Are you in the market for a new set of marching drums? Have a limited budget but still need a high quality sound? Not sure what you are looking for and wanting to try something new? Pearl Drums has exactly what you need with their Finalist Series marching drums. If you are looking for the same quality sound that Pearl marching drums are known for, then the Pearl Finalist series may be exactly what you need at a more affordable price point.

While the Finalist series have been on the market for a while, we thought we would do a deep dive on some of the differences and similarities between the Finalist and Championship drums, and point out some of the excellent features the Finalist series has to offer you.

Shell Type

The Finalist Series Shells offers a birch shell as compared to the maple shell that is offered on the Championship Series of drums. These 6-ply, 5.4mm thick shells give the drums a cutting tone and most importantly offer a lighter weight than the Championship Maple drums. With 6 strategically located vent holes on the Finalist series drums they have been able to balance the volume, snare sensitivity and stick response to work best with the lighter birch shells.

Marching Snares

The best part of the Finalist series is that it uses the tried and true Aluminum Hardware that Pearl has used on many of their marching snare drums for years. One major change to the hardware is the new “vaulted” edge ring, where the batter head sits on the drum. This new design also helps to alleviate weight while increase the strength of the edge ring. The biggest difference here would be the new “NanoTouch” snare release which is compact, lightweight, and allows for quick changes in snares on or off. All these changes combined with the changed to a birch shell make the Finalist snares high in performance and lower in weight to the performer.

Marching Tenors

The biggest difference with the Finalist Series vs Championship Series tenors, is the new “Mid-Cut” Shell rather than the Full Depth or Shallow-Cut offered in the Championship Series. The “Mid-Cut” allows for a reduction in weight without a loss in sound production and tone. With the standard round bearing edges and maple reinforcement rings, you get depth and added punch in your sound. The hardware is the same as used on the Championship series drums.

Marching Basses

Overall the only big change from the Championship Maple bass drums is the birch shell in the Finalist Series drums. They have the same quality maple hoops and hardware. The reduced weight of the birch shell shouldn’t be overlooked and the cutting tone produced by the birch shells are unmatched at the price point.

Accessories 

Arguably one of the best features of Pearl marching drums, is the excellent accessories that are offered and this doesn’t change with the new Finalist Series. You can use the CX2 Air Frame Carriers with the Finalist Series drums, offering you lightweight and comfort. In addition, the Pearl Marching stands will all work with the Finalist drums. These means if you already have newer stands and carriers you can look to just upgrade you drums to the Finalist Series and not need to worry about compatibility issues.

Pricing

For pricing and more detailed information on the Finalist Series drums please give us a call at 317-813-2070 or send us an email at chops@chopspercussion.com. Whether you are looking to upgrade your drums only, get drums and accessories, or have a budget to work with, we are sure we can help you get what you need for you program!