Total Noob Help Decide on These 3 Kits

H

Hellcat

Member
So I've been a, bad, guitar player for 30+ years. Want to try drums. Total beginner, like total. I'm willing to spend about $500 and no more to try this out to see if I like it. I'm sure I'll have fun with it so I don't mind blowing up to $500 now.

My choices in my area are:

Brand new complete set of PDP Encore at Guitar Center, ON clearance so no returns, for $350. $80 for extended warranty from guitar center for 2 years and covers anything at all except theft.

Full 5 piece set of USED Pearl Forum drums in great condition with an extra smaller tom. Everything is included in the original set. $290.

Used Pearl World Series Set of drums. Good condition, double bass drums, 4 toms, 2 floor toms, everything except hi hat cymbals and throne. Comes with hard cases. $500, but it's at least an 1 1/2 hour drive and it's a very big set of drums.

And there's also a Ludwig Accent kit with everything for $175 and includes a gretsch tom in addition.

Any help would be....um...helpful..Thanks.

P.S. I do have a house with space for the large set if that's the best choice.
 
Pearl World Series without a doubt. Great kits & far better than the other rubbish.
 
Which sizes does the Pearl have? You might be able to split it into two sets (one bass, three toms each) and sell one to save space and get some money back for cymbals and a seat.
 
Very true.

Full Ad:
8 piece double kit
Pearl ‘World’ Series
Candy Apple Red
(2) 22 inch bass drums with Aquarian heads
New heads
Toms: 10,12,13,14
16 floor Tom
18 floor Tom
Mostly New heads
2 cymbals - new factory renewed (by Sabian)
4 cymbal stands - pearl
Hi hat stand - pearl
2 pearl single pedals
All hard cases

*All included:
Timbale and stand
(No seat, snare, and no hi-hats)
I just need the space!
Great drums
Bring a big truck!
 
The Pearl WS is by far the better option - for all the reasons already stated.
Keep the sizes you like and re-sell the others as a shell pack and recoup half your outlay - well worth the time and effort of a 90 min drive.
 
Hellcat said:
P.S. I do have a house with space for the large set if that's the best choice.
Click to expand...
Yup ..... another vote for the World Series. That's the best choice, IMO. I'm a 1 up, 2 down guy, so I'd set up the 22, 14, 16, 18 combo. Gigged a Ludwig Vistalite kit in those sizes, for a few decades .... sometimes with 2 bass drums (which you'd have). But it's a nice shell pack. You could change it up. Use 1, 2, 3, or all 4 rack toms, use 1 or both floor toms, use 1 or both bass drums. Plenty of options.
 
Hellcat said:
Toms: 10,12,13,14
16 floor Tom
18 floor Tom
Click to expand...
Neat, those are good sizes to make 2 rather normal sets. Some more or less popular combinations that you could keep or sell depending on your preferences: 10-12-16 (nowadays that's all the rage), 12-13-16 (80s-90s standard), 10-12-14 ("Fusion"), 12-14, 13-16, 14-18..
What kind of music are you mainly interested in and how many toms would you want to keep? Plenty of opportunities to sell stuff (one set with cases, timbale, one pedal, one or two stands) to finance what's missing. Factor in about $250 for a decent used snare, hi hat and seat - you could spend a bit more on those items as a good snare and seat are pretty important.
 
All great. Advise. As I said I've never played before.

What would be the second choice? I'm asking cause of what others mentioned I'd still need hi-hat and snare. Yes I could sell, but then I'm waiting around for that to happen.

Also, thought Timbale was a typo, what is that. Googled it and cake came up. I mean I love cake....
 
Hellcat said:
All great. Advise. As I said I've never played before.

What would be the second choice? I'm asking cause of what others mentioned I'd still need hi-hat and snare. Yes I could sell, but then I'm waiting around for that to happen.

Also, thought Timbale was a typo, what is that. Googled it and cake came up. I mean I love cake....
Click to expand...
1. But you certainly have favorite genres and some ideas what you want to play eventually, right? That would help to determine the best sizes and cymbals.

2. Don't know but if you don't want to do all that trading, just post some links. A lot depends on condition, cymbals, extras and so on. Also check out www.musicgoround.com and www.guitarcenter.com for used gear in your area

3. Haha, it might be a cake but it's most likely this:
 
Ah thanks.

Forgot, yes, genre probably rock/heavy metal, some modern folk, think Damien Rice, Ray Lamontagne, that sort of thing.
 
Hellcat said:
All great. Advise. As I said I've never played before.

What would be the second choice? I'm asking cause of what others mentioned I'd still need hi-hat and snare. Yes I could sell, but then I'm waiting around for that to happen.

Also, thought Timbale was a typo, what is that. Googled it and cake came up. I mean I love cake....
Click to expand...
A timbale is a Latin percussion instrument. It's a high pitched, metal shelled, single headed drum.

1200px-Timbalesy_HLTBR-1011_firmy_Hayman-1.jpg

The minimum gear you need is: a snare drum, a bass drum, a hi hat cymbal, a ride cymbal. This also requires a throne, a pedal, a snare stand, a hi hat stand, a cymbal stand. And sticks. This is the minimum you can get away with for just about anything.

The Pearl World series is great. If you know what you want in a kit. If you dont know what you want, how do you know what to keep? One does not get into a possible new hobby by purchasing a bunch of stuff they must sell. Only drummers do this. You want a car, buy a car. You want a monster truck, buy a monster truck. You dont buy a monster truck to turn it into a car. That's what you would be doing with the World series.
 
I did look, guitar center doesn't have much and almost everything used were just shell kits. I'm looking to be one and done to just get started. I know I'll have to upgrade, but I want to see I like it first.

P.S. I need runner up as I think the Pearl WS has sold, someone else coming to look at it.
 
Hellcat said:
P.S. I need runner up as I think the Pearl WS has sold, someone else coming to look at it.
Click to expand...
I think either the PDP .... or the Ludwig ..... for a second place tie.
 
Total beginner you say with money to spend?
Start with this gear purchase and spend time working with a qualified teacher.
You'll be glad you did this first, the drums will come eventually...
rs=w_600,h_600.jpg
 
if it were me i would go with the worlds because if your a metal player then you already have a the kit for it.
 
Thanks, but they sold. I'm now looking at some Tama Superstars, complete used kit for $450.

Also a PDP Concept 5 piece for $600, but only the drums, but they are brand new. I offered $350 and apologized for the low balling, but explained I'm a noob and my total budget is 500 clams.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top