Most portable drumset

Pearl Rythm traveler. Not just a drum set, but also can turn into a practice pad set.
 
Whitney Drums makes portable drums. The drums fit inside each other.
http://whitneydrums.com/


Highwood drums just finished the most beautiful nesting kit project

Simon&


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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/ProductD...Id=5&SubId=14&ProductName=Rhythm Traveler Gig
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.
 
Here is my Rhythm Traveler with some ddrum toms added to it.
Very easy to transport and set up.
 

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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.

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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 :)
 
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.
 
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Homemade BumbleBee Bop Kit 18 bass drum 12 and 13 toms
 

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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?
 
The GMS Subway has gotten good reviews by a few drummers around here who own them.
It looks like a great little kit.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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And whatever you get, roll it...........
 

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