Ok – so this page is where you will find the gear that I use in order to do.. – well.. – what I do!  LOL

This Just In

Nigel is now endorsed by Mapex Drums,  and Evans Drumheads

It is quite humbling, and surreal to have these endorsements, but all that being said –>  If I could I would remove the whole notion of the work “Endorsement” all-together and replace it with “musical support”.

Why you ask?

Glad you asked… Here is why…

For some reason today in this age it is now very trendy – and very “hip” to say that are “endorsed” by a certain company.  This is very cool and all but the thing, sad to say – that a number of people are just looking for the endorsement – just so that they can say that indeed they are “endorsed”.  – As if so that they can feel that “they have arrived” in the musical scene finally.  Not to mention that they may have little to do with any other “relations” with a company other then sending a requsition to fill an order of the goodies that they may like.  Moreover, some of them don’t even care about the product – or how it is built – they are solely placing the unction for people to realize that they have been endorsed.  They have arrived.

Of course – this is not everyone..

..and this is not how I see it.

The people that I have been blessed to work with and have supported me musically, those companies such as Los Cabos Drumsticks, Mapex Drums, and Evans Drumheads,- these are people, that I can truly say are friends.

Life is about relationships. (Read my Blog about that on this site!)

All these people here are the kinda of people that you can sit down and have a conversation with about anything.  Not just musical.  The products the provide – I can personally place my name beside and firmly say:

“These Products will provide all the musical notions you will ever need, the durability to make you smile for the long haul, and the perpetual innovation that will keep you coming back to see what new practical yet stunning concepts for a lifetime.”

My name is Nigel “MaynStreet” Maynard – and I approve this quote

Drums

MAPEX Saturn Series Drums

The picture about is the full out (almost) of my main kit.  It is the Mapex Saturn Series Kit, in the Transparent Cherry Burst Finish. The sizes are 8×7, 10×8, 12×9, for the toms, 14×14 and 16×16 for the floor toms, 22×18 Kick drum, as well as a 18×16 bass drum that would be off to the drummer right.  I use a Black Panther 14×5 “PANTHER” snare. This snare  is all steel with the patent roll over Sonic Savor rims.  It adds the best balance of warmth, attack and sensitivity.  I also have (not shown) a MPX 10×5 Steel Snare – great for an add on auxiliary snare that can be mounted unto a tom stand for easy positioning.  I do have the Saturn Snare off to the drummer left that is also used as a main or an auxilary snare.  Sometimes I will detune that snare to a low pitch and effects.

One of the things that I like about the Saturn Kit is it Maple Walnut hybrid shell.

Simply put – You have the warm full tone of maple – but with the added Walnut – you have added low end warmth – similar to that of Mahogany, but with added projection and cut reminiscent to that of Oak.

The Panther Snare… yeah… #ThatsWhatImTalkinAbout

Equipped to cut with tone and punch.

Hardware:

For the most part I use MAPEX 1000 Series or 700 series Hardware.   For me these are the best bang for the buck hardware you can get.  They are plenty strong – but yet they are amazingly light – with the exception of the Falcon kick pedals – those things are not light they are what I call ‘ “extremely flexible tanks” – more on that below

For the pedals now use the MAPEX Falcon MPX-P1000 Double Pedal, and the MPX-P700 single pedal They are lightning fast, but yet “you” the drummer remain involved in the equation as you play.  (Other brands that are quick are super fast as well – yet they do not make you feel as though “you” are playing.  They seem to be on automatic pilot). These pedals are ROCK solid – a little heavier then most pedals – you know that that these pedals will withstand many of whatever you dish at it.  You have interchangeable weights that will go in the beater head of either 10 grams or 20. You have interchangeable cams, you can retrofit from chain to strap to even direct drive if you wish. There are much to say about these pedals – I would just suggest you go to you neihborhood Long and McQuade, or Guitar Center or Sam Ash – and test drive these puppies!

For cymbals stands, I use the MPX-B1000 or the MPX-B750 Boom Cymbal Stands, and the MPX-H1000  or the MPX-H950 the Hi-Hat. I love the new cymbal wing nut clip on the MPX-B1000 series stand that allows you to take of the wing nut and felt just by squeezing a button. Even has a lock to ensure that your cymbal felt nut stays in place.  Also – the 1000 series has rotating lever mechanism that allows your cymbals boom arm to be positions into endless possibilities just with one turn.

**Please note that at the time of this photo – all of my hardware hadn’t gotten shipped yet, so there are some discrepancies between this picture and what I am actually using now.  This photo will be amended shortly.

