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DS Gran Torino Snares: Mahogany vs Birch | 14×6.5 & 14×5 Put to the Test

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Some drums immediately give you confidence before you’ve even played a note. The DS Gran Torino snares are exactly that.

I had the 14×6.5 and the 14×5 on the bench for this review. Both built from a mahogany and birch configuration, finished in a clear coat varnish and fitted with DS’s own hardware throughout. Straight away, they feel substantial. Not heavy for the sake of it, but just very solid and purposeful. Like they’ve been built to survive a busy touring schedule (or even a zombie apocalypse!) rather than just sit in a showroom.

The hardware deserves mention straight away. Cast iron hoops, DS throw-offs, snare wires and lugs… everything feels smooth and reassuringly well engineered. There’s no sense of corner-cutting. Tuning is consistent and stable, and nothing feels flimsy or overly delicate.

Where these drums really shine is in their versatility. The tuning range is genuinely impressive. Tune them low and you get a thick, warm, full-bodied tone that still retains clarity. Bring them up higher and they respond with a tight, articulate crack that cuts cleanly without becoming shrill. Rimshots feel punchy but controlled, and ghost notes speak clearly without having to dig in.

The 14×6.5 has that extra depth and weight behind each hit — great for players who like authority and body. The 14×5, by comparison, feels slightly quicker and more immediate under the stick. Both are incredibly usable across multiple genres.

Another standout is the control. There are minimal unwanted overtones, which makes them particularly studio-friendly. You’re not fighting excessive ring, you’re getting a focused, musical sound straight away.

Visually, they’re stunning. The varnish finish paired with chrome hardware gives them a refined, almost gallery-like aesthetic. They look expensive — and importantly, they feel it.

Priced between £400 and £450, they sit in a very competitive bracket. What’s impressive is that they deliver much of the character and build quality you’d expect from significantly more expensive boutique snares, without tipping into uncomfortable territory at checkout.

DS have genuinely nailed the Gran Torino line. These are beautifully built, versatile and seriously playable snares that balance performance, control and aesthetics in a way that feels considered rather than flashy.

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Slingerland Radio King Review – £4000 of Drum History

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Today we’re looking at something that isn’t just a drum kit. It’s a proper bit of drum history. The Slingerland Radio King is one of those kits where you sit down, play a single note… and immediately understand why it exists.

Let’s address the obvious straight away. It’s around £4,000. Yes, that’s serious money. Yes, you could probably buy a car for that. But this isn’t about practicality. It’s about tone, feel and owning something that genuinely means something.

The Radio King shells are built from three-ply mahogany and poplar with steam-bent maple reinforcement rings. In simple terms, Slingerland weren’t messing about. Add the 30-degree bearing edge and what you get is a drum that feels incredibly smooth under the stick, but still gives you a confident, assertive attack.

Tonally, it’s warm. Properly warm. There’s a richness to it that doesn’t shout, but it absolutely fills the room. The note blooms after the initial strike in a way that feels musical rather than aggressive. It rewards touch. If you play with dynamics, this kit gives back.

At Cube Studios, we were especially taken with the 20×14 kick drum. It’s not oversized or overbearing. It’s just deep, round and beautifully balanced. It sits exactly where you want it to.

The sizes are classic: 20×14 kick, 12×8 rack tom, 14×14 floor tom. Nothing excessive. Nothing gimmicky. Just usable, musical drums.

Visually, the blue and silver lacquer finish is classy and properly vintage without feeling dated. Nickel-plated hardware, stick saver hoops (your sticks will thank you), solid half-inch floor tom legs, and even an internal tone control dampener. It’s safe to say that everything feels intentional.

This isn’t a kit for everyone. It’s for the drummer who cares deeply about tone and character. The drummer who sees drums as more than just tools.

The Slingerland Radio King is special. And the moment you play it, you get it.

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Jojo Mayer: Clarity Beats Perfection

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Every now and then you sit down for an interview and within the first couple of minutes you realise you’re not just chatting about drums, but you’re talking about philosophy, culture, mindset and the bigger picture of creativity. That’s exactly how it felt sitting down with Jojo Mayer ahead of his appearance at The Europe Drum Show.

