i feel like cymbals play a larger role in this discussion as well. one of my dad's friends who has played drums for a long time told me that you could have a cheap kit with expensive cymbals and it'll sound amazing, while an expensive kit with cheap cymbals will sound like crap. i'm not saying spend a grand on a pack of zildjian k customs for your $200 kit, but it is something to also keep in mind.
Gave you a thumbs up except good cymbals are an investment so I would absolutely spend $1200. For Ks if I had a $200. Kit cos eventually ur gonna have 2 buy good cymbals anyways.
Understanding what b8 alloy (low class bronze), b10 and 12 (medium class) and b20 ( high class) are is very helpful. For beginners who aspire to learn and maybe play rock covers at a bar or a club from time to time , it's more than enough. B12 is premium on a budget, you can get a warmer overtone beside the brilliant, present and sustained sound of bronze that will sound more pleasant to your ear and your audience as you progress without breaking bank. You can even browse the secondary market to get good stuff on a budget. Drumming today is way easier than 10 or 20 years ago, you have so many options that can still sound musical at lower class series.
The Yamaha Stage Custom Birch is a amazing sounding kit for $680. I bought one to convert into an electronic/acoustic hybrid and it turned out to be one of the best sounding kits I've ever owned.
The stage custom is known as one of the best bangs for the buck. I've heard great things about Mapex Armory too. The only things on my kit I bought new are my throne and two cymbal stands. So I picked things out based on what was a good deal on the private used marked. So when a DW performance series popped up for under a grand I hopped on that. From what I've seen compared to my cheap kit is it is just very solid. Stuff is how it is supposed to be. By that I mean the shells and rims are damn close to perfectly round and flat (not true with my Sound Percussion kit). It is much easier to make the DW sound good. 10 minutes with new heads and it sounds good. With the Sound Percussion, I might be an hour and not sound as good. I can get a good sound, but because things aren't round and flat it takes a lot of effort. There isn't a way IMO, for bad cymbals to sound great. A great player can sound good with B8s, but will sound better with better cymbals. I think for most people that just getting stuff that is on par with Zildjian A or A Custom, or Sabian AA or AAX used is the ticket. Lots of stuff available used. Might not be an exact sound you are going for, but any cymbal equivalent to those lines will sound infinitely better than cymbals that come with kits. I do think having good pedals is worth the money if you have it, but still buy used. I got Axis doubles for barely more money than an entry level pedal new.
Pearl Export Series, best stuff for a beginner drummer. Also got l80's and silent strokes. 0 complaints from neighbours, and a big level up from my old Alesis kit :)
Me too I actually dig the accents and the look of them. Didn't expect him to say it was an accent because in my 15ish yrs of playing I always associated accents with trash kits. It's got a nice finish that doesn't look like a cheap color wrap you get with a lot of entry level options. These days the budget kits are a world away from the cheap quality entry level budget kits from my starting out days. I've seen pdp sets that look and sound like any higher tier kit you could buy.
You gotta factor in cymbals and hardware, too. For someone like me who doesn’t have ANYTHING even though I’m fairly advanced, kits like the Ludwig Element Evolution are looking very appealing to me. Unfortunately, my skill level (which I think is pretty good at this point- I started at, like 4 or 5) doesn’t suddenly give me a large budget, which nobody seems to take into account when they act like cheaper kits are ONLY for beginners.
Do you follow rdavidr? He is geared toward the person who loves different and great sounds, but who has to DIY it a lot. He does experiments to see which DIY hacks are worth the expense and effort also. A lot of these are about making cheap gear sound pretty good. (From someone into percussion their whole life and just got a free drumset added to their house 2 months ago😊) I was able to order a used zildjian this month, so I hope that will work out...
Bought my first acoustic kit a few months ago (just started playing in February). Went with Gretsch Catalina Maple. A little less than your Renown set. Love the sound and feel, and I know I'll be able to enjoy them for years to come.
The Gretsch Catalina Maple, dollar for dollar, is the best set on the market IMHO (Gretsch and DW now owned by Roland, BTW). Sure, exotic wood, fancy finished, custom sized drums are great if you're into collecting drums like art (or you're endorsing, and the drums are free), but for the amount of money you could spend on one of those - say $6,000 - you could take a 7 piece Catalina Maple into a studio, deck it out with top of the line heads, pedals, cymbals AND have money left over to add another snare or two, and lay down professional tracks. I do wish they'd offer a 20" bass drum option, though.
I love small jam kits, even for metal. Last time I was at a show we had like 10 local bands show up to open. Dude with the biggest punchiest kick tone that rivalled the headlining band was playing an almost comically tiny kick drum. Could not have been more than 16". Might have been a 14" tom converted to a kick. But damn did it dominate lol!
If you are considering spending a considerable amount of money I would spend most of it on good cymbals, you could make a relatively cheap drum set to sound really cool with the right skins and by knowing some tuning tricks, but awful sounding cymbals just have no fix IMHO.
I agree with your assessment of gigging kits. Bearing edge and heads make a difference in tone but the thing that sets most drums companies apart are their hardware and customer support. Regarding smaller drums, yes. Not only do they tend to have a wider tuning range they’re also easier to load in / out and take up less space in the stage.
My main drumkit is an Aria that a friend of mine found dumped in a container in Oslo (Norway). After cleaning it, re-wraping it, and buying som missing parts, i got myself a great sounding kit for all kinds of music styles.
