Looking to purchase drumset, don't trust any drummers irl

All instruments that aren't guitars (or bass guitars).
User avatar
jmurph
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 98
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 10:41 am
Location: smallville

Re: Looking to purchase drumset, don't trust any drummers irl

Post by jmurph » Tue Dec 03, 2019 8:52 pm

aai, I'm so sorry to hear that you're going through a difficult family period. You'll be in my prayers. Drums can certainly be therapeutic.

I've been playing drums for about 29 years (still can't believe it's been that long), so hopefully I can add a few things to consider. Somanytoys mentioned DW. I was blessed enough to get a couple of their kits back in the day (1997 and 2004). The '97 kit is nice. Honestly, the second kit was really disappointing. I told the VP about the problems when I met him and he blamed the store where I ordered it. In my opinion, the company has gotten so big and grossly overpriced that I'd never buy another. If I had the money and was given the choice between a new $4k DW or a $2k Gretsch or Yamaha, I'd go with Gretsch or Yamaha. That said, if you have the chance to get a mid to late 90's DW; those were amazing kits. One big downside to the maple DW kits is their tendency to ring a lot unless you use thick heads.

If you want to go the vintage route, I can't reccomend early 70's Slingerland kits enough. They're really versatile and have such a rich sound. Six months ago, I saw 3 pc kits (kick, tom, floor tom) going for $300. Alternatively, you could go for one of the brands that were imported from Japan in the 60's or 70's. They kind of have their own vibe/sound which may or may not be to your liking. The newer Ludwig Acrolite snares can be found for around $150. It's one of the best gear purchases I've made. Add to that some flush base stands and some carefully selected cymbals and you might come in a little under budget.

If you go for a newer kit, both the Gretsch Catalina & Yamaha Stage Custom were mentioned and they're both solid kits. One of my students has the Pearl Roadshow in the smaller jazz configuration. It's a cool little kit and while it tends to have a bit of a budget feel, I wouldn't hesitate to gig or record with it provided it had some decent heads in it. The sound is very controlled without sounding choked. The toms make themselves known, but the get out of the way instead of sustaining for 5 minutes. And the hi hat stand and bass pedal are surprising good considering the cost.
I haven't played one yet, but PDP makes the Daru Jones signature kit which seems pretty cool, if a bit overpriced. But it does come with hardware and bags.

As for cymbals, I totally agree that they can/will easily eat up half your budget. Yes, hollow logo Zildjians can be found for a good price if you seek them out. You may also want to check out the Zildjian City Pack. I have the Uptown Ride that's included in that in that pack and I love it. It's similar to (or the same as) the Breakbeat Ride that Phil Selway uses. The only downside is the bell is a bit small and can get lost in a loud band setting. Also, keep an eye out for used UFIP cymbals. Some of them sound incredible. They don't seem to be very popular here in the U.S., which may be to your benefit. I once got a used UFIP Ride for $75 or $80. I think it was running nearly $300 new at the time. They were definitely a bit of a sleeper brand for quite a while since most people go for Zildjian, Sabian or Paiste.

Hopefully that helps a little. I'm sorry if I rambled a bit, I tend to do that when I'm tired.

aai
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 202
Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:00 am
Location: Palo Alto, CA, US

Re: Looking to purchase drumset, don't trust any drummers irl

Post by aai » Wed Dec 04, 2019 10:23 am

Dok wrote:
Tue Nov 26, 2019 2:44 pm
Lamar Fandango wrote:
Mon Nov 25, 2019 9:57 pm
If your looking to buy new, I would look at the Gretsch Catalina series. There are too many configurations, but it sounds like you'd be happiest with the Catalina Club Jazz 4 piece kit. At $699 for the shells you'll be bumping up against your budget ceiling. Another $199 for a compact Sabian cymbal pack, and you've got only another $100 for stands, pedal and throne. But it's close to budget. I started out with garbage cymbals and replaced them over time. If your budget is a hard number, look for this same set used.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... lnut-glaze

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... inch-crash
Was going to suggest this or a Yamaha Stage Custom, which is what I ended up finding used for about $250. Get a Tunebot for tuning (seriously, do this if you've never tuned drums before, or even if you have) and your kit will sound AMAZING. Cymbals are up to personal taste and depends on if you will be doing much recording, but you should be able to get a good ride, crash, and hi-hats for another $2-300.

I don't know where you are in the midwest so I picked the most midwestern of all - check out this Stage Custom kit with drum mics and all hardware for $650! https://desmoines.craigslist.org/msg/d/ ... 85256.html You'd probably still want to upgrade some of those cymbals, but there are definitely lots of good options in your budget.
Hi Dok,

Thanks for finding this; I’m visiting this afternoon and if I like it I may have an affordable drum set!

