The 5x13 matching Nagashi snare is a very lively drum, giving off a crisp, snapping “pop” and a long, prominent ring that sounded best left wide-open and unmuffled. This drum, which comes with die-cast hoops and Remo Ambassador-weight drumheads, really jumps out of a mix when tensioned a half turn or two below the choking point. Funky yet versatile.
Taiwanese music instrument manufacturer Cadeson now offers a compact nesting drumset, called Nagashi, that’s designed for working drummers who need a kit that’s quick to setup, easy to transport, and offers professional-grade sounds for low- to mid-volume gigs.
The Nagashi drumset, which features all-birch shells, comes with a segmented 22x18 bass drum, a 6x12 rack tom, a 9x14 floor tom, a 5x13 matching snare, and a complete hardware package that includes two flat-base straight cymbal stands, double-braced hi-hat and snare drum stands, a single-chain bass drum pedal, an extra-long tom arm, and a cymbal boom arm that attaches to the tom mount on the bass drum. The entire setup fits within two high-quality zip-up bags (one for the drums and one for the hardware), which is very convenient for getting in and out of the club, pub, or studio in a single trip.
Nesting kits aren’t new—Slingerland advertised a collapsible drumset in the 1960s and Leedy offered similar products as far back as the ’20s, while custom companies like Modern Drum Shop, Creation, and Whitney have offered their own versions of the modern nesting kit. But when portability is of utmost importance, like if you have to use public transportation get to your gigs or if your band has to travel to shows with all of your gear jammed into one car, nothing beats a drumset that fits neatly within two bags.
Cadeson’s 22x18 Nagashi bass drum has a two-part shell that’s held together with three metal clamps. The batter-head side is a shallower segment (about 6" of the shell), while the resonant side is deeper to accommodate the tom/cymbal mount and spurs. It’s a snug fit once the 9x14 floor tom, 5x13 snare, and 6x12 rack tom are stacked inside (the drums push up on the bass drum heads a little bit), and you’ll likely want to use a few rectangular blocks of foam to keep the drums from knocking around. But it’s very simple and easy to get these drums packed and unpacked. Cadeson includes a plush velour bag with a pull-tie opening to be used to encase the snare and toms for additional protection. The bag also doubles nicely as a subtle bass drum muffler once the kit is setup.
The drum hardware that comes with the Nagashi kit isn’t remarkable, but it works, it’s stable, and it doesn’t add unnecessary amounts of weight and bulk. The flat-based straight cymbal stands add a retro-flare and are easy to position amongst the other tripods. You can also raise the base on these stands a few inches if you need to clear a floor tom, hi-hat, or snare stand leg. The double-braced snare and hi-hat stands are more aligned with modern stands. The hi-hat, which has a swiveling tripod for additional setup flexibility, is quick and smooth enough to handle most playing styles. The snare stand has a toothed tilter that causes a slightly limited range of angles, but I had no problem finding a comfortable spot with it.
The included bass drum pedal is lightweight and basic, but it functions smoothly and quickly and it folds onto itself for easy storage. It also comes with a classic round-felt beater, which I prefer over most contemporary beater designs. The tom arm features extra-long tubing for increased height/reach positioning angles. It has a standard ball-and-socket joint that proved to be easy to use, and it held the drum securely in place.
The side-mount bass drum spurs are contoured to curve around the shell when packed for transport, and they have spring-loaded spikes that extend from the rubber tips. I would have preferred memory locks on the spurs to prevent them from splaying out during heavier playing, but for lighter situations they kept the drum stable.
The simply designed bass drum cradle clamps to the rim of the drum with two thumbscrews and has a black metal plate for attaching the pedal. While I was initially skeptical of how sturdy this cradle would be, it didn’t budge throughout our extensive testing period.
If there’s one thing to complain about with this kit’s hardware, it’s that the floor tom legs weren’t long enough to bring the shallower-than-normal drum up to my preferred height. I tend to set my floor tom higher than most players, but even just an extra inch or two would’ve given me a enough headroom to work with.
Because of its diminutive size, I expected the Nagashi Compact kit to be best suited for jazz and light, delicate playing. However, when tuned up in the higher bebop range, they started to sound a bit choked and thin—almost like timbales. Maybe it’s the head choice (thick Remo Pinstripes on the toms and Coated Powerstroke 3 on the kick), or maybe it’s the naturally focused and punchy sound of the birch shells, but these drums really showed their muster in the lower and middle registers. The 18" bass drum has a lot of kick and boom when tuned 1/2 turn above slack (sounding more like a 20" drum), and the toms let out a deep, pitch-bending “doom” when tuned a bit above the wrinkle point. Club drummers playing a range of gigs, from acoustic rock to funk, fusion, jazz, Latin, and electronica, would not only appreciate the Nagashi’s extremely portable design, but also their versatile and bigger-than-expected sound.