If you're a serious drummer, buy an intermediate shell pack $600 - $1000, then start investing in high quality snare drums. The snare is the most played part of any kit in most genres of rock, pop, country, hip-hop and it's what gives a kit the most character.
Sometimes dealers have large discounts on those expensive kits that sit on shelves id say wait for the deal on your dream kit until them get a budget kit with great heads and excellent cymbals. I have a 4 pc Canopus RFM shell pack with tom stand, which was $4000, and i got it for $2500. You cant beat that price nowadays. I got a nice spl velocity 5 pc for $99.00 on clearance its all birch and sounds amazing with g2 heads i also got a 7pc stage custom again just add good heads Evans G2. Dont over spend but do get a good snare and cymbals
I find the kick is thing that really improves with more expensive kits. I also find there is less I can do with tuning to make cheap kick sound good. Great video.
Ive never purchased a new drum kit. Only cymbals and /or hardware. I picked up a used, but near mint Ludwig break beat kit and I use it for all my current gigs. Small foot print, easy transport, big sound with the right heads and tuning. It's a no brainer..
Spot on... there are so many great mid-range kits available. Yamaha Stage/Tour Custom, DW Performance, also, Pearl, Mapex and Sonor... lots of great choices for under $2,000 Thanks
I bought a Ludwig CS Accent Custom back in 2007 ish and many years later it's still going strong and sounding better than ever since I took your advices on tuning and finally got around to buying all G2s top and all G1s bottom with Ambassadors both sides on the snare and an Emad for the kick over the stock resonant. Heads and tuning, that's where it's at.
I always had drums to play at school, which means I never had to buy anything. Now I finally have my own kit: a Mapex Mars, which I think is amazing. About CHF 700 (~650 $) for the shells.
I can usually hear a difference in the snare sound but that’s about it. Usually, if you know what you’re doing, you can get a decent sound out of a crappy snare by tuning it correctly, changing up the heads, or dampening with cloth or moon gel.
Of course, buying used allows you to get the most bang for your buck. I bought my first acoustic kit a few months back and I picked up an early 2000s PDP CX 5 piece shell pack for $300. What's notable about this PDP CX kit is that, at the time it was made, it was being manufactured in Mexico in the same plant as the DW kits, and using the same U.S. Maple materials. Long story short- it plays well above it's price point. Taking time to do some research can really pay off in the long run.
That first Ludwig kit is expertly tuned. There is a very distinct sound difference between both toms with a subtle sustain. You don't always get that with cheap kits.
The BREAKBEATS certainly surprised, considering their affordable price .. Best kit to carry around for gigs. Light, compact and don’t take up much room on stage. Plus, the great Ludwig sound..
My main gigging kit is a second hand Gretch Catalina. It sounds as good as the skins on it and how well I tune it. My second kit is a part authentic part sham 1930s kit assembled out of pieces of garbage and cheap odd shells that I have stripped and recovered and made to look nice. Real calf skins and it sounds... different. In the past I’ve had lots of other kits, but I’ve never found a correlation between quality of sound and cost of the kit. Sure, high end kits can have superb hardware, great build quality and can look gorgeous - not knocking it if that is what you enjoy - but I deliberately downgraded to a cheap kit so I don’t need to worry chucking the kit in the back of the car for gigging. I’ve have never regretted it.
Been playing a used Breakbeats kit as my primary for 5 or 6 years. Still enjoy it & it’s ergonomic. I bought them off a friend for $250. I really like the sound of the Gretsch in your video... which says something.
I noticed you didn’t mention used. I bought a Ludwig Element Evolution kick(20) three toms(10,12,14) with a 1979 14” acrolite snare, upgraded hardware and upgraded cymbals(Zildjian “S”), for $425. The guy I got it from had a drummer friend tell him what to get. So this is what he ordered back when he started. He lost interest, joined the Navy, and was selling stuff he didn’t need.
I’ve been playing a Ludwig accent combo kit for the past 4 years. After experimenting with a whole bunch of head combinations I finally settled on coated ambassador vintage as batters, and Evans clear hydraulics on the reso side for the toms. Sounds kinda crazy but even Neil Peart used hydraulics as resonant heads. Both heads tuned medium low give a nice warm, punchy sound. For the kick I used a blue hydraulic on the batter side and a pillow for muffling. Paired with an acrolite snare and good cymbals the whole kit’s great!
I'm getting my son his first kit and it's a Ludwig breakbeats. I'm a Ludwig guy, I play a Classic maple kit and it's by far my favorite kit that I've ever owned, and being a "Ludwig guy" my son simply wanted a Ludwig kit hence the breakbeats. They sound really good with good heads and are perfect for a 7 y/o or older.
I have an $899 Sonor kits with a mix of cymbals including Paiste, Wuhan and Zildjan. I've even got a trashy little cymbal I bought from TEMU...it rocks!
UPS just dropped off my 4-piece Pearl Roadshow set this morning. After doing my online shopping comparisons and watching TH-cam reviews I went with the Roadshow kit because it has all the hardware/stands/cymbals/throne etc included. Will be ready to channel my inner Ringo once this thing is set up.
I use my Mapex Tornado drum kit for just 450 $ and it sound amazing! I change all hardware with Tama and DW 5700 series cymbal stands,Tama Iron Cobra 600 double bass pedal and i change all cymbals with Zildjian S rock series. Now i can say i have more than professional drum kit for live concerts and for reherseals too! Remember,good drummer can play on every kit,even for kids lol
It is a great option, I have those drums and they sound amazing ... with some good drumheads, they sound probably better than some tamas or pearls in that price range ($ 1,400 dollars here in Ecuador) .. greetings!
