used to be a drum tech/roadie which means I did everything except play them.
Part of our “drum kit from hell” was an eight piece Sonor Phonic set (eight-ply beechwood). These are meant for studio, yet I was shlepping these heavy mothers all over the place. Like you, my drummer preferred Tama hardware. I would attach a photo but you can’t here.
I’m 62 now and have taken up guitars in my retirement. They are much lighter and I’ve always wanted to learn how to play. Now I have nothing but time on my hands so this is a perfect opportunity. So far I have eight electric guitars and an acoustic guitar.
That's funny--roadies never get enough credit, especially for taking care of huge drum sets! My dad, who was a pianist, always said I should play flute. He said he had helped drummers haul their stuff all over the place for decades, and he wasn't about to do the same with my drums! He did help though, and to make him feel better I married a flute player...:) Best of luck with your retirement--I'm almost there, too. Thank you for watching!
The copper plating on the Rototoms and Octobans looks incredible! Where do you get something like that done and how much does it cost? (for the roto's specifically)
Many years ago I took them to a place in Seattle called Art Brass www.artbrassplating.com/company/contact/ but I also had all the snare drum hardware and octobans with their hardware as well as the rototoms in one package. The cost for all of that was $1,100, which was a lot at the time. I'm sure if you sent them pictures of what you want plated they would give you a quote. They did a fantastic job, even plating the little, tiny washers for the lug bolts! Good luck, and thank you for watching, I appreciate it.
Chris thx for a great demo of a very interesting drum kit and I love your restoration work...those North drums had me curious for years and yours look in great condition...
Thank you--I took all of them completely apart and buffed and waxed them. It took a while but was very fun to do.
Great drum cave tour. Would like to hear the toms of the north kit tuned low.
That's an interesting idea. One of these days when I have some time, and get done with some of the other videos I'd like to post, I'll give that a try. Thanks for the suggestion!
That sonor kit sounds unbelievable. In beautiful condition.
Thank you! I'm lucky to have it.
@@christhedrummerkimball I like a drummer that can play a lot of drums!👍
@@jamiesmith6838 I've always liked big drum sets, ever since I saw a band on TV play Indian Reservation by Paul Revere and the Raiders and the drummer used a Ludwig Octa-Plus for the big tom fills!
Obviously a man of taste. Two great drumkits & a classic mini! What could be better?!
Well I will tell you of one more but I won't say anything cuz he will be out looking for it lol
Damn, Chris. I am sooo envious!! Thanks for this!
Both are really nice kits. I remember the North drums from the jazz fusion band Return to Forever. One of their drummers, Gerry Brown, played North Drums and this guy was a monster. Chris, in regards to your Sonor kit, I would be interested in hearing what they sound like using Moon Gel instead of studio rings. The rings take away too many overtones for IMHO, but of course that is a matter of preference. I just think you get more of the drums true tone with the gel as opposed to the rings. Just my two cents. LOL! Great video and I like your kits.
Thank you very much for watching and commenting! I do use moongels on some of the drums I have, depending on what kind of music I'm l'm playing and the size of the drum, The only thing I don't like about them is they sometimes fall off, or are a bit finicky to work with. They are very effective, though.
I make my own tone rings out of the old drum heads every time I replace them. Works just the same.
Also, I love your Sonor kit, but that must suck to tear down, move, and set up for gigs.
Thanks for watching! Yeah, I rarely take the Sonor kit to any gigs. It's mainly for my own playing enjoyment at home. I do take it out once and awhile, though.
@ALJ Studios The rhoadie--a drummer's best friend! Thanks for watching, and sharing your experience, I appreciate it.
Singerlands are timeless. i love them to death. thank you for inviting us to your home
That’s one kick ass drum set… It’s like one of those Sets can put outdoors and you don’t even have to make it up… keep on rockin brother…….
Thank you! I appreciate you watching, and your enthusiasm.
Okay great drums but that hi-hat stand/bass drum pedal?
