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Purchasing a Drum Set
The point of this section is to give the consumer a guide as to where certain drum-makers' lines fall in the overall hierarchy of price and quality. It is not a which set is better than which. Some of these drumsets may not be available in all countries around the globe.
Drumsets
Sub-Entry Level Drumsets -
Sets
in this category often fall below $350 [£275] (street price). They
often come in the standard 5-piece configuration (12", 13", and 16"
toms, 14" snare, 22" bass) with cheap hardware, often a hi-hat stand, a
straight cymbal stand, a throne, and occasionally brass cymbals. These
drumsets are good for new students under 10 years of age where the
level of commitment may not be as high as that of someone older or with
a more refined ear. They have a mid-range sound and benefit from
two-ply batter heads. These drums have poor bearing edges, poor stock
heads, wrinkled plastic wraps, sticky lugs, and bad resale value.
- CB700/CB Maxx by Kaman Music (CB Music)
- Peace
- TKO
- Rockwood
- Atomic
Note:
Chances are a set is sub-entry level if it’s made in Taiwan (or a
similar low-grade manufacturing country), the sales person cannot
identify the wood (select hardwood is not good wood), and/or if it’s
low-grade mahogany (a.k.a. lauan). The hardware packaged with these
sets is cheap; although it is sometimes double-braced, flimsy looking
hardware is flimsy.
Entry Level Drumsets
These
kits are excellent choices for people 10-15 years of age or for those
who do not have the $500 [£350](or desire to spend that money) on a
student level kit. Often made of lauan, single-braced hardware comes
pre-packaged and they are found mostly in the standard 5-piece
configuration but manufacturers such as Pearl and Premier are now
offering jazz size kits. "Jazz" kits often have 12" and 14" toms, a 14"
snare, and an 18" or 20" bass. The jazz configuration is good for
smaller players or those who desire a higher-pitched sound. Cymbals are
rarely found packaged with these sets. Again, 2-ply batter heads help
alleviate the mid-range sound of these kits.
- Forum by Pearl
- Swingstar by Tama
- Cabria by Premier
- Accent by Ludwig
- Venus by Mapex
- DB by Yamaha
- Sunlite Brand
Student Level Drumsets
Drumsets
in this class are some of the best selling models. They are good for
ages 10 and up and make an excellent choice for adults who used to drum
as kids, stopped playing for many years, and have decided to take up
the instrument again. Shell kits (just the drums, no hardware) can be
found for $400 [£275] and $600-$800 [£400- £550]with hardware,
depending on configuration choices. Again, the standard 5-piece is most
common but fusion kits (10", 12", and 14" toms, 14" snare, 20"-22"
bass), jazz kits, and 4-piece kits (10"-13" rack tom, 14"-16" floor
tom, 14" snare, 20"-22" bass) are sold in pre-packaged kits as well.
The
quality improvement of these drums over entry-level kits is remarkable
and their higher price is justified. The feature sturdier hardware,
better wraps, and better shells. Some manufacturers offer their
student-level kits in a "deluxe" style model as well. These "deluxe"
models often feature upgrades such as a wood shell snare drum, lacquer
finishes, and suspension mounted toms.
- Rockstar by Tama
- Rockstar Custom by Tama
- Export by Pearl
- Export Select by Pearl
- XPK by Premier
- Stage Custom by Yamaha
- Mars by Mapex
- Mars Custom by Mapex
- Rocker by Ludwig
- Rocker Elite by Ludwig
Semi-Pro Drumsets
The
semi-pro level of drums are the happy medium between pro and student
level sets. It is at this level that bearing edges are pretty good
(perfect is a term I’d rather not use), lugs stop sticking, and more
professional woods are used. These sets can vary in price from $800
[£550] for shell packs to $1600 [£1100]for complete sets. Pre-packaged
sets are available in 4 and 5 piece sets, in standard, jazz, and fusion
configurations. The separate components available in this level are
greater too, featuring less popular sizes such as 8" and 15" toms.
These kits can also come with lacquer or wrapped finishes, suspension
mounts, and brass snare drums. At this point, drums lose that mid-range
sound that is common to cheaper models, providing the player a greater
choice of suitable heads.
- Sonic Plus II by Sonor
- Session by Pearl
- Prestige Session by Pearl
- Prestige Session Select by Pearl
- ArtStar Esprit by Tama
- Rocker Pro by Ludwig
Mass-Produced Pro Drumsets
This
type of pro set is a type of kit that is mass-produced by one of the
large drum makers. Most feature shells made of one tone wood,
suspension mounted toms, wood snare drums, lacquer finishes, and a wide
choice of options. Shell kits at this level can start at around $1200
[£800] with pre-packaged sets going as high $4000 [£2750]. The hardware
that comes with these kits is top of the line; double-chain drive bass
drum pedals, double-braced hardware, and low-mass lugs, among other
things. Manufacturers make many different types of pro drums, with the
series differing by wood type and shell thickness, among other things.
