need help buying a drumset

johnnie5

I'm looking into buying a drumset. I've never played before but I've always wanted one. Can anyone recommend one for me? Any specific brand that you would recommend? My budget is $400-600.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks.

mccreadyisgod

You can pick and choose any variety of drumsets in that price range... none of them are GREAT kits, but they'll all have their advantages.

What style of playing are you interested in? Any drummers who you'd like to emulate?

Keep in mind, also, that you'll want cymbals and stands. Most kits in that price range will give you the basic stands, like hi-hat and two regular stands. At least to start with, look for a hi-hat set and a ride and crash. Most cymbal makers will offer entry-level cymbal packs that include exactly that for a decent price ($150-250).

As far as the actual drums, I'd look at Pulse, Pearl, Pacific, Sonor, Tama, and Ludwig (depending on style).

Red Lukin

for that price i'd recommend buying a used set...you should be able to get a 5 piece set (base, snare and 3 toms) with 3 symbols (hi hat with 2 symbols), with stands and a seat...after you get better trust me youll want to save up and buy a kick ass set

also, id recommend taking lessons...they helped me out a lot when i first started playing

i have questions as well...im 26 and started playing drums when i was 9-10...i took lessons for a couple of years, my parents took me out of them and i continued to play for a bit until i was about 14..when i went off to school a few years back i sold my good drum set

now i want to buy one again...what i want to know (and i dont really have a price range), but what should i be looking for when i buy a kick ass drum set...i plan i buying a house soon (and putting a nice drum set in) and there's a lot i dont know about drums...id probably go with pearl, yamaha or something, but are there things i should look for to make the best decision for myself?

thanks for any help anyone can offer

dreadhead

Red Lukin wrote:

for that price i'd recommend buying a used set...you should be able to get a 5 piece set (base, snare and 3 toms) with 3 symbols (hi hat with 2 symbols), with stands and a seat...after you get better trust me youll want to save up and buy a kick ass set

also, id recommend taking lessons...they helped me out a lot when i first started playing

i have questions as well...im 26 and started playing drums when i was 9-10...i took lessons for a couple of years, my parents took me out of them and i continued to play for a bit until i was about 14..when i went off to school a few years back i sold my good drum set

now i want to buy one again...what i want to know (and i dont really have a price range), but what should i be looking for when i buy a kick ass drum set...i plan i buying a house soon (and putting a nice drum set in) and there's a lot i dont know about drums...id probably go with pearl, yamaha or something, but are there things i should look for to make the best decision for myself?

thanks for any help anyone can offer

used are the best way to go for that price a nice tama swingstar (as ive got) or perhaps a pearl export would be the best i could advise of, also you should get some cymbals included. the best thing 2 do after that is 2 build up your harware, skins n cymbals n after a few months you will have a very nive sounding kit . hope that helps dude n hope ur rokin out real soon.

Red Lukin

dreadhead wrote:

used are the best way to go for that price a nice tama swingstar (as ive got) or perhaps a pearl export would be the best i could advise of, also you should get some cymbals included. the best thing 2 do after that is 2 build up your harware, skins n cymbals n after a few months you will have a very nive sounding kit . hope that helps dude n hope ur rokin out real soon.

umm, was that advice to jonny or myself?

mccreadyisgod

Red Lukin wrote:

i have questions as well...im 26 and started playing drums when i was 9-10...i took lessons for a couple of years, my parents took me out of them and i continued to play for a bit until i was about 14..when i went off to school a few years back i sold my good drum set

now i want to buy one again...what i want to know (and i dont really have a price range), but what should i be looking for when i buy a kick ass drum set...i plan i buying a house soon (and putting a nice drum set in) and there's a lot i dont know about drums...id probably go with pearl, yamaha or something, but are there things i should look for to make the best decision for myself?

thanks for any help anyone can offer

Stay away from plastic finishes, try to get something with a laquer-on-wood look. It's not really a cosmetic thing (well, it can be) but rather a tonal thing: plastic shells will really cut the air out of your tone.

That aside, you know better what fits your style, I'm sure. Pearl still makes some good stuff, although their entry-level hardware sucks, so look in the midrange prices or above. I really like Yamaha for a standard drum set, they make great shells, good hardware, and last a long time. Besides, they're Matt Cameron's current choice. Ludwig or Gretch will give you a more-vintage fat tone, DW (or Pacific) will give you a more modern sound (especially in the kick drum and toms). Tama is making really good drums lately (versus their 80's hard rock and metal days, long live Lars). They have sets for most budgets and styles, and the Rock-Star and Swing-Star kits are really good for the price.