Where can I buy it
Sadly, Mapex only made the Janus pedal for a short time and discontinued it years ago. You might find one on eBay, but they're pretty rare. Thanks for watching!
Your kits are rad !!! Your drum skills are rad and you killed 7/4 like it was no big deal. Love to hear you do John Bonham's "fool in the rain" or "when the levy breaks"
Thanks very much for the kind words! I'm lucky to have the kits I do, it took a long time to finally get what I wanted, but they are fun to play. BTW, have you seen the video of the drums I made from sewer pipe? Those are pretty fun, too! ruclips.net/video/prKSmz729SE/видео.html
AWESOME KITS AND PLAYING!. THX FOR SHARING.
Thank you! And thanks for watching, I appreciate it.
The North drums (also similar Staccato drums) are the type of "Concert" type drums meaning they only have a batter head. Phil Collins used to play Gretsch concert drums.
Holy hell how do I get that pedal?!?! Literally in love with that switch thing
Sadly, Janus discontinued the Janus hi-hat pedal. You can sometimes find them used, though.
Chris Kimball do you know of anyone else that has something similar? I hate trying to get my dw double pedal to fit in perfectly
@@CSPDesign I've never seen anything else like it, although it's been a while since I've looked. I would check the drum forums to see if anyone has a used Mapex Janus pedal.
The Mapex Janus Hi-Hat is getting very difficult to find...harder and harder as time goes on. I've searched it out on eBay before and that is a hit or miss scenario. Maybe Reverb or Music Go Round, but it will require time and patience. They go fast once posted (if in good condition). Would love to try it out myself.
NO DOUBT! Super f'n cool.
This is the first person I’ve ever heard say “I like 7/4”
:)
What? I like 7/4 too :(
I lost count, but I'm sure he didn't miss a lick.
Money, Solsbury Hill, Freewill...
I am more partial to 7/8, it’s my favourite time signature
always enjoy some killer drum solos
Thank you for watching! You can google "Chris Kimball Woodstick drum solo" and check out some more!
Nice kits! Great video! Great playing!
Thanks!
Thanks for the kind words!
The North kit reminds me of better music days in the 70's and 80's. I will always have the image of Jackson Browne's Running on Empty album cover (1977). First time I ever saw them and wondered what they were. Distinct look. Distinct sound. Always reminded me of the tom's section of a marching band. They have that live sound to me. I think I saw YES when Alan White had a black set.
The North kit I saw Alan play years ago was a white one (ironically enough!)
The 70s north drums rule !!!!!!! Love it!!!!!!! Wow thank you from Canada. I saw them at my local drum shop and put one over my head.
Thanks for watching! A North drum would make a rather heavy hat, however...:)
awesome dude! im a yound drummer in england and have a mapex mars kit, mainly play jazz so dont really have much need for big, retro peart-esc kits but damn theyre cool and you really know your stuff! keep it up!
Thanks for watching! My mom is from Harrow and I spent a lot of time in England growing up. I appreciate your comment!
What a pleasure to see this beautiful North set up. Something you may not know about North drums, they were invented by my old friend Graham Davies (rip), NOT as claimed by Roger North, to whom he sold the original moulds.
He had the original idea whilst looking at the flair on a trumpet and imagining what effect it would have on tom toms, visually and audibly. Among other inventions of his like the Octobans by Tama, originally designed with different lengths to be tuned to an octave, so a lot of them...12!
A genius, started as a motor mechanic and even worked for Downton Engineering UK (who did engine developmant for BMC , Mini Coopers etc), their race cars which Graham worked on were legendary.
And now so are his drums.👍🇬🇧🎺
Thanks for the info--I replied on this comment on my other video. Thanks again for watching!
What great drums! The playing is also wonderful. That being said a little showing of the original Cooper would be cool also!!!🤦♂️😂
Thanks for the comment! For entertainment I should try loading the drums into the Mini...:)
Those old concert toms(the single head) always sounded great during outdoor gigs.
single head drums are my favorite
@Dale McComb i am a guitarist. i can't speak for anyone else but i hate drums that ring out as if they have a built in reverb - honestly, i would like to stuff a pillow into every single drum that i have to share a bandstand with.
no offense meant to any drummers who do not agree with me.
