1990 Pearl Export w/new bearing edges

Ferrari Red Pearl Export with 8 ply Luan shells, birch inner ply. The edges seemed to suffer from the usual problem of single 45s, the apex is too far to the outside with an overly steep backcut. It's been hard to tune up so I took it to a local builder who is savvy about edges and had them leveled and recut. I had him approximate the Mapex SoniClear edge, because my Mars kit is by far the easiest kit to tune that I own. I wanted to send them to Kirsch in Portland but shipping was going to be brutal. In the end I only have 80 bucks in these shells. Not too shabby. I waxed them with paste wax to harden the edges. They should be good for another 30 years.

They all have insane sustain, with a good clear note to them. I'd say they have a fat, somewhat tubby 70s tone to them now, kind of like an old Ludwig. The tuning range is much wider and easier to dial in. Before they basically only had one ploppy sound on offer. Now I can get that high Tony Wiliams spank if I want it, or a low gutsy rumble, or cranked way up for jazz. The 13 is still a bit problematic, can't seem to make it sound as good as the other drums, but that could be a result of the mounting system or some other external resonant force interfering. (Anyone else have trouble tuning 13s?)

One interesting thing we noticed while cutting them was that the 16x16 and 13x11 toms are 8mm, while the 12x10 is only 7mm. The floor tom sounds massive. I know Pearl made a big fuss about using thicker floor toms in the 2000s with the vision (and masters?) kits. Looks like they were doing it back in the 80s and 90s too.

Heads are as follows:

Toms (12x10, 13x11, 16x16): Aquarian texture coated single ply over classic clears
Snare (pearl vision steel sensitone 14x5.5) : Evans HD (not dry) over 300, w 42 strand wires
Kick (22x16): Evans Emad2, Aquarian Regulator Reso.

Cymbals from L to R: 14" K Hats, K Custom Dark Crash 18", 16" homemade ozone, 17" Dream Bliss Crash, 22" Bliss Ride, Wuhan 18" China, homebrew trash stack

Drummer is James Mauck. He has his own YouTube page and a solo percussion project called Forebeat that is really fresh, I had the pleasure of mixing his album last year:

https://forebeat.bandcamp.com/releases

   / @jamiemauckmusic