Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
xln
Tech XLN Audio wants to put the fun back in drum processing with DB-30 Drum Butter
Man wearing black hat playing the Roland TD716 electronic drum set
Electronic Drums Best electronic drum sets in 2026: Top picks for every playing level and budget, tested by drummers – plus video and audio demos
timbre wolf
Tech "Boy, do people hate it": 10 of the most divisive products in music tech history, from iLok to the Akai Timbre Wolf
Roland TR-1000 Rhythm Creator
Drum Machines Best drum machines 2026: Top beat boxes for all budgets and skill levels
Harley Benton goes for the '80s vibe as it refreshes its ST-80FR shred guitars in six Sparkle Burst finishes – including Hologram.
Guitars Harley Benton takes on the high-performance heavyweights with a Sparkle Burst refresh of its $400 Floyd-equipped S-style
An UDO Super Gemini synthesizer on a white table
Synths Best synthesizers 2026: Top analogue, digital, mono and polysynths
Nord Piano 6
Keyboards & Pianos Best stage pianos 2026: Our pick of the finest keyboards for live performance
A PRS McCarty 594 on a hard case
Electric Guitars Best electric guitars 2026: Our pick of guitars to suit all budgets
A pair of KRK GoAux studio monitors on a studio desk
Studio Monitors Best small studio monitors 2026: Compact studio speakers
Close up of a Taylor GS Mini acoustic guitar lying on a wooden floor
Acoustic Guitars Best acoustic guitars 2026: Super steel string acoustics for all players and budgets
Headphones next to electric guitar
Headphones Best guitar amp headphones 2026: My top picks for practicing your guitar quietly
Close up of hands on a piano
Keyboards & Pianos Best pianos 2026: Our pick of acoustic and digital options for home, studio and stage
Woman in orange hat plays classical guitar in front of a laptop
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials What are the best online guitar lessons in 2026? I’m a professional guitar gear reviewer and these are my highest-rated lessons platforms
Yamaha CLP-885 review
Keyboards & Pianos Best Yamaha digital pianos 2026: Including picks from the Arius, Clavinova, AvantGrand, and P Series
Taylor Academy 10E
Acoustic Guitars Best acoustic guitar for beginners: Strum your first chords with our choice of beginner acoustic guitars
More
  • Sly and Survivor
  • In My Life
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • One chord Diamond
  1. Drums
  2. Drum Gear

New drum gear of the month: review round-up (August 2016)

News
By Rhythm published 9 August 2016

All of the latest drum reviews

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Gretsch Bell Brass Snare Drum

Gretsch Bell Brass Snare Drum

The summer has brought some stunning gear to the MusicRadar office. Our drummers have been particularly spoilt as top-name kits, snares and more have come in.

Here, we look back on all of the drum reviews that appeared on the site in July. We start with a chunk of seriously heavy metal in the form of the Gretsch Bell Brass snare.

MusicRadar's verdict

"A very loud drum that is surprisingly versatile but certainly suited for heavy styles due to its ability to slice through the mix. Heavy in more ways than one."

5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Gretsch Bell Brass snare drum

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm)

Page 1 of 5
Page 1 of 5
Stagg CAJ-60M Mac Cajon

Stagg CAJ-60M Mac Cajon

MusicRadar's verdict

" As ever with Stagg you get a well-made honest product at a price which does not feel like you're being taken for a ride.”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Stagg CAJ-60M Mac Cajon

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm)

Page 2 of 5
Page 2 of 5
Yamaha Manu Katche Junior Kit

Yamaha Manu Katche Junior Kit

MusicRadar's verdict

"Yamaha's dedication to building great kits across the board has come through once again. Forget the kids and think of this as a hugely viable second kit for portability, easy set-up and great sounds."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Yamaha Manu Katche Junior Kit

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm)

BUY: Yamaha Manu Katche Junior Kit currently available from:
UK: Thomann | Gear4Music

Page 3 of 5
Page 3 of 5
UFIP Bionic Cymbals

UFIP Bionic Cymbals

MusicRadar's verdict

"This is a fantastic set of cymbals which will be equally at home in a rock or metal environment and many other genres too."

