Cheap drums

[lumpy]

I have been reading the cheap guitar thread with mild interest, being I am only a mild guitarist at best, and wondered if the same holds true for cheap drums. Having owned a couple of cheap kits I figured I'd start a similar thread for us drummers.

Because a drum is an accoustic instrument it's sound relies on the grade of wood it is constructed from. There are many good starter kits out there with name brands on the bass drum head that sound pretty decent, especially when compared to similar priced kits from 10 - 15 years ago. The quality is there, but I wouldn't take a starter kit on the road for an extended period. In most live situations a Pearl Export type kit will sound fine. I think it's when a drummer advances their skills and starts to dabble in recording that the move to a decent maple or birch kit becomes necessary.

To me price is not a factor in the sound quality of a drum kit. I hear the stringheads discuss the pros and cons of PRS. In my opinion the PRS of the drum world is DW.

I really wish there was such a thing as the entry level kits that Pearl, Tama, and especially Yamaha offer these days when I started playing.

Lump

[randy]

That's no shit man, I paid almost a grand for a new crappy Pearl Forum kit back in 96 (my first set, awww) w/some hardware, HH's, and a cymbal, but still...that's too much money. You can buy that kit now for probably $350.

I agree about the PRS/DW comparison. Definitely top of the line drums. I'm still on Tama's, but will hopefully someday, afford the upgrade.

Pacific makes pretty good drums, of course they're made from the same people who do DW drums. Fairly cheap sets. Mapex as well. But yeah, definitely maple or birch is what all the pro's use.

[brandondrury]

A bunch of big boys recommended the Pacific drums. The downside is the hardware is cheaper. They said the shells and such were the same as the high end DW drums. In a studio situation, the hardware wouldn't be an issue anyway. I've been wanting to pick up a Pacifica for a whlie now.

I recorded a PEACE drumset. The name is terrible, but the guy said it was $500 (I think) and it sounds damn good both live and in the studio. It was very easy to make that kit work.

Brandon

[heller_benjamin]

The problem with some of the cheap stuff is when the pedals are crap it is really hard to play. The school finally got some cymbals and crap that was missing for their drumset, but the pedals sucks. I'm trying to get the guy who "borrowed" it to bring it back.

[Ronan Chris Murphy]

Two Years ago a buddy left a cheapo Tama Rock star kit at my studio and it gets used on tons fo records. It sounds really great.

[DogpitStudios]

Originally Posted by Ronan Chris Murphy

Two Years ago a buddy left a cheapo Tama Rock star kit at my studio and it gets used on tons fo records. It sounds really great.

I've been playing a rock star for years now. Although it's getting a bit banged up it stil sounds as good as the day I got it. And It has handled a lot of show movement. Wasn't cheap when i got it, but the price has gone signifacantly down i believe.

Ben

[DogpitStudios]

Oh wait they dont make the rock star anymore do they?

Well you can still pick one up used or maybe even new somewhere.

Ben

[randy]

Sure, they still make the Rockstar kits. I have one also, bought just last year through Sam Ash. A Tama Rockstar Custom for $600. Great charcoal black finish. Not a bad price.

Has anybody ever played on a Tama Artstar?????

[brandondrury]

Has anybody ever played on a Tama Artstar?

I recently met a drummer who was signed to Island records with his band, "Greenwheel".

He had some Japanese made Artstar snare drum and it had to be the most explosive thing I've ever heard. The drummer was pretty much the model modern rock drummer (he'd been through major label bootcamp) and that certainly didn't hurt.

Brandon

[lumpy]

Tama's Artstar series is not cheap! Tama's Imperialstar series were the drums to have if you were a metal drummer back in the 80's. I like Tama for rock.

I think my DW/PRS comment was misinterpreted. What I meant was that like PRS guitars, DW drums are overrated and overpriced.

The Pacific line is marketed by DW, kinda like Squire is to Fender. Pacific just introduced a new line of hi-hat stands and bass drum pedals that are supposed to be the shit. But Modern Drummer always spooges all over anything that carries the DW monkier.

I'm not saying DW's product is crap, just that there are other products out there that compare very favorably to DW's in sound and most definately value.

Lump