Help! (New drummer)

mickey-

Junior Member
Hi, I know almost NOTHING about drumming but I’ve wanted to do it for almost four years now and I found a set going for 239.2 and I really want a set it looks super new and has (8) pieces it says it’s ‘apollo’ do you think that’s a good price and set? Any tips or help please. Thanks so much!
 
Hi, I know almost NOTHING about drumming but I’ve wanted to do it for almost four years now and I found a set going for 239.2 and I really want a set it looks super new and has (8) pieces it says it’s ‘apollo’ do you think that’s a good price and set? Any tips or help please. Thanks so much!

Impossible to tell without pics or a link to the ad.

I will say for the price it's probably actually a 5-piece kit (novices regularly count cymbals/ hi-hat as "pieces" when only the shells count as such).
 
I’m trying to post the pics but I’m not sure how, I think I almost got it and I hope this works
 

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Appears to be a beginner APAC kit.. Used kits like that typically sell for somewhere between "FreeJustGetItOutaMyGarage" and "YesIllTakeOneHundredDollars".

The drums (with new heads) can made to sound an approximation of good. The cymbals and bundled hardware look entry level as well.

Link your regional craigslist if you want us to take a glance for gems.
 
Appears to be a beginner APAC kit.. Used kits like that typically sell for somewhere between "FreeJustGetItOutaMyGarage" and "YesIllTakeOneHundredDollars".

The drums (with new heads) can made to sound an approximation of good. The cymbals and bundled hardware look entry level as well.

Link your regional craigslist if you want us to take a glance for gems.

https://greensboro.craigslist.org

Thanks again for helping me, I’m glad I found this site!
 
What's your budget?

In the $600 range there is some good stuff.

This Sonor: https://greensboro.craigslist.org/msg/d/kernersville-sonor-drum-set/6905741385.html

This Mapex: https://greensboro.craigslist.org/msg/d/greensboro-mapex-drum-kit-zildjian/6882164124.html

$425 Pearl Roadshow with unknown cymbals: https://greensboro.craigslist.org/msg/d/greensboro-drum-set/6907132673.html

$300 CB with crap cymbals. Not great, but okay to learn on, better than that Apollo junk: https://greensboro.craigslist.org/msg/d/greensboro-drum-set-300/6907513870.html

$225 will get you a Ludwig Accent with crappy cymbals: https://greensboro.craigslist.org/msg/d/tyro-ludwig-accent-5-piece-drum-set/6901720304.html
 
https://greensboro.craigslist.org

Thanks again for helping me, I’m glad I found this site!

Had a peek. The pickins are quite slim in your area. I did see one motivated seller of a Stage Custom that I would offer a firm $250 to (he's asking 700, which is retail). I'd even offer $300 if he throws in the snare.

The advice I would give is... Kits of the pedigree you posted are often free. People buy them for their tweenage kids and then sell them after they see no use for a couple years. They really just want them out of their house to recoup the space they consume. If your budget truly constrains you to this tier of kit, try to get it for next-to-nothing.

If you have the income, save for a bit longer and try to get something like (NewOrUsed)....

Yamaha Stage Custom
Yamaha 700 series hardware
A set of Zildjian A's
A throne that properly fits your posterior.

There are other brands and equivalents out there that are fine as well, and I provide the above configuration to illustrate the tier and quality you can typically obtain for under $1000.
 

I’ll probably wait and save more for one of the top two(I’m at 225 atm) which do you think would be a better choice out of the two?
 
Had a peek. The pickins are quite slim in your area. I did see one motivated seller of a Stage Custom that I would offer a firm $250 to (he's asking 700, which is retail). I'd even offer $300 if he throws in the snare.

The advice I would give is... Kits of the pedigree you posted are often free. People buy them for their tweenage kids and then sell them after they see no use for a couple years. They really just want them out of their house to recoup the space they consume. If your budget truly constrains you to this tier of kit, try to get it for next-to-nothing.

If you have the income, save for a bit longer and try to get something like (NewOrUsed)....

Yamaha Stage Custom
Yamaha 700 series hardware
A set of Zildjian A's
A throne that properly fits your posterior.

There are other brands and equivalents out there that are fine as well, and I provide the above configuration to illustrate the tier and quality you can typically obtain for under $1000.

