Returning to drumming after a few years break

ecksit

Junior Member
Sorry for this being my first post here, but I've been doing some research (admittedly not enough) without much conclusive success. So I came here to talk to some people and get an idea of what's up.

I played drums when I was 14, bought a cheap set and played for 6 years... wasn't very good but I loved it. Never had formal lessons, just kinda rocked out. (yes i was terrible.) Sold my drums because I moved and never got a new kit. I had upgraded my kit over the years with cheap cymbals, pedal, hardware, etc.... about 1000 bucks worth and sold it for 500.

Anyways, I'm 22 now, haven't touched a drumset in 2 years and I absolutely miss it. And this time I want to take a little more seriously. Possibly take lessons. I do love drumming, and its something I could see myself doing for the rest of my life.

The thing is..... I have no idea what to buy...

Basically I'll be using the drums for all sorts of music, but mostly in the pop/rock/metal genre's. I'm more of an energy player than a finesse player, so what type of heads, sticks, pedals, hardware, etc would you recommened? I don't know if you need to know, but i'm a rather big guy, 6'4", 210lbs, right handed.

There's so much new stuff that's come out the last few years that I haven't even heard of. I used to use Pearl Eliminators, but theres a new Demon Drive out? What's that like? No more Pearl Export, replaced by the Vision series? How are those? Maple vs birch? Whats the difference?

As far as cymbals go, I used to have Sabian B8's, and some other random cheaper cymbals. What would be good for me and the style of music I'm going for? I don't hit the cymbals incredibly hard, but I don't want something that would crack in a week but still sounds great.

Shells, I do like Pearl's, but honestly I have no idea what is better or is it all about preference? Truth drums are very cool, but are custom drums really worth the ridiculous price? Especially for someone like me?

Since I do plan on playing drums for a long time, is it worth it to just invest the money now in something of great quality and super nice? Or would that be rather douchbaggish of me to buy expensive equiptment and be a noob?

Also, I've considered an electronic kit since I do tend to move around quite a bit and it would be much easier for me to transport them around. If I went with acoustics they would have to stay in my garage... which can get rather cold in the winter. Bad idea? There's a possibility I will be playing at bars and smaller gigs, which really turns me off to the ekit idea. I know less about electric drums than I do acoustic, so any info is appreciated.

I'm looking for any ideas, thoughts, recommendations, links to articles, all sorts of stuff. I'm not telling you what I should buy but rather guide me of what my options are.

I won't be ordering this stuff online or anything, I just want to get a good idea of what there is before I go into a drum shop and drop thousands of dollars on stuff that doesn't even suit me or is absolute crap.

Thank you very very much!
 
Ecksit, welcome back to the fold :) A lot of us here have quit and then returned. For me, it was 8 years. Some quit for longer than you've been alive and come back. There is no escape :)

Can't answer a lot of your questions ... yeah, finding a good teacher is a good idea.

Have a look in the Your Gear section for ideas as to what to buy. Don't be in a rush, just browse it over days or weeks (or months) ... the forum's gear geeks have shared a ton of knowledge there.

Probably cheapest to buy gear that's as good as you can afford (without putting your dog in hock). Otherwise you'll tire of lesser gear and spend more $$ replacing it. But if you get good gear you'll need to take good care of it and buy good cases.

Lots of info here about e-kits. As you obviously know, they aren't great for gigs unless you're playing synth-based music. People say they are good for practising on at home if you have the $$ and space. Not as good as an acoustic kit but better than nothing.

Some links:

The Art of Simple Drumming

Drum Tuning Bible

Have fun ...
 
First decide on your budget and don't go over it. Try used gear for better stuff at a lower price.

If you buy new, pick a set within your budget with the features you want.
Then pick the color of the set you want that has the features, and fits your budget.
just like buying a car. Good luck.
 
Welcome back to the world of drumming! Don't get too obsessed about gear; it is the drummer not the gear that makes great music. Therefore, set a budget and look for pro quality used gear. Start out with a small kit if you have a limited budget. Save some money for lessons. Then add a few pieces as you need them.

Take care and keep us updated about your journey.

GJS
 
Welcome! You picked the right place, people here will certainly help out! Here's my attempt at hitting your questions.

Anyways, I'm 22 now, haven't touched a drumset in 2 years and I absolutely miss it. And this time I want to take a little more seriously. Possibly take lessons. I do love drumming, and its something I could see myself doing for the rest of my life.

If you want to take it more seriously, take out the "possibly" before "take lessons". ;)

Basically I'll be using the drums for all sorts of music, but mostly in the pop/rock/metal genre's. I'm more of an energy player than a finesse player, so what type of heads, sticks, pedals, hardware, etc would you recommened? I don't know if you need to know, but i'm a rather big guy, 6'4", 210lbs, right handed.

As far as sticks go, you just have to go to a music store and test them out. And don't be afraid to change what sticks you like. I went from thick Vic Firth 2B's to thinner but more durable Pro Mark Niel Peart Signatures. After YEARS of using thos Pro Marks I went back to thicker sticks, this time Zildjian Mike Mangini sticks. It's all about experimenting.

