The more I hear about Pearl, the better they sound. I, too, have Toca drums, the Traditional Series. I have lost some of my enchantment with them over the last couple of years. I guess I was so excited to move up from Aspires. I do think they're fairly nice drums, though; I'm just looking for a different sound and look now, I guess. I thought about Pearl when they came out with that beautiful Tropical blue finish and the brushed steel hardware but was not able to play them anywhere and was not going to buy on looks alone.
I have the opportunity to jam with my son's band and it's genre could best be described as Acid Jazz/Dance Mix (guitar, bass, drums, tenor sax, and turntables). They are fine young musicians with a loving local fan base and I guess I'm a bit intimidated by them. They are a jam band and I am not confident I will be creative enough for them. But the guitar player keeps asking me to sit in. It will be a thrill for me if I could pull it off. ???
Incidentally, I gave up on Musicians Friend long ago. They seldom have the best prices. They are the mail order division of Guitar Center, you know. BTW, Guitar Center publically guarantees the world's best prices; if you take a quoted price from any other place, including AJ's or Interstate they will match it. I KNOW there's got to be a Guitar Center in Memphis!
You pay tax but not shipping and you get what you want immediately.