Founded in 1946, Pearl Japan initially started to manufacture drum cavities for other manufacturers, and began to make drum kits under its own brand in the 60s, and launched the first professional drum kit series in 1966. With the rise of rock 'n' roll, Pearl has grown from a small factory in a quiet corner to one of the world's largest percussion instrument manufacturers. Pearl has a wide range of drum kits, ranging from entry to recording levels.
At present, most of Pearl's products come from factories in Japan and Taiwan, of which the Japanese factory is mainly responsible for the Japanese market, and the products in overseas markets are handled by the factories in Chinese mainland and Taiwan. The shift in production location, coupled with the shift in the brand's focus to mid-range products, has led to a decline in the production and popularity of Pearl's high-end products. While Pearl also has a custom drum kit, MasterWorks, it is not as competitive as its DW and Sonor counterparts. If you're looking for Pearl's professional-grade drum kits, you can choose from the more consistent Reference, Master Custom and Session Studio Classic series.
The Reference is a mass-produced drum kit launched by Pearl in 2013, and its most radical innovation is the snare drum. Reference's snare drum cavity is made of six layers of birch and fourteen layers of maple, with a thickness of 1 inch and an internal diameter of 12 inches. Birch wood gives the drum a crisp and focused tone, with a higher original pitch than the drum cavity made of pure maple. The single snare in the series weighs up to 17 pounds, which is more than double that of the regular model, which makes shipping quite a hassle. In addition, Pearl uses a locking and knob system called Opti in Reference. This simple yet practical mechanism keeps the drum skin locked while playing, and can be easily unlocked by pressing a snap when it's time to tune in. Reference's individual drum kits are individually designed, which means they have different materials, processes, and don't sound as common drum kits with a uniform design. It may be difficult for a drummer with a lack of skill to handle this, but professional users who have their own understanding of the tone will appreciate the variety and freedom. The series is priced at around 30,000 RMB.
The Master Custom and Session Studio Classic can be considered lower-end versions of the Reference at a lower price point, but they are still positioned in the upper echelons of the Pearl. The most well-known of Master Custom is the maple version known as the MCX. This Taiwan-built drum kit also uses the Opti system, with rubber gaskets added to the contact between the lug and the drum cavity to reduce vibration loss. Its drum lugs feature threaded brass inserts that add a vintage color to the look. The MCX's kick drum has a full and powerful tone, but because of its size, it has a longer sustain; The tombo and snare sound crisp and clean, thanks in large part to the included die-cast rims.
Compared to the MCX, which excels at rock 'n' roll, the Session Studio Classic has a more balanced sound, which is an advantage for a mid-range drum kit. The drum cavity of the series is made of mixed wood, the four layers of the 7.5mm shell are mainly birch, and the remaining two layers are made of kapur wood, which is vibrated faster than that of pure birch, resulting in a "darker" (Pearl's official term) birch sound, pure sound and strong resonance. The price of the Session Studio Classic is about 14,000 yuan.
In addition to the Session Studio Classic, the Decade Maple is another affordable mid-level drum kit with a brighter and more vivid tone. For beginner drummers, the acclaimed MidTown and RoadShow are recommended. These two series contain most of the drum pieces and hardware, which are ready to use, and the workmanship and materials are guaranteed, which is worth recommending.
