What ultimately made you decide on the brand of drums you play?

Sensibility, price , Hardware ( I dont keep up with the Jones I play what sounds good to me ).
Early 2000 Yamaha SC Nouveau ( Indonesian) yes with the hard plastic lugs which I never had a problem with , they sounded great to me , 13. 14 , 16 , 22 still have them.
Sidelined due to some medical issues for a few years.
Then got another Yamaha SC Birch Raven Black recently , 10 , 14 , 16 , 22 with Remo emperor clears on the toms. Bass not ported yet
I would like to try a maple kit though
Groove on
 
Sound, hardware and looks. Yamaha drums give me the sound I'm looking for and the hardware is bulletproof. Both sets look like pure business and could fit in multiple applications (weddings, rock gig, etc...). My Yamaha and Ludwig snares give me modern and classic sounds, fantastic looks, and complete ease of use.
 
I came of age in the 60s and Rogers was "IT" as far as I was concerned. Fast forward 35 years and I sold the Rogers and it paid for a Ludwig CM. Loved the CM sound, the quality, the hardware (at the time 2008), the ability to customize, and the price. I also have a 1960s Gretsch RB set and I own it because I found it in a pawn shop. I was very lucky to find it. Just a twist of fate.
 
So I went to our excellent local drum shop for the very first time (Rhythm Traders in Portland).

Hey, that's (one of) my local shop(s)!

My wife pointed out that every time I go in, even if I went for one specific item and I know where it is, I always stop and just look around in a circle for a second, just kinda taking it all in. All those kits so nicely set up...the rows and rows of cymbals...so much want...
 
I don’t really have any brand loyalty. My first set was a Frankenstein set. My second set was 70s vistalites. I didn‘t want to take them to gigs so I bought some exports. I shortly had a set of export selects at the same time. Sold those, then many years later sold the exports. Bought some Starclassic BB. I have loved all my drums and my favorites are the vistalites. They are the only music equipment that is off limits regarding selling gear. The Starclassic BB are the best sounding kit I’ve owned. I would probably be happy playing any decent quality set. My dad has had a few Yamaha kits and I’ve always loved the sound of them. I like the sound of DWs and some PDPs. I like the latest offerings from Gretsch. I haven’t played Mapex but their quality looks like it is improving all the time. I’m the same way with cymbal brands. Right now my setup includes Paiste 2000, Zildjian new beat, Sabian AA, Meinl Byzance, and of all things a Wuhan China that I love to beat up on Lol.
 
All my drums are Mapex. When Scott's Drum Center was open in Lafayette, Louisiana, at first Mapex was their main brand. So availability was the main factor. When I decided on Sabian, the main factor was price and that Sabian has every sound I want. Peace and goodwill.
 
I have been around the block with so many different brands that I wouldn't call myself a "...-drummer"' in any way, I kinda always pictured myself as more loyal to Tama, maybe as a result of their heavy exposure in metal and hard rock bands. But after owning several of their kits, I started to branch out and see what is out there... I have always had good experience with Pearl hardware, and after I bought a Masters BCX snare in 2015, I really wanted a whole kit in the same series. It was hard to beat their price back then, a Masters kit with all birch shells and die-cast hoops. Right now I feel it's more a hassle to change kits and it might be the main reason for still owning this kit (I need the kit for regular practice with my band, I want it to be a doublebass kit, and getting a new doublebass kit in the high-end segment, you almost always look at 4-5 months delivery time). So until I just can't stand keeping the same kit anymore, I play Pearl and like it ?. Though I'm highly adaptable and my next kit might as well be based on a flashy new finish, regardless of the brand. ?. I always prefer getting a brand new kit though, and I have been really disappointed with Tama in regards of the finishes over the last years, so that may keep me away from their drums yet another time.
 
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I chose DW Drums for an unusual reason. I knew in my head what I wanted (3up/3down kit) and I knew i wanted to buy from Sweetwater. While my gut told me to go with DW, I was getting some feedback from my drum instructor to buy something else as he believed that DW was a little overpriced. I spent a lot of evenings on sweetwater.com attempting to build my 3up/3down kit using different manufacturers. I quickly found that the only kits I could build using the products listed on the sweetwater site were DW Performance kits. I did talk to my Sweetwater Sales Engineer and asked why I couldn't build up a 3up/3down kit from all the other companies such as Pearl, Ludwig, Tama, Gretsch, Yamaha, Mapex, etc. He said that most of those manufacturers did have similar drum setups available and he could get back to me with pricing if I spec'd out the kit I wanted. Since I already was leaning towards DW anyways, and I wasn't convinced that DW is overpriced, I decided to just get what I wanted....DW Performance in Cherry stain.
 
I chose DW Drums for an unusual reason. I knew in my head what I wanted (3up/3down kit) and I knew i wanted to buy from Sweetwater. While my gut told me to go with DW, I was getting some feedback from my drum instructor to buy something else as he believed that DW was a little overpriced. I spent a lot of evenings on sweetwater.com attempting to build my 3up/3down kit using different manufacturers. I quickly found that the only kits I could build using the products listed on the sweetwater site were DW Performance kits. I did talk to my Sweetwater Sales Engineer and asked why I couldn't build up a 3up/3down kit from all the other companies such as Pearl, Ludwig, Tama, Gretsch, Yamaha, Mapex, etc. He said that most of those manufacturers did have similar drum setups available and he could get back to me with pricing if I spec'd out the kit I wanted. Since I already was leaning towards DW anyways, and I wasn't convinced that DW is overpriced, I decided to just get what I wanted....DW Performance in Cherry stain.
Hell, I bought a shell bank of Yamaha Stage customs. I can do 4 up / 3 down if I want to and still did not buy every tom available. 14"/16" hanging floor toms would not get used so I passed on those. You got a great kit. I would never boot them out of my live room...
 
I was considering Gretsch, Sonor and Noble & Cooley. Ultimately didn't like the Sonor kick, Gretsch took many months to deliver at that time and the N&C's were 40% off. I've played my N&C's for 25 years, no regrets.
 
I owned some TOL Yamaha audio gear a