@Dale McComb "24 bass" i assume that means inches - is that diameter or depth? either way that doesn't seem very big to my imagination. anyway i like a drum sound that goes "tap tap thump splash splash thump etc" - i don't like "bonngg bongg booomm crash!"
wow i probably sound like an idiot.
ok my 2 favorite drummers are mitch mitchell and stewart copeland.
@Dale McComb i just thought of my favorite drum sounds: the Yes "Fragile" album
Very true--they have the 70s rock sound for sure. I was in Jr. High and High School in the 70s, and I think that's why I like that dry sound.
Yep pillows in the base drums and drums in the garage brings back memories way back in the 70's
I remember when my mom and dad gave me my first real drum set--they had it set up in the garage and took me out there to see it, but it was a surprise. Red sparkle MIJ, it was the coolest thing I had ever seen! :)
I had a 7 pce set of Staccatos and I used Evans hydraulic heads and that was the absolute best sound I ever got using concert toms. Nice job and great kits Chris!!
I’v actually made my drum ring’s out of old drum heads.i gives a 70’s vibe sound to it.
I've heard of people doing that--makes sense!
@@christhedrummerkimball Yeah, me too. It's free, and it's better than brand ones as they can be a lot heavier and you can cut out the exact size yourself. This goes for snare, where a homemade heavy ring from say a fiberskyn 3 head is superior to any brand ring out there I've tried. For toms, I go with the brand stuff. Works well on toms and looks clean. By the way, I love that Sonor kit. Wonderful look and sound.
@@michaelcaplin8969 Thank you!
I really like the North sound. Im a guitar player so this made me wish for a drummer again.
I like them, too. So much of this is a matter of opinion, some like them, others don't!
Great video man, love how much you put into refurbishing. And idk how anyone could dislike this video, maybe it’s yours neighbors.
Ha! Actually, the drum room is soundproof, plus my neighbors are very cool. Thanks for watching!
Both sets sound great!!! Your a blessed man
Where do you get a drum set like that because the biggest drum Set I can find is a 8 peice
I started with a smaller kit and added pieces one at a time as I could find them on eBay, etc.
Beautiful drums bud.
Thank you! It's taken many years and a lot of blood sweat and tears to finally accumulate them all. I'm very fortunate to have them.
Enjoyed the video. Thanks. Besides the drumming you have some obvious skills that a lot of musicians don't. Wish I could refinish my old Ludwigs.
Thank you. I would encourage you to go ahead and refinish them if you want. Check out some books from the library (am I showing my age??) Or go online for some insights of how to go about it!
@@christhedrummerkimball Thanks Chris. Stay safe.
When I was 7 or 8 Chet McCracken lived across the street from me. I played with his daughter. I remember he had a brand new kit just like that one in his driveway. He used to let me play his practice kit in his garage 😄
Very cool! What great memories. Thank you for watching!
I see the North drums I immediately think of Russ Kunkel and Jackson Browne live.
yup, think Mike Derosier of Heart had a combo kit of North & whatever else he played
Billy Cobham...
I'm thinking of Yes' Alan White.
Yes! Oh, and Alan White of Yes played them, too!
Exactly!
When I first started trying to tune double headed drums it took me awhile for my ears to get used to REAL drums.
I remember reading quotes with bill bruford with him saying muffling has no place on drums. Some other famous drummers have said when you start muffling you have give up on tuning. I definitely agree with that statement. You get the truest pitch from having a single ply head top and bottom tuned the same. Emperors are closer to an ambassador, so if you use emperor (or Evans G2) top and ambassador (or Evan's equivalent) bottom you can get a cleaner pitch.
Thanks for your comment! What you say is true, but on the other hand there are many drummers who prefer a more muffled tone in certain circumstances. This is evidenced by the fact studio rings sell in the marketplace. Thanks again for your thoughts!