Red Lukin

thanks for your input...

im only renting a house now and will probably be buying in about a year...then ill be buying a set...therefore i have a lot of time to research

im not sure how much i plan to spend to start out...could be $1500, 2000, 4000 (canadian of course), i dunno...i probably want a 5 piece set (maybe 6-7) and 3 cymbals...can i get a solid set for this price range...something i can play for years, add peices to, and not regret buying a few years later?

any input would be great...Zildjian cymbals sound pretty sweet...are these at all affordable?...what type of set can i put together for my price range...can i even afford a higher end pearl set?...i obviously havent looked a drums for a while, and i figure i can get a better unbiased opinion on here rather than in store...thanks a lot

mccreadyisgod

You'll be able to get a pretty nice kit. Pearl, certainly. Maybe go for a six-piece: 10 and 12 rack toms, 14 and 16 floor toms, with a 22 kick and a 14x7 snare? Hats, ride, 2 crashes, and a medium china?

And always more cowbell.

Red Lukin

hey, thanks for the reply man...looks like a lot of cymbals for someone who hasnt played for a while, although im sure it would look good

about snares...when i listen to music many sounds of the snare seem to sound very different from band to band...it that true or is it just my ears?...are there different types of snares, or is it just the size and the amount one decides to tighen it?

(i know my terminology is horrible...hah)

im so stoked about buying a set...ive been researching a bit online, but i dont see many prices, especially in near where im from

mccreadyisgod

Well, you can look around at http://www.musiciansfriend.com for some basics. Their prices are US, and they don't sell to Canada, but they'll give you an idea of where you're starting from.

What kinda style or drummer would you compare yourself (or ideally compare) to? Whose drums do you want?

There are any variety of snare sizes, shell types, top heads, bottom heads, snares, tuning, etc. that can provide any tonal characteristic. I personally have a standard Sonor 14x5.5 snare with an Evans coated dry head and a Pearl 13x3 piccolo snare with a Remo Ambassador head, both with regular snares. The standard snare is tuned for good chunky tone, and the piccolo is tuned for some bright snap.

Red Lukin

hmm, well i couldnt compare myself to anyone, bc im not very experienced, but if i could pick a drummer i would want to sound like or really like it might be...john bonham...id love to have carter beauford's drums (love to play like him too - sorry of youre a dmb hater like many pj fans)...id die to be able to play like keith moon - to be even near as fast...but he has a crazy and unique style all together...if i can play or sound even half as good as i heard jimmy chamberlin play last year id be happy...i guess overall i like different sounds, but the 70's sytle rock always has me feeling good

mccreadyisgod

Well, if that's the direction you see yourself going in...

Either a good Pearl set, or Tama or Ludwig.

The kit I already described for you would be highly appropriate... especially for Bonham.

And I don't really care for DMB, but Carter Beauford is a talented drummer, and his kit always sounds great. But as far as that goes, I'd rather go for Stephen Perkins (Jane's Addiction) who plays DW drums. Carter plays Yamaha Recording Custom drums, very nice stuff as well.

Red Lukin

hey, thanks for all the help...i saved your helpful info, and itll be something i look at when i buy my set

thats a cool website...it has a lot of products and seems to have great prices...i think i was thrown off by pearl's website today...i think they only listed the prices of their top end stuff, and 1 tom was like $2000-3000...i wasnt sure how much the lower to meduim stuff would cost

after looking at that site it looks like you can find a fun set that will keep someone busy for a while until they decide they want to take another step forward

i see you like mike...do you play guitar and drums?...what kind of drums do you have...got a pic?

mccreadyisgod

Red Lukin wrote:

i see you like mike...do you play guitar and drums?...what kind of drums do you have...got a pic?

In order of ability and preference, I play guitar, bass, keyboards and drums. Not very good at drums. Yet.

I have a Sonor Force 2001 Fusion kit, which has slightly smaller drums than a full-size kit. 20" kick, 10, 12, and 14" toms (including a REAL floor tom, not a stand-mounted one), and the two snares I already described. I don't have pics, but I might take some and post them for shits and giggles (I have other stuff to share pictures of, anyways). But it's a cool-looking kit, it's a wax-black finish that I absolutely love. And after new heads, some tuning, and breaking in, it's finally starting to sound good. I've had it for a year and a half, so it's about time. But it's hardly vintage, so...

Musician's Friend is the American musician's necessary evil... they're a great web resource, though. There are a few Canadian musicians on here, so maybe they can help point you in a good direction for sales.

johnnie5

This thread has turned out to be a lot of help.

Thanks for the great input.

artin90

i was in your position about 2 years ago. i have learned some stuff. first, buy a cheap $200 drumset. youll find brands like titan and cb. next spend the rest on cymbals. buy a pack of ZBT or Sabian B8 (hi-hats, Crash, Ride) that should be about $250. then if you can replace your drum heads with some new heads: remo, evans, aquarian, or attack.

it is very important that you buy good enough cymbals. when you first get the drmset and play you wont really know what the difference between a cheap and high priced drum set is. when you start practicing after a couple of months you will start to understand what kind of sounds to look for.

i hope that helped

Red Lukin

^^^
so true...when i bougth my first drum set it was very cheap and kind of a shitty set...i had fun with it, and i dont regret buying it...then a year or so later after saving up i bought my first new set...it kept me going for a few years, then had to sell it before i went away to school :(...i miss it