By Contributing Author Dango
The PDP Concept Maple drum kit offers the quality you’ve come to expect from DW, but at a more accessible price point.
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DW Drums have been one of the leading drum manufacturers of the last twenty-five years and their subsidiary company, PDP, has some great new things to offer.
DW always leads the way in innovation, even down to their entry-level products.
PDP offers great-sounding and great-looking drums, at a very competitive price point. In fact, it’s on our list of the best drum sets under $1000.
They always go head to head with Pearl and Tama as a solid choice for the younger market of players.
The Concept Maple Kit has been totally redesigned and has several great features that their high end drums offer.
- Dual-Turret Lug, True-Pitch Tension Rods and Die-Cast Claw Hooks
- Graduated Counter Hoops
- 7-ply Tom/Kick Shells and 10-ply Snare Shells
At a Glance: Key Features of the PDP Concept Maple Drum Set
The new Concept Maple kit is offered in five finishes and five configurations. It is made of European maple and the toms include the advanced suspension tom mounting system.
The kick and toms are 7 ply, while the snare drum is 10 ply. The snares comes with the DW Mag throwoff system, which is one of the best on the market from any company.
The kits also come DW true pitch tension rods and graduated counterhoop thickness, both which are rare at this level.
Finally the kits come with Remo heads.
What are the configurations available?
Note: There are no snares sold with the first three setups. They increase in price as you move down the list of configurations.
- The Bop Kit – 14×18 kick with riser, 8×12 rack, 14×14 floor
- The Rock Kit – 14×24 kick, 9×13 rack, 16×16 floor
- 4 Piece Kit – 16×20 kick, 8×10 & 9×12 rack toms, 14×14 floor
- 5 Piece Kit – 18×22 kick, 8×10 & 9×12 rack toms, 14×16 floor, 5.5×14 snare
- 7 Piece Kit – 18×22 kick, 7×8, 8×10, & 9×12 rack toms, 12×14 & 14×16 floor toms, 5.5×14 snare
The Pros OF A PDP Concept Maple KIT:
Let’s take a look at the benefits of this kit.
- PDP Drums are extremely well built and reliably consistent due to DW’s strict manufacturing process. Even though these are built overseas to keep costs down, you will rarely find inconsistencies in the shells or the quality. Even the hardware and pedals are super durable.
- The 5 finishes are very well done and will appeal to several different players. The finishplys are a super durable wrap that will hold up under serious weather conditions and travel. The new twisted ivory finish looks just like a signature DW style finish.
- The five configurations really can appeal to almost anyone and the four different kick drum sizes are especially impressive in a line of drums under $1K. There are almost endless add on tom options.
- These drums sound great! They are easy to tune and easy to mic up. They record very well and you won’t be disappointed in the sound options.
- The new PDP logo is far more appealing to the eye in my opinion than anything they have previously offered.
The Cons of a PDP Concept Maple Kit:
- All of the finishes are satin except for the twisted ivory. They are all very hip and will likely sell extremely well. But if you’re hoping for a sparkle finish like I personally love, there aren’t any. DW has some of the best sparkle finishes and usually PDP has offered them in the past.
- The kit comes with no hardware, which is standard for anything beyond a beginner kit. Budget accordingly if you are buying this kit for a beginner.
- Concept Maple kits were previously offered in maple and birch, the new line is only maple with no birch options. However this European maple is higher quality than the previous Asian maple shells.
Who is the PDP Concept Maple KIt Best Suited For?
This is not a beginner kit, though the pricing puts it in the range of young players.
This kit is for working, gigging drummers. It’s for weekend warriors, for home recording, and for churches.
It’s for anyone who doesn’t have the budget for a high end kit but still needs reliability and great sound.
PDP Concept MAple Drum Set Pricing
These kits start as low as about $550 for 3 drums and no snare, and go up to around $1,000 for the 7-piece.
Any of the kits can have a matching snare added for about $210. PDP also offers several very nice snare drums that can be added on for $300-900. I highly suggest checking out the Concept Select snares.
You can also purchase any additional toms or kick from sizes all the way down to an 8 inch tom, up to an 18 inch floor tom.
PDP offers a full line of hardware and pedals at very reasonable prices, and even some great hardware packs.
Alternatives to The PDP Concept Maple Kit
There are several alternatives to the PDP concept maple kit.
The first is the PDP concept maple classic, which is a similar vintage alternative that’s offered with wood hoops.
The Pearl Export and the Tama Superstar are competitive options that both offer similar features in the same general price point.
We have a full Pearl Export review that you may find useful as well.
And last, the Gretsch Catalina Maple is also one of the best competitors to the PDP and has a lot of similar features to offer.
Final Verdict on the PDP Concept Maple Kit
This is a great kit and a great price and it will come down to your personal taste. In my opinion, the look is as important as the sound when buying a kit, and these definitely look great. But the way it feels will come down to personal preference.
There are enough configurations and size options for even the most unusual setups, and the available add-ons are impressive.
If you pick up this kit and add a DW snare or one of the Concept Select snares, this could be a pro level touring rig.
DW is the only drum company who has a secondary company for its overseas products, and that can be a turnoff to some. Some will always associate PDP drums as being cheaper, whereas they might not make the same association with a similar level Gretsch or Tama.
If you don’t get held up by the PDP branding, these drums will speak for themselves. I am personally a DW endorser and I’m never embarrassed to play PDP gear because I know how well-made it is and how great it sounds.
In fact, I tracked a PDP Concept Maple kit in the studio twice this past week and it definitely turned some heads.
This is a solid, nice-looking kit that will sound great. Let your eyes and ears decide for themselves!
- Dual-Turret Lug, True-Pitch Tension Rods and Die-Cast Claw Hooks
- Graduated Counter Hoops
- 7-ply Tom/Kick Shells and 10-ply Snare Shells
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