If you’re in the market for a compact and light drum kit, then you might have heard of the Sonor Martini! With a shell only 14 inches you might think they were trying to make a drum set out of a martini glass. All jokes aside, you might be skeptical of such a compact drum kit, but thankfully after reading this Sonor Martini Review, you’ll have all the information you’ll need to make a decision!
Pros:
- Great sound
- Looks amazing
- Bass drum riser does a perfect job
- One of the smallest kits
- Travel friendly
- Focused and musical pro maple shells
- Ideal for jazz trios
- Dry and crispy steel snare
- Authoritative tom sound
- The round and resonant bass drum
- SmartMount tom maximizes sustain and resonance
- Distinctly Sonor and durable die-cast lugs
- Comes in five colors
Cons:
- Cymbals not included
- Hardware and kick pedal are also not included
- Bass drum might not work for everyone
Are you planning to get a drumming kit with outstanding features and one that you can transport easily, for rehearsals or gigs? Sonor martini can be an ideal option for you.
The AQ2 is ideal for percussionists who are of an intermediate level. The Martini model is the smallest bass drum available in an AQ2 kit.
Sonor AQ2 Martini is touted to offer setup flexibility, portability, kick-ass sound, and a wide choice of finishes. The drums of this all-maple system share finishes and fittings to allow versatility to blend with the complete AQ2 Series. So, you can expand this kit with add-on drums to curate your setup.
Sounds too good to be true, right? We reviewed this product to know if these claims are valid. Here is what we found.
Sonor Martini Design
By just having a glance at this kit (before assembling it), you may wonder if this is suitable for adults. But once you assemble it and try your hands on this kit, you will realize how awesome this kit is. It is ideal for adults. Let’s understand more about it.
Sonor AQ2 Martini Maple 4-Piece Shell Pack is built on the foundation of Sonor AQ1. It offers potential percussionists, like you, the opportunity to curate a personalized setup using a high-quality maple shell. It allows you to choose from a range of different finishes and sizes.
This highly versatile all-maple drum system features 7-ply Asian & Canadian Maple shells (3 plies of Asian maple and four plies of Canadian maple). The maple is hard-wearing and enhances the sound you get out of the kit.
The drum system rides on the unobtrusive SmartMount, which is a dedicated Sonor design for the AQ series. Furthermore, the 45° bearing edge curtails contact between the drum and head. All these features bring versatile and modern sound to the shells.
Its compact size is ideal for travel, small venues, Latin music, or light duties. We appreciate how Sonor has run an extra mile by pairing these shell packs with 12 x 5″ Steel Snare Drum.
The jazzy tom combo is an excellent display of Sonors dedication for quality engineering and design. Moreover, the gorgeous finish enhances the look of this minimalistic shell pack.
Studies have shown that audience will judge a performer of the stage on how they and their instruments look. The Sonor drums are a perfect blend of excellent sound quality with stylish looks. Sonor Martini will enhance the look and we trust that you may get many compliments too for your kit. Moreover, a more fabulous looking kit motivates you to practice even more.
All About Sonor:
As you may have guessed, Sonor is the company behind this kit. Based in Germany and established in 1875, Sonor is among the oldest and leading brands in musical instruments.
This brand is popular among various famous drummers, such as Samantha Maloney, Christoph Schneider, Phil Rudd. Sonor is also commonly known as the ‘Rolls of Drums’ owing to the quality materials.
Sonor AQ2 Martini is one of the finest products in their arsenal. Some other drum kits include:
- 5-piece Shell Set Studio
- 5-piece Shell Set Stage
- 4-piece Shell Set Safari
- 4-piece Shell Set Bop
Things Included in the Sonor Martini Kit
- 14″ x 13″ bass drum with maple hoops
- 13″ x 10″ floor tom
- 8″ x 7″ mounted tom
- 12″ x 5″ steel snare drum
- Bass drum mount
- Floor tom legs
- Pack of Remo heads
- Bass drum riser
- Ball and socket tom holder
- Sonor’s TuneSafe
How Do Sonor Drum Kits Sound?:
Let’s start with the floor tom. Its roar is on par with bigger floor toms.
The steel snare is also good. This is a unique feature, unlike other compact kits that are made out of wood. Steel adds more projection and punch. Moreover, 12″ is an unusual size as most of them are 14″. It is a great change while saving some space. Here you can listen to a live preview.
