The Mapex Armory kits have been quite popular since they were released. The great thing about Mapex is that their intermediate kits have qualities that are most commonly seen in pro kits. Hanging rack toms and mixed woods for shells are two big examples of this.
In this review, we’re going to check out the Mapex Armory shell packs. You get to choose between the Rock, Fusion, and Studioease versions, but the features remain mostly the same with all three. The only differences are the shell sizes and the number of toms.
The biggest defining feature of the Mapex Armory drum kits is that they’re made with a mixture of maple and birch. Their rack toms are intended to be mounted to cymbal stands, and every Armory kit comes with a Tomahawk steel snare drum.
All the drums have SONIClear bearing edges and SONIClear suspension mounts, and you get a total of seven finishes to pick from.
The sound quality from the Armory drums is quite unique. The maple plies give the drums warm tones that are very balanced, while the birch adds a bit of ferocity. You get attack and volume from birch wood, and that comes out quite strongly here.
The SONIClear bearing edges ensure the fullness of tone from the drums, so they really sing out when you whack them. The drums also have a wide tuning range, sounding large and dominating when tuned low and short and sweet when tuned high.
We tend to prefer how they sound when tuned low, especially with the Rock shell pack.
The standout feature when it comes to construction is the fact that the toms don’t mount onto the bass drum, which is typical of kits of this price. You arguably get more maneuverability from having the toms on cymbals stands, which is great.
However, the shell pack doesn’t come with tom mounts for you to use. You need to buy them separately, upping the total price of the kit.
The finish options for the Armory kits are Ultramarine, Desert Dune, Redwood Burst, Emerald Burst, Black Dawn, Rainforest Burst, and Night Sky Burst. All of them have a fading effect, which looks great.
The Armory kits feel great to play on. The build quality is solid, so the kit feels durable. Something to note, though, is that the toms wobble on the stands. Some drummers hate this and prefer for toms to be mounted to the bass drum.
If it doesn’t bother you, then you’ll love the Armory drums. Higher-quality kits have sturdier tom mounting systems, which is why they don’t wobble as much.
The Mapex Armory kits have amazing value for their money. The whole selling point of Mapex kits is that they provide you with more than you’re paying for. With the Armory, you get SONIClear bearing edges, an incredible steel snare drum, and drums that sound amazing and are easy to tune.
The Armory Studioease is a bit more expensive than the Fusion and Rock shell packs, as you get an extra floor tom. The rack toms are shallower as well, so we suggest spending a bit more to get that one if you love short toms.
The Mapex Armory is considered an intermediate drum kit. It sits somewhere in the middle of Mapex’s product range. It’s a perfectly suitable kit for most drummers, but the higher-tier kits offer more in terms of sound quality and hardware features.
It’s a good kit for beginners to get if they’re looking to upgrade. It will work in professional settings as well, as long as you have pro-quality cymbals and drumheads.
Mapex drums are made in Taiwan.
The Mapex Pro M drums are made from maple, which is a classic wood used in many intermediate and pro drum sets. It’s important to note that the Mapex Pro M drums have been discontinued, so they’re very hard to find.
Mapex’s current available drum kits are the Venus, Mars, Armory, Saturn, and Black Panther lines. Those drum sets are listed in order, from entry-level to professional.
Out of all the shell pack options, the Mapex Armory Rock is arguably the best kit to use in a studio. It has classic drum shell sizes, which are ideal for studio recording. They’re versatile and perfectly suited for that setting.
In terms of sound, the Armory drums sound quite punchy, making them great for rock and metal music. However, their wide tuning range allows all kinds of possibilities.
The Armory drums are also well-suited for live gigging. The birch plies give them a bit of an edge on stages as they boost the attack of the drums. Drums with more attack are great for energetic drumming.
All the finishes look great on a stage with lighting as well. You’ll just need to tighten the rack toms to the mounts as tightly as possible so that they don’t wobble too much.
The Mapex Armory kits are great options to consider if you’re looking to buy a new kit. They’re some of the most affordable drums that have combined shells, and maple and birch are an excellent combination.
If you are looking for a more high-end option from Mapex you can also check the Mapex Saturn Evolution.
The Tomahawk snare drum that comes with all the shell packs is also a killer piece of equipment. It has a throaty cut that is iconic of steel snare drums.
Just note that the Armory kits don’t come with tom mounts, so you’ll need to pay a bit extra to get those for mounting the rack toms to cymbal stands.
Drum Teacher
Brett Clur has a Drum Performance Diploma from Trinity College London has been playing drums for over 20 years. He is passionate about advanced concepts and uses his years of experience to teach his students about them. While he is a full-time drum teacher, he is also working on growing a YouTube channel where shares his insights. You can see him playing there, or on Instagram where he posts daily videos.
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