Most portable drumset

[Bad Drummer]

Hey guys,

I am starting to move my kit around a bit and it is such a PAIN! I loathe it, but I know it's something I have to get used to. However, I am looking for a new kit and I was wondering what the most portable kit out there is. I play both jazz and rock, so don't be afraid to mention something because it might be too "jazzy". Also, what are some ways you guys move stuff around quickly? How do you make it easier to move everything around?

Thanks a bunch,

Bad Drummer

[Rossy_j]

Hey you might want to check out the Yamaha Hipgig, there designed for easy transport.

There is the Rick Marotta (http://www.yamaha-europe.com/yamaha_europe/uk/10_musical_instruments/40_drums/10_drum_sets/10_drumsets/20_specials/10_rick_marotta_hipgig/index.html) model and the Al Foster (http://www.yamaha-europe.com/yamaha_europe/uk/10_musical_instruments/40_drums/10_drum_sets/10_drumsets/20_specials/20_al_foster_hipgig_sr/index.html) model. The Al Foster being larger sizes than the Rick Marotta. I haven't had any hands on experience with these, but i know they are regarded highly and Dave Weckl plays them on his smaller venues.

Hope this helps

R

[The popes love child]

You could try to get a good cocktail drumkit. You play them standing up and all the peices attach to a standing bass drum. There's also the "gig-box." I forget what it's called and can't find the link but it's a box that you position drums in, and play them through holes the size of the drum heads, really cool stuff.

[mind_drummer]

TAYE GOKIT (http://www.tayedrums.com/view_articles.php?article=GoKit&line=GoKit)

http://www.tayedrums.com/images/large/30202329_gokit-bs.jpg



PEARL RHYTHM TRAVELER (http://www.pearldrum.com/rt.asp)

http://www.pearldrum.com/drumset_percussion/rt/rtlive.jpg

YAMAHA HIPGIG (http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/List/ModelSeriesList/0,,CTID%253D211800%2526CNTYP%253D,00.html)

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/Images/Drums/Product/Enlarged/HG6T46RM_Enlarged.jpg

GRETSCH CATALINA CLUB JAZZ (http://www.gretschdrums.com/?fa=series&sid=531)

http://www.gretschdrums.com/pics/models/CCJ484WP_lg.jpg

And finally mine

MIND_DRUMMER HIPGIG SETUP

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b324/mind-drummer/DRUM_KIT/Accoustic%20gig%20kit/front.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b324/mind-drummer/DRUM_KIT/Accoustic%20gig%20kit/left_side.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b324/mind-drummer/DRUM_KIT/Accoustic%20gig%20kit/driver_seat.jpg

[radiofriendlyunitshifter]

when ever i have a chance, i'm going to get some scrap carpet from home depot or lowes

to use as a rug for my kit. to make set up quicker, i'm going to mark where everything

goes by tape. i've done that already on the carpet in my room, and it so much easier than

trying to get everything just right again.

[masonni]

http://www.peacedrum.com/Images_U/821200313221PMManhattan-Enlarge.jpg

Go Slim Jim style man!

[maddrummr]

A good set of bags make it somewhat easier to move things around. Also a heck of alot safer. When moving my old beginners set around i banged it into the wall like 20 times cause i wasnt paying enough attention i guess. SO now i bought a nice new PDP set and bought some bags with it and now when i move it its alot safer from my unawareness of whats going on around me.

[Fat Elvis]

This cat made his own cocktail kit.... pretty cool and looks fun to play.

http://www.keithcronin.com/drumkits/cocktail.html

[enos]

you should allso try manu katche yamha hipgig set. I had the same problem as you do and this kit was my choice. I don` find it to "jazzy", you just have to tune them acording to your needs

[MagnZ]

Arbiter flats... You dont get more portable drums then these. My dad use them and he gets a 5 pc kit, two cymbals stands,pedals etc. In one box. The sound will never get as good as a deep shell kit, but it works fine.

[Skitch]

Here is another vote for the HipGig kits. I have no problem spreading the word about a great product like this! You can probably find these for fairly cheap on Ebay.

