Man these feel really really good. - Drum Workshop

eco-x project
Drummer-TesTeD, Drummer-aPPrOveD.
By Billy Ward
Here’s my
review of the
Eco-X DW
drum kit. I
have the first
“Eco-X kit”
DW ever
constructed.
It is the very
Billy Ward
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, I’ve seen the
two beautiful natural finishes that
the production models come in. I’m
partially jealous that I don’t have one of
those beautiful factory finishes, but my
little “ugly ducklings” sound so good, I
can’t 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 doesn’t 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. There’s 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 it’s 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.
I’ve 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 I’m not kidding! If
you see a kit in a drum shop, tune the
bottom head evenly – simply “ballpark”
it. There’s 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! It’s really
incredible! I had well-known NYC
drum tech (credits include S. Gadd and
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!
S. Jordan) Artie Smith witnessing this
at my studio (he couldn’t 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 wasn’t
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 DW’s Jazz Series from the various
Collector’s 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 I’ve 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. I’ve 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
Good’s present to each of us. After you
get yours and fall in love, send him a
thank you note. I did.
[eDGe 8.0] 3