Hi! this is my first post!
So I've been playing drums for a couple months now, been playing on other people's kits, and I decided it's about time I bought my own. I've done some research, and played on a few kits, but I'm having the HARDEST time deciding which kit to buy... maybe some of you guys could help me? haha.
I've been playing bass guitar for about 3 years, I play a little piano and guitar too. I guess you could say I know my way around when it comes to music in general, lol, so I have a general idea of what I want my kit to be like, though I only have had a few short months experience with drums. I play (bass) in a band, so I would really like something that sounds good on stage, and then at the same time would sound good in a studio when we start trying to record later on. I know that's a little much to ask of a kit, but I'm gonna give it a shot, haha.
Here is basically what I've narrowed my search down to...
Yamaha Oak Custom Fusion 4-Piece Shell Pack with 16" Floor Tom and more Complete Drum Sets at GuitarCenter.com.
Yamaha Oak Custom
I found a decent price on this kit, I would be able to get what you see in the link, 10 and 12 inch toms, and a 16 inch floor tom. I would also get a 14x12 mounted tom if I ordered this kit. My brother-in-law really likes this kit, and he assures me that it sounds really great, he says it has one of the best kicks he's ever heard. I've never actually even seen one in real life though, and would really like to hear it for myself. I really like the idea of having a virgin bass drum though too, and I actually was planning on custom ordering this kit with the virgin bass, up until I found out it would result a pretty major increase in price. Now I'm reconsidering, haha.
Gretsch Drums Renown Maple Fusion Shell Pack with Free 8 Tom and more Complete Drum Sets at GuitarCenter.com.
Gretsch Renown Maple
I found a good price for this kit just today, which is in part why I'm reconsidering purchasing the yamaha oak custom kit. I would like to get a 16x16 tom with my kit, so I'd have to order one of those too if I went with this kit. I've actually seen and played this one, and it was a gorgeous kit, sounded decent, and it came with a virgin bass drum too, which I really liked. I think I would be satisfied with this one, but I would really like to know how it compares to the yamaha oak custom a little more. I heard that the quality of the craftsmanship of gretsch's shells isn't as high as others though, and that might worry me a little.
Pearl SMX-924HP 4-Piece Shell Pack Drum Set and more Complete Drum Sets at GuitarCenter.com.
Pearl Sessions Series
I also found a decent price on this kit. Same as with the Gretsch kit, I would have to get myself a 16x16 floor tom if I went with this one. So far I'm not entirely too impressed with pearls hardware though, not as easy to work with as gretsch or yamaha. No virgin bass drum either. Really the only reason I think I'm still considering this set is because of Pearls good reputation, and I know the set at least sounds decent. Not knowing how it sounds is what still is bothering me about the Yamaha Oak Custom, haha.
Pacific Drums by DW MXR 6-Piece Shell Pack and more Complete Drum Sets at GuitarCenter.com.
Pacific Drums MXR (or the CXR kit, basically the same)
This kit has basically every tom size I'm looking for standard. It's got a virgin bass drum, which as I said before is appealing to me. I know that PDP is considered a "budget brand" though, and that kinda worries me. Some people think they are built really well and sound good though, so I dont know.
I also really like the overall design of the Gibraltar racks, and I do want to get a rack, either in the future or with this kit. I know that Gretsch tends to use Gibraltar hardware, so that could be another reason to go for the gretsch renown kit. These are all pretty nice kits, but I would go for something more professional if I had a little more cash, I guess I'm still a beginner at drums though so whatever. Sometimes I wish I was a millionaire, haha...
So what do you guys think? What kit should I go for? How DOES the yamaha oak custom sound? Which kit would serve me well on stage? in the studio? or both? Am I just being TOO picky about my first kit? hahaha.
Thanks to whoever can give me some advice!
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