DrumDrops Mapex Heavy Rock Kit KONTAKT

Mapex have been making drum kits for over 18 years. This kit is a Mapex Saturn kit which is one of their Pro Lines. The distinct tone of the shells comes from the mix of Maple and Walnut. The kit is constructed from 6 plies of wood to create a shell thickness of 5.1 millimetres. The thinner hybrid shells provide a lower, warmer and darker tone than similar all-maple shells. Mapex also have a non-fussy approach to applying hardware to the shell. Too much metalwork on a drum can result in a dead tone.

Jason’s Saturn kit is his number one recording kit. He started using the Mapex kit about 5 years ago and has used it on every record since. The toms were fitted with Evans G2 clear heads which makes them sound well balanced with attack and resonance and almost naturally EQ’d. The Kick drum was fitted with an Evans emad skin with virtually zero dampening. The sound of this kick is best summed up with two words – Punch & Sub.

Mapex also excel in the snare department too. Jason mainly uses a Black Panther Machete which has a savage attack but also comes with weight and fatness to match. However we also recorded two other Mapex snares. A hammered, Phosphor Bronze snare which has the attack, but with more warmth that helps provide an openness that can complement tracks beautifully and a Black Panther Stainless Steel snare.

The kit comprises a Mapex Saturn 22” Kick drum. Three snares – a Mapex Black Panther hammered phosphor Bronze 14” x 6.5”, a Mapex Black Panther 14”x 5” and a Mapex Machete 14” x 6.5”. There are two Mapex rack toms – a 10” x 8” and 12” x 9” and a 16” x 16” floor tom. The hi-hats are Paiste sound edge 14” hats. The cymbals consist of a Paiste Dry Heavy 21” Ride, a Paiste Twenty Metal 18” Crash, a Paiste Metal China 18” Crash, a Paiste Twenty Custom 19” Crash and a Paiste Twenty Custom 20” Crash. All in all this is an epic sounding rock kit.