Dw drums are not in anyway like Rogers shells, your info is wrong, in the beginning when Dw first started making Drums they used Keller shells but this was only for a short window in their history ,They make their on shells. Dw offers 7 completely Different Shell line right now all completely different from one another with different bearing edges and plies and ply make ups. read for awhile it will be most helpful to you. http://www.dwdrums.com/

That statement's sure to brew up a healthy discussion here. They may have been the "cadillac" of drums at the time and the most expensive, but today in 2013 you can get a variety of different opinions.

As a former pre-CBS Rogers, Oaklawn Camco and 1982 DW owner I'll chime in.

As for build quality:

1. Rogers

2. DW

3. Camco

As for sound quality:

1. Camco

2. Rogers

3. DW

My personal preference would be Camco with it's rounder, darker tone, but equal resonance to Rogers, which I attribute to their bearing edge style. All three of these makers drums had smaller exterior diameters which also contributed to their resonance.

When I bought my 'modern' kit in 2005 I had many choices at Atlanta Pro Percussion. I narrowed it down to Gretsch, DW and Pearl. I chose Pearl. They sounded the best to my ears. DW was third. I have a number of Rogers and Camco snares (amongst many). I also have and love a '65 Ludwig Super Classic kit, and a '20s L&L outfit. I'd take 'em all over DW. Wouldn't mind having a set of Camcos or Rogers if I had the room. If I were to buy a new kit today, it would be a Noble & Cooley and I'd be in the Poorhouse.

Stephen

The only brand new drum set I have ever bought was a DW kit back in 2000.

Decent drums overall, but for the price tag, definitely not worth it. Plus, the wrap on the shells was notched at the overlap with a 90 degree cutout to prevent there being a double layer of wrap where the heads seat. The problem being, there is a gap between where the second layer of wrap rises to meet the edge of the first. That is precisely where the cutout 90 degree corner is. Needless to say, all four of my drum wraps split after a few years right at the overlap for the entire vertical length of wrap, turning a 2500 dollar kit into an 800 dollar kit. Talk about ****ed off!Lame Also, the hardware was way overbuilt for the kit, making them weigh a ton. I'll stick with my 1967 Rogers kit, thank you very much! They sound better, and only set me back 1000.

So its pretty much agreed that the old Rogers, Camco and Gretsch beat DW.

Boy, I am glad that this has been settled.

LoLoLoLo ...in the most scientific of ways I might add!

BMW, you crack me up!

BWM 2002 AND Tnsquint thank both of you!!! :)