Newbie Looking for a Drum Kit

Look at FB marketplace, I found the set in my picture (minus cymbals and rack) for $300. the guy added 3 cymbal stands, a snare bag, a direct drive pedal and a full set of used but in very good condition heads. I took the time to tune it (using a drum dial) and it sounds awesome, pretty close to a top of the line DW I played before which costs close to $6000, The cymbals I got are a cheap set of Meinls but hey they sound ok and make the kit look pretty bad ass, the rack , A Gibraltar with 14 extra attachments I got for $250, I had to drive 2 hrs to get it, but If I would've bought all those attachments separate it would have been closer to $700. I keep looking because my next project is to get a mixer, I am looking at the Presonus studio live 32 AI yes it is a very expensive very good mixer, but I found one for half the price with factory warranty. I am about to retire from the Military and now I am going to spend more quality time with my drums. plus this deployment has left me with over $15k to spend on toys....(Ahh the joys of not having kids). so if you want to buy new it's ok too, but you might find a really good set that just needs to be cleaned up and new heads which will be way better than what your budget would've allowed if you bought new.
 
I play a cheap Mapex Tornado cause I didn't know any better...and its fine but at our rehearsal space I play the house Pearl Export and its tons better, almost feels like a pro kit....get urself a used Pearl Export with or without cymbals. For cheap they are really good.
 
Old Dog new Cans said:
Never cracked a cymbal iCe. . .even my cheapo Camber II's. Are you an angry drummer?? ;)
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Not at all! But i lacked technique in those days and thought i needed to tighten them down so they don't wobble so much as i saw in videos etc. Learned the hard way that i shouldn't do that ;)

Haven't broken a cymbal since then due to bad technique (did a few afterwards, but were flaws due in the cymbal itself)
 
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For those of you that were singing the praises of Pearl Export...how do those compare with Pearl Vision? I have someone showing me a complete Pearl Vision kit tomorrow. There are also some Exports in my area as well, so those are not completely out of the question.
 
iCe said:
Not at all! But i lacked technique in those days and thought i needed to tighten them down so they don't wobble so kuch as i saw in videos etc. Learned the hard way that i shouldnt do that ;)

Haven't broken a cymbal since then due to bad technique (did a few afterwards, but were flaws due in the cymbal itself)
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I was just messing with ya man. Believe me, I've tried to crack cymbals. Sit down after a fight with a girlfriend, and bash the crap out of them. :rolleyes:
 
slimshaky said:
For those of you that were singing the praises of Pearl Export...how do those compare with Pearl Vision? I have someone showing me a complete Pearl Vision kit tomorrow. There are also some Exports in my area as well, so those are not completely out of the question.
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Vision line has been discontinued, but are fabulous drums. All birch shells. The ISS is kinda wonky, but works. Between a Vision and an Export, if all things are equal, the Vision is the better set of drums.

If you desire to add on later in life, the Export is the safer bet as they have been around for getting near 40 years now. They are everywhere.
 
slimshaky said:
Pearl Export...how do those compare with Pearl Vision? I have someone showing me a complete Pearl Vision kit tomorrow. There are also some Exports in my area as well, so those are not completely out of the question.
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To me, the Exports have a slightly more "vintage" sound. The poplar/mahogany shell is a little "warmer" sounding than the birch Vision shell.
 
slimshaky said:
For those of you that were singing the praises of Pearl Export...how do those compare with Pearl Vision? I have someone showing me a complete Pearl Vision kit tomorrow. There are also some Exports in my area as well, so those are not completely out of the question.
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If they’re in good shape for a good price, I wouldn’t hesitate to go for them. On par with exports.
 
Pearl Exports are highly recommended, but if you want a set where you literally get everything you need to get you started right out of the box at an affordable price, then the Roadshow is a good choice. The drums themselves are decent enough, but the cymbals sound awful, the hardware is so so, and the drum heads are really thin and cheap. The good thing is that all of that stuff is upgradable if you decide to go the next level. The drums can sound really good with better heads and proper tuning, but the tuning can be tricky with this kit.

If you don’t mind paying more for a bit higher quality with a few less items in the box, go with the Export.
 
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Maybe ask your drum instructor for help in finding a good used kit. (Hopefully you are taking lessons with good instructor and not one of those 'get 'em in and out' kind of places). They may be able to help you really look over the used kit for wear and tear and and spot problems that are either fixable, or things to avoid. I started with drum pads and didn't get a kit (a used Roadshow) for 6 months. I would say try to avoid the Roadshow. Anyway, take your time, and learn about what is out there and maybe play some different kits to learn what sounds good to you for the kind of music you want to play. While you're learning and researching you can be saving your money. Just some thoughts.
 
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