Rock Band Stealth Head Drum Kit - "Whisper Quiet, Deadly Accurate"

After the release of Rock Band, many gamers started rocking to more than 900 of their favorite tunes provided via the Rock Band Music Store. However, there was always one problem. The drumset would slowly begin to break after each song. Not only that, but the set was as noisy as can be. After having my Rock Band drumset for a year, I was unable to complete a song without having problems such as the drums not recognizing my hits.

This is where the Goodwood Mods' Rock Band Stealth Drum Kit comes in! The Goodwood Mods are simply the best alternative to the quality that Harmonix provides you with. The mod is a set of replacement pads that you can install to make your drumming experience more realistic. The installation took me about 1 hour to complete and had about an easy to moderate level of difficulty in putting the set together. The mod requires you to pry open your Drum Set stock pads and replace a wire that is connected to the unit, which will void your warranty on the Drum Set. Doing this could damage the set, so I recommend you get someone with experience to do it if you are not sure you can do it yourself (see installation instructions here).

After switching from my Rock Band 2 drum pads (that have worn out), I immediately noticed that the Goodwood Mods were much quieter, sexier, and bouncier than the stock pads. The velocity sensitive feature was also included in this set, although it really does not make a huge difference as far as gameplay goes. The first thing I did after installing the kit is boot up Rock Band 2, and start playing "Run to the Hills" by Iron Maiden. For those who do not know, this song strictly rolls on the red pad which, on the Goodwood Mods, was easier to do and took less effort than the previous Rock Band 2 drum kit setup. On the Rock Band 2 drum pads, I was able to hit an average of 92% of the notes on this track, but using the Goodwood Mods I achieved an average of 97% percent. The bounce on the Goodwood Mods was the contributing factor.

I want to point out the quietness of the set because I think that is a very important part in deciding if you should purchase the Goodwood Mods or not. On the previous Rock Band drum set from Harmonix, I noticed that the sets made such a noisy disturbance that it was hard to listen to the music you are playing unless it was cranked up really loud. The Goodwood Mods uses a wire mesh that sounds virtually silent. I was especially happy when I could hear the drum noises while playing "The Trees" by Rush.

Now, don't base your purchase of the Goodwood Mods if you're thinking that this will make you a better drummer on Rock Band. This will only improve your score based on your current abilities; meaning, you will be able to hit rolls better and do some faster beats with less effort. You won't be able to jump from Medium difficulty to Expert just like that. However, in saying that, the Goodwood Mods will help you improve your gameplay and your scores (especially with some of the tough rolls that some tracks dish out).

Is it worth it? I must admit, I had my doubts on the product when I first heard about it, but their slogan "Whisper Quiet, Deadly Accurate" really puts out what I want to say. For $99, I think any hardcore Rock Band drummer will enjoy this mod as much as I did. If you are looking to upgrade your kit without paying the cost of the ION Drum Rocker, this is definitely the upgrade for you!

The Goodwood Mods will work on the Rock Band drum kit along with the Rock Band 2 drum kit on any platform (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii models). If you would like to purchase the Goodwood Mods set, please visit www.goodwoodmods.com.