Okay thank you so much, I’ll continue to save and try and get ahold of something better!
 
I’ll probably wait and save more for one of the top two(I’m at 225 atm) which do you think would be a better choice out of the two?

Between the Sonor and Mapex, I'd pick the Mapex. You get more, and it's from a drum shop. The guy selling it should be knowledgeable about drums and willing to answer any questions you may have.

Consider the Pearl as well. It might be a beginner kit, but Pearl makes quality drums at all levels.
 
Between the Sonor and Mapex, I'd pick the Mapex. You get more, and it's from a drum shop. The guy selling it should be knowledgeable about drums and willing to answer any questions you may have.

Consider the Pearl as well. It might be a beginner kit, but Pearl makes quality drums at all levels.

Thanks!! And do you think the Mapex would be a good permanent set? I’d like to be able to work with one until it breaks or I have to repair it instead of just buying a practice one. Does that make sense?
 
I quite like the Sonor kit. Perfect for a beginner & intermediate. Would make a good little gigging kit as well.
 
Thanks!! And do you think the Mapex would be a good permanent set? I’d like to be able to work with one until it breaks or I have to repair it instead of just buying a practice one. Does that make sense?

Kits don't break unless they are being torn down and set up a lot.

Buy a kit that you like the look of, because that is a kit you will enjoy playing.

Buy a drum key and learn about tuning, but don't buy new heads for a cheap starter kit because that is money you will never get back and it will be a substantial portion of the cost of the kit.

As important as the kit is, get signed up for lessons and learn at least the basics of reading music.
 
Thanks!! And do you think the Mapex would be a good permanent set? I’d like to be able to work with one until it breaks or I have to repair it instead of just buying a practice one. Does that make sense?


Mapex makes a number of fine kits. The one on CL is an entry level offering. It would make a fine first kit. My hangup with the ad is that you could likely get the same tier kit for almost-free at your local Goodwill. I don't want to see someone pay ~$500 for an entry-level kit that they'll likely replace in a year or two, when they could simply save for an extra 4-6 months and get something that will carry them for a lifetime.
 
Mapex makes a number of fine kits. The one on CL is an entry level offering. It would make a fine first kit. My hangup with the ad is that you could likely get the same tier kit for almost-free at your local Goodwill. I don't want to see someone pay ~$500 for an entry-level kit that they'll likely replace in a year or two, when they could simply save for an extra 4-6 months and get something that will carry them for a lifetime.

Okay thank you for letting me know. Do you know around the price it would be getting a better one? And where do you recommend I look? I don’t really trust any CL ads without you guys looking through them first.
 
Kits don't break unless they are being torn down and set up a lot.

Buy a kit that you like the look of, because that is a kit you will enjoy playing.

Buy a drum key and learn about tuning, but don't buy new heads for a cheap starter kit because that is money you will never get back and it will be a substantial portion of the cost of the kit.

As important as the kit is, get signed up for lessons and learn at least the basics of reading music.

Okay thanks for the help! Any place you’d recommend buying a set or key? Just local music shops or?
 
Okay thank you for letting me know. Do you know around the price it would be getting a better one? And where do you recommend I look? I don’t really trust any CL ads without you guys looking through them first.

I believe the lowest tier "decent" kit that Mapex makes is the Mars, followed by Armory, followed by Saturn.... Or something like that.


Look over your finances. Pretend we're telling you that you should budget $1000. Figure out the time it will take to achieve that. If it's over a year, then stop listening to me an buy a beginners kit. If it's 4-6 months, start looking at CL and guitar Center's used inventory...

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Drums-Percussion.gc

For example, your local GC even has a used SC in stock (with the snare):
https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Yamaha/Stage-Custom-Drum-Kit-115342344.gc

If you're thrifty, buy used, and haggle with the sales person, you should be able to come in a fair amount under $1000, which leaves you cash for sticks/heads/5x7-rug/whatever.
 
Kits don't break unless they are being torn down and set up a lot.

Buy a kit that you like the look of, because that is a kit you will enjoy playing.

Buy a drum key and learn about tuning, but don't buy new heads for a cheap starter kit because that is money you will never get back and it will be a substantial portion of the cost of the kit.

As important as the kit is, get signed up for lessons and learn at least the basics of reading music.

& as usual, The man speaks sense :)
 
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