Of my very limited experience with Mapex drums, I would buy a kit with NO HESITATION WHATSOEVER! My Mapex Deluxe Maple snare drum is right up among my favourite five snare drums, in a collection that includes a Tama mahogany Superstar, a steel Kingbeat and a CoB Sonor Phil Rudd Signature!
I’m willing to sacrifice smaller toms but not willing to sacrifice my 22by 18 bass drum ive always loved the boomy sound of 22 bass drums . I bought a Tama superstar classic maple drumset for 1000 $ quite happy with those and it’s a 7 piece I like the option of 5 toms and my beloved 22 by 18 bass drum .my Tom sizes are 8 , 10 , 12 , 14 , 16 and 14 in snare .I’m not a beginner drummer though I’ve been playing drums for 21 years.
I have, and have had, bass drums in different depths and my FAVOURITE, without a moment’s hesitation is my 22 x 14”! It has a Remo Powerstroke 3, with a Fallam patch on the batter side and a Remo Ambassador, with a 5” hole near the rim. No other muffling! One of these days, I’ll get around to buying another Ambassador reso head for it and put the hole in the middle, to see what difference hole placement makes…. Some comment that the drum is a little boomy, which in isolation it might even be but when the band starts to play, that boom vanishes and the drum sounds AWESOME!
Great video Stephen! Have you considered having the bearing edges recut on your original Ludwig kit? It may be more trouble than it's worth but it would definitely improve the set.
Acoustic drum sets now are so much better than in years past..on a value per dollar basis the 'economy/starter' drum kits now available from the major manufacturers are miles ahead of the 'economy' level kits from just 25 years ago. I find the key difference in 'economy' versus high-end kits generally is the quality of the included hardware. There are so many variables involved: proper head selection is key to good drum sound. One of the best acoustic drum sets I ever played on was a Sonor 'Force 2001' in jazz/fusion drum sizes and that kit was considered a 'low/medium' kit in Sonor's line at the time. I have a Ddrum 'SE Flyer' bop kit and that kit just sounds killer, and it's price point is in the 'beginner/economy' category. The point is; with today's selection there is no reason for a beginner or a drummer on a budget to not be able to get really good sounding drums.
Thanks, I’m currently on the 400 dollar kits, and I was wondering what more money will get me, the 400 dollar ones sound fine. I have looked at shell packs for about 1500, happy to hear that’s a good ballpark to stay within, for when I want to upgrade.
I see that I’m late to the party…I hope that someone advised you to buy USED? What you buy in-the-box new has already lost 60+% of its value even as the shop assistant is ringing up your purchase! What you buy used, you can expect to sell for what you paid for it! My most recent kit purchase would EASILY cost me FOUR TIMES what I paid to buy new!
I bought a used pearl masters studio shell pack about 10 years ago for a little over $1000. The kit still sounds and looks amazing to this day, and I've gotten many complements from other musicians about it over the years to affirm that fact.
What is the difference between less expensive, softer Asian maple and more expensive North American hard rock maple? Is the sound worth the extra money?
Do a little research and check out el listo de Craig. My two current kits were purchased on CL: a gold sparkle Tama Starclassic (made in Japan) 22, 14, 12, 10 for $400 (price a new 4 piece Starclassic shell pack!) and a 1960s Majestic Deluxe (made by Star which was pre Tama) 20, 14, 13, 12, and 14 matching snare for $360. I have the matching Starclassic snare, but the Majestic snare actually blows it away. Bearing edges, good heads (if you buy a brand new beginner kit, tack on $100 plus for new heads immediately), and good tuning is what it's all about. A vintage made in Japan Tama Rockstar or Ludwig Rocker kit made in Monroe, NC won't set you back too much and you'll probably be able to sell it later for about what you paid for it. The same will not be true of the made in China new stuff.
Try PDP wood hoop Bebop drum set or Gretsch Catalina maple Yamaha stage custom, Tama Superstar Maple kits all used are great value and a great price. Great mid-level kits I've also seen used Renown kits for under $1,000 Lots to see in the used Market
A year-and-a-half ago I picked up PDP 7 piece custom maple shell pack pearl white finish for a grand. Swapped out the factory heads 4 Remo pinstripes. Remo white coat on the snare. I wonder do you think I got a good deal? Also picked up a Zildjian a custom brilliant cymbal pack. PDP Hardware all around and DW 3000 Series double kick pedal. I would like to get a better sound out of them I think. I am not recorded with them so I don't know how they really sound.
I feel like my renowns were worth every penny and also have their own unique vibe while sounding great at the same time(modern with some hints of that vintage gretsch sound at the same time) and that can't be said about a lot of kits in the price range where lot of the competitors sound similar to eachother. just my stupid opinion of course.
I think drum heads and tuning have a bigger impact than a 700 pound set, which for most people is pushing it. Tune your drums well and use decent heads and you'll be fine. No need to buy a gold plated drumset.
New drummer here so I dont know my behind from a hole in the ground, but it seems like every video I ever see folks replace the heads with evans heads, even new drums which makes them sound like a different drum set all together. Makes me wonder if one cant just buy a first act kit off amazon and change the heads and play like a winner lol
What do you think of the hardware on the Gretsch Renown? I’ve always been a big lover of the Maple Renown tone with their larger sizes: 24” kick, 16” floor, 13” rack, but I noticed quite a bit of extra weight with the floor tom legs and the kick spurs felt kinda cheap to me? And that the rack mount system cannot be removed without some ugly holes on the lugs.
