m a g a z i n eT h e O f f i c i a l P u b l i c aT i O n O f D r u m W O r ks h O P 8 . 0

stevie nicks jimmy paxson, up close with danny seraphine & studio master jr robinson

plus dw artists hit europe, Q&a with the drummers of nashville, dws latest gear and more!

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nowHEARthisIntroducing the DW Collectors Series Super Solid, a completely new look at solid shell drums. Why is Super Solid so dramatically different? The answer is a groundbreaking Molecular Compression Process that produces the most dense solid maple shell ever created. And this is truly a one-piece shell, no glued reinforcement hoops or plies. We endured years of research and development and expense to do only one thing, bring you our best sounding solid shell drum ever.

EDGE Magazine is a publication of Drum Workshop, Inc. 2009 drum workshop, inc. all rights reserved. #prcaedge-v8.0 for promotional use only. NOT FOR SALE.

ARTIST FEATURES12 Drummers of Nashvillefeaturing billy mason, travis mcnabb and cactus moser

16 Abe Laboriel Jra legacy endured. family, schooling & the beginning of a legend.

EDGE 8.0

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IN EVERY ISSUE06 time machine: jr robinson10 up close: danny seraphine11 road tips with drum tech - robbo22 road stories: dw artists hit europe24 Artist Feature: Jimmy Paxson26 DW drum clinic with denny seiwell28 new artists

PRODUCT NEWS02 exo-x project 04 pdp update08 8000 series pedals & hardware14 ssc technology20 3drumsticks

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Heres my review of the Eco-X DW drum kit. I have the first Eco-X kit DW ever constructed. It is the very first prototype that John Good made

and, like most all of his experiments, it went directly into the showcase room at the factory to be played with ensuing opinions to be gathered. John Good and I discussed this kit by telephone before it was ever made. JG desperately wanted to make a kit that was more affordable, yet with absolutely no sacrifices in terms of quality and tone. When he realized it could also be green (better for our environment) his enthusiasm went ballistic!

The Eco-X experiment began with my snare drum and its finish is also experimental - blue jean stain and it really looks cool - like blue jeans! So they made the bass drum and toms in the same blue jean finish. The only problem was the toms and bass drum came out in PURPLE, not blue! End of the Blue jean color experiment! Since receiving this kit, Ive seen the two beautiful natural finishes that the production models come in. Im partially jealous that I dont have one of those beautiful factory finishes, but my little ugly ducklings sound so good, I cant let them go!

Out of the box, the bass drum is sick. Un-freaking real-super bottom. JG says they ALL have this quality and he doesnt really know why. Well, it is the best 18x22 bass drum I have ever heard. I normally abhor the DW pillow, but as is - this drum is perfect. I have not touched the heads or the tuning since it came out of the box. Normally I immediately put my Evans heads on my new drums, and someday I will as this batter head will inevitably get tired, but why try to improve on perfect? I have to try to remember to bother John about making some Eco-X woofers!

Next out of my box-o-new-toys were the toms. They came out of the box tuned really low. Like Come Together by the Beatles really low. Theres a nice pop on the stick sound nice attack. I played them as is for a while and then I put the Evans heads on and the toms

were very comfy way down low (my guess is its the X-shell causing this). The Eco-X 12x14 easily tunes lower than my Jazz Series 16x16 that I played at the MD Fest 08!

After feeling like Ringo in the 1970s for an hour or so, I did my thing and started randomly moving the pitches around. Ive never had toms that are so easy to tune to where you get a good sound no matter what. Helen Keller could tune these things and Im not kidding! If you see a kit in a drum shop, tune the bottom head evenly simply ballpark it. Theres no need to be fussy. Then tune the top head anywhere. Get crazy! Check out what happens with raising or lowering just one or two lugs! Its really incredible! I had well-known NYC drum tech (credits include S. Gadd and

S. Jordan) Artie Smith witnessing this at my studio (he couldnt sit back and listen. He grabbed a drum key and went at it!). The tuning range on these toms is astounding. Also, even though they are x-shell (and therefore you would think they want to be low) these guys LIKE being tuned really high, perhaps not Peter Erskine high (go as high as possible and then go higher), but high. This is the first time I have ever fantasized about taking a drum key and lowering the floor tom four steps with the turn of one or two lugs in between SONGS on a stage!

