Should I gig with my best or cheapest set?

fac

Senior Member
Up until now, I had an old cheap 5-piece (22 bass + 14 snare + 12/13/16 toms) Thunder (apparently made by Taye) drum kit at home that I use for sporadic gigs (about once each month). For a few months I had been thinking about buying a second set so I don't have to break down my home kit every time there's a gig and then set it back up after the gig.

Finally, I got a Sonor Player kit (20 bass + 14 snare + 10/14 toms) plus hardware (Sonor HS-200 set) and a new cymbal set. I chose the 4-piece Sonor Player because of portability and space constraints. The kit is beautiful and of a much higher quality than my Thunders (obviously) but now I'm unsure whether to keep the "good" set at home and gig with the cheaper one. The gigging kit would be stored in gig bags most of the time and wouldn't get much use. The idea is having everything already stored in bags that I can quickly load into my car, and unload and store after the gig.

Both sets have hardware for 3 cymbals (ride and two crashes) plus kick pedal, hihats and snare stands.

Here's how I see it:

Gigging with the Sonor kit:

Pros: Smaller footprint, higher quality -> better gigging endurance, better looks and coolness factor
Cons: Considerably heavier -> not nice for my back, would feel real bad if it was damaged or stolen

Gigging with the Thunder kit:

Pros: Wouldn't feel so bad if it was damaged or stolen, larger toms (better for the music I play) and one more tom than the Sonor
Cons: Weaker hardware -> more prone to damage

So, what would you guys do?
 
Gig with the Tayes. You can always get another higher-end kit later, but you don't want to damage or have stolen any part of your good kit now. But it depends on the gigs. The farther you have to carry your stuff, and the more sketchy the people are, the less you want to bring your good kit.
 
I gig regularly with my Sonor Player Kit.
How is that drum set heavier than the larger Tayes?

It's a very moderately priced kit, has a small depth bass drum, and is very sturdy. I find it light to haul around on a cart or by carrying the bags.

Gig with the better sounding kit at this price level- you'll feel better about getting your best sound when you're live.
 
I gig my Sonor Player or my 2012 Ludwig Club Date 22, 13, 16.
It depends on the gig that I am playing.
There are no rules. Play the kit that you feel like playing or have room for on stage.
 
Which do you enjoy playing most? In my experience, I play my best when I'm enjoying my playing - when I like the sound, when my hardware lets me put all of my (appallingly small) talent into the instrument. For me, it's worth it to set up and tear down one kit, because that's the one I enjoy playing the most.

Besides, from a technical standpoint, my kits are very different. One is 22-16-12-10, and the other is 20-14-12; the cymbals are placed differently, and I need to be used to the ergonomics of the smaller kit, as that's the one I play out. So the bigger kit stays stacked up. I'm going to sell it one of these days.

I'd rather spend the time tearing down and setting up to play one instrument, the one to which I am used.

YMMV.
 
Interesting points, everyone. I'm going to follow my original plan and gig with the Sonor kit. Sure, I've got to get acquainted with it, but the only real difference for me is having a 10" tom instead of a 12". I've gigged with my Thunder kit without the 13" tom, and there doesn't seem to be much difference between the 14" floor tom (Sonor) and the 16" (Thunder). Other than that, cymbal arrangement is very similar and I don't gig professionally; it's mostly parties with friends and academic events.
 
Life is short. Go with the one that makes you feel the best.

^^This. Also, gig with the one that makes you look your best too. I have a Pearl Reference Pure kit and although I don't gig as much as I'd like, when I do, that's the kit that goes with me.
 
For the (relatively) few times you gig out you would be best served practicing on and playing the Sonors. As others have said, we usually play our best-on our best. Plus, you want to become one with your kit, the sound, the layout, the feel of it, etc. that would be hard to do if you were putting more time on the Tayes while the Sonors sat in the closet so to speak.

Now, if you were playing out every night, or every other night, it may make sense to keep the Sonors in the car but....?

In fact, if you don't have proper cases and bags for transporting your "good kit" I would suggest you consider selling the Tayes to buy them. Having good quality cases for transporting your drums and hardware will go a long way to making taking them out of the house as stress free as possible...

One last comment... Take it from an old man who "saved" wayyyy too many of his "good things" and never really was able to enjoy them before it was too late.

To paraphrase someone above-life is too short to not enjoy the BEST you have while you can!
 
...and I thought it was all about the sound. If the venues look like an issue take the beater set, if not take the better set.
 
I think it's a pretty stupid question tbh.

I'm going to buy an Aston Martin to drive around my street, but whenever I need to actually go somewhere I'll take my Ford Fiesta.
 
I will never understand the idea of leaving the better kit in the house. I see a kit at home the same way I see a practice kit. Doesn't need to be great. But gigging, oh ya, I want it to look and sound good and I want to enjoy them in front of an audience. I play because I like the drums. I practice to play well in front of people. For me it is all about the performance.
 
I will never understand the idea of leaving the better kit in the house. I see a kit at home the same way I see a practice kit. Doesn't need to be great. But gigging, oh ya, I want it to look and sound good and I want to enjoy them in front of an audience. I play because I like the drums. I practice to play well in front of people. For me it is all about the performance.

Even if that means that the better kit will be stored most of the time?
 
You should gig with your best set! Unless it's a real "dangerous" gig for the gear, then I'd take the "B rig" :).
+1

I always gig with my beloved, expensive Starclassics, not with my cheaper Superstar. What's the point of having a good (and good sounding) drumset that will never see the light of stage? I don't want to play live on drums that sound - let's say - mediocre. Or that look "horrible" and might fall apart when I hit them.
 
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