I like mine, but my only complaint is that the drums detune very quickly. Maybe I just got a dud, but the tuning rods don't stay tightened without some sort of tension keepers on them. Frustrating but I'm otherwise pleased with the kit. Have either of you experienced that?
@@drummerblade I also have had a few rods loosen. Not sure why. Seems to happen infrequently now, but initially did require a good bit of tightening. My only guess is that with time it settled in.
@@razifraship Yeah I think so I think the lugs just aren't good. This goes for about $600-$800 brand new, which is low for a maple kit, so I think they used pretty low-quality hardware to get it to that price.
My question is why does it have to be a DW kit with an x on it? Why not a Sonor SQ2 they’re only about 9 grand compared to 3,500 for a standard collectors kit.
not all electric drums sound the artificial but yes you can tell, if your wanting a drum for gigs with an authentic sound get acoustic drums but if your practicing at home and cant play too loud electric is perfect, although if you get some headphones hooked up to your electric drums and its a pretty nice kit then it should feel pretty real if your just jamming, but it depends what you need the drums for.
oh my goodnes gracious. wich drumset you use depents on so many factors and aspects that you need over 100 hours of film material to explain everything thats needed but 100 hours are not enough. maybe 200 hours would be ok if you need to explain every aspect and factor, and that is absolutely no joke. and i am not kidding. there are over hundrets of aspects and factors that interact with each other. thatd need to be considered when you buy a drumset.
Set aside a budget for proper heads aside first. Then pick a kit based on hardware quality. Bearing edges can be recut if necessary. Tone wood matters less and probably not even relevant since your taste hasn't developed yet. Pearl Export is time proven to be reliable.
Yes, quality heads, cymbals and hardware should be ahead of high dollar shells. All those things can be transferred to better shells down the road anyway.
yamaha stage custom all the way. if i could go back and do it again i would’ve bought one instead of a rydeen as my first kit. marginally more expensive than entry level kits but significantly better sounding/looking. get the bearing edges professionally re-cut and you’re set for a lifetime
Hi Stephen! I expected you to start this video with: "an expensive drumkit will not make you a better drummer!!" 😂 I think good drumheads make a cheap drumkit sound like a pro one.. What do you think? Ciao! Luca from Italy
The first thing you should even mention is the composition of the drums. Second of all, the size. Third, the heads. Lastly, you should of discussed the cymbals. You were playing crap with the first two Ludwig and K customs with the Gretsch. Be honest in your reviews with the sounds you make and how you made them.
i feel like cymbals play a larger role in this discussion as well.
one of my dad's friends who has played drums for a long time told me that you could have a cheap kit with expensive cymbals and it'll sound amazing, while an expensive kit with cheap cymbals will sound like crap. i'm not saying spend a grand on a pack of zildjian k customs for your $200 kit, but it is something to also keep in mind.
Agree 💯
Gave you a thumbs up except good cymbals are an investment so I would absolutely spend $1200. For Ks if I had a $200. Kit cos eventually ur gonna have 2 buy good cymbals anyways.
Understanding what b8 alloy (low class bronze), b10 and 12 (medium class) and b20 ( high class) are is very helpful. For beginners who aspire to learn and maybe play rock covers at a bar or a club from time to time , it's more than enough. B12 is premium on a budget, you can get a warmer overtone beside the brilliant, present and sustained sound of bronze that will sound more pleasant to your ear and your audience as you progress without breaking bank. You can even browse the secondary market to get good stuff on a budget. Drumming today is way easier than 10 or 20 years ago, you have so many options that can still sound musical at lower class series.
What you said was true. May I add that a cheap drumset will make a good drummer sound bad and a good drumset will make a good drummer sound amazing.
The Yamaha Stage Custom Birch is a amazing sounding kit for $680. I bought one to convert into an electronic/acoustic hybrid and it turned out to be one of the best sounding kits I've ever owned.
Yup, I've had this kit for years, with some good heads and good tuning, it sounds great!
Yep, I got that kit too. Added 8 inch tom, changed heads to Evans g2 and it sounds absolutely amazing!!!
what cymbals and stands did you bought and how much did you spend total
The stage custom is known as one of the best bangs for the buck. I've heard great things about Mapex Armory too.
The only things on my kit I bought new are my throne and two cymbal stands. So I picked things out based on what was a good deal on the private used marked. So when a DW performance series popped up for under a grand I hopped on that. From what I've seen compared to my cheap kit is it is just very solid. Stuff is how it is supposed to be. By that I mean the shells and rims are damn close to perfectly round and flat (not true with my Sound Percussion kit). It is much easier to make the DW sound good. 10 minutes with new heads and it sounds good. With the Sound Percussion, I might be an hour and not sound as good. I can get a good sound, but because things aren't round and flat it takes a lot of effort.
There isn't a way IMO, for bad cymbals to sound great. A great player can sound good with B8s, but will sound better with better cymbals. I think for most people that just getting stuff that is on par with Zildjian A or A Custom, or Sabian AA or AAX used is the ticket. Lots of stuff available used. Might not be an exact sound you are going for, but any cymbal equivalent to those lines will sound infinitely better than cymbals that come with kits.
I do think having good pedals is worth the money if you have it, but still buy used. I got Axis doubles for barely more money than an entry level pedal new.
Sold mine, they were amazing.