These drums are played by many professional and amateur players, from
basements to arenas. The player can use any type of heads he wishes but
many opt for more "open" sounding heads such as one-ply, dot, and
non-dampened two-ply. They make that choice because the overtones
produced by these drums are often more pleasant than cheaper drums.
- Signia Marquis by Premier
- Signia by Premier
- Genista by Premier
- S-Class by Sonor
- Workshop Series by Drum Workshop
- Classic Series by Ludwig
- Vintage Series by Ludwig
- Drumsmith by Ayotte
- Beech Custom by Yamaha
- Maple Custom by Yamaha
- Recording Custom by Yamaha
- Birch Custom Absolute by Yamaha
- Maple Custom Absolute by Yamaha
- Masters Custom by Pearl
- Masters Studio by Pearl
- Saturn by Mapex
- Orion by Mapex
- ArtStar Custom by Tama
- Starclassic Maple by Tama
- Starclassic Performer by Tama
Pro Drumsets
Drums
like these are at the top of their game. The best hardware, the best
shells, the best quality, the best attention to detail; these are the
things you find in a professional set. Drums in this range can be had
in almost any finish, any thickness, and any size. The price tag on
these starts at approximately $2000 [£1300] with the sky as the limit.
Are you a drummer who just won the lottery? These are the drums for
you.Spaun
- Collector’s Series by Drum Workshop
- Custom Series by Ayotte
- Fibes
- Designer Series by Sonor
- Masterworks by Pearl
- Gretsch
- Slingerland
Cymbals
Sub-Entry Level Cymbals
Cymbals
in this range are usually not made of bronze, the alloy of choice for
cymbals. They are usually found with sub-entry level kits.
- 302 and 402 by Paiste
- Solar Brand
- Pearl Cymbals
Entry Level Cymbals
Entry
level cymbals have come a long way. Most are made of B8/CuSn8 (92%
Copper, 8% Tin) bronze alloy and have a pretty good choice of models.
Gone are the days of just having 14" hi-hats, 16" crashes, and 20"
rides. Entry level cymbal lines of today include effects models such as
splashes and chinas, rock weight cymbals, and a myriad of sizes. On the
downside, these cymbals tend to crack a lot. These should be the
cymbals you buy for your kid with his first set.
- ZBT by Zildjian
- B8 by Sabian
- 502 by Paiste
Student Level Cymbals
Cymbals
in this range break less than their cheaper counterparts. A wider range
of models are offered and some lines are offered in brilliant finish. A
better choice for a first set of cymbals, but if you are upgrading from
cheaper ones, skip this level-your money is better spent higher in the
spectrum. Again, the B8 alloy is popular.
- B8Pro by Sabian
- ZBT Plus by Zildjian
- 802 by Paiste
*Note:
Pretty much all of the cymbals above the student level can be
considered pro cymbals. I’ll group pro cymbals by the application they
are typically used for. Understand though, that the following groupings
are not carved in stone and it is up to the player to decide what type
of cymbals they want to use. I am just grouping them by possible
application and your mileage may vary.
- Professional Level Cymbals
- Rock Cymbals
- These cymbals are made to cut through the music, excelling in high volume situations and gigs where bright cymbals are desired.
- 2002 by Paiste
- Pro by Sabian
- Z Custom by Zildjian
- Edge by Zildjian
Multi-Application Cymbals
The
cymbals in this grouping are the most versatile cymbals offered. They
excel in most styles of music and their lines usually offer the
greatest choice to drummers.
- Avedis (A) by Zildjian
- A Custom by Zildjian
- AA by Sabian
- AAX by Sabian
- Alpha by Paiste
- Sound Formula by Paiste
- Signature by Paiste
- Visions by Paiste
Jazz Cymbals
Cymbals in this classification are characterized by dry sounds,
low pitches, and thin weights, all of which lend themselves to jazz
music. These also happen to be the most expensive of all cymbals, which
is puzzling because jazz musicians aren’t known for their fat wallets.
:p
- Hand Hammered (HH) by Sabian
- Traditionals by Paiste
- Kerope (K) by Zildjian
- K Custom by Zildjian
- K Constantinople by Zildjian
- Bosphorus Brand
- Istanbul Brand
This drivel was churned out by strat81, . If you don’t like it, bite me. ©Rich Ballas.
All content is intended to be a subjective guide only , however any opinions expressed are those of the author only
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