Ever since I saw Daru Jones drumming wildly on such a short-shelled PDP kit I knew I had to get me one of those. I mean, if he sounds big enough to play with a mammoth right-hand guitarist (and drummer) as Jack White, it must be enough for me.
Plus, being a gigging and recording musician, moving the whole thing in a single car trip is always a bonus.
It’s not just me, compact kits have become incredibly popular pieces of gear to own and the Frequent Flyer is undoubtedly one of the best compact kits available.
The DW Frequent Flyer is a wonderfully unique version of DW’s Design Series. While the standard Design Series we all know, enjoy, and cherish is a full-sized kit, the Frequent Flyer offers a close sound with smaller drums that make it easier to travel with.
To put it shortly, this drum kit oozes class, pure tones, and heavy versatility. Let’s take a deeper dive into everything that makes it as good as it is.
Table of Contents
DW Frequent Flyer - Overview
The Frequent Flyer is fairly unique compared to the other compact kits on the market thanks to the fact that it’s a spinoff of the DW Design Series.
This means that it has all the design and construction qualities of a pro-level kit. It just has smaller shell sizes.
The other thing that gives it the edge over the competitor compact kits is the fact that the diameters of the drums are standard sizes. The depths are just shallower to make the kit compact, especially the floor tom which is only 11” deep.
This means that the kit still has a surprisingly huge sound.
I have to tell you that from the moment I put it together to the first hit with a drum stick over a tom, my perception of this kit changed drastically. I was hoping for a punchy, short-lived, no-sustain, regular-sounding kit. I was blown away by how huge and powerful it sounds.
We’re going to go little by little so I can explain myself in detail but if I can give you a good image to summarize the whole thing it would be my guitarist’s face when I took it to band practice.
He was laughing the whole time I was putting it together and when we played the first song he was in awe. Speechless. Could such a small, travel-friendly kit sound that big? Oh yeah it can.
PROS
CONS
Construction
To begin with, let’s talk about the basics. The shells are made of maple, giving them warm tones and a wide tuning range. The versatility in this kit is outstanding. You can tune it to anything you like and it will respond with the same punchiness and warmth.
This is not at all a small difference. While most compact kits are made of poplar, the maple shells on the Frequent Flyer boast superior sonic qualities. I’m telling you, this thing is addictive. It easily becomes your go-to kit.
That’s not all, since these shells have DW’s famous True-Pitch tension rods. These allow you to accurately tune the drums more than most other. If you mix the punch and warmth of the shells, the wide tuning range, and the possibility to fine-tune your sound millimetrically, what you have is the perfect studio kit. In other words, it’s a great kit for playing live and recording.
One of the biggest differences between this kit and the standard Design Series kit is how the 12” rack tom mounts directly to the bass drum.
I know, we don’t like something going through the kick drum. DW kits typically don’t do this, but the Frequent Flyer has been designed this way to save space. Believe me, it sounds great anyway.
Finally, and speaking of the kick drum, many compact kits need a bass drum riser. However, the Frequent Flyer features a large 20” kick drum, eliminating any need for one of those.
You’re not going to sound like John Bonham with it, but it’ll cover most sounds you might need.
Sound
DW Design Series Frequent Flyer Kit with Zildjian K Custom Cymbals
The sound is the standout feature of the Frequent Flyer. It delivers full and warm tones despite the depths of the drums being shallower than normal. The most notable drum is the floor tom. It’s incredibly warm and punchy.
We have this song in which I go for a full round of the toms and stay on the floor tom while the kick drum is going in quarter notes. We were all stunned by how big it sounded even though the kit looks so small.
The drums exhibit wonderful sensitivity when tuned low. They also maintain resonance and body without being choked when they’re tuned high. The wide tuning range and large sound make the Frequent Flyer an incredibly versatile compact drum set.
One wonky aspect of most compact kits is the snare drum. Compact snares are typically replaced with better ones as their sound is often lacking depth and strong character.
That’s not the case with the snare on this kit! It’s a standard DW Design Series snare drum, meaning it produces a wonderful sound.
Again, that’s a pro-level snare included in a great-sounding drum kit. I’m telling you, I can’t think of a scenario in which you’d go lacking with this kit. Well, maybe a Led Zeppelin cover band (lol). Seriously, though, versatility is at its peak with this kit.
Price
The Frequent Flyer is one of the most expensive compact kits on the market. Most compact kits cost under $1,000 while the Frequent Flyer costs above that. However, it’s the most versatile compact set there is.
I mean, if you think about it, what you’re getting is much more than what most of the competition offers. The difference between poplar and true maple shells is enough to explain the price. Nevertheless, if you add ease of transportation and the huge sound to the sum, you’re in a different league.
I would say that the difference in sound is way bigger than the difference in price when comparing it to the competition.
Plus, the size and tonal range make it a kit that can be used in any situation. It would work well in a stadium if you give it a shot (keep your fingers crossed I get to try that someday).
It’s also got higher construction qualities than most of the compact kits on the market. So, it’s well worth the investment, especially with the snare drum it comes with.
If you’re a hobbyist or an amateur musician, this can be your definitive kit and give you years of playing joy. If you’re a gigging musician or a session player on the move, you’ll find a gold mine here. Plus, you can leave the Collector’s Exotic at home and gig carelessly with a much more affordable instrument.
Visuals
This kit has the appearance of the vintage drum set that all the jazz legends played on. The single rack tom and shallow floor tom make it look like a proper pub kit.
DW offers Ultralight hardware which completes the look thanks to the flat legs of the cymbal stands.
In terms of finishes, the Frequent Flyer has five options. They’re all the finishes that the standard Design Series is offered in. Most of them are single colors with only one being a burst of black and red.
Unfortunately, the Frequent Flyer isn’t offered in an acrylic version like the standard Design Series is. I’m sorry folks, you can’t get that mojo going disco-style.
Final Word
This kit has an incredibly high value for money. It works well as a jazz kit that you can use to play in restaurants and pubs with tiny stages. You can also tune it low to use in a large rock band.
The sounds it produces are shockingly punchy and loud considering the shallow depth of the floor tom and bass drum. The mounted rack tom is a great touch from DW to help with the compact nature of the kit.
Verdict
If you’re in the market for a smaller kit that you can use for traveling, consider the DW Frequent Flyer. Although it’s more expensive than all the other compact kits on the market, it arguably sounds a lot better, especially the snare drum!