Pearl Export Series, best stuff for a beginner drummer. Also got l80's and silent strokes. 0 complaints from neighbours, and a big level up from my old Alesis kit :)
I've been drumming for 10 years so I'm in no way a beginner but the other drum kits are just to expensive and I'm on a budget so pearl export it is!!
I dont really like my pearl export, im more into shallow toms rather then 12x9 and 13x10 toms.
Pearl Roadshow drums sound pretty good too. At least to ME.
I actually like the sound of the two cheaper kits more than the Gretsch.
Yh same I like the short punchy sound more
The Grestsch was tunned on the Jazz side, while the others more on the low end Rock side, maybe that´s why
Me too I actually dig the accents and the look of them. Didn't expect him to say it was an accent because in my 15ish yrs of playing I always associated accents with trash kits. It's got a nice finish that doesn't look like a cheap color wrap you get with a lot of entry level options. These days the budget kits are a world away from the cheap quality entry level budget kits from my starting out days. I've seen pdp sets that look and sound like any higher tier kit you could buy.
You gotta factor in cymbals and hardware, too. For someone like me who doesn’t have ANYTHING even though I’m fairly advanced, kits like the Ludwig Element Evolution are looking very appealing to me. Unfortunately, my skill level (which I think is pretty good at this point- I started at, like 4 or 5) doesn’t suddenly give me a large budget, which nobody seems to take into account when they act like cheaper kits are ONLY for beginners.
I know right?
Do you follow rdavidr? He is geared toward the person who loves different and great sounds, but who has to DIY it a lot. He does experiments to see which DIY hacks are worth the expense and effort also. A lot of these are about making cheap gear sound pretty good. (From someone into percussion their whole life and just got a free drumset added to their house 2 months ago😊) I was able to order a used zildjian this month, so I hope that will work out...
Bought my first acoustic kit a few months ago (just started playing in February). Went with Gretsch Catalina Maple. A little less than your Renown set. Love the sound and feel, and I know I'll be able to enjoy them for years to come.
The Gretsch Catalina Maple, dollar for dollar, is the best set on the market IMHO (Gretsch and DW now owned by Roland, BTW). Sure, exotic wood, fancy finished, custom sized drums are great if you're into collecting drums like art (or you're endorsing, and the drums are free), but for the amount of money you could spend on one of those - say $6,000 - you could take a 7 piece Catalina Maple into a studio, deck it out with top of the line heads, pedals, cymbals AND have money left over to add another snare or two, and lay down professional tracks.
I do wish they'd offer a 20" bass drum option, though.
I love small jam kits, even for metal. Last time I was at a show we had like 10 local bands show up to open. Dude with the biggest punchiest kick tone that rivalled the headlining band was playing an almost comically tiny kick drum. Could not have been more than 16". Might have been a 14" tom converted to a kick. But damn did it dominate lol!
If you are considering spending a considerable amount of money I would spend most of it on good cymbals, you could make a relatively cheap drum set to sound really cool with the right skins and by knowing some tuning tricks, but awful sounding cymbals just have no fix IMHO.
I agree with your assessment of gigging kits. Bearing edge and heads make a difference in tone but the thing that sets most drums companies apart are their hardware and customer support. Regarding smaller drums, yes. Not only do they tend to have a wider tuning range they’re also easier to load in / out and take up less space in the stage.
100$ at a garage sale. toss out the old heads, recut the bearing edges, and put some fresh heads on.
I’ve renovated some garbage I bought on eBay and with careful tuning and good heads, they sound great.
How do you recut the bearing edges?
@@dylanbaldwin7934 router table
@@SAHBfan I like professional drumkits but I would only spend $1,000 to $2,000 dollars on one.
My main drumkit is an Aria that a friend of mine found dumped in a container in Oslo (Norway). After cleaning it, re-wraping it, and buying som missing parts, i got myself a great sounding kit for all kinds of music styles.
If you're a serious drummer, buy an intermediate shell pack $600 - $1000, then start investing in high quality snare drums. The snare is the most played part of any kit in most genres of rock, pop, country, hip-hop and it's what gives a kit the most character.
My Maple Vision kit. Red sparkle mint, 375.00 . Made in the same factory as the Master series. Great drums ❤
Sometimes dealers have large discounts on those expensive kits that sit on shelves id say wait for the deal on your dream kit until them get a budget kit with great heads and excellent cymbals. I have a 4 pc Canopus RFM shell pack with tom stand, which was $4000, and i got it for $2500. You cant beat that price nowadays. I got a nice spl velocity 5 pc for $99.00 on clearance its all birch and sounds amazing with g2 heads i also got a 7pc stage custom again just add good heads Evans G2. Dont over spend but do get a good snare and cymbals
I find the kick is thing that really improves with more expensive kits. I also find there is less I can do with tuning to make cheap kick sound good. Great video.
Ive never purchased a new drum kit. Only cymbals and /or hardware. I picked up a used, but near mint Ludwig break beat kit and I use it for all my current gigs. Small foot print, easy transport, big sound with the right heads and tuning. It's a no brainer..
Spot on... there are so many great mid-range kits available. Yamaha Stage/Tour Custom, DW Performance, also, Pearl, Mapex and Sonor... lots of great choices for under $2,000 Thanks
I’ve got the Tama superstar classic drums 7 piece set for $ 1000 I’m a more Tom choice drummer
I bought a Ludwig CS Accent Custom back in 2007 ish and many years later it's still going strong and sounding better than ever since I took your advices on tuning and finally got around to buying all G2s top and all G1s bottom with Ambassadors both sides on the snare and an Emad for the kick over the stock resonant.