First things first… I genuinely cannot wait to see Jojo take to the main stage across the weekend of the 11th and 12th of April 2026 in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Having someone of his calibre performing his full artistic show format (not a stripped-back “clinic” version) is a huge moment for us. These appearances are becoming increasingly rare, and the fact that he’s bringing the real Me/Machine experience to our stage is something special.

One of the biggest takeaways from our conversation was Jojo’s idea that clarity beats perfection. It’s such a simple sentence, but it carries enormous weight. He spoke candidly about unlearning perfectionism, describing it as a kind of mirage that can make your life (and the lives around you) miserable. Instead, he’s focusing on artistic clarity. That shift in mindset feels particularly relevant in today’s hyper-competitive, hyper-visible drumming world.

We also dove into the realities behind iconic performances, including his Modern Drummer Festival appearance, and it was fascinating (and oddly reassuring) to hear that even moments we view as “perfect” often feel very different from the inside.

Perhaps most powerful was Jojo’s take on the internet. He talked about how social media has “flattened” the art and how attention spans have shortened, how nuance can get buried, and how chops are easier to learn than true artistic expression. Technique, he said, is just work. Expression? That’s the hard part.

And then there was his advice for aspiring drummers. Not a neat, gift-wrapped cliché — but something far more valuable. Point of view and attitude matter more than raw talent. Talent is only potential. That line really stuck with me.

If this conversation is anything to go by, his performance at the Europe Drum Show is going to be more than impressive — it’s going to be meaningful. And that’s exactly what we’re about.

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Roll on April.

Greyson Nekrutman: From Big Band Roots to Metal Drumming Mastery

Ollie Winiberg sits down with Greyson Nekrutman ahead of his highly anticipated appearance at The Europe Drum Show 2026, taking place at Messe Friedrichshafen, Germany, on 11–12 April. The result is a wide-ranging, thoughtful, and at times deeply moving conversation that explores far more than speed, chops, or social media clips.

The discussion opens with a comparison between drum clinics and playing shows with bands, and the very different demands each places on a drummer. Greyson explains that while clinics offer an opportunity to demonstrate ideas and technique in isolation, performing with a band requires a deeper sense of restraint, awareness, and musical responsibility. This naturally leads into a broader conversation about the ten sion between being technical versus being musical, with Greyson emphasising that technique should always exist in service of the music, not as an end in itself.

From there, the conversation turns to growing up fast in the modern world of drumming. With social media accelerating exposure and expectations, Greyson reflects on how younger players today are often pushed to establish a fully formed musical identity at an early age. He speaks honestly about the importance of patience, development, and allowing your voice to evolve naturally over time rather than chasing instant validation.

One of the most powerful moments of the interview comes when Greyson opens up about a life-changing experience in which he nearly died. He shares how that moment fundamentally altered his perspective, reshaping not only how he approaches music, but how he views life itself. The experience instilled a deeper sense of gratitude, focus, and clarity — qualities that now inform every performance, project, and creative decision he makes.

The episode also tracks Greyson’s musical journey, from his big band and jazz roots to becoming the metal powerhouse he is widely known as today. Rather than seeing these worlds as separate, Greyson explains how jazz, swing, and ensemble playing laid the groundwork for his time feel, dynamics, and musical awareness. These foundations continue to influence his approach, even in the most aggressive and high-energy musical settings.

Greyson also discusses how he has built a multi-generational fan base through social media, using platforms as a way to connect, educate, and inspire rather than simply chase numbers. He offers advice to drummers searching for their own voice, encouraging individuality, authenticity, and a willingness to embrace what makes them different. The conversation touches on why drummers are so naturally drawn to one another, highlighting the shared obsession, discipline, and sense of community that binds players across genres and generations.

The episode closes with a look ahead to Greyson’s appearance at the Europe Drum Show, where fans can expect a high-energy, deeply musical performance that reflects the full scope of his journey so far.

A compelling and insightful conversation that is essential viewing for drummers at every stage of their path.

Greyson will be performing on the main stage at The Europe Drum Show 2026. Click HERE for more information. Find us on Youtube, Facebook, Instagram and X (formally Twitter).

