Ah, don’t you just love the idea of a shell pack? No hardware, no snare, but no big price tag, eh? Well, not quite. The reason manufacturers sell high-end shells without all the shiny stands is precisely because the sticker shock is already, umm, shocking. For example, Pearl’s 4-piece MCX shell packs retail for $2,499 each, which means you can probably grab one for around $1,500 at your local drumming supercenter….but that’s still four digits for only four drums. Looks like we’re just going to have to make do with our beat-to-hell Slingys for a while longer. But for all you large-livin’ Cheddy Johnstons out there, here’s the MCX breakdown:

• 6-ply maple shells
• Masters bridge lugs
• MasterCast die-cast hoops on toms
• Maple bass drum hoops
• OptiMount tom holders
• Molded rubber gaskets
• A choice of six finishes