Heads and tuning, that's where it's at.
I always had drums to play at school, which means I never had to buy anything. Now I finally have my own kit: a Mapex Mars, which I think is amazing. About CHF 700 (~650 $) for the shells.
I can usually hear a difference in the snare sound but that’s about it. Usually, if you know what you’re doing, you can get a decent sound out of a crappy snare by tuning it correctly, changing up the heads, or dampening with cloth or moon gel.
I use Pearl Piccolo snare drum with Evans coated drumheads..killer sound!!
Tama Silverstar was my best acoustic set, affordable and top quality
Of course, buying used allows you to get the most bang for your buck. I bought my first acoustic kit a few months back and I picked up an early 2000s PDP CX 5 piece shell pack for $300. What's notable about this PDP CX kit is that, at the time it was made, it was being manufactured in Mexico in the same plant as the DW kits, and using the same U.S. Maple materials. Long story short- it plays well above it's price point. Taking time to do some research can really pay off in the long run.
That first Ludwig kit is expertly tuned. There is a very distinct sound difference between both toms with a subtle sustain. You don't always get that with cheap kits.
The BREAKBEATS certainly surprised, considering their affordable price ..
Best kit to carry around for gigs.
Light, compact and don’t take up much room on stage.
Plus, the great Ludwig sound..
been using mine for 7 years now, played many gigs with it. recently stripped it down to just a snare and the kick with a crash and hi hats.
My main gigging kit is a second hand Gretch Catalina. It sounds as good as the skins on it and how well I tune it. My second kit is a part authentic part sham 1930s kit assembled out of pieces of garbage and cheap odd shells that I have stripped and recovered and made to look nice. Real calf skins and it sounds... different. In the past I’ve had lots of other kits, but I’ve never found a correlation between quality of sound and cost of the kit. Sure, high end kits can have superb hardware, great build quality and can look gorgeous - not knocking it if that is what you enjoy - but I deliberately downgraded to a cheap kit so I don’t need to worry chucking the kit in the back of the car for gigging. I’ve have never regretted it.
Intermediate level kits are THE best bang for the buck.
Quality heads / tuning make a HUGE difference!
I own a Breakbeats and a Renown. Get both kits and you're set for life.
Been playing a used Breakbeats kit as my primary for 5 or 6 years. Still enjoy it & it’s ergonomic. I bought them off a friend for $250. I really like the sound of the Gretsch in your video... which says something.
I noticed you didn’t mention used. I bought a Ludwig Element Evolution kick(20) three toms(10,12,14) with a 1979 14” acrolite snare, upgraded hardware and upgraded cymbals(Zildjian “S”), for $425. The guy I got it from had a drummer friend tell him what to get. So this is what he ordered back when he started. He lost interest, joined the Navy, and was selling stuff he didn’t need.
Thanks for this! Im starting a band and im the drummer, so i really need something thats cheap and sounds good.
How’s it going?
I feel this. I have the Imperialstar. And I love the sound of it.
I’ve been playing a Ludwig accent combo kit for the past 4 years. After experimenting with a whole bunch of head combinations I finally settled on coated ambassador vintage as batters, and Evans clear hydraulics on the reso side for the toms. Sounds kinda crazy but even Neil Peart used hydraulics as resonant heads. Both heads tuned medium low give a nice warm, punchy sound. For the kick I used a blue hydraulic on the batter side and a pillow for muffling. Paired with an acrolite snare and good cymbals the whole kit’s great!
I'm getting my son his first kit and it's a Ludwig breakbeats. I'm a Ludwig guy, I play a Classic maple kit and it's by far my favorite kit that I've ever owned, and being a "Ludwig guy" my son simply wanted a Ludwig kit hence the breakbeats. They sound really good with good heads and are perfect for a 7 y/o or older.
I have an $899 Sonor kits with a mix of cymbals including Paiste, Wuhan and Zildjan. I've even got a trashy little cymbal I bought from TEMU...it rocks!
UPS just dropped off my 4-piece Pearl Roadshow set this morning. After doing my online shopping comparisons and watching TH-cam reviews I went with the Roadshow kit because it has all the hardware/stands/cymbals/throne etc included. Will be ready to channel my inner Ringo once this thing is set up.
Now I know what a good sound is and what a bad sound is regarding drums.
Best drum video on You Tube so far.
thank you so much for that! I wish you would go more into the heads on the different drums.
On my shopping list it's a Mapex armory kit. That will be my first acoustic drum kit
I use my Mapex Tornado drum kit for just 450 $ and it sound amazing! I change all hardware with Tama and DW 5700 series cymbal stands,Tama Iron Cobra 600 double bass pedal and i change all cymbals with Zildjian S rock series. Now i can say i have more than professional drum kit for live concerts and for reherseals too! Remember,good drummer can play on every kit,even for kids lol
It is a great option, I have those drums and they sound amazing ... with some good drumheads, they sound probably better than some tamas or pearls in that price range ($ 1,400 dollars here in Ecuador) .. greetings!
I put Remo emperor clears (like the ones on the Renowns)...on my Armory...they sound really great!
The Armory is an excellent kit for the price. You won't be disappointed!
Of my very limited experience with Mapex drums, I would buy a kit with NO HESITATION WHATSOEVER! My Mapex Deluxe Maple snare drum is right up among my favourite five snare drums, in a collection that includes a Tama mahogany Superstar, a steel Kingbeat and a CoB Sonor Phil Rudd Signature!