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: UFIP Bionic cymbals

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm)

Page 4 of 5
Page 4 of 5
Pearl Session Studio Classic

Pearl Session Studio Classic

MusicRadar's verdict

"Pearl offers a decent amount of bang for your buck with the SSC. With a highly versatile tuning range and a crisp attack, this kit promises to be a strong contender in the mid-range market."

3 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Pearl Session Studio Classic

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm)

BUY: Pearl Session Studio Classic currently available from:
UK: Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Page 5 of 5
Page 5 of 5
Rhythm
Read more
Man wearing black hat playing the Roland TD716 electronic drum set
Electronic Drums Best electronic drum sets in 2026: Top picks for every playing level and budget, tested by drummers – plus video and audio demos
 
 
Roland TR-1000 Rhythm Creator
Drum Machines Best drum machines 2026: Top beat boxes for all budgets and skill levels
 
 
Deals of the week logo
Tech MusicRadar deals of the week: Score $390 off a divisive Fender Stratocaster, $180 off a stunning Gretsch and hundreds off PA and live gear
 
 
Deals of the week
Gear & Gadgets MusicRadar deals of the week: Save a colossal $500 off one of my favourite Sterling by Music Man guitars, grab $200 off a super cool D'Angelico, plus all the week's biggest sales on music gear
 
 
Deals of the week
Gear & Gadgets MusicRadar deals of the week: Score $600 off one of our favourite Casio pianos, $200 off top-tier Sennheiser studio headphones, and so much more
 
 
Deals of the week logo
Tech MusicRadar deals of the week: Score hundreds off PRS, Bose, and Moog - and grab a new guitar pedal for less than £10!
 
 
Latest in Drum Gear
Zultan 25 series
Cymbals “A versatile set with dry and dark tonal qualities”: Zultan 25 Series Cymbals review
 
 
Millenium Drums Legendary Drumbook
Drums “An extremely well-thought-out and all-encompassing piece of drum education”: Millenium Drums Legendary Drumbook review
 
 
Man jams with a guitar player and bass player on an electronic drum kit
Drum Gear These huge drum deals at Sweetwater are about to disappear – here’s your last chance to bag up to 60% off electronic drums, cymbals, sticks and more
 
 
Sleep Token drummer II Drumeo
Drum Gear “I’ve taken inspiration from the UK dance music scene": Mixwave put Sleep Token’s drummer in a plugin
 
 
DW SonicPly
Drum Gear Neil Peart called him 'the Wood Whisperer' and now he's blended metal and timber in DW's new SonicPly shells
 
 
Zultan Cymbals
Drum Gear "Crafted from Heritage. Tuned for Tomorrow": Zultan Cymbals celebrate their 25th birthday with a new high-end 25 series
 
 
Latest in News
Catalinbread CB Paint
Guitars “Six room sizes, a gated reverb patch and a reverse reverb patch for your consideration”: Catalinbread launches compact reverb pedal with inspired by the Neil Young and Daft Punk-approved Alesis Microverb
 
 
Kanye West wearing sunglasses and wearing a black shirt
Artists Wireless Festival cancelled and tickets refunded after UK Government blocks Kanye West’s entry to the UK
 
 
Music Studio
Music Production Tutorials 5 creativity-enhancing studio workflow tips
 
 
Sky Ferreira holding a microphone on stage with red light on her and blue lights on the background
Artists Sky Ferreira expresses frustration on Twitter and tells a fan on X that her music was used in Wuthering Heights without credit
 
 
jimmy douglass
Producers & Engineers "This guy pops out of a trash can – it was Ginger Baker!": Jimmy Douglass on his early days working for Atlantic Records
 
 
Gary Numan in 2024 playing a live show dressed in black with red stage lights behind and holding a Les Paul guitar
Artists Gary Numan claims to be “90% deaf”
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...