Sonor Martini Review – Kit At A Glance:
- 6 x 28.4 x 25 inches
- Weight 53 pounds
- 14×13″ bass drum
- 13×12″ floor tom
- 8×7″ tom
- 12×5″ steel snare
- SmartMount isolation system
- 7-ply all-maple shells
- Tom/cymbal holder
- Newly designed cast lug
- Bass drum lift
It comes in five colors: aqua silver burst, brown fade, titanium quartz, transparent stain black, and white pearl. In limited locations, it is also available in additional two colors, red galaxy sparkle, and turquoise galaxy sparkle.
Let’s have a quick look at the features
As we have mentioned before this bite-sized kit is perfect for dance, jazz, and travel kit (a ton of fun to play!). The 14″ kick is perfectly resonant and round and the toms are responsive and tight. The steel snare is of equally high quality and is crisp!
All these features hark back to the Sonor’s almost 140 years of shell-building proficiency and Maple Martini’s 7-ply construction.
The SmartMount tom-mounting system is built in a way to avoid metal-on-shell contact or drilling and provides higher resonance.
Other features include:
- Drum: The kick drum doesn’t get in the way of the bass player. With a stock head, it is resonant and full.
- 7-ply maple shells: The all-maple shell gives this kit a sophisticated look and a focused tone. Maple shells allow the kit to do everything from bebop to hip-hop. We would like to mention that Sonor has done a great job with the finishing, giving it a professional look
- SmartMount tom mount: It is a lug-contacting suspension with amazing resonance.
- Die-cat lugs: The newly designed die-cast lugs arm the kit the durability to endure through a tour and a precision tuning. We are in awe with the look, and we are sure that Sonor fans will feel the same way.
- Hinged-heel footboard: It is of a decent weight and offers smooth motion
- Chrome Hardware: A high-quality hardware that ensures your kit lasts longer, the drum kit will continue to perform well for a long time.
Pros:
- Great sound
- Looks amazing
- Bass drum riser does a perfect job
- One of the smallest kits
- Travel friendly
- Focused and musical pro maple shells
- Ideal for jazz trios
- Dry and crispy steel snare
- Authoritative tom sound
- The round and resonant bass drum
- SmartMount tom maximizes sustain and resonance
- Distinctly Sonor and durable die-cast lugs
- Comes in five colors
Cons:
- Cymbals not included
- Hardware and kick pedal are also not included
- Bass drum might not work for everyone
Bass Drum Riser
Another worrying point we wanted to check was the bass drum riser. However, Sonor lives up to the mark here. The kick pedals connect without friction between the bass drum hoop and pedalboard. Moreover, the beater is located at the right place, allowing for striking the bass drum’s center.
Size
This kit can fit anywhere (literally!). The Sonor Martini Kit, along with cymbals and hardware, will comfortably fit in the trunk of any midsize car. So, this kit is ideal for transport. Furthermore, a 4 x 5ft footprint allows you to fit it any room.
Cymbals
Sonor martini drumming kit comes without a cymbal. This can be a problem as the majority of the good brands don’t manufacture good cymbals. So, if you plat cymbals, you will have to invest in buying a good pair of cymbals first. Here you can read our review of the best cymbals: https://thestepkidsband.com/best-cymbals/.
Kick Pedal and Hardware
Again, you will have to invest in hardware and kick pedal if you prefer one.
Bass Drum
It is 14″, and you might not get a perfect punch depending on the kind of music you like to play. For instance, if you play metal stages or hard rock, this kit may not help you. However, with new bass drumheads or proper tuning, you may be able to get some lower tones.
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Is Sonor Martini Suitable for you?
The Sonor Martini is ideal for intermediate-level percussionists. However, amateurs who would like to try on an excellent drum kit may also like it. As we have mentioned before, the best feature of this drumming kit is its portability. So, this kit is also a good option for you if you plan to take it along with you often for rehearsals or gigs.
It can also be a good option for drummers who are looking for a drum kit that can accommodate their cramped room and is of a high-quality as well.
Final Thoughts on Sonor Martini Drum Kits:
The Sonor Martini is the smallest drum kits produced by Sonor, which is one of the most respected manufacturers of musical instruments globally. It has many features lacking in most compact kits, such as snare made up of steel and a perfectly placed base drum riser. Moreover, the unobtrusive SmartMount prevents friction between drum and head, making it more versatile.
It is petite, light, and thus easy to transport. We also like the perfect blend of excellent sound quality and stylish looks. Sonor AQ2 Martini sounds fantastic. The tone is balanced, powerful, and full. The toms are also tight and responsive.
Overall, it’s an outstanding drum kit, especially for intermediate drum players. Hopefully, this review has made your decision easier. Happy drumming!!