@@christhedrummerkimball People are like that. Didn't Motown's go-to bassist use the same set of strings his whole career, because he preferred that dead sound? I will never not put a pillow in my bass drum and then expect to get the quick, tight kick sound I love. I'd be a fool to expect that desired result without a pillow!
This takes me back to a live recording (Matie Moss Clark, Greater Williams Temple Live) that I played a set of North Drums, it took a while to tune them to a "G" scale and preparing for the room temp to change. We got a great live mix on the kit. Big Fun,, Chris Colemans Uncle Rich
Very cool! It's great to hear from someone who actually has played North Drums before. Thanks for watching!
Here is one of the tracks on RUclips of the live recording Part 1 & 2, ruclips.net/video/Cnwpfq7SDa0/видео.html - the North drums sounded great after tuning to play in a large full church that came to the concert. I used my Pearl hardware, Patise cymbals. Rich
@@RitchieColeman Sounds good! Awesome song, by the way. I toured with a Gospel band back in the early '80s out of Nashville. It was great group called Bridge.
really nice man...enjoyed your sets and playing..
Thank you for the kind words, I appreciate it! A;so, thank you for watching.
Hey that’s awesome thank you for sharing... o and you can jam with the best of them rock on 🤘
Thank you--I appreciate it.
I remember seeing the North kits when they were new. I always thought they sounded the same as the Remo Roto-toms. I prefer a maple or birch sound
Not at all. The North kits have much longer shells and the Roto-toms have no shells. North drums are loud when you are in front of them because they are projected specifically towards the audience. Roto Toms disperse the sound in all directions.
Yes, they definitely don't sound like wood! I prefer wood for certain types of music, and a brighter sound for others. Thanks for watching!
I have a Slingerland Gene Krupa Radio King snare from 1946 or 7 and it has a slightly different cloud badge. I think yours is a little bit older. Definitely 40's era. Edit: I remember people playing North kits when I was a kid and recently saw one for sale at my local used instrument store. Cool looking, but moving those things for gigs would be a huge headache!
North was my dream drum set back in the late seventies. Not having access to any kind of drum set until Senior High, I did a lot of dreaming. Tried to keep up with Neil Peart, Bill Bruford and Phil Collins...in my head.
I always wanted a set, too, after I saw a Yes concert in '76. It only took 4 decades for me to get them! Thanks for watching, I appreciate it.
That Slingerland snare is godly.
Thank you! I was really happy with the way it turned out. I had the hardware copper plated , but a furniture shop did the refinishing and did a great job. Thanks for watching!
This guys so underrated,we can agree he can play better than any of our drum teachers(no offence my drum teacher)
Thanks for the kind words, and for watching; I truly appreciate it!
This guy is amazing.
Chris is an animal. 🤘🏼
North Jerry Mercer cool old school kit ! Back when we were kids I’m 55 it was normal to not have bottom heads during the 70’s and we got good sound !
North took it a step further and put the sound in ur face pretty sharp concept at the time !
@@ericwenger1491 Thanks very much, I appreciate it.
We really enjoyed this!Thanks for sharing ❤
Glad you enjoyed it
I used to have a set of the vintage North Drums, I bought them at a drum show, the shape is aerodynamic!
Cris: Big boy drums
Me: pawn shop drums
Ha! Thanks for watching, I appreciate it.
Your welcom
@@leeharvyolswald2151 :)
To be honest I thought both kits lacked tone and sounded plastic and flat.
Part of the problem is the lack of quality in microphones in the cell phone. I'm hoping to get some better equipment so my recordings will sound more accurate..
@Electric Jesus Even when perfectly in tune, without rings there are still many overtones. That's what gives the open sound the rich quality so many people like (including me, for certain types of music). The thing is, drum sound is, as I've said before, a very personal thing. The key is to understand people have different likes and dislikes, and one person's trash is another person's treasure! .