He’s right, I bought a pdp x-7, I replaced all the the heads and it sounds awesome
I’m willing to sacrifice smaller toms but not willing to sacrifice my 22by 18 bass drum ive always loved the boomy sound of 22 bass drums . I bought a Tama superstar classic maple drumset for 1000 $ quite happy with those and it’s a 7 piece I like the option of 5 toms and my beloved 22 by 18 bass drum .my Tom sizes are 8 , 10 , 12 , 14 , 16 and 14 in snare .I’m not a beginner drummer though I’ve been playing drums for 21 years.
I have, and have had, bass drums in different depths and my FAVOURITE, without a moment’s hesitation is my 22 x 14”!
It has a Remo Powerstroke 3, with a Fallam patch on the batter side and a Remo Ambassador, with a 5” hole near the rim.
No other muffling!
One of these days, I’ll get around to buying another Ambassador reso head for it and put the hole in the middle, to see what difference hole placement makes…. Some comment that the drum is a little boomy, which in isolation it might even be but when the band starts to play, that boom vanishes and the drum sounds AWESOME!
Great video Stephen! Have you considered having the bearing edges recut on your original Ludwig kit? It may be more trouble than it's worth but it would definitely improve the set.
Really nice heads and playing will make cheap sound much less cheap. Remo Emperors made my heaps of shit sound nice :)
Absolutely correct...
True! Some nice heads give a drumset a new air.
Acoustic drum sets now are so much better than in years past..on a value per dollar basis the 'economy/starter' drum kits now available from the major manufacturers are miles ahead of the 'economy' level kits from just 25 years ago. I find the key difference in 'economy' versus high-end kits generally is the quality of the included hardware. There are so many variables involved: proper head selection is key to good drum sound. One of the best acoustic drum sets I ever played on was a Sonor 'Force 2001' in jazz/fusion drum sizes and that kit was considered a 'low/medium' kit in Sonor's line at the time. I have a Ddrum 'SE Flyer' bop kit and that kit just sounds killer, and it's price point is in the 'beginner/economy' category. The point is; with today's selection there is no reason for a beginner or a drummer on a budget to not be able to get really good sounding drums.
What are the drum depths? You never stated what they are. Makes a big difference :)
Thanks, I’m currently on the 400 dollar kits, and I was wondering what more money will get me, the 400 dollar ones sound fine. I have looked at shell packs for about 1500, happy to hear that’s a good ballpark to stay within, for when I want to upgrade.
I see that I’m late to the party…I hope that someone advised you to buy USED?
What you buy in-the-box new has already lost 60+% of its value even as the shop assistant is ringing up your purchase! What you buy used, you can expect to sell for what you paid for it! My most recent kit purchase would EASILY cost me FOUR TIMES what I paid to buy new!
Thanks good video. I’m looking at my first drum set and kinda set on something I can grow into.
I’ve played mainly concert band and marching band percussion so this helps
I bought a used pearl masters studio shell pack about 10 years ago for a little over $1000. The kit still sounds and looks amazing to this day, and I've gotten many complements from other musicians about it over the years to affirm that fact.
What is the difference between less expensive, softer Asian maple and more expensive North American hard rock maple? Is the sound worth the extra money?
I've wondered about the shells too. Like, how much of a difference do they make..?
Ok he just said size has more to do with sound than the wood.
Bought my dw design four piece for 999. And it sounds great.
I bought a PDP Spectrum drum set for $350. I love it.🤘👽✌
Do a little research and check out el listo de Craig. My two current kits were purchased on CL: a gold sparkle Tama Starclassic (made in Japan) 22, 14, 12, 10 for $400 (price a new 4 piece Starclassic shell pack!) and a 1960s Majestic Deluxe (made by Star which was pre Tama) 20, 14, 13, 12, and 14 matching snare for $360. I have the matching Starclassic snare, but the Majestic snare actually blows it away. Bearing edges, good heads (if you buy a brand new beginner kit, tack on $100 plus for new heads immediately), and good tuning is what it's all about. A vintage made in Japan Tama Rockstar or Ludwig Rocker kit made in Monroe, NC won't set you back too much and you'll probably be able to sell it later for about what you paid for it. The same will not be true of the made in China new stuff.
I bought the Ludwig Accent about two years ago. It was the most complete kit I could find for the $400.
Try PDP wood hoop Bebop drum set or Gretsch Catalina maple Yamaha stage custom, Tama Superstar Maple kits all used are great value and a great price. Great mid-level kits I've also seen used Renown kits for under $1,000
Lots to see in the used Market
A year-and-a-half ago I picked up PDP 7 piece custom maple shell pack pearl white finish for a grand. Swapped out the factory heads 4 Remo pinstripes. Remo white coat on the snare. I wonder do you think I got a good deal? Also picked up a Zildjian a custom brilliant cymbal pack. PDP Hardware all around and DW 3000 Series double kick pedal. I would like to get a better sound out of them I think. I am not recorded with them so I don't know how they really sound.
Have to say the brake beats kit sounded by far the best
I feel like my renowns were worth every penny and also have their own unique vibe while sounding great at the same time(modern with some hints of that vintage gretsch sound at the same time) and that can't be said about a lot of kits in the price range where lot of the competitors sound similar to eachother. just my stupid opinion of course.
I love my PDP Concept Maple Series 7 peice drums in Royal Blue To Black Burst. I don't want to upgrade the drums because I love them drums.