The MPX-H1000 is a dual legged hihat while the MPX-H950 is a triple legged hi-hat. The

For the throne – I use the awesome  The MAPEX MPX-T765. Light – Study – Strong. Comes with an easy to install backrest as well which is also very useful for those long giging sessions. – Talk about the price? – this back rest which I may add is “quad based” – is perhaps one of the most affordable and sturdiest thrones and with backrest that you can on the market.

The snare stand of choice would be the MPX-S1000.  This snare stand has an awesome omniball swivel mech in the wrist of the basket that allow you to do a full 360 degree swivel.  What does this mean?  Limitless. Seamless. Positioning. Like all the other hardware TAMA makes. This stand also is ROCK SOLID. For my main “back up” or auxilary snare stand- there is no question my MPX-S950 is all that I would ever need.

Other piece of Hardware that I use from Mapex would be things like the MPX T775 Throne that you see in the picture,

DrumHeads/Skins

I have to have to have to say this.  I am an EVANS player through and through. EVANS EVANS EVANS!

Toms:

For the batter I use the Evans G2 Coated.  For me – these are indeed “the” most versitile drumhead on the market to date.  Being a player that will play Funk on one gig, Rock on the next, Gospel on the 3rd, and Jazz on the 4th – I really don’t wanna be bothered (am I lazy?) changing heads to suit all these different genres. The Coated G2 heads are bang on for all that I want – double ply for durability and attack – warm and yet still bright – and with that uncompromisable raw, natural tone that I love.

The Resonant Heads I use the Evans “G1 Clear” head.  These heads are the norm for full tone and sustain of the actual drum.

Kick:

For the Kick Drum – hands down is the world renown EVANS EMAD’s and EMAD2’s.  These Skins are “the” best.  Depending on my kit – I will use either the coated EMAD or the Clear EMAD2. If you want warmth, focus, punch, deapth.. and just all around warm meat…- These are the heads to use.  For my MaynStreet Jazzer Kit – with the 18″ kick drum – I use the EMAD Coated with the thicker muffling foam – and nothing inside the shell.  Wide Open – it has the power and the beef and the focus rumble the floor. For any of my kits with the 22″ or 20″ heads I use the EMAD2 Clear.  I like the double ply on this with adds firm-ness, depth, and low end. For the reso’s I will be using either the EVANS EQ1 coated for the 18″ and for all the others would be the INKED BY EVANS (with or without the offset 5″ microphone port pending on drum).

On the snare are one of the following heads:

EVANS Power Center Reverse Dot
EVANS GPlus
EVANS Onyx

These are on the tops of all snares. On the bottom is either the Hazy 300 or 200 pending on snare.

Now there is very unique head made by EVANS.  — it is called the Hybrid Head.

This head rocks.

Lemme tell you something about this here head…

For starters – this is probably the strongest most durable head that EVANS makes. I could tell

you how strong it is – but I rather tell show you. If you wanna know how durable this thing is – go to this site to check it out.

This drumhead can outlive you.

Now in regards to concept – the concept of this head is really designed for the drummer who wanted to have something that was r
emeniscent of the “marching style” drum head, but with a more drumset application.  The head is designed with “two” interwoven materials that creates a large amount of attack and projection.  It also creates  very phat warmersound coupled with a large amount of attack.  What this results in is a sound that sounds like a shotgun in a hurry. The fabrics together allows the head to be fairly focused, almost like a natural “gated” sound for a snare.  A very breif amount of sustain, coupled with a fairly rapid decay.

For an idea of how this thing goes sonically — click this link right here…

All this being said – this is also a very sensitive head where it responds to the lightest of strokes and rolls, and due to the fabric nature – creates ver warm tones from the swish of a jazz brush.

I use this head both tuned up like for a main snare or recording – or tuned down and detuned for a focused snary, electronic percussion type snare.

Live controlled sound or awesome recorded sound – if you like fat gunshot sounds, with little aftertaste – and riduculous durability.. –

This is the headfor you.

Now I am not endorsed by a cymbal company – and that is cool. I will still say… –>  I love…

Why? because I have had the opportunity to visit the plant – see how things are made first hand, (even hammer a cymbal physically – which is very hard to do properly, and I sucked at it) hung with the Sabian Family, Questioned up Mark Love – Cracked jokes with Stacey Clark and Katie Bursey, had dinner with Terry Ryan, took some shots (not the drinks now – c’mon now!!) from Bob Zildjian.  It is something to be said for a company, that is that huge, more or less the biggest in it’s field, and still be so people oriented –  that to me – is a company you wanna be with – and a company you wanna support.

Sabian… you gots me… – you gots me pretty good… Keep it doing what you do best!