Founded in 1989 by KHS Musical Instruments, Mapex — an acronym for Music And Percussion EXcellence — is a Taiwanese-owned drum and percussion manufacturer with U.S. operations headquartered in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. The brand originated from KHS's Linko Percussion division, which had spent years manufacturing drums for other companies before launching its own line. Mapex produces a full range of drum kits spanning beginner to professional levels, along with snare drums, hardware, and marching percussion instruments.

Mapex's professional-tier offerings include the Saturn series, built with hybrid maple and walnut shells prized for their warm, dark tone, and the Armory series, which features birch-maple hybrid shells with the company's proprietary SONIClear bearing edge technology. The Black Panther line, introduced in 1997, has become one of the most recognized snare drum series in the industry, available in a wide variety of shell materials and configurations through the Black Panther Design Lab. Other key innovations include the ITS (Isolated Tom System) mounting hardware and the Falcon and Swift series bass drum pedals. On the marching side, the Quantum Mark II line is used by drum corps and scholastic ensembles.

Mapex has built a diverse artist roster over the decades. Billy Cobham served as an early endorser and consultant in the 1990s, and Ralph Peterson remained a Mapex artist for 30 years. Chris Adler of Lamb of God, Aquiles Priester (W.A.S.P.), and Carlin White (J. Cole) are among the drummers associated with the brand across rock, metal, and hip-hop touring.

Mapex has 246 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Drum Sets, Snare Drums, and Drums. Their gear is featured by 59 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock, Metal, and Pop. Notable users include Chris Adler, Gee Anzalone, and Ethan Lambert. Mapex's catalog spans the full price spectrum — from entry-level options to high-end flagships.