Updated: August 8th, 2022
But looks aren’t everything, as they say. So let me take you through the features and specs in this Crimson Mesh review. By the end of the article, you should be able to tell if this kit will do what you want it to or not.
Before heading into my “First Thoughts” I found some information at Guitar Centres website that I’d like you to check out!
https://www.guitarcenter.com/Alesis/Crimson-II-5-Piece-Electronic-Drum-Kit.gc
“The Perfect Feel and Premium Hardware:
The Alesis Crimson II Kit is a 5-piece electronic drum kit featuring exclusive Alesis mesh drumheads that delivers the perfect feel and expression. It features an 8-inch kick, 12-inch dual-zone snare, two 8-in. dual-zone rack toms and a 10-in. dual-zone floor tom, along with a 12-in. hi-hat with pedal, two 12-in. crashes with choke and 14-in. triple-zone ride. A premium quick lock chrome 4-post rack with separate double-braced snare stand keeps everything solidly anchored, no matter how hard you play!
Loaded with Great Sounds and Features:
The included Crimson II Drum Module features 74 drum kits (54 factory + 20 user) with over 671 sounds and 120 play-along tracks built-in. To further sharpen your skill, there’s a built-in metronome, real time recorder, and 1/8-in. input for playing along with your mobile device, so you’ll be ready for the studio or stage. There is also a stereo pair of 1/4-in. outputs, headphone output, and a USB-MIDI output for triggering your favourite virtual instrument plugins.
Load Your Own Samples:
The Crimson II Drum Module also features a USB memory stick input. You can use this input to load your own .WAV samples for the ultimate flexibility. Once the .WAV samples are loaded, you can easily assign these to any zone of any pad on the Crimson Mesh Kit. The sonic possibilities are endless! You can also load in .WAV files of play-along tracks using this input.”
First Thoughts
The Crimson set includes 5 drums. It has an 8 inch kick / bass, a 12 inch dual zone snare, two 8 inch dual zone toms, and a 10 inch floor tom.
As you can see, the sizes of these drum pads are a little unusual. You might expect the three toms to all increase in size from one to the next, but here the first two are the same – both 8 inch. Obviously that doesn’t make a difference as far as sound goes in an electronic drum kit.
Notice that the snare comes on its own stand. You are not limited for placement to available space on the 4-post rack. That’s a nice touch.
On the other hand, the kick drum is just 8 inches in diameter, which again makes no difference as to sound, but you might expect is to be at least as big as the snare. I guess Alesis wanted to save a little on the cost to make this kit more affordable for you.
As is implied by the name “Crimson Mesh”, all the drum pads are made of high quality mesh. The tension on them is a little too bouncy for some as is mentioned in the video from 65 Drums below. What is too bouncy for some may be just right for you though.
You get rubber rims for the snare and toms. These are an optional accessory that you can install or leave in the box. It depends on how you want the set to look and on your style of play. If you think you would hit the rims too often and damage your sticks, you might prefer to go without them. But then again they are rubber so it can’t be that bad.
The cymbals include a 12 inch hi-hat with a pedal, a 12 inch crash with choke capability, and a 14 inch ride with 3 zones (rim, bow, and bell).
It’s not specifically mentioned (as far as I could see) by Alesis, but according to one owner, the crash cymbal is dual zone (rim and bow).”
The sound module has 50 pre-set drum kits plus space for 20 more that you can setup on your own. Personally, if I can’t find a kit I like amongst the preset 50, I probably am being too picky. That said, there may be the rare instance when I need a certain combination of sounds that I have to put together myself. I doubt there would ever be 20 such cases though.
There are 600 sounds from which you can choose when assembling kits. If that isn’t enough, you can also load your own samples (sounds) via the USB port. For me, this would be an even rarer occurrence than creating a kit from the 600 original sounds. Still it’s nice to know the option is there.
You get 60 preset tracks that you can play along with to practice. There is also a metronome built in, which is fairly standard.You can plug in your mobile device and play along with whatever tunes you like as well.
Overall the Alesis Crimson Kit is a great and solid electronic drum setup for a beginner to a pro level. It’s solid in build and is reliable in sound consistency and durability. Even though the review video says it shouldn’t be used live, I disagree. I think it would work well and hold up pretty good!