Bersoni Custom Drums | 3 Boutique Snares, One Video

On Drummer’s Review, we don’t often review three snare drums in one hit, but this felt like the right moment to do something slightly unhinged. These snares come from Bersoni Custom Drums, a brand-new drum company from the South West of England, founded in 2023 by John, who essentially woke up one morning and decided to start building drums. Sometimes that’s genuinely how the best ideas start.

Bersoni’s whole ethos is about creating heritage instruments — drums that don’t just sound great today, but feel like pieces you’ll still be playing years down the line… or, at the very least, refusing to sell. All three snares here are built using traditional stave construction, meaning vertical blocks of wood glued together to form the shell. In simple terms, that’s lots of wood and not much glue, which is exactly what you want. The result is shells that are rigid, durable, and seriously projective.

Each drum is hand-built using UK-sourced timbers and finished with oil to really show off the natural grain while keeping the tone clear and open. It’s more labour intensive than ply construction, but the payoff is immediate. These snares feel solid in the hands, with no unwanted rattles or noise, and a reassuring sense that they’re built to last.

First up is the 14×6.5 Tigerwood snare, priced at around £680. With a 12mm thick shell, triple-flanged hoops, Indie strainer, and PureSound wires, this one is punchy, focused, and slightly darker in character. There’s a tight crack, controlled sustain, and a very direct, no-nonsense feel. It’s an “I don’t mess about” snare.

Next is the 14×7.5 Black Limba, coming in at approximately £640. This features a slightly thinner 10mm shell with reinforcement rings, mini lugs, and a really nice custom walnut air vent. Tonally, it’s warm, woody, and rounded, with open mids and loads of dynamic range. Honestly, if you told me this was your main snare for everything, I wouldn’t question it for a second.

Finally, the big personality drum: the 14×7.75 Black Limba, Sapele and spalted sycamore, priced at around £780 — and I think I deserve a small bonus just for remembering how to say that correctly. Jokes aside, it looks incredible, feels incredible, and sounds exactly how you hope it would. Articulate, lively, crisp, with loads of attack and a big, rich low end that stays controlled.

Pros? Straight out of the box, all three snares have very distinct personalities. None of them blur into each other. The finishes are beautiful, clearly individual, and it’s obvious a lot of care has gone into every build. In the studio, they all responded brilliantly to different tunings, making them genuinely versatile rather than one-trick drums. Being able to customise directly with John is also a huge plus and surprisingly rare.

Cons? We’d love to see the hardware become more bespoke in future. It’s solid and reliable, but the shells are definitely doing most of the talking. A clear-coat varnish option could also add a bit more visual pop. And while these sit in the mid-to-high-end price range, they’re priced fairly for what they are.

Overall, this is an incredibly strong start for a brand-new British drum company. Three snares, three clear voices, loads of character, and a real sense that Bersoni know exactly what they’re trying to build. I’m genuinely excited to see what comes next.

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Drumeo and Yamaha Partner to Give You The Ultimate Drumming Experience

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Get a Drumeo 90-day trial membership with qualifying Yamaha purchase.

What is Drumeo?

Drumeo is the world’s largest online drum education platform, offering structured lessons, courses, and song breakdowns taught by the world’s top drummers. With interactive tools and a global community of learners, Drumeo makes it easy and inspiring to learn drums anytime, anywhere.

Learn from the Legends

Drumeo and Yamaha have partnered to give you the ultimate drumming experience—select Yamaha drum products include a free 90-day Drumeo membership that unlocks unlimited access to tailored lessons from world-class drummers, sheet music to thousands of songs, learning tools, and guided workouts.

Qualifying Products

Acoustic Drums

  • Stage Custom Birch
Stage Custom Birch (Matte Surf Green)Elevating drummer’s expectations for a generation. Hand lacquered, all-birch ply Stage Custom. Solid.
  • Stage Custom Hip
Stage Custom Hip

A compact Stage Custom kit using the 100% birch shells that have become synonymous with Yamaha drums. A shallow bass drum measuring 20 x 8 inches supports the b

  • RYDEEN
RYDEEN CPG22New Entry Acoustic Drum Set “RYDEEN”
Electronic Drum Kits
  • DTX10 Series
DTX10 SeriesThe DTX10 series is the flagship of the DTX lineup, combining the functionality of electronic drums with the sheer beauty of their acoustic counterpart.
  • DTX8 Series
DTX8 SeriesThe DTX8 series comes equipped with the DTX-PRO module and new drum pads that are as beautiful as the real acoustic drums.
  • DTX6 Series
DTX6 Series
The DTX6 Series features sparking creativity and delivering superb performance in a compact configuration.
  • DTX402
DTX402 Series
How do I redeem this offer?