Even though the shells are bigger than I’d like, it’s a heck of a lot of drum set for $650.

Cheers and I’ll update when I get back after I get it set up or if I get weird vibes and walk away empty handed, etc.

User avatar
Dok
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2225
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 10:39 pm
Location: Ojai

Re: Looking to purchase drumset, don't trust any drummers irl

Post by Dok » Wed Dec 04, 2019 11:41 am

Whoa, cool! I think you'd be very happy with that kit. Good luck!
Local milk person

aai
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 202
Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:00 am
Location: Palo Alto, CA, US

Re: Looking to purchase drumset, don't trust any drummers irl

Post by aai » Wed Dec 04, 2019 9:39 pm

jmurph wrote:
Tue Dec 03, 2019 8:52 pm
aai, I'm so sorry to hear that you're going through a difficult family period. You'll be in my prayers. Drums can certainly be therapeutic.

I've been playing drums for about 29 years (still can't believe it's been that long), so hopefully I can add a few things to consider. Somanytoys mentioned DW. I was blessed enough to get a couple of their kits back in the day (1997 and 2004). The '97 kit is nice. Honestly, the second kit was really disappointing. I told the VP about the problems when I met him and he blamed the store where I ordered it. In my opinion, the company has gotten so big and grossly overpriced that I'd never buy another. If I had the money and was given the choice between a new $4k DW or a $2k Gretsch or Yamaha, I'd go with Gretsch or Yamaha. That said, if you have the chance to get a mid to late 90's DW; those were amazing kits. One big downside to the maple DW kits is their tendency to ring a lot unless you use thick heads.

If you want to go the vintage route, I can't reccomend early 70's Slingerland kits enough. They're really versatile and have such a rich sound. Six months ago, I saw 3 pc kits (kick, tom, floor tom) going for $300. Alternatively, you could go for one of the brands that were imported from Japan in the 60's or 70's. They kind of have their own vibe/sound which may or may not be to your liking. The newer Ludwig Acrolite snares can be found for around $150. It's one of the best gear purchases I've made. Add to that some flush base stands and some carefully selected cymbals and you might come in a little under budget.

If you go for a newer kit, both the Gretsch Catalina & Yamaha Stage Custom were mentioned and they're both solid kits. One of my students has the Pearl Roadshow in the smaller jazz configuration. It's a cool little kit and while it tends to have a bit of a budget feel, I wouldn't hesitate to gig or record with it provided it had some decent heads in it. The sound is very controlled without sounding choked. The toms make themselves known, but the get out of the way instead of sustaining for 5 minutes. And the hi hat stand and bass pedal are surprising good considering the cost.
I haven't played one yet, but PDP makes the Daru Jones signature kit which seems pretty cool, if a bit overpriced. But it does come with hardware and bags.

As for cymbals, I totally agree that they can/will easily eat up half your budget. Yes, hollow logo Zildjians can be found for a good price if you seek them out. You may also want to check out the Zildjian City Pack. I have the Uptown Ride that's included in that in that pack and I love it. It's similar to (or the same as) the Breakbeat Ride that Phil Selway uses. The only downside is the bell is a bit small and can get lost in a loud band setting. Also, keep an eye out for used UFIP cymbals. Some of them sound incredible. They don't seem to be very popular here in the U.S., which may be to your benefit. I once got a used UFIP Ride for $75 or $80. I think it was running nearly $300 new at the time. They were definitely a bit of a sleeper brand for quite a while since most people go for Zildjian, Sabian or Paiste.

Hopefully that helps a little. I'm sorry if I rambled a bit, I tend to do that when I'm tired.
Thank you, jmurph. I will keep up the lookout. A long time ago, someone was selling a Slingerland kit here on OSG and I wish I would've had the physical space for it at that time. The world of drums and cymbals is so large, it's quite intimidating initially, but with your help and the others from this forum post, I have a much better idea of what to look for.

User avatar
takeittothemall
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 522
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 10:04 am

Re: Looking to purchase drumset, don't trust any drummers irl

Post by takeittothemall » Fri Dec 06, 2019 2:07 pm

Has anyone here ever used an IOS drum tuning app? Is Tune Bot a substantially better route?
great OSG deals with: ncarey13, skip.
great TGP deals with: drjoel, 12strings, Tim P, angrybandnerd, echobaseone, guitarpkr67, jcampbell331

User avatar
Dok
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2225
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 10:39 pm
Location: Ojai

Re: Looking to purchase drumset, don't trust any drummers irl

Post by Dok » Fri Dec 06, 2019 5:28 pm

Larry Mal wrote:
Sun Dec 01, 2019 12:49 pm
To Dok Des Moines is the most midwestern of all the places.

