PDP Concept Maple Review

The stunning new PDP Concept Maple drum set is a very welcome addition to the drumming market. It’s visually and sonically rather impressive, and it’s bound to catch the attention of many drummers in the mid-price bracket.

One could argue that PDP (Pacific Drums and Percussion) have offered products that look a little tired of late, but it’s great to see the company has refreshed their lines with a modern perspective.

The drum set in this PDP Concept Maple review is a 5-piece shell pack in a modern configuration – with 10 & 12 inch rack toms, with a 16 inch floor tom and a 22 inch kick drum. Also included with the shell pack is a matching 14×5.5 snare drum.

The finish is a gorgeous ‘Satin Seafoam’, which is a matte green satin finish that is very eye-catching.

Without further ado, let’s jump right in to the PDP Concept Maple review to determine what makes this drum set a worthy investment!

PDP Concept Maple Drum Set Gallery

Contents

PDP Concept Maple Drum Set Ratings

Sounds

4.6

4.6/5

Build Quality

4.4

4.4/5

Finishes

4.5

4.5/5

Playability

4.7

4.7/5

Value

4.8

4.8/5

Sounds

The PDP Concept Maple immediately delivers an incredible sonic punch that can only be applauded. The PDP brand is owned by the legendary DW, and can be likened to as the ‘little brother’ of DW.

These drums feature a 7-ply European Maple shell that comes as standard with a ton of pro features, like STM suspension tom mounts, True-Pitch tuning rods, FAST sizes and a snare MAG throw off.

I personally love the sizes. It’s the perfect balance of functionality and sound. The two rack toms up top sing with an amazing tone, whilst the kick and floor tom produce a huge low-end.

The snare drum is crisp, versatile and highly responsive. It delivers wonderfully soft ghost notes and rim clicks, whilst the backbeats and rim shots sound explosive.

This drum set bears the hallmark characteristics of a fully-fledged DW drum set, but at a much more affordable price. Never before has it been possible for a drummer to obtain the distinctive DW sound at this price.

These drums are outfitted with Chinese-made, DW branded Remo heads that are acceptable and do sound good once tuned up. I do feel however that these European Maple drums could benefit from an upgrade to some pro-level drum heads for even stronger tones.

Build Quality

The PDP Concept Maple shell pack is very well built. The shell hardware adorned onto these drums is impressive, with each drum boasting a heavy-duty Dual-Turret lug design that utilizes True-Pitch tuning rods for greater tuning accuracy.

Looking at the drum shells, not only is the finish expertly applied but the European Maple shells themselves feature precisely cut bearing edges and the new reformulated shells themselves are near-perfectly round.

The PDP Concept Maple Series has an astonishing array of pro level drum set features, and it is clear that DW’s influence on the Concept Maple series is unmistakable.

The STM tom mounts are very sturdy and high quality. They allow for maximum shell resonance and they are exceptionally heavy-duty whilst being easy to position.

Finishes

In this PDP Concept Maple review I’m looking at the Satin Seafoam finish and it’s stunning under lights. The finish is expertly applied and it’s certainly very impressive to look at.

The newly designed Concept Maple Series drums come in a range of striking finishes and the designs and finish quality are all evocative of the DW parent brand.

These drums genuinely look very attractive, and the newly designed round badge on the drums makes a great impression, in addition to the new PDP logo on the bass drum head.

The bass drum also has matching wood hoops with the Seafoam finish that’s a classy touch to this magnificent drum set.

Playability

The PDP Concept Maple drum set is very well equipped and each drum delivers beautiful, punchy sounds with an exceptional initial attack.

Even with the stock factory heads, the drums are fairly easy to tune and the tones produced are somewhat reminiscent of a top flight DW drum set. The tones are rounded, warm and have great degree of clarity with stick attack.

The rack toms and floor tom are all equally lively and punchy, and they are very enjoyable to play. They respond well to being played loud or soft, and they offer just the right amount of sustain without being too dry or ringy.

I’m also impressed with the un-ported kick drum, which produces a really focused punch. The kick drum actually comes with a specially designed pillow to dampen the sound, which is a nice bonus.

The snare drum is also well-equipped with an authentic DW MAG throw-off that feels very heavy-duty. This snare drum is articulate, responsive and surprisingly loud too!

Value

Taking a look at the price in this PDP Concept Maple review, I believe this drum set carries a very low price tag considering what you get in terms of tone, build quality and features. It’s also stunning to look at and everything feels well-made.

Although this drum set is built in China, it is clear the quality of craftsmanship is excellent. DW and PDP have really excelled with the design of this drum set. All of the components and features compliment each other to help create a killer sounding package.

Verdict

To summarize this PDP Concept Maple review, I’m hugely impressed with the newly-refreshed version of this popular drum set. The new smart-sized kit configurations are better suited for the modern drummer, and the new range of finishes are drop-dead gorgeous.

For aspiring drummers looking for a new drum kit upgrade, or perhaps a professional looking at a road-worthy backup touring kit, this drum set will perfectly adapt to any musical situation you can throw at it.

The Maple shells offer huge, punchy tones and they perform exceedingly well under drum microphones also; making it ideal for use both live and in the studio.