Scan the QR code on the redeem card included with your purchase and it will take you right to the registration page. All you need to do is enter your info and create a password. No credit card required!

Please check the links below for more details.

Yamaha Drums Expand Recording Custom Series

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The Yamaha Recording Custom Series is an industry benchmark, renowned for its uncompromising consistency, precision engineering, and unmistakably balanced tone. Designed to deliver exceptional clarity and control in both studio and live environments, these drums are trusted by professionals for their articulate response, powerful projection, and mix-ready sound.

Built with Yamaha’s legendary craftsmanship, the Recording Custom Series sets the standard for reliability, versatility, and sonic accuracy, making it one of the most recorded drum sets in music history.

Starting April 2026, Yamaha Drums will expand the line-up of Recording Custom finishes by adding to the available options:

  • RED AUTUMN

  • POLAR WHITE

The two timeless finishes have proven popular with our Absolute Hybrid Maple series and can now be ordered with all available Recording Custom set configurations and single components.

In addition to the 2 finishes, European customers will have the option to order Recording Custom shells in SILVER SPARKLE. This offer is exclusive for 2 years starting April 2026.

The Silver Sparkle finish delivers a timeless, stage-ready brilliance—catching the light with a refined shimmer that feels both classic and unmistakably modern. Elegant yet bold, it adds visual impact without excess, ensuring the kit commands attention under studio lights or on stage while retaining a professional, iconic aesthetic.

  • Shell Construction: The kits continue to use 100% North American Birch, 6-ply shells with 30-degree bearing edges, designed for a focused, “pre-EQ” sound ideal for studio recording.
  • Design Features: The kits retain the signature design elements developed with Steve Gadd, including weighted high-tension lugs for enhanced low frequencies and YESS mounts for maximum resonance.

Yamaha Announce Roy Haynes Centennial Snare Drum

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Roy Haynes’ career and contribution to music was one of historic length and depth.His style foundational enough to earn him a lifelong nickname – ‘Snap Crackle’ – within a decade of his first forays into professional jazz drumming. A foreshadowing of foundational impacts to come.

It’s rare for a musician to have so much of a hand in so much of a genre’s history, outside fast-moving innovators in niche sub-genre spaces. So, when someone like Roy Haynes comes along, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing.

Roy didn’t just have an active hand in the development of jazz but did so over eight decades – and in so doing, had an active hand in the development of modern drum technique and philosophy.

What would have been Roy’s 100th Birthday, Yamaha Drums has decided to honour life and legacy with a special Centennial Signature Snare Drum YCS1455RH.

Hand Hammered and carefully assembled by our staff in Japan, the 14″x 5.5″ copper shell is the core of this unique instrument.

YAMAHA DRUMS Expands EAD-Series with New Flagship Model EAD50.

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Following the success of the EAD10 series, Yamaha Drums will launch the new flagship EAD50 in March 2026. The unique system promises a true hybrid drumming experience thanks to increased audio quality and a variety of technical features.

EAD (Electronic Acoustic Drum) is Yamaha’s unique system that brings electronic expandability to acoustic drums. By simply attaching a dedicated sensor containing two microphone capsules and a trigger to your bass drum, you can capture the sound of your entire kit in high-quality stereo and combine it with built-in effects and sound sources for greater expression.

The new EAD50 will take the EAD concept even further. It captures and processes your acoustic sound with refined precision, merging it seamlessly with electronic sources to create a true hybrid drumming experience.

Studio-Quality Sound from your acoustic drums
With real-time control and intuitive operation, drummers can easily shape their own sound in professional quality as they play—on stage, in the studio, during lessons, rehearsals or while streaming. From professionals to advanced amateurs, EAD50 empowers every drummer to achieve their ideal sound.