There's so much new stuff that's come out the last few years that I haven't even heard of. I used to use Pearl Eliminators, but theres a new Demon Drive out? What's that like? No more Pearl Export, replaced by the Vision series? How are those? Maple vs birch? Whats the difference?

Pearl Demon Drives are what I like to call "super pedals". They are super smooth and ultra-adjustable. Not really a thing for a new player, but if you've got the money, why not? I have Trick Pro 1v pedals which are also among these "super pedals," but I only got those after about six years of playing with some cheap Pacific pedals.

As far as cymbals go, I used to have Sabian B8's, and some other random cheaper cymbals. What would be good for me and the style of music I'm going for? I don't hit the cymbals incredibly hard, but I don't want something that would crack in a week but still sounds great.

B8's are atrocious for any genre of music, but they are super affordable and "get the job done" as they say. I am a Zildjian A Custom fan, but they are very high in price. However, they are not super thick, sound amazing, and are still durable. They suit almost any style of music.

Shells, I do like Pearl's, but honestly I have no idea what is better or is it all about preference? Truth drums are very cool, but are custom drums really worth the ridiculous price? Especially for someone like me?

I would definitely stay away from paying such high prices in the beginning. There's nothing wrong with a cheap drum set for now, because, let's be honest, you won't be on stage for another couple of years. In fact, cheaper drums can still sound great with good heads and good tuning. I've been playing for eight years and I'm still playing on a Pearl Export, and that's my SECOND drum set. :D

Since I do plan on playing drums for a long time, is it worth it to just invest the money now in something of great quality and super nice? Or would that be rather douchbaggish of me to buy expensive equiptment and be a noob?

It's not that it's douchebaggish at all... If you have the money and want to spend it all right away on a great sounding drum set and top-of-the-line gear, go right ahead. But over the years I have been slowly adding more top-of-the-line stuff. This is a more common trend, to just build up. It's also a great feeling when you get a new upgrade. I recently purchased a Pearl Reference Brass snare drum, and I am just so happy with it. If I had gotten a drum like this right away, I probably would take it's quality for granted. The only thing I really have to upgrade is the drum set minus the snare, and it will probably be the greatest day of my life. :) Remember, you said you could see yourself drumming for the rest of your life, so why empty your pockets so early on for your dream set?

Also, I've considered an electronic kit since I do tend to move around quite a bit and it would be much easier for me to transport them around. If I went with acoustics they would have to stay in my garage... which can get rather cold in the winter. Bad idea? There's a possibility I will be playing at bars and smaller gigs, which really turns me off to the ekit idea. I know less about electric drums than I do acoustic, so any info is appreciated.

I have a strong preference toward acoustics, but ekits should definitely be something to think about because you do not want to ruin your drums because of climate damage!

Hope I helped a little! Good luck with everything and keep us updated.
 
Thanks for the replies guys!

As far as budget goes I was thinking around $2000 for everything. Was looking at some 5 or 6 piece vision kits, which are the mid grade Pearl drums (from what I understand). Prices seem decent and they look nice. There's quite a few different kinds and I'm just a little confused on what the differences are... VBX's, VMX's, VSX's, VX's... birch and maples.. is this stuff all just preference, different finishes and what not? What type of kit would best suit my drumming style? I know a lot of the sound quality comes from good heads and tuning, but would you notice a huge difference between a Vision kit and a Masterworks kit?

As far as cymbals go I will probably just get some 'semi cheap' Xs20's or something similar to start out with. Since cymbals can be extremely expensive I'll have to upgrade piece by piece over time. I'm a big fan of the AAX's and would love to have a kit with all AAX's.

As far as pedals go I have always loved Pearl's pedals. Had a pair of elim's and loved them, wouldn't mind getting them again. DW makes some good pedals, Tama makes the Iron Cobra both are good pedals, but I think this comes down to preference. What pedals do you guy's use/prefer?

For hardware I'll probably just stick to whatever comes with the kit until I need to expand or feel like replacing it.
 
VSX and VS are birch/basswood shells, VBX are birch and VMX are maple. With maple you will get deep warm tones and birch will give you a brighter tone. All with different finishes so you could hopefully find one that suits you. You can buy a vision with all Pearl 900 hardware (not sure of price) so then all you would need is cymbals.
 
First off, welcome to Drummerworld.​
Even if you don't buy off the internet, eBay is a great source for pricing research. What's out there, in the real world, and what does it cost. For example, a Custom Classic 6 piece kit, with hardware, for $599, landed to your front door. http://cgi.ebay.com/Custom-Classic-...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51863598ce with your stated budget, that leaves you $1400 for cymbals, additional hardware, and upgrades.​
If anything, don't buy cheap cymbals. You like AAX, get AAX. High end cymbals will last you a lifetime, if you don't abuse them. You can always build/add to your cymbal collection. Again, eBay is a great place to price cymbals.​
 
Welcome!

Check out Craig's list in your area. Bring your "choices" with prices etc to this board for advice and answers. I wish you the very best! Rock on!
 
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