7 pieces are great aren’t they ? I’ve got the tama superstar classic 7 piece maple set
I think drum heads and tuning have a bigger impact than a 700 pound set, which for most people is pushing it. Tune your drums well and use decent heads and you'll be fine. No need to buy a gold plated drumset.
Thank you dude!
New drummer here so I dont know my behind from a hole in the ground, but it seems like every video I ever see folks replace the heads with evans heads, even new drums which makes them sound like a different drum set all together. Makes me wonder if one cant just buy a first act kit off amazon and change the heads and play like a winner lol
Thank you Ray Romano!
What do you consider smaller drums? I haven't played drums since high schools band.
I love my Yamaha stage custom drums
What do you think of the hardware on the Gretsch Renown? I’ve always been a big lover of the Maple Renown tone with their larger sizes: 24” kick, 16” floor, 13” rack, but I noticed quite a bit of extra weight with the floor tom legs and the kick spurs felt kinda cheap to me? And that the rack mount system cannot be removed without some ugly holes on the lugs.
1:14 sneaky little cherub rock intro groove eh?
Pearl Maple Decade are awesome and they don't cost a lot. Around a grand I think.
That is what I have and have been extremely pleased. A great sweet spot.
I like mine, but my only complaint is that the drums detune very quickly. Maybe I just got a dud, but the tuning rods don't stay tightened without some sort of tension keepers on them. Frustrating but I'm otherwise pleased with the kit. Have either of you experienced that?
@@drummerblade I also have had a few rods loosen. Not sure why. Seems to happen infrequently now, but initially did require a good bit of tightening. My only guess is that with time it settled in.
Does this has anything to do with the lugs?
@@razifraship Yeah I think so I think the lugs just aren't good. This goes for about $600-$800 brand new, which is low for a maple kit, so I think they used pretty low-quality hardware to get it to that price.
Another factor into consideration is that smaller drums require less material which means that more money can be spend on the quality of the sound.
What is a good starter highhat or budget?
Some great advice thanks 👍🏻🇬🇧 I like kit 2
I went with the Roland Td1Dmkx with a speed cobra. It's cheaper then a full kit, with hardware, and cymbals, and pedal, and throne.
Those diecast hoops on the garage also make a difference
What are your thoughts on Pearl Decade Maple? Low price for maple. Cost less than USD1k, below your proposed range USD1.2k to USD2k...
My question is why does it have to be a DW kit with an x on it? Why not a Sonor SQ2 they’re only about 9 grand compared to 3,500 for a standard collectors kit.
What are the sizes of the Gretsch?
Is the hardware with the breakbeats included?
Spend more money on cymbals and a good snare. That alone can take a $400 kit with good heads, sound amazing
Is that the original accent combo finish?
My drum set was about $800-900 I feel like that’s as much as someone should spend if they’re not playing professionally?
Are electric drum worth buy.. Do they sound like acoustic Or it's just feel like artificial sound?
not all electric drums sound the artificial but yes you can tell, if your wanting a drum for gigs with an authentic sound get acoustic drums but if your practicing at home and cant play too loud electric is perfect, although if you get some headphones hooked up to your electric drums and its a pretty nice kit then it should feel pretty real if your just jamming, but it depends what you need the drums for.
Ludwig break beat seem to be great drums!
Ludwig is in my opinion the best way to get in to drums in an affordable way
You got to remember that pieces of plywood and countertops are most of the time not completely level or plum
Why is your right hand hitting the stick against your legs at 5:09
my bet is to break up a slower rhythm into faster notes one of which is silent on his leg
yes a real video honest thank you
i love big drums and need affordable ones help
Teach me Drum Yoda!!!
oh my goodnes gracious. wich drumset you use depents on so many factors and aspects that you need over 100 hours of film material to explain everything thats needed but 100 hours are not enough. maybe 200 hours would be ok if you need to explain every aspect and factor, and that is absolutely no joke. and i am not kidding. there are over hundrets of aspects and factors that interact with each other. thatd need to be considered when you buy a drumset.
Set aside a budget for proper heads aside first. Then pick a kit based on hardware quality. Bearing edges can be recut if necessary. Tone wood matters less and probably not even relevant since your taste hasn't developed yet. Pearl Export is time proven to be reliable.
Yes, quality heads, cymbals and hardware should be ahead of high dollar shells. All those things can be transferred to better shells down the road anyway.
Budget shells can be made to sound great if they're made correctly, so most of my money goes to the snare and cymbals.
yamaha stage custom all the way. if i could go back and do it again i would’ve bought one instead of a rydeen as my first kit. marginally more expensive than entry level kits but significantly better sounding/looking. get the bearing edges professionally re-cut and you’re set for a lifetime
Hi Stephen! I expected you to start this video with: "an expensive drumkit will not make you a better drummer!!" 😂
I think good drumheads make a cheap drumkit sound like a pro one.. What do you think? Ciao! Luca from Italy
I’ve always said, if you NEED a $10,000 kit, the manufacturers will be knocking down your door to GIVE YOU ONE!
Did you take the wrap off the Ludwig Accent?
All begins from a Good snare an decent cymbals .
3
The first thing you should even mention is the composition of the drums. Second of all, the size. Third, the heads. Lastly, you should of discussed the cymbals. You were playing crap with the first two Ludwig and K customs with the Gretsch. Be honest in your reviews with the sounds you make and how you made them.
great
I love music I learned guitar drums are next lol
Yeah you can spend 400 or 10000 or 30000- that's the beauty of America, and drums you can almost infinitely customize and create new drum sets.