Over the years, Mapex has realized some high-end drums that have been highly appreciated on the market. The Mapex Storm offers high-end features at an affordable price.
Even though some parts have been scrapped, it comes with exciting service for first or second-time buyers.
In this guide, I will be reviewing this useful drum kit. Come along.
How to choose a good drum set
Drumming can be a lot of fun. But it all depends on how you choose your drums. There are so many drums and manufacturers on the drum market that choosing the right one may be overwhelming.
For a first-time buyer, you need to pick a drum set that gives you satisfaction.
Consider the following features:
Your drumming needs
Everybody has different needs when it comes to drumming. So, you need to establish whether you need a beginner kit or a professional kit.
Not every drum kit has when you need it, and it is important to understand where to look for. With that in mind, you have set your search in the right direction.
Beginner drum sets often come complete with cymbals and hardware. You can start playing straight from the box.
There are also the cheapest options. You can find some of these drums at a fraction price of the higher-end drum shells.
Another feature that defined lower-end drums is the materials they are made from. Companies are trying to cut on production costs by using cheaper material, which translates to lower prices.
And for this reason, you cannot expect them to sound exceptional. Some of them have too much resonance.
Even the hardware on these drums is not as good as one would expect. For instance, the cymbals sound like crap and will not give you the satisfaction of playing in good music. They will not serve you for long, and you may need to change them sooner than you thought. Mid-level and higher-end drum sets, on the other hand, come with more advanced features.
They are made with better materials and sound generally better. Mid-range drums are only a step ahead of the lower-end ones. But they are more expensive.
And some of them don’t come as full sets. Higher-end drums come as shell packs only. In other words, you only get the drums and have to but cymbals and other hardware separately.
But they are more expensive, costing thousands of dollars. Every drum set is designed to deliver the highest level of sound.
Brand
Another consideration for buying drum sets is the brand. With so many manufactures around, you need someone you can fully trust.
Brands like DW, PDP, Yamaha, and Gretsch are quite popular, having been on the market for a long time. Mapex Drums has been around for close to three decades, making them another reputable brand.
A good brand should have a good reputation. Through experience, companies have focused on creating products that meet modern user needs.
Your budget
Drums set come at different sizes and prices. The cost of a drum set is influenced by the manufacturer and the materials used to create the drums.
In this case, lower-end drums are cheaper, but they have fewer features, and their sound is not good either. If you don’t have enough money to invest in a good kit, an intermediate set should serve good.
About the Mapex Storm Series
Mapex Storm one of the most popular drum sets from the company. It is among the most affordable products aimed at lower-budget buyers.
If you are a beginner looking for a quality drum set, this is one choice you can count. It has been on the market for some time now, and many stores claim it has been selling quite well.
There are two kits in his series. Let’s look at each of them separately. Mapex Storm Fusion kit comes a choice of 20-inch Fusion, or 22-inch Rock five-piece shall pack. It also features a complete set of new Storm hardware and the option of a cut-price cymbal set from Paiste. The set also includes a second flow tom for free, depending on the stock reserves.
You will start playing the drums straight from the box, which makes them a great convenience for beginners. The user does not need to spend money buying hardware and other necessities.
The construction
The Tornado series is the basic starter kit from Mapex. Mars fills the up-market slot with birch shell options. The new Storm is between these two, a superior
starter kit with complete hardware. My test kit was a Rock Fusion Kit configured with 22 by 18-inch, 10 by 7-inch, 12 by 8-inch, 16 by 14-inch, and 14 by a 5-inch snare. It also came with a free 14 by 12-inch floor tom, a full hardware set, and a Paiste cymbal set.
You get four different finishes with the Storm. I liked the wrap covering called Camphor, on my kit. This might not have been the best choice in the past, but has a convincing touch.
The other three finishes include Ebony Blue Green, Textured Iron Grey, and Textured Deep Black.
All shell is made from poplar, a readily available type of wood that has been used for many users in building drums. It is often used as a filler, though, with its unremarkable looks.
The shells are thick (7.2mm), too, which is common with many budget kits, featuring eight plies. The wood is not as tough as high-grade lumber, which calls for such weight.
Nevertheless, the inner finish is quite appealing, with precisely round shells. Poplar is comparatively soft, which makes the drums look even better. The porous, fibrous nature of the wood is visible from a closer look at the bearing edges. This is not an issue for Mapex since the company manufactures its own shells, and has laid up the plies. This ensures that the crucial peak of the edge leans on the horizontal ply, bearing a smooth and hard edge.
The lugs have the familiar Mapex-friendly in a shield shape, dapper with isolating gaskets. Only 16 of them are on the bass drum and 12 on the toms, which is normal for all cheaper drums. This is not a big issue, but 12 is a very small number for a 16-inch tom. The lugs on the snare have a different design. The kit comes with chrome on some fittings and the stands/hardware. In this case, there is a larger expanse of metal, which is better.
The ‘L’ arm rod with a hexagonal cross-section for mounting the two small toms prevents rotational slippage.
The bass drum spurs are pretty basic, but they do the job.
Storm package is a potential starter kit that includes a complete 400 series hardware set, released in 2016. It comes with a snare stand, straight and boom cymbal stands, hi-hat and bass pedals.
The bases are heavy-duty, but the top sections are less. Mapex has thought carefully about the bass drum pedal, which is shorted, hinged, and heel plate.
The feel
The Storm Shells feature Mapex’s SONIClear edges, rounded to the outside. This ensures a greater contact with the head.
The poplar material is porous and sturdy with hard bearing edges. But they are well leveled and nicely round. With the increased head contact, there is a more softened attack, and with a warmer tone.
Once the toms are mounted – using old-style fixed brackets and a double-bass drum mount, the kit comes in play, with remarkable sounds. This ensures more control. There is also a closer integration of the bass and the tom.
The snare sound is crisp enough, though it lacks characters. The loops pull low down over the butterhead, making lower clearance on the rim-rims, resulting in a cross-stick sound. Nevertheless, the shallow, low profile rim-shots ring out good enough.
You can include a set of brass Paiste 101 specials. The cymbals are quite impressive.
The hi-hats offer a good stick definition. They sound clean and pleasant when opened up. The 16-inch crush, on the other hand, is abrupt, with a severe lack of sustain, but smooth tone.
Storm Rock Drum set
The Mapex Storm Rock is one of the best complete drums sets for beginners. All the shells are poplar and feature Mapex’s SONIClear bearing edges. There are, therefore, very easy to tune.
It comes with a 22” bass drum for a punchy delivery. All hardware is double braced, with appealing warranties.
Features include:
- 10-inch and 12-inch bass mounted toms, a 14-inch snare drum, and a 22-inch bass drum. The rack toms are smaller and shallower, making them easier to set up. The large toms deliver a fatter sound.
- Storm 22 by an 18-inch bass drum with mount, 10 by 8-inch, 12 by 8-inch toms, 16 by 14-inch floor toms, and 14 by 5-inch. The hardware includes floor tom legs, TH656, B400 boom stand, C400 cymbal stand, H400 hi-hat, and S400 snare stand.
Conclusion
Mapex Storm series is an incredible choice for beginners searching for high-end sounds. With the company’s reputation, you can expect good service from the products.
However, it is important to note than poplar shells do not sound as good as higher-quality wood. But then, considering the price, it is fair to say these shells deliver satisfying results. Either of the kits can be good for a serious drummer too.
