Buying drums without hearing them first

TMe

Senior Member
I'm shopping for a new snare and local stores have almost nothing in stock that I'm considering.

Based on what I've heard and read online, the two drums at the top of my list are a Ludwig 402 Supraphonic, or the Yamaha RLS1470 Recording Custom Stainless Steel 14" x 7".

I live in Toronto, so you think there would be at least one store that has these in stock, but no.

What do most people do in this situation, throw the dice and order online, or pick from what's available that they can hear in person?

Man, I hate shopping.
 
I could swear I've seen a 150th anniversary edition LM402 at a L&M in Quebec recently. You can check with your local Long & McQuade and it might be possible to get it shipped to them without needing to put a deposit down. The LM402CAN150 I'm talking about is the exact same snare, just with a special badge.

I've seen one at the Montreal Steve's too recently, IIRC they have a store in Toronto too so many that's an option.

You can try and hunt for a used one too, they've been making them since the 60's so it's always possible to find one.

Ludwig or Yamaha, you can ask your local Long & McQuade about it, some items are not "special order" and they'll get them for you without a deposit if you prefer to try before you buy, or you always have that 30 days return window.

Another thing about L&M, they might have LM402s in rental. They won't show up as stocked online, but they can check for you in store. Rental items are always available for purchase, as a used item with a lower price (price drops a bit everytime it gets rented, sometimes it was ever only rented once for a short time but because of this it becomes a "used" item and won't show up online)
 
I agree with the original poster. It's a pain to shop for drums; drums that you can't hear in person.
My solution has been to buy from Guitar Center and Sam Ash stores. Then if I don't like it I return it for a full refund. It's time consuming but it's safe.


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It depends. If I was interested in a new LM402, I'd order it blind without hesitation. I've played a bunch of those and they are consistent and you know what you're going to get.

A vintage drum? I'd have to get my hands on it before I'd buy. Or it would have to be someone I trust.

Cymbals are too variable to just take a chance. I like to play them myself. In a pinch, I'd probably be okay with a good demo video like MyCymbal.com puts up. That said, I ordered a 22" K-Con Medium ride blind and it's still my favorite cymbal. But I probably got a little lucky with that one.
 
Another thing about L&M, they might have LM402s in rental.

Thanks for the suggestion. They don't have any right now, but they do rent them. I'll wait till one's available.

I've only ever seen entry level drum kits rented from L&M, so I thought that's all they rented (never having rented a kit myself). Turns out they do have some higher end stuff available.

I'll try visiting on a week night and rent a few snares if they're in stock. I imagine the cupboard's rather bare on a Friday (like today).

That's great. Even if I check out the drums in person, it's still not nearly as good as trying them out in a band context.

I'm still curious what other people do if they don't have access to good music stores. Take a chance and order online, or wait until they find something they like?
 
I find it hard to believe that Just Drums those in stock.

Thanks, I'll check out the store this weekend. I've never bought anything from them before. Online, everything's in stock, I'll have to see what they have in-store.
 
Unless you already know what something sounds like (such as a Paiste 2002 18" crash or an LP tambourine) or the store has a liberal return policy and you have a lot of patience... I would avoid taking chances on any gear that makes a sound. Same goes for anything where feel is important, such as sticks and pedals.

That said, the 402 is a desirable snare (I have 3 of them) and is pretty common. It's hard to imagine that the stores don't have them.

Bermuda
 
I'm getting pretty good at buying online. Drums are easy IMO because they can get many different sounds from them. Cymbals are what you hear is what you get.

I'm up to 12 Agops bought online. And I got exactly what I expected because I was able to hear the exact cymbal I got with headphones. It's a new skill that has to be learned, listening and evaluating online.
 
...the 402 is a desirable snare (I have 3 of them) and is pretty common.

I'm trying to find one snare that can do it all (more or less). My research suggests the 402 is the front runner, but when I listen to recordings online, the Yamaha RLS1470 sounds comparable.

I'm not a pro, so I want to avoid getting on the slippery slope to owning 14 snare drums.

I'm partial to Yamaha because their entry level stuff (guitars, drums, whatever) and product support are so good they inspire brand loyalty.

But my kit is vintage Ludwig, so I'm equally sentimental about getting a Ludwig snare.
 
I'm not a pro, so I want to avoid getting on the slippery slope to owning 14 snare drums.

Just stop buying when you hit 13 snares and you'll be safe.

I take it that you would like to do a side-by-side audition of the Ludwig 402 Supra and the Yamaha RC RLS1470. That's a wise move to hear them side-by-side if you plan on only purchasing one of them.
If you can't justify the expense of traveling to a store that has both models in stock I'd take Hollywood Jim's advice and order them from a store with a liberal return policy. You're only out of pocket for
sending one of them back which equates to the cost of "doing business." Otherwise go with your gut and add on the second snare down the road.
 
I'm trying to find one snare that can do it all (more or less). My research suggests the 402 is the front runner, but when I listen to recordings online, the Yamaha RLS1470 sounds comparable.

I'm not a pro, so I want to avoid getting on the slippery slope to owning 14 snare drums.

I'm partial to Yamaha because their entry level stuff (guitars, drums, whatever) and product support are so good they inspire brand loyalty.

But my kit is vintage Ludwig, so I'm equally sentimental about getting a Ludwig snare.

If you're partial to Yamaha, check out Drummer's Hangout in your neck of the woods. Murat, the shop owner, carries a lot of Yamaha snares and kits. He does not, however, carry Ludwig.
 
It depends. If I was interested in a new LM402, I'd order it blind without hesitation. I've played a bunch of those and they are consistent and you know what you're going to get.

A vintage drum? I'd have to get my hands on it before I'd buy. Or it would have to be someone I trust.

Cymbals are too variable to just take a chance. I like to play them myself. In a pinch, I'd probably be okay with a good demo video like MyCymbal.com puts up. That said, I ordered a 22" K-Con Medium ride blind and it's still my favorite cymbal. But I probably got a little lucky with that one.
Agreed about buying some tried and true standards without hesitation.

I bought a set of vintage Gretsch without hearing them, but it was from Steve Maxwells shop in NY. I reached out to them and they gave me a ton of details and pics...and vouched for the sound. (why wouldn't they, I guess)
They didn't disappoint...and are hands down my most favoritetest set of drums ever.
 
Do my research on line first. Then buy. Don't need to hear it. Never bought one I don't like yet :) Stock heads sometimes hide what the drum can really sound like also.
 
If you're partial to Yamaha, check out Drummer's Hangout in your neck of the woods.

That's about an hour's drive from Toronto. It seems there are a few good drum shops about an hour outside of Toronto. I might have to break down and do some driving if I don't want to buy online.

Man, I hate driving in and around Toronto. It's a nightmare in slow motion.
 
For an LM-402, it either going to sound like almost every other LM402 you've ever heard, or it's broken/defective.

You can buy these without hearing them as you've already heard them your entire life.
 
That's about an hour's drive from Toronto. It seems there are a few good drum shops about an hour outside of Toronto. I might have to break down and do some driving if I don't want to buy online.

Man, I hate driving in and around Toronto. It's a nightmare in slow motion.

I'm in the same boat trying to decide on a new set of cymbals. I won't buy anything without hearing it in person so I'm going to have to bite the bullet and make the drive to a well-stocked drum shop.
 
I have flipped my way through so much gear as a result of online shopping. But I live in Hawai'i. Last week a Guitar Center finally opened here on O'ahu, and I'm going to assume we can now walk in and buy drums there, without paying for shipping.

Too late for me, but I have found my lifetime kit that I am unlikely to ever replace (Gretsch USA Custom).
 
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