Mike

http://www.mikemccraw.com
http://www.dominoretroplate.com


http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=drummermikemccraw

[Drummer Karl]

Well, I think mine isn`t as portable as the other kits which were mentioned here but it might be the most versatile in comparison to the others?

I own it, a Basix Short Stack Custom...a honor for this price!

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h84/Drummer_Karl/Bild041.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h84/Drummer_Karl/Bild033.jpg


Karl

[Sesh]

The only one I've played at a gig is the Taye seen above in mind_drummer's post. Don't get it - way too shallow and quiet - particularly bass drum.

It was fully miked up, but was just too small and high pitched - sounded like a kids set. The hipgigs are better because they're deep enough to be tuneable properly, the taye (particlularly the 16x8 BD) is just too small. Very portable, but isn't upto it sound-wise.

[mind_drummer]

I forgot another one which seem of good size

PREMIER CABRIA LITE BE-BOP (http://www.premier-percussion.com/catalogue.asp?id=354)

http://www.premier-percussion.co.uk/uploads/categories/images/371_bebop_main.JPG

[PreppieNerd]

There are small kits, then there are hipgigs: not only are they small but they pack into two containers, come with bags, sound great, and they're yamahas.

[RudimentalDrummer]

Arbiter flats... You dont get more portable drums then these. My dad use them and he gets a 5 pc kit, two cymbals stands,pedals etc. In one box. The sound will never get as good as a deep shell kit, but it works fine.

One of my friend a drummer, and he is also a paster owns this kit....

[doublebass]

check out gabriel,hand made greek drums,they got a really kickass portable kit.Check them out at www.gabrieldrums.com

[murphinelli]

These kits are all junk. Check out my hipgig kit in my signature. That is class....

On a serious note though, you don't have to buy one of these hipgig kits which as far as I'm concerned now is a marketing ploy. Other people have said this on DW and I agree. You can make your own hipgig kit from your existing kit. Get a floor tom conversion kit and make that your bass drum. Don't change the hoops. Use the floor tom as it. Use a small tom, and either a 13 or 14 tom for your floor tom. A hi-hat, ride cymbal, crash. And your done. Some gig bags to pack it up...Now you have your hipgig kit and didn't have to spend a cent except for the floor tom conversion kit.

You can put this all back into your main kit in 10 minutes.

Schweet. Just saved $400 - $2000...'eh?

All of these hip gig kits are pretty cool and have nice sizes and looks, but if you don't have the bucks...I recommend making your own with what you've got.

Cheers,
Murph

[yamaha freak]

hi, i'm so lucky, to have both the Rick Marotta (for gigs and performance) and the Manu Katche kit (for practise) but i did do a complete test of all three of the Hipgig's in the danish musicians union magazine... and its realy great kits... i especially love the Rick Marotta kit- that is to me, the essence of compact drums... when all packed up, you've got 2 bags, with drums and hardware, your cymbal bag, and your stick bag... THATS A WHOLE KIT! and thei are great sounding aswell... the Manu katche do not offer the pack up feature like the RM kit, but is also great sounding...

so, buy a hipgig! and if you got the mone... go with the Rick Marotta kit.. you won't regret it!

best regards
Emil
Denmark

[Urahara Kisuke]

Whitney Drums makes portable drums. The drums fit inside each other.
http://whitneydrums.com/

[Class A Drummer]

Pearl Rythm traveler. Not just a drum set, but also can turn into a practice pad set.

[mind_drummer]

Whitney Drums makes portable drums. The drums fit inside each other.
http://whitneydrums.com/


Highwood drums just finished the most beautiful nesting kit project

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g170/highwooddrums/Simon%20Ferguson%20Kit/DSCF0033.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g170/highwooddrums/Simon%20Ferguson%20Kit/DSCF0045.jpg

[Fat Elvis]

Whitney Drums makes portable drums. The drums fit inside each other.
http://whitneydrums.com/

if they sound even close to as cool as they look, i want one!

