Advice on buying new set

don11817 · #11 (**permalink**) 01-03-2009, 01:16 AM

Decent entry-intermediate level drums (above the level of the Coda drums your son currently has) will run in the $500-800 range. I've been watching ebay and Craigslist in my area a lot as I am also in the market for a new set and I've become very familiar with most of the kits out there. I've also visited local drum shops and played some of the sets to hear and touch trying to be a better informed buyer.

So, in my humble opinion, the best bang for the buck if you are looking at new drums are as follows:

1. Mapex Pro M series. Maple or Birch and they make rock or fusion kits (rock is usually larger diameter toms with deeper shells while fusion is shallower smaller diameter shells). They have kits with 5 or 6 pieces and most shops are throwing in a extra piece, either a smaller 8" tom or a snare drum depending on the kit. They sound great, and the fusion sizes have nice tone. The hardware is decent for the price, looks and feels strong. Brand new full kits are around $750- 800 which is a heck of deal in my opinion for what you actually get.

2. Sonor 3000 series. Sonor makes serious drums--even their entry level kits are comparable to the Ludwig mid-level kits in the shell quality, hardware and sound. I don't think you can go wrong really with Sonor just about anything...

3. Pacific Drums and Percussion or PDP OR Pacific by DW Wish they'd choose a name lol... A entry to intermediate level kit made by DW, the PDP drums have decent hardware and great shells. The higher level PDP Platinum series are getting a lot of acclaim for their sound quality and hardware upgrade, closer to DW's famous quality. But, the higher end kits are a bit more expensive running in the $1000 to $1500 range depending on the configuration and the finishes used, but there are lower level drums as well, in the $500 to $800 range.

4. Gretsch Catalina series. They have decent sound, offer a wide range of configurations and have decent hardware for the price. The finishes are very pretty as well, the shells are available in Maple, a warmer, darker sounding shell or Birch, a brighter, louder sounding shell. Haven't seen many deals on these, expect to pay around $650 to $1000 depending on the configuration etc.

Ludwig hasn't impressed me much in the entry to mid-level drums. Their stuff is along the lines of the Coda drums in my opinion, very very beginner-based.

Tama's Swingstar sets just look, well, kinda cheap. The hardware is mostly ok looking if you get the double-braced legs, heavier duty stands etc, but the overall feel and sound is just OK... My opinion.

Pearl's Forum sets are a step down from their previous Export series, which boggles my mind as the exports were a great selling kit and offered a entry to mid-level drummer some options and a decent sound with new heads and some tuning. I'd say they are not much if any better than your Coda drums now...

No matter what, keep in mind that you can tweak the sound of most drums with new heads and some tuning, moongels for excessive ring. At mid level, Cymbals are mostly what make the sound, and you can't really tweak them much to make them sound better so they are probably next on the list....

Sabian cymbals are less expensive than Zildjian in most cases and they sound pretty decent especially once you get into the AA, HH and AAX series... Food for thought.

Hope I didn't overwhelm you with info, but some things can't be said a few words....

slingerland · #12 (**permalink**) 01-03-2009, 06:57 AM

To don11817 you sent me a list of drum sets that you have been checking out. Then you mentioned the set of coda drums my son currently has, I don't know where you get your information from but my son plays bass guitar I play drums and I don't know anything about coda drums. As far as the other sets you mentioned I hope you find what your looking for, you might want to check out some yamaha sets alot of pro's have gone with them. GOOD LUCK
SLINGERLAND

don11817 · #13 (**permalink**) 01-03-2009, 12:27 PM

Slingerland-- the OP said his son has a Coda set, that's who I was referring to, sorry if it was confusing... I was tryibng to give the OP a list of some of the entry to mid level kits as he said his son was ready to move up and he wanted to find a nice set that fit his budget...

As for the Yamaha drums, I agree, manu Katche, Carter Beauford, Dave Weckl, I mean the list is huge of drummers using them, but the pro-level sets are seriously expensive. What I personally want is a DW-level kit, maybe a Yamaha Recording series, and I've been looking into smaller custom shops as I don't want to spend my kid's college fund to get a kit lol.... I already have over $6k invested in a Roland V-kit and accessories but I need a pro-level acoustic kit, cyms and hardware for the music I'm doing live.

Talk to ya later

slingerland59 · #14 (**permalink**) 01-04-2009, 12:52 AM

Thanks for sharing all your research and thoughts, don11817. The person who originally started this thread would be long gone (post was in 2006), but there are many of us who are still in the market for new drums. I for one like hearing the critiques.

So if you skip up into the more professional kits, your preference is DW? What about Craviotto or Pork Pie?

slingerland · #15 (**permalink**) 01-04-2009, 01:14 AM

To Slingerland 59 I Don't Know Very Much About Pork Pie And Craviotto As Far As I Know Only Makes Snare Drums. Pretty Soon I'll Be Looking For A New Set It Will Be Either Dw Or A Custom Brand You Probably Never Heard Of Them, Look Them Up The Co. Is Drumwerx.com They Make Some Great Sounding And Looking Sets With All Different Types Of Wood. Check It Out Yourself. Slingerland

don11817 · #16 (**permalink**) 01-04-2009, 07:51 PM

DW was just a reference to the quality level (most people associate DW with a pro level kit). But, I've been looking at custom drum makers because they use hi-end shells like Keller (usually) and hi-end hardware or the hardware of your choice in most cases.

Paying for a name is just silly so I've been looking at these guys for my next kit:

Shine Custom Drums & Percussion

.

SJC ):. Custom Drums

Phattie Drums - Custom Handbuilt Drums and Percussion

http://medicinemandrums.com//

Keeping my options open, of course....

slingerland · #17 (**permalink**) 01-04-2009, 08:15 PM

don11817 I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR A CUSTOM CO. MYSELF AND WHAT I FOUND WAS THIS
Custom Drums | Drum Sets | Drum Kits THEY MAKE SOME GREAT LOOKING SETS AND THE DIFFERENT WOODS THEY USE YOU JUST CAN'T BEAT. LOOK THEM UP AND SEE FOR YOURSELF. BUT FIRST OF ALL REMEMBER YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT YOU CAN SPEND SOMETIMES IT'S BETTER TO WAIT AND SAVE AND GET WHAT YOU WANT THEN SETTLE FOR SOMETHING ELSE. THESE DAYS IF YOU KEEP A STEADY WATCH ON E-BAY YOU CAN GET THE DW DRUMS YOU WOULD WANT FOR ANYWHERE FROM $1,500-$2,500 NOW THAT'S NOT BAD. KEEP IN TOUCH SLINGERLAND

don11817 · #18 (**permalink**) 01-07-2009, 10:58 PM

Drumwerx is super expensive as far as I can tell. I live in Colorado, they're local to me and I've seen some of their kits on ebay and on the local Craigslist--anywhere from $4k up to $6k for a 6 piece kit.... No stands, no cymbals...

I put in a custom built order just to see how much they quote it at. If they are over 4k for it then they are double what I have been quoted elsewhere--I guess we'll see...