Okay, I found some used evans g1's in my closet and put them on the snare and tom. I definitely need to figure something out with the snare. It does not sound good. I might order some different hoops. I suspect the inability to stay in tune comes from the fact that they are so flimsy. Luckily I can order some 2.3 mm hoops from drummaker for cheap. I may as well just order hoops for the whole kit while I'm at it.
Don't get me wrong, I still really think there is a good deal here. Even if all you end up with is a functional pedal and 3 pre-drilled birch shells
I'll tune some more and video tape some playing. I just got a new video camera, so I'll be interested to hear how the recording quality translates.
As promised, here is a recording I made tonight... I used an AKG-C1000S into Garageband and recorded the movie with a Canon Vixia HRF-20 HD camcorder... The sound you are hearing came through a really decent mic, not the on board audio from the camera.
This is one of the tunes in the Jon Riley Art of Bop books. I snuck this recording in during the 15 minutes that my wife was giving the kids a bath, so it's not my best playing. I'll put a funk tune up shortly as well.
Hi Garvin. I listened to the Youtube video. That's a good drumset and you play it well. Nice going. Very interesting, also, to see and hear about the Trixon brand.
This is a bit long, but complete. If you’re thinking about, or interested in, a Trixon kit, herein lies the information you seek…
I decided on the Trixon kit based on price and looks, in that order. I read some good things about the kit, and some bad, but decided that for my purposes the good won out. What helped the decision along were the (limited) videos I was able to find on YouTube and other sites. The drums really didn’t sound bad.
My only options, when choosing this kit, were “Standard” or “Elite” models, and of course, the finish. From the distributor: “The only difference between the 2 models is the lugs. Everything else is the same.” When I finally made my decision, there were no “standard” kits in stock, so they offered me an Elite for the same price – Easy decision there! Now, I couldn’t decide whether to go with a vintage looking wrap, or a wood grain lacquer. The natural/walnut fade caught my eye, because it matched my congas, but the practical side of me knows that wraps are generally more durable, and show fewer scratches. When I called to actually place my order, there was nothing left in stock but the natural birch finish – another easy decision!
Based on things I had read about Jim Laabs customer service and shipping nightmares, on the web, I ordered my kit by phone. I have to say, based on my experience with salesperson Eric at JLM, others’ nightmares were a sweet dream to me. No issues whatsoever. He was courteous, helpful, knowledgeable, and willing to help. I asked for an email confirmation of my order and received it before I even hung up the phone.
The kit took about 5 days to arrive. (There was a holiday weekend involved) When it got to my workplace, I became a bit anxious. The single, large box was in pretty rough shape. Not open, but rather crushed and a bit misshapen. Not the shipper’s fault, but rather the carrier’s. Upon opening, the contents were well packed, and in perfect condition.
Now, on to the kit itself…
What’s included: 15”X24” main drum, 8”X5” snare, 10”x5” tom, reversed pedal and mounting bracket, pair of hi hats, crash ride, various arms, legs, and a pair of bent sticks.
Finish: The clear finish is nice. Not amazing, but smooth and even. From a distance, the kit looks flat, not glossy, but that’s not the case. It has a very nice shine to it.
Hardware: Let me begin by saying that ALL the hardware mounting screws needed to be tightened. Every one was ½ to 1 full turn loose. Some were only finger tight. Nice chrome, good weight. Doesn’t feel as cheap as some other low priced import kits. Mounting hardware is solid, but I would prefer a bit more adjustability on the tom mounts. I play with both the snare and tom flat, at the same level as the main drum. If the receiver mounts on the main were just slightly lower, this would be easily accomplished, but as they are now, I had to bottom everything out to get the side drums low enough. Now the Z-arms stick up pretty far, almost above the drum hoops. I’m going to try to order 1 or 2 more tom brackets so I can have a bit more freedom to add and/or position things.
Pedal: Not horrible. Seems like it will last a while. Nice tension and beater position adjustment. Foot board is solid with a decent rubber backing to protect floors. Toe bumper to keep you out of the chain is a plus!
Heads: Single ply, clear, thin, replaced. Coated Pin stripes on all batter sides now. I kept the clear resos, but will probably them replace with ambassadors.
Cymbals: OK for beginners, but they’re optional. The kit can be ordered without them for $40 less. That says a lot right there. They are thin and trashy. I kinda like the sound as effects cymbals, but I replaced them with a Dream Bliss 18” crash-ride, 12” hats, and added a Dream Contact 12” splash.
Shells: A surprise. All birch layers, as far as I can tell. Nice bearing edges. I ran a piece of 120, then 220 sand paper around them just to smooth out a couple of areas, but I probably could have left well enough alone. As I said above the finish was nice.
Hoops: Wish they were heavier, but they do the job just fine.
Snare throw-off: This NOT the same item as is supplied when you purchase a popcorn snare separately. It's a much cheaper piece of equipment, and is the weakest part of the entire kit. Plastic knob, which came loose, then cracked when I tried to tighten it. Useful adjust-ability is minimal at best, and then the wires needed to be so loose that hard playing caused the lever to release on it’s own. I’m not using the snare drum at all. If I do, later on, it will only be a tom. Instead, I ordered a matching 14”X61/2” Trixon Soloist snare (far superior throw off) I would rate this drum much higher than the kit itself.
General: Adjusting the heads is a lesson in trial and error. The tom was easy. The snare: that's a different story. Main drum? well, that's still not resolved. This drum needs to be vented more in order to reduce the pressure between the heads. Working on that, right now, to correct the issue. I have confidence that I will come up with a solution.
Opinion: All in all, considering the price, I’d give this kit a “C.” I’ve played many other import kits and this one is quite a bit better over-all. Price however is relative. In order to get it to where I like it, and could play out with it, I have more than doubled the base price with replacement parts. For what it is, out of the box, I was a bit frustrated. Now that I've tweaked, caressed, adjusted, and changed it, I really think I'm going to enjoy playing this kit for a long time.
I've been eye-balling those Trixons for a while. I'm not crazy about the fact they are trying to glom onto a storied name in drums, but hey, the same thing has happened to the Slingerland and Rogers name as of late.
I think with any Asian-made drums, of which I own and have owned, along with German and American-made, you can get a good sound out of them with the right heads and tuning. From what I've seen on YouTube, a lot of guys have been doing wonders with these kits. Check out this guy for proof!
My Trixon made it's stage debut this weekend. It did well, but there were a few modifications needed before-hand, and some happened afterward.
Mount from original snare (not using that drum at all) placed on full size snare to mount an SP aux. hi hat bracket. Way more adjustability than the factory way.
4" port. Scary to get up the nerve to do, but worth it. Now, when mic'd, the kick is HUGE.
Standard double cymbal mount (hate it and the little lock rings) replaced with a Pearl BT-3 and an SP boom arm. Careful placement allowed this to cover the original mount holes for a clean installation.