[manola]

Highwood drums just finished the most beautiful nesting kit project
sonnerie portable gratuite (http://sonneriegratuite.org)

[Dirty Hervy]

I am a big fan of portable kits. After trying many, these are the best:

1. PEARL RHYTHM TRAVELER GIG VERSION (RTG-665)

http://www.pearleurope.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=17&TopId=1&MainId=5&SubId=14&ProductName=Rhythm%20Traveler%20Gig
Everything fits in the 16x14 bass drum. Best portable kit in my opinion.

2. PREMIER CLUB KIT
Beautiful. I like the 8 inch deep bass drum. I have this kit converted to electric.

3. www.trapsdrums.com
They may be light, but I don´t like the rack mounting system because it's slower to set than traditional. Slow means somehow less transportable, too.

4. http://www.gigpig.org
I haven´t tried them.

5. As for edrums: Yamaha dd-65.

[bobdadruma]

Here is my Rhythm Traveler with some ddrum toms added to it.
Very easy to transport and set up.

[slingerlandfreak]

Very nice Bob, i love small drums, just easy to carry, can be set up on small stages, and sound is focused and not to loud !!!

[Pollyanna]

Some cool kits here.

Here's my red wine Rhythm Traveler Gig Kit sans two toms and with separate snare and added djembe. I would describe its acoustic sound as adequate in non-heavy music but it scrubs up amazingly well when mic'd up.

http://www.sangrea.net/rijidij/pix/hungry_beast.jpg

I am starting to move my kit around a bit and it is such a PAIN! I loathe it, but I know it's something I have to get used to. However, I am looking for a new kit and I was wondering what the most portable kit out there is.

I can relate, BD. I've hated lugging for a long time, but these days I'm starting to appreciate its plus side - exercise and it burns calories :)

[bobdadruma]

Very nice Bob, i love small drums, just easy to carry, can be set up on small stages, and sound is focused and not to loud !!!
Since that pic was taken I added a splash cymbal mount and a ride cymbal mount to the bass drum.

I set up the kit off stage and I carry the Bass drum complete with Rack Tom, Pedal, Splash, and Ride Cymbal onto the stage.

People always laugh because it appears kind of clownish!
They stop laughing when they hear the kit though!

The average non-musician person thinks that you have to have a ten piece kit with a 24 inch bass drum and twelve cymbals. They get this idea from watching stadium concerts and the like.
It really surprises them when they learn that drums are loud, even small ones.
It also surprises them to learn that all that you need is two cymbals and three or four drums to play all kinds of things.

[GRUNTERSDAD]

Homemade BumbleBee Bop Kit 18 bass drum 12 and 13 toms

[bob2loud]

Hey,
Just weighing in on one of my favorite subjects. I bought a PDP Chameleon kit 7 years ago for small stages etc. It's a cheap short stack on which I've upgraded heads and stands, pedals etc. and it's a blast to play and sounds great if I keep it tuned. It inspired me to sell my large Pearl kit because it sat in the closet most of the time. The shells are just OK (not sure of the wood) and the hardware is mediocre so keeping the drums tuned is a challenge. I've been checking out a better quality replacement before upgrading the mounts, rims etc..
The closest thing to it in a decent kit is a GMS SL Subway birch kit. I have yet to see & hear one in person so I'm hesitant. Has anyone checked it out?

[bobdadruma]

The GMS Subway has gotten good reviews by a few drummers around here who own them.
It looks like a great little kit.

[bob2loud]

Thanks Bob,

I've heard that GMS is a decent company, but I'm concerned that, as good as it looks on paper, the low end SL series will eventually need a replacement lug or something and I'll have trouble finding parts. It's hard to tell the quality of the hardware by a photo. Looks great though, I'm really tempted.

[bobdadruma]

here is a thread where bigfoot mentions that he swapped the tom mount for a better one on an SL kit.
http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59375&highlight=gms+subway

[bob2loud]

You da man!

