With more than 120 years of history, Gretsch is the oldest manufacturer of drum kits in the United States. Famous drummers such as Innie Colaiuta, Tony Williams and Elvin Jones have played Gretsch's drums. Stepping into the 21st century, in the face of the impact of brands such as DW and Sonor, Gretsch is not as competitive as before in the high-end drum market. Fortunately, Gretsch was one of the first established American manufacturers to move their production lines overseas, which made its mid-range products continue to maintain a high cost performance. This is one of the reasons why the century-old Gretsch brand has been popular with generations of drummers.
Because of the individuality of the sound, experienced and professional drummers generally prefer custom drum kits. Just as Collector's is to DW and SQ2 is to Sonor, USA Custom is the face of Gretsch. The six-ply Formula maple drum cavity and hand-cut 30-degree cut are USA Custom's secret techniques that have been passed down from the last century and have stood the test of time in the industry and the market over the years. Although USA Custom still has the banner of "Made in the USA", many of the processes have been completed by factories in Chinese mainland and Taiwan, which is why the custom drum kit is less expensive than Collector's and SQ2, but that doesn't mean it's any less quality. If you're looking for a custom drum kit and you're on a tight budget, USA Custom is a good compromise.
USA Custom is a Gretsch classic, but Gretsch's strength is now in its mid-range drum kits, which are represented by Renown, Brooklyn and Broadkaster.
The Renown collection has undergone several updates since its launch and is part of the brand's permanent collection. The latest 2016 version follows Gretsch's classic Formula drum cavity, 30-degree cutting technique and silver interior, with the innovation of replacing the die-cast rim with a Gretsch 302 rim. This double-flanged rim is lighter in weight and brings greater resonance while maintaining sound concentration. Renown offers four configurations, corresponding to four music styles: jazz, rock, fusion, and euro. In terms of the kick drum, Renown did not adopt the fashionable non-drilled design, and still insisted on drilling the drum cavity, which did not require additional noise reduction in actual use, but still lasted and full of tension. Renown isn't the most personal drum kit on the market, but with its excellent control, its sound performance can meet the needs of most drummers.
The Broadkaster and Brooklyn are Gretsch's other mid-range drum kits with excellent value for money. They all feature Gretsch 302 rims and a hybrid North American maple-poplar drum cavity for a full-bodied, open sound. Of the two, the Broadkaster has a fuller tone and more resonance, while the Brooklyn sound is clearer and more focused. Broadkaster is better suited for use in the studio, while Brooklyn may perform better when performing live. That's not to say that Broadkaster can't be used for performances, but that Brooklyn has a more penetrating voice when she doesn't have a microphone.
For entry-level drummers, the Catalina series is recommended. Like Renown, Catalina has also undergone several updates, keeping up with Gretsch's upgrades in important hardware such as drum wood and drum racks, and the workmanship is guaranteed. With the ease of use expected of an entry-level drum kit, it's easy for even novices to install and add kits. However, the drum frame design has certain flaws, and additional reinforcement is required to achieve better resonance. The Catalina Maple (maple version) is the most popular configuration in the series, priced at about 6,000 yuan.
