Recommend me a good beginner kit (please)

[Animal The Muppet]

Hello! This is my first post

What is the BEST starter kit out there right now? Maybe something a little beyond a starter kit because I plan on keeping this kit for a long time and don't plan on changing my mind and selling it in the future, because I am deadset on learning the drums.

I've heard about The Pearl Traveller Kit, Yamaha Rydeen, Sonar505, and the Pearl Export 5. What about mesh pads? Are they available for almost any kit or not? Thoughts?

Also, I want to be able to use this kit for live performances, not just for practice. I'm not a fan of buying junk and working up. I'd rather by nice and stick with it. Basically, what is the best investment I can make right now? Thanks

Cheers,

The Animal

[Drumsword]

Check e-bay as well, or musicians friend. I just purchased a nice set of acoustic "ddrums" for $439 and Now that I replaced the heads with evans g2's they sound great. and the finishes are awesome, I am hopefully getting a set of ddrum basswood/birch drums in 2007.

www.ddrum.com

[nhzoso]

Whats your price range??

Those kits you mentioned are good beginner kits but as you progress you will most likely want to upgrade, for a few hundred more you can get something you can sort of grow into and keep much much longer IMO.

[maddrummr]

AHH you sound like me 2 years ago.
I bought a cheep groove percussion set to learn on. And i was a heck of a lot better than I thought and within 3 months i realized the set was crap.
I thought it over and wished i could have found a decent used set that was better. Take a look at Ebay, great deals over there.

And if you plan to keep them for a while wouldnt you want a quality kit?

just my 2 cents

[ermghoti]

As above. Whatever you could get a beginner kit for, you can get a great used kit off eBay or craigslist. Used drums are routinely sold by motivated sellers. One half of retail, at best, less for something a little dated or scratched up.

[Osh]

Well sounds like you're after an intermediate set then, as long as you are "deadset on learing the drums" you can afford to fork out for a slightly better kit.

I am probably biased because I own one, but I really do recommend the tama superstars... they are just brilliant. I was worried that I wouldnt be impressed with them when i bought them, but they seriously do sound fantastic, even with stock heads on them, but when you put some nice heads on them, i use pinstripes, but you might perfer emperors or g2s, they will sound amazing.

They arent cheap kits, they arent starter kits, they are indermediate kits, but the toms could easily be mistaken for proffesional top end model - imo they are brilliant for the price.

If it is too expensive, you could opt for the imperialstar - the new swingstar.

As you have noticed, TAMA is all I know, but I cannot stress enough how eccstatic I am with my kit - so go buy one!

[mind_drummer]

If was in the process to purchase a kit which would be good and would it to last long, I'd look no further than the Mapex M birch. You can get a great kit 6 or 7 pieces at an amazing price.

Remember any set from good reknown brand can sound good with good head and good tuning, also It easier to make crappy set sound decent but you cant cant get decent sound of crappy cymbals (now I know it ) so shop well for your cymbals, they are almost important if not more than the drum kit.

Good luck ;-)

[Porker69]

First off scratch the Pearls off your list they're not to hot, I cant say much about the Yamaha and Sonor but they get good reviews. But I would suggest looking at the Ludwig Accent CS Custom I dont know what your price range is but they run around 5-6 hundred, have 100% Birch shells and imo are the best kit for your money, and the hardware is superb. If thats too high you could go for a plain Ludwig Accent CS.
Ebay is also very good if you dont mind used equiptment

[my sacred music]

gretsch blackhawk sx or ex, or the gretsch catalina birch, are awesome!!

[rendezvous_drummer]

YAMAHA RYDEEN MAN!! Best kit for a beginner hands down. Check them out.

[Fat Elvis]

These are what i feel are the best bang for the buck:

Entry Level Kit: Yamaha Rydeen

Intermediate Kit: Tama Superstar

Because this is your first kit and you are learning on it, i would HIGHLY recommend the Yamaha Rydeen. The reason being is that it is a really pretty good kit -- comparing well with kit that cost more. Besides, remember, heads and cymbals cost too. Putting good heads and tuning it well will help the rydeen a lot. You cant tune cymbals -- bad cymbals will always sound bad. Buy as good as you can afford.

Good cymbals also hold their value well -- cheap cymbals are almost worthless right after you play them.

[Drummer30]

If your looking at that set of beginner kits, go Yamaha, but if you can stretch it, go for the Stage Custom, its just that much better.

[fixmejesus]

Ludwig Accent Custom (no CS) would be your best sound for the price.

Top it off with some Paiste Alphas or PST5's(not 3).

These will sound and look so good people will never know it was a budget set.