The EAD50 expands what it means to be a drummer — enabling you to practice, record, teach, create, and perform with the same consistent, professional sound wherever you play.

It lets you deliver your sound just as you intend, without being restricted by place or environment. The EAD50 adds depth and new possibilities to every aspect of a drummer’s activity.

The Simplest Drum PA Solution Ever

By integrating additional microphones, triggers, effects, mixer functions, and more into one compact unit, the EAD50 dramatically reduces setup complexity and gives drummers stable, reliable control over their sound.

Practicing / Online Lesson

The EAD50 supports everything from daily practice to online lessons—all from a single, compact system.

You can play along with your favorite songs via Bluetooth audio, or use the advanced click features for precise, focused training.
For online lessons, the Talk function allows you to switch between your drum sound and your speaking setup with simple, intuitive control, making communication smooth and clear for both you and your students.

Unleash the Drummer’s Full Expression

The EAD50 gives drummers the power to shape their sound freely. Just as a guitarist sculpts tone with pedals, you can craft everything from subtle ambience to bold, studio-level effects in an instant.

Six fully assignable Modifier knobs let you control reverb, EQ, compression, sample layers, and more in real time — all driven by Yamaha’s flagship custom-designed DSP, delivering exceptional clarity and dynamic response.

Recording & Social Media

Whether you’re recording at home or streaming from your studio, the EAD50 makes it simple to achieve professional-quality audio with minimum set-up.

Connect to your computer via USB to blend your acoustic and triggered sounds instantly and capture a powerful multi-channel recording.

Performance

The EAD50 enhances performance and seminar-style demonstrations by giving you a set of flexible tools that work seamlessly in any environment.

With Live Set Mode, you can store complete setups for each song or set list and recall your sound, routing, and effects instantly with a footswitch or a single touch—allowing smooth transitions and keeping your focus on the performance itself.

The SD card player further streamlines your workflow by letting you run two stereo tracks at once—such as backing and click tracks—without needing any external devices. Your performance stays tightly synchronized and steady from start to finish.

Sales Start: March  2026

For all information www.yamaha.com.

The Slingerland Drum Company Presents the Radio King Snare Drum

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The Slingerland Drum Company presents the Radio King Snare Drum; encapsulating all the essence of Slingerland and its legacy.

When the Radio King single-ply snare drum first appeared back in the 1930s, many came to believe its solid shell made it the definitive snare for sound and playability. Honed with precision manufacturing, the new Radio King snares blend vintage authenticity with modern durability, forging a new path full of rich, warm tone.

True to its vintage design, the Radio King Snare features a steam-bent, solid-shell drum made from a hand-selected North American Maple plank. It is equipped with a 30-degree bearing edge to give the drum a thick, buttery feel with full and punchy projection.

The Radio King Snare is fitted with Nickel-over-Steel ‘Stick Chopper’ hoops for tight and crisp rim shots with controlled overtones. It is also fitted with an internal tone-control muffler and a 3-Point Throw-Off with Adjustable Snare Gates, giving players control from wide open to responsive and sharp.

Completed with the iconic Slingerland cloud badge and Nickel-plated hardware, the Radio King snares are available in 5.5”x14” and 7”x14” sizes and in vintage-inspired lacquer and wrap finishes, including two stunning new colors: ‘Maroon Glass’ and ‘Gold Glass’. This is more than a drum, it’s a statement.

To find out more, please visit Slingerland.com.

About Slingerland Drum Company

Founded in 1912 by H.H. Slingerland, the Slingerland Drum Company is a legendary American drum brand renowned for its iconic Radio King drum kits and snare drums. Played by legends including Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, and Neil Peart, Slingerland shaped jazz, rock, and big band music for over a century. Revived by the innovative leaders at the helm of Drum Workshop (DW) and Roland, Slingerland is back, blending vintage tone with modern precision in Oxnard, California. As part of Roland’s premier musical instrument portfolio, Slingerland delivers meticulously crafted drums, inspiring the next generation of drummers worldwide to join the next chapter. www.slingerland.com