Is Pacific a good drum brand? Does the Drum Workshop own Pacific Drums? Do Pacific drum kits sound good? Are Pacific drum kits reliable to last long enough? Where does Pacific Drums manufacture its drum kits? What are the materials used in making Pacific drum kits? Even though Pacific Drums is a famous brand for most musicians, some people can still be unfamiliar with the drum brand, which is why if you are one of them, it is the right time for you to know everything about the Pacific Drums.
So, what is Pacific Drums? The Pacific Drums and Percussion, also known by many as PDP, is a musical instrument brand founded by the famous drum company Drum Workshop in 1999. DW’s purpose in establishing PDP is to create a brand that will be known for offering high-quality drum kits at a more affordable price. With this in mind, PDP became one of the go-to drum kit brands for novice and mid-level drummers.
Although Pacific Drums and Percussion is an American company, all its products are manufactured in Taiwan and China, which is a usual business strategy for entry-level drum companies to save labor costs, as these countries are known to be cheaper than the USA. Aside from its entry-level drum kits, PDP also offers some excellent quality mid-level drum kits, which are highly regarded in the audio industry, such as its Concept Series.
PDP uses some unique techniques, most of which are using computerized machinery, which enables the company to cut expenses and make some shortcuts in making the drum kits, but is still able to produce them in large quantities without sacrificing their quality. Apart from their drum kits, PDP also offers snare drums, hardware, pedals, and other drum accessories in the market.
PDP also has some famous drummers who are fans of their products, such as Eric Hernandez, who is the brother of Bruno Mars. Next would be Jimmy Sullivan of the heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. Another famous drummer would be the legendary Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Pepper. Smith and Hernandez have their signature snare drums from PDP, while Sullivan has a signature drum kit under the drum brand.
PDP Z5
The PDP Z5 is the entry-level drum kit of the brand. This drum kit is designed for newbie and student drummers who want to play in a high-quality drum kit at an affordable price. The drum kit utilizes some technologies used in high-end DW drum kits, which is impressive if you look at its price tag.
All of the shells of this drum kit are made of Poplar, which is why they have a warm and rich sound to them. A PDP Z5 drum kit comes with a 16″ x 22″ bass drum, two tom-toms with sizes of 10″ x 8″ and 12″ x 9″, a 14″ x 12″ floor tom, and a 14″ x 5″ snare drum.
Aside from the drum shells, the Z5 also comes with free 3-piece cymbals, which comprise a pair of 13-inch hi-hat cymbals and a 16-inch crash/ride cymbal. Its hardware comprises a hi-hat stand, a straight cymbal stand, a snare drum stand, and a bass drum pedal. Its lugs and rims all come with a chrome finish, while all its drum heads are made of mylar.
PDP Mainstage
The PDP Mainstage is considered the latest entry-level drum kit produced by PDP in its history. It is a little bit expensive compared to the Z5, but it is still worth its price tag because of its features and quality that you rarely find with other drum brands. With some technologies applied in making these Mainstage drum kits, there is no question that this product line is one of the best for entry-level drum kits.
The shells are made of 7-ply Poplar, which is typical for entry-level drum kits because of its lower price than other tone woods. No need to worry, as Poplar still gives the drum kit a nice warm sound. Its bearing edges are consistently cut at 45 degrees with a slight back-cut, which is a typical design of most drum kits.
A PDP Mainstage drum set comes with an 18″ x 22″ bass drum, a 5″ x 14″ snare drum, an 8″ x 10″ rack tom, a 9″ x 12″ rack tom, and a 14″ x 16″ floor tom. The shells in the Mainstage kits have low-mass lugs compared to the typical oval lugs, which means that they can resonate more as they take up less space in the shells.
Its hardware all comes from the PDP 700 Series. It comprises a boom and a straight cymbal stand, both double-braced for better stability. Its hi-hat stand has a non-slip clutch to prevent it from moving freely. It also has a chain-drive bass pedal for better reaction and a comfortable drum throne to sit on.
Usually, PDP Mainstage drum kits are sold with a 4-piece cymbal set from Zildjian, Paiste, or Sabian. The 4-piece cymbal set comprises a pair of 13-inch hi-hat cymbals, a 16-inch crash cymbal, and a 20-inch ride cymbal. Its drumheads are all Chinese-made Remo UK heads, so if you want to replace them with a better set of drumheads, then you should go for the US-made Remo or Evans drumheads.
PDP Concept
Considered to be PDP’s flagship line and DW’s entry-level product line for its drum kits, the PDP Concept is one of the best drum kits in the market when you consider its money-to-value ratio. When high-end drum-making techniques are applied in a more affordable drum kit, the result would be a PDP Concept drum kit. Personally, I consider the PDP Concept as a mid-level drum kit because of its price tag.
The shells in all PDP Concept drum kits are made of 7-ply European Maple, resulting in a better mid-range projection and a warmer sound compared to other mid-level drum kits. DW applied its Suspension Tom Mount system for the kit’s rack toms, while the snare drums come with the famous MAG throw-off technology to instantly turn the snare wires off without any problems.
A PDP Concept drum kit is composed of an 18″ x 22″ bass drum, an 8″ x 10″ rack tom, a 9″ x 12″ rack tom, a 14″ x 16″ floor tom, and a 5.5″ x 14″ snare drum. The rack tom sizes are within the DW’s Fundamentally Accurate Sized Toms sizes, which helps them for maximum resonance. The kit also comes with DW True Pitch tension rods, which help tune the drums quickly.
Aside from its typical 5-piece configuration, the PDP Concept is available in four other formats. The Bop Kit is a 3-piece configuration with no snare drums and has smaller shells, while the Rock Kit is also a 3-piece setup but has larger shells. Its expanded format is the 7-piece configuration, which has an additional 7″ x 8″ rack tom and a 12″ x 14″ floor tom.
So, is Pacific a good drum brand? Yes, the Pacific is a good drum brand. The Pacific Drums and Percussion, also known as PDP, is one of the best drum brands in the market, especially when it comes to entry-level drum kits. There is no question as to why it is one of the go-to brands for those looking for a high-quality drum kit at an affordable price.
