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  1. Drums
  2. Drum Gear

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

News
By Rhythm published 4 January 2016

All of the latest drum gear reviews

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

Sonor Vintage

Sonor Vintage

As we entered the new year, the MusicRadar team was hard at work casting an eye over all of the latest and greatest drum gear.

We had a cracking month of reviews, with everything from Foo Fighters-approved snares to lush vintage kits via a drum made from an old rat catching van. Seriously. Everything in this round-up was reviewed on the site in December 2015, and we start with Sonor's stunning Vintage series.

MusicRadar's Verdict

“With its beech shells, rounded bearing edges, Superprofil hoops and teardrop lugs, Sonor's Vintage Series recalls a fondly- remembered defining period in the German company's 140-year evolution.”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Sonor Vintage

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm)

BUY: Sonor Vintage currently available from:
UK: Thomann

Page 1 of 7
Page 1 of 7
Ruach MK Cajons

Ruach MK Cajons

MusicRadar's Verdict

“The MK1 may be vanilla, but it gets the nod from us.”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Ruach MK Cajons

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm)

BUY: Ruach MK Cajons currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Gear4Music

Page 2 of 7
Page 2 of 7
Provenance VW Rat Snare

Provenance VW Rat Snare

MusicRadar's Verdict

“The ethos of Provenance is to build unique instruments from historically noteworthy reclaimed materials. This rusty VW 'Rat' may be the boldest experiment yet, but it sounds fantastic.”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Provenance VW Rat Snare

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm)

Page 3 of 7
Page 3 of 7
Ludwig Atlas Classic Hardware

Ludwig Atlas Classic Hardware

MusicRadar's Verdict

“Ludwig has updated its 1960s flat-based stands in line with popular retro trends. The Atlas Classic series is practical, stylish and boasts many clever and genuinely useful design details.”

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Ludwig Atlas Classic Hardware

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm)

BUY: Ludwig Atlas Classic Hardware currently available from:
UK: Thomann
US: Sweetwater

Page 4 of 7
Page 4 of 7
J Leiva Medina Cajon

J Leiva Medina Cajon

MusicRadar's Verdict

“Though lacking in bass tones this cajon still sounds good but lends itself to being miked up with a slight tweaking in the eq department.”

3 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: J Leiva Medina Cajon

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm)

Page 5 of 7
Page 5 of 7
Pearl Vision Birch VBL

Pearl Vision Birch VBL

MusicRadar's Verdict

“Pearl's Vision Birch Lacquer kit brings professional features such as custom-style finishes and hardware with affordable shell construction.”

5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Pearl Vision Birch VBL

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm)

BUY: Pearl Vision Birch VBL currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Page 6 of 7
Page 6 of 7
Gretsch Taylor Hawkins Snare

Gretsch Taylor Hawkins Snare

MusicRadar's Verdict

“Chad Smith's signature Pearl snare has built a reputation as a brilliant all-rounder on a budget over the last decade, and now Hawkins' Gretsch is set to do the same.”

5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Gretsch Taylor Hawkins Snare

(Originally reviewed in Rhythm)

BUY: Gretsch Taylor Hawkins Snare currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Page 7 of 7
Page 7 of 7
Rhythm
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DrumCraft Urban Beats
“A good-looking kit which won’t break the bank”: DrumCraft Urban Beats review
Drumcraft Bell Brass Snare
“An excellent entry point into the world of cast-shell drums”: DrumCraft Bell Brass Snare review
Alesis Strata Club
“There is no question that there’s enough quality audio here to cater for every musical taste and presents a massive amount of editing options”: Alesis Strata Club review
A collection of single and double Tama Iron Cobra pedals on a silver corrugated metal sheet
Best bass drum pedals 2025: single and double bass pedals for every budget
Alesis Strata Club
With the same mesh-head playability and powerful new Strata module as its bigger brothers, Alesis Strata Club brings a new compact form to its best-selling range
Alesis Crimson III
Alesis’ popular Crimson e-kit just got an upgrade with version III sporting new heads and a new BFD-powered drum brain
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