I agree. Lifeless, definite lack of tuning skills and playing skills. I just can't even wrap my head around this video. I'm not even sure why it came up on my feed
@Electric Jesus Really? Quality of sound has everything to do with playing skill. Stroke integrity, velocity, push or pull sound from or through the head, among many other fundamentals.
@@a.m.creativ man chill, don't be a jerk
I love to see that bas/hihat connection in close up ..
That North kit, reminds me of my ultimate wet dream the Staccato drums. which i believe were also from Italy.
I'll try to remember to show some detail of the Janus hi-hat pedal on my next video.
@@christhedrummerkimball that would be nice. The Sonor is in great condition btw. .i,ve seen some sets in terrible shape with Copper lugs and stands that almost made me cry..
I want a set of staccato I love the way bass drum looks , I have a northdrum set already
Where, how & how much did you get that gold/copper finish on your roto toms and stuff to the left of your snare? I have been wanting to turn all of my chrome to black nickel. I prefer moon gels on double ply batter heads but that is my preference for me. You do what you feel is best sir. I love that snare open. I don't muffle mine at all, I don't like em choked. Again, you do you my friend.
Thank you for being one of the open-minded commenters! I had a place called Art Brass in Seattle plate the snare hardware, roto Tom's and octobans many years ago. Back then it cost me $1,100. I dont know what it would cost now.
Hey I never see like this how the brums are like a u the one you have in the garage it looks cool 😊
Thanks! They were made in the '70s and early '80s. Not many of them around now.
I struggled to read this
@@xualu1593 Hi Adam, what was it you had trouble reading?
@@christhedrummerkimball he prob meant Aarons comment
I felt like a had a stroke when I read that comment 🤭
I swear I can hear those rings vibrating, almost buzzing, when you hit the head.
It is possible. If they get bent a little that can happen. It's kind of annoying...
Opened the garage & I got distracted by the Yamaha V-Max motorcycle. Great bike.
Oh, cool drums too. 😉
:) I love the V-Max, even though it's an oldie. 1992, but only 14K miles on it, so it runs like new.
@@christhedrummerkimball I've liked them since my highschool & college days back in the 80's/90's. Great bulletproof bikes - engines run forever. 👍
@@JunkMailBoxStuff I remember when first got it--the torque just about pulled my arms out of their sockets!
Big drum kits, motorcycles, classic cars and a workshop. A man just like me. Awesome drumming!!
Thanks, I always like to know there are kindred spirits out there!
I didn't know Stephen King could play the drums ;)
The Norths look too cool for school, but they sound too tinny to me. Yes, as someone said, too bucket like.
I hope to get a good mic setup for my phone soon, that should help with future videos. Thanks for the comment!
I wish i had a normal drum kit but we have neightbours so my dad bought me an E drum 😐
Wait long enough, save a lot, and eventually you can get whatever set you desire!
Amico … l’hai ricavata da alcune lavatrici e centrifughe?
Bella la Fibes La suonava anche Billy Cobhan, anche io ho la batteria in casa, ma se non viene un bassista o un altro strumentista a trovarti … ti rompi le balle🌶e poi fai dei video come questo perche’ ti annoi🧏🧏
@@fabrigasan2150
Grazie per le gentili parole! Avevo un album dei Billy Cobham da bambino. Ho sempre pensato che fosse un grande batterista.
@@fabrigasan2150
Ha! È un po 'come sembrano. Ma questo è il fascino, il fatto che siano così unici. Grazie per aver guardato!
Love your passion for the art! Awesome job! Thank you for all the info, much appreciation!!
Thank you for watching, and for the kind words, I appreciate it!
Sweet kit. Thanks for the tour. Love that combo left foot pedal. Nice Mini!!
“Play all around you’re bound to hit something!” Man after my own heart!!!
Thanks for watching! I always think a little humor thrown in is good...:)
@@christhedrummerkimball Definitely!! Just rewatching this now and I missed the fact that the LH bass pedal appears to be on the hihat stand. Love that slideover pedal. So this is the Mapex Janus that you adapted onto your Tama HH stand? Is there a video on that somewhere? Mini and a Vmax too, nice!