Iowa is beautiful, though.
What is MORE midwestern than Des Moines, Iowa? Milwaukee? Skokie? Ooh, what about Moline?
Local milk person

User avatar
Larry Mal
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 19673
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 4:25 pm
Location: Saint Louis, MO

Re: Looking to purchase drumset, don't trust any drummers irl

Post by Larry Mal » Fri Dec 06, 2019 9:03 pm

Beats me, Dok. But I guess I'm midwesterner enough to view those places as pretty different, not sure how they appear from Los Angeles.

One of them is the most segregated city in the nation, one of them is literally named after shit, and one of them has what has to be the highest percentage of Jews per capita in the nation.
Back in those days, everyone knew that if you were talking about Destiny's Child, you were talking about Beyonce, LaTavia, LeToya, and Larry.

User avatar
Dok
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2225
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 10:39 pm
Location: Ojai

Re: Looking to purchase drumset, don't trust any drummers irl

Post by Dok » Sat Dec 07, 2019 8:40 am

Larry Mal wrote:
Fri Dec 06, 2019 9:03 pm
Beats me, Dok. But I guess I'm midwesterner enough to view those places as pretty different, not sure how they appear from Los Angeles.

One of them is the most segregated city in the nation, one of them is literally named after shit, and one of them has what has to be the highest percentage of Jews per capita in the nation.
I was born in Michigan and lived there and in South Dakota until I was 27. All those things you mentioned sound pretty Midwestern to me! If you're gonna take issue with my little joke the least you could do is play along when I ask for an alternate candidate. :whistle:
Local milk person

User avatar
Larry Mal
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 19673
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 4:25 pm
Location: Saint Louis, MO

Re: Looking to purchase drumset, don't trust any drummers irl

Post by Larry Mal » Sat Dec 07, 2019 9:08 am

I'm not really taking issue or anything... just curious what made Des Moines be the most midwestern is all.

For the record, I do not think that St. Louis is the most midwestern of all, either.

And I wouldn't have nominated South Dakota... is that even the midwest? I've never been there.
Back in those days, everyone knew that if you were talking about Destiny's Child, you were talking about Beyonce, LaTavia, LeToya, and Larry.

User avatar
Dok
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2225
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 10:39 pm
Location: Ojai

Re: Looking to purchase drumset, don't trust any drummers irl

Post by Dok » Sat Dec 07, 2019 11:16 am

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midwester ... idwest.svg

I just picked what looked like the center.

This has really gotten out of hand.
Local milk person

User avatar
Larry Mal
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 19673
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 4:25 pm
Location: Saint Louis, MO

Re: Looking to purchase drumset, don't trust any drummers irl

Post by Larry Mal » Sat Dec 07, 2019 2:03 pm

Nah. Let's go with the population center of the US:

https://www.census.gov/2010census/data/ ... ation.html
Back in those days, everyone knew that if you were talking about Destiny's Child, you were talking about Beyonce, LaTavia, LeToya, and Larry.

User avatar
Lamar Fandango
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 222
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2015 2:58 pm

Re: Looking to purchase drumset, don't trust any drummers irl

Post by Lamar Fandango » Sat Dec 07, 2019 6:29 pm

I teach Geography. The midwest is a census region stretching from Ohio to North Dakota. But it's also a vernacular region, meaning it's whatever large numbers of people believe it to be, and that usually means a consensus around the obvious stuff and debates about the edges.

As an example, the "south" is a census region that includes Florida. But outside of the panhandle, the coasts of Florida where most of the population is are not very "southern". We always say you have to drive north to go to the South. David Dondero has a song called "South of the South." Then there's Texas. Is that really the south or more the west? And Maryland? C'mon!

I would expect midwesterners to have similar debates about what it means to be midwestern.

User avatar
postchrist
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 306
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 8:48 am

Re: Looking to purchase drumset, don't trust any drummers irl

Post by postchrist » Sat Dec 07, 2019 8:52 pm

some passing thoughts, apologies if any of this is redundant, have only skimmed the thread.

go cheap on the shells, you really don’t need to spend much. look out for old slingerland, rogers, etc - can be found dirt cheap at times. check that they’re round when you buy them. as far as cymbals, keep an eye out for cheap used hammered b20s you like the sound of. try to find two crashes to pair as hats, 13-16” crashes hold very little resale value and can make gorgeous thin hats. hats and a crash ride should do ya for the time being.

also if you’re open to piecing together an orphan kit, it can come together well on a budget. as far as snares, look out for a ludwig acrolite... reliable, sound great, parts are easily available if anything gets messed up.

just my $.02. i’ve played for about 12 years, feel free to reach out with any questions.
lying dog-faced pony soldier.

Post Reply