My issue is that if I have to change out hardware on a new kit I might as well do it on my PDP. The thing has been set up and taken down so many times that I have to really crank the wing bolts to keep them stable. Then at the end of the gig I'm wiped out and I need pliers to loosen what I cranked. I may end up refitting it with better rims & mounts.

I can't find anyone else that makes a short stack that's got serious mounts etc., unless I go with a custom kit.

[bobdadruma]

One of my small kits is a Pearl as you know from this thread and the other is a Tama StageStar. I find that the hardware on these kits is very good when you consider that they are inexpensive kits.
It would certainly be cheaper for you to fix what you have. You know the weak spots already.
Also Pearl and Tama compatible hardware is common to find. Gibraltar makes replacement hardware and many stores stock Pearl and Tama hardware also.
I haven't had to replace any hardware on these kits. I have changed some things just because I wanted to. Example; I bought a Gibraltar cymbal stand that fits into the bass drum mounted tom holder on the Pearl kit. I bought a Pearl tom mount for the ddrum rack tom that I added to the Pearl. These items were in my local music shop.

[harryconway]

And whatever you get, roll it...........

[bobdadruma]

true indeed harry;
I have wanted one of those carts for a while now. Someday soon I will finally buy one.

[elliotMOOSEdrummer]

And whatever you get, roll it...........

haha


Anyway i think that there are a few kits that are good kits and that are portable!!!
so theres

taye
yamaha hip gig
pearl rhythm traveller
reme be bop kit (this is a must for sexy looks and sound, but not as portable)
and alot more!!!

But theres one that i can remember but not the name!!!

Elliot

its a nesting kit and i think it had something like a penguin as a logo or something like that????

[bob2loud]

Thanks for all the input. I think I'm going to keep the PDP and patch it up as my small space kit. It's also good for my practice area. I'm going to be doing some outdoor things and larger venues now so my second move is to buy a larger kit to replace the old Pearl that I shouldn't have sold last year. Like that line from "The Godfather": "it keeps pulling me back in".

I've been looking at Pearl Vision and Tama Superstar for dragging outside because I can get wraps on those, so if anbody owns either I'd appreciate the lowdown.

[bobdadruma]

its a nesting kit and i think it had something like a penguin as a logo or something like that????Link to whitneydrums,com.
Nice drums but not cheap!
I do want one so!
If the stock market ever rises again...
http://www.whitneydrums.com/products/NestingPenguin.php

[elliotMOOSEdrummer]

Link to whitneydrums,com.
Nice drums but not cheap!
I do want one so!
If the stock market ever rises again...
http://www.whitneydrums.com/products/NestingPenguin.php

thats it!!!

thanks!

Elliot

[bobdadruma]

Im glad that you liked the Nesting Penguins
I have had my eyes on these drums for years but I just cant seem to afford a kit yet.
The pics on the site don't do them justice. They are even more impressive in person!
They are stunning!
If you get a kit please post pics.

[Dirty Hervy]

I am a big fan of portable kits. After trying many, these are the best:

1. PEARL RHYTHM TRAVELER GIG VERSION (RTG-665) --This is not the well know Pearl Traveler, it's a different version--

http://www.pearleurope.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=17&TopId=1&MainId=5&SubId=14&ProductName=Rhythm%20Traveler%20Gig
Everything fits in the 16x14 bass drum. Best portable kit in my opinion.

2. PREMIER CLUB KIT
Beautiful. I like the 8 inch deep bass drum. I have this kit converted to electric.

3. www.trapsdrums.com
They may be light, but I don´t like the rack mounting system because it's slower to set than traditional. Slow means somehow less transportable, too.

4. http://www.gigpig.org
I haven´t tried them.

5. As for edrums: Yamaha dd-65.

I am adding link and picture for the Premier Club Kit. As I said, beautiful!!! (also available in Silver Sparkle)
http://drumset.premier-percussion.com/catalogue/drumsets/heritage-series

[sqadan]

This is what you need...

http://www2.baby99.co.uk/f-3/FINGERDRUMS/Mini-Finger-Drum-Kit.jpg

Thread over ;-)