First, let me say, unequivocally, this drum is very heavy, the steel shell is no joke. Put it on a heavy duty stand or it'll fall over. Seriously. Having said all that, I believe this drum is a pretty good value for the money. I got it to use as a snom (snare/floor tom combo) with my black lacquered maple bop kit. The 8.7" depth fits in perfectly beside my 14 x 14" floor tom. The drum sounds pretty good, but is definitely loud (sometimes an issue for my jazz playing). I would suggest changing the heads and snare wires to better quality versions (I use Evans UV1/SS 300 heads with Canopus Vintage Dry snare wires) to get the best sound. The snare strainer and butt plate are built pretty solid and should hold up reasonably well over time. The rims are interesting, as they are a stick saver style reminiscent of the classic Gretsch 302 hoops. As I said it's a beast, so carrying it is not fun, but that's really my only gripe. Honestly, I took a flyer on this one and it worked out pretty well. Even if I don't use it all the time, it was definitely worth the price. Hope this helps.
