Pearl EX 12"x09" system ISS

So as I am putting together my Pearl kit, and I've decided on the Pearl snare and Pearl Bass drum, I figure I'll stick with a brand I have grown to trust. Don't get me wrong, if you are putting together a kit, don't be afraid to mix up brands, you might find the right sound comes from a certain tom, but your snare has got to be another brand. For me I got what I wanted with the BLX toms. The BLX 12 by 9 is my baby tom and I visit often. If you love melody, you will feel the melody come to life on these toms. I love to explore non-solo melodic interplay with my band, and these toms do so well. I am not throwing in a fill, but finding the right sound to fit a certain pre chorus moment, or even laying a little tom in with the chorus. I love melody and if you want to find it in your drumset, start with a set of Pearl toms. It takes a train ear, so get started right away, and take drumming to the level you know you can be at!

This is one of my rack toms that came with my Pearl ELX drum kit. I have been playing it for about a year and a half now and it’s been producing the sounds that I love ever since I got it. It does have its pros and cons though.

I’ll start with the things that I love about this drum. First off, the great thing about all of the drums in the Pearl ELX series is all of the great finishes that you can get them in. Everything from black sparkle, pure colors to fades, Pearl really brought out some creativity with these drums. Next, the thing that I really love about the toms on the set is that they’re made out of Poplar wood, making the drums very light compared to some drums made of a heavier wood like Birch or Oak. Another thing that I like about them is the tone that they provide. The 6-ply configuration makes it a pretty wide open sound. With the right combination of drum heads you can produce about any drum sound with them; very versatile. Lastly, I loved the I.S.S tom mounting system that they all came equip with. You can get your drums positioned to a very custom style, and slip the memory locks down so that they’re stuck there. Everything about the I.S.S is great.

Next, the cons of the tom drum of the Pearl ELX drum set. There’s really only one concern that I have with the drums, and it’s the fact that they dent pretty easily. If you slip your tom out of the I.S.S socket and it slips down and hits another drum, most likely you’re going to get a little dent. But other than that, the drums are great! If you were upgrading your toms, I would definitely suggest these!