The snare drum took a while for me to enjoy and accept, not because it wasnt good, because it was so flexible. Just like the toms, this snare drum will do anything you ask of it. Of course, it feels as perfect in terms of edges and hardware as the other Eco-Xs, with all the hardware being the same as on the other DW kits. I spent quite some time

trying to get this snare to do something radical by experimenting with different heads, die cast hoops, crazy-different Purecussion snares and what-not, but the snare drum always complied and sounded musical. Again, the tuning range is sick. Right now I have mine tuned up super high, like a side snare or reggae snare. It will do anything you ask it to do.

OK, they are flexible, so what do they sound like? I think there might have been some truth to those who once said there was a DW sound, but now we have many very good brands of drum heads and many drummers look for more musical options in a drum than just loud and proud. Anyone with half an ear can distinguish the sound of DWs Jazz Series from the various Collectors Series, and now with the bamboo/birch combination of the Eco-X drums, there is clearly another sound available. These Eco-Xs offer great tuning flexibility. The bass drum is pure gold. Period. The snare is so flexible, I intend to take it into any unknown rooms (such as at a night club or studio that Ive never played before) because it will adapt to anything. The toms sound unique. While, typically for DW, they get along with each other very well, they offer uniqueness in tone and sustain. They really speak quickly and sustain incredibly. In fact, the 12X14 floor tom sustained so long I ended up leaving my stick bag slung over the side to cut the sustain a bit, which is nice, because I enjoy having such easy access to my stick bag. There is a bit less honk or lower midrange frequencies in these toms, which along with the incredible sustain makes these drums my first choice if I ever get a gig with Elton John, Bob Seger or Tom Petty. Ive already purchased gig bags for these drums and intend to use them on local gigs here in New York City. The fact that these drums cost less than the rest of DWs lineup should be considered John Goods present to each of us. After you get yours and fall in love, send him a thank you note. I did.

eco-x project

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Billy Ward

JG desperatelywanted to make a kit

that was moreaffordable, yet with

absolutely nosacrifices in terms of

quality and tone.When he realized it

could also begreen (better for our environment)

his enthusiasm went ballistic!

D r u m m e r - T e s T e D , D r u m m e r - a P P r O v e D .B y B i l ly W a r d

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P l at i n u m S e r i e S S o u n d Sa s G O O D a s i T lO O ks .Launched just two short years ago, Drum Workshops PDP Platinum Series already has a serious list of notable players taking them PDPs all-maple Platinum Series features a sleek new patented dual oval tube lug design with STM (Suspension Tom Mount) standard. Its also got killer custom-inspired finishes, but what many drummers many not know is just how good they sound. The secret is a straight 8-ply maple shell with a sharp 45 degree Pro Cut bearing edge. The warmth and projection of maple provides a big round tone and a lack of reinforcement hoops means Platinum drums are big and open. A perfect combination for all hard hitting players, from Gospel, Hip Hop, R&B to Hard Rock, Punk, Metal and beyond. See PDPs high-end Platinum Series drums at your favorite drum shop or online at www.pacificdrums.com.

i n t r o d u c i n g t h ea l l - n e W P d P m 5 S e r i e Sa n a l l - m a P l e , a l l - l a c q u e r , f e at u r e - Pa c k e d5 - P i e c e k i T D e s i G n e D f O r e v e r y s T y l e O f m u s i c .

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P d P S X 7 S e r i e S g o e S m a P l en O O T h e r va l u e - P r i c e D 7 - P i e c e k i T c O m e s c lO s e .Pacific Drums and Percussion has announced a major upgrade to their best-selling 7-piece kits. Shells are now made entirely of maple with absolutely no change in price. That means drummers can now get pro features such as True Pitch Tuning, STM (Suspension Tom Mounts), Remo heads and more, combined with a sonically superior all-maple shell. Offered in a variety of stage-stealing lacquer and wrapped finishes, X7 kits come in F.A.S.T. sized 7x8, 8x10, 9x12, 12x14 and 14x16 toms with a matching 5x14 snare drum and 18x22 bass drum. See the upgraded X7 series now at participating PDP dealers or online a www.pacificdrums.com.

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