Pacific Drum and Percussion has grown to be one of the biggest drum manufacturers in the world. Their products are listed with high-quality and yet affordable solutions.
And this should not even come as a surprise. After all, PDP is a company owned by DW. It was started to offer more affordable drum solutions to the current DW pieces.
Hence, you can expect DW quality and design in PDPs. The only difference is that PDP drums are manufactured through machines. This reduces the time taken to produce and the price.
The Concept series is one of their major new drum kit lines. The influence of DW is more evident in these drums than ever.
In this review, I will shade more light on what the PDP Concept Birch can deliver.
PDP concept birch 4 piece
The concept series comes with a new and fresh design. Many drummers are excited just to look at the kit.
Concept Birch shells are highly recommended for a classic punch, focus, and attack that comes in different configurations. It is a drum kit every drummer will love to have.
I ordered the PDP Concept Birth 4-piece kit just to fulfill my curiosity. I like bigger setups.
This kit stands out strong from other brands I have seen at this price range. When I added on a 7-ply tom and a 10-ply snare, it turned into a custom-style kit.
With this, you can play any music style.
One can get the drums in high-gloss finishes with chrome or black hardware.
In terms of features, this kit has everything you want in a good drum set. It comes with Suspension Tom Mounts (STM), True Pitch tension rods, MAG throw-offs, die-cast low-mass claw hooks, proportionate counter hoops, and a long-lasting lacquer finish.
Besides that, you can have a kit with DW quality.
Top features
The kit is configured with a 20 x 16-inch bass drum, 12 x 9-inch toms, and 14 x 12-inch floor tom, 14 x 5 ½ snare. It does not come with hardware and cymbals.
Shell construction
Shells are made from multiple plies birch. They come with a 45-degree bearing edge. The shells do not have reinforcement rings.
Hardware is made from steel. This includes die-cast hoops, suspended mounts, and standard lugs. Factory heads and gloss finish complete the setup.
Pros
• DW quality
• 4-piece compact kit
• Incredible sound quality
Cons
• Non at this price range
PDP Concept Series Kits Birch CB5 Review
The Chinese-made Concept line is a replacement for X7, M2, and FS ranges. The kit was unveiled in 2012 and had been going through a series of upgrades ever since.
Construction
I received a shell pack containing 10 x 7-inch and 12 x 9-inch toms, 16 x 14-inch floor tom, 22 x 18-inch bass drum, and a 14 x 5 1/2-inch snare for this review. All drums are birth, with a clear yellowish appearance.
The company has not revealed the origin of the used birch. But it’s not from America.
Shells come with a 7-ply construction on the toms and the bass drum. The snare is thicker, with 10-ply. The inner and outer ply reveal standard cross-ply techniques.
Sharply cut 45-degree bearing edge with a shallow back cut gives them a DW Collector’s line look. Also, the inside is not sanded or treated.
High-quality lacquer finishes from DW lines make this kit one of the best gear you could ever have. They don’t have the common PDP lugs but dual-turret tube lugs. These new features make using the kit very easy.
Hands-on
This kit offers a serious sound. You cannot expect anything less from DW kits, and this one has it all.
DW-line Velcro-attachable pillow is quite handy. It adds power to the shells and other components.
You get a perfect combination of attack, note, depth, and air from each stroke. All the drums are durable and deliver a great tone.
Pros
• Standard construction
• Great performance
• Affordable
Cons
• Nothing much to complain
PDP by DW Concept Birch 6-Piece Shell Pack
I feel proud whenever I am holding a PDP drum kit in my hands. Every drum is made with the highest quality considerations.
The Concept series comes as one of their best kits so far. It has the design and some of the features you could find in a DW kit, making it even more impressive.
With a fresh new look and sound, many drummers are already talking about it. The birch shells assure a classic punch, focus, and attack that you would not get in any other kits at this price range.
Above all, the kit comes in a wide array of configurations. You can add on more components to create a more extensive set for a bigger sound.
Features
The PDP Concept birch drum kit comes with high-quality features. These include:
• Suspended tom mounts
• True Pitch tension rods
• MAG throw-off
• Die-cast low-mass claw hooks
• Counter hoops
• Lacquer finishes
Configuration
The 6-piece PDP Concept birch kit is configured with a 22 x 18-inch bass drum, 10 x 8 and 12 x 9 -inch toms, 14 x 14-inch and 16 x 14-inch floor toms, and a 14 x 5 ½ inch snare.
All the shells come with a 7-ply of bitch and a 45-degree bearing edge.
Pros
• Durable drums
• High quality
• Excellent sound
Cons
• A bit expensive
PDP by DW Concept Birch 5-Piece Shell Pack Natural to Charcoal Fade
The PDP Concept Series Birch 5pc Drum Set – Natural to Charcoal Fade is a beautiful kit. If you have ever used a DW drum, you understand what it means to have a high-quality kit.
Build
The first thing you will notice on this kit is DW’s reputation for lacquer finishes. There is no other brand that does it better.
New features have been added. For instance, there are what PDP calls round-turret tube lugs instead of the popular round ones. These pieces were first designed for double-ended snare lug for the Performance range of DW.
The kit in this review is configured with five shells (10 x 7 and 12 x 9-inch toms, 16 x 14-inch flow tom, 22 x 18-inch bass, and a 14 x 5 ½ snare). They are all birch.
All the drums assure the build and sound quality of DW products. The toms are mounted from the bass drum. Each rack tom has an STM suspension system, offering a better grip.
Sound
It is quite easy to set this kit up. Its sound is impressive.
The DW-like Velcro-attachable pillow is a useful addition. It slaps the head-on and thein tensions out the creases to deliver more life to the kick drum.
The toms sound lively while the snare rings out loud through other components.
Pros
• Excellent construction
• DW-quality
• Great sound
Cons
• None at this price range
PDP concept birch 7 piece
PDP Concept drum sets are on a whole new level of quality. They are designed to offer incredible performance, and they do not disappoint.
The 7-piece Concept birch is configured with five toms, one bass drum, and one snare drum. This makes it a complete kit.
Features
You will first notice the DW quality in the design of the kit. The drums are made from high-quality material and have an excellent finish.
Dual-turret lug, true-pitch tension rods, and die-cast claw hooks make this kit something you need to have. Also, it comes with graduated counter hoops that make setting up the kit easy.
7-ply of a birch on the toms and kick, and 10-ply on the snare assures unique tonal features. At the same time, MAG throw-off and fully-chromed snare wires create a perfect snare sound.
Pros
• 7-piece complete set
• DW-quality
• Incredible sound
Cons
• A bit bulky
PDP concept birch vs. maple
When you are looking to buy drums, it is always good to consider the materials used. There are so many options out there.
But the most confusing factor is perhaps the type of wood. You may have been wondering which one is the best.
Drum manufacturers are always trying to find the best material for making drums. This allows them to create unique products that are not with competition.
PDP is one of the most reputable drum brands. Their Concept line of drums is a new series that has gotten many drummers talking about.
Different configurations exist, with options of birch and maple. This can make it a bit hard to choose, especially if you are buying for the first time.
Concept Birch
Birch is a very common type of wood in drums today. They are lower in price because the wood is in abundance.
It is known for assuring high-quality tones. Birch drums can pick the highest and the lowest frequencies. They tend to be fuller and rounder in sound with a huge projection.
Maple
Maple is the best alternative to birch. But the wood is harder and much heavier than birch. Almost all great drum sets were made only from maple for many years. That is because the Keller Drums company used it in all their top-range drums.
Maple drums are known for delivering maximum resonance. The mid-range is also slightly higher. These drums give out more even sound, warmer tones, and are more projective.
PDP Concept Birch and maple
PDP offers the Concept series in either all-birch or all-maple drums. They are both made in China under the supervision of DW. Hence, you can be sure both drums will offer excellent quality.
They are almost at the same price level – quite affordable.
As stated above, both options deliver excellent sound quality. Mapex kits are a bit heavier. They should be good for more aggressive music styles.
Birch, on the other hand, may require more subtle approaches.
Nevertheless, both kits are good for every drummer. Whatever option you go for, it will not disappoint.
What does PDP drums stand for?
PDP is an abbreviation for Pacific drums and Percussion. It’s a musical instrument company set in place by Drum Workshop in 1999.
Since DW drums are designed for the higher market, they needed something that could serve buyers who needed affordable kits. And hence, you can expect to get DW quality in all drum sets by PDP.
Also, PDP drums are made in China using some custom techniques. But it majorly applies computerized machinery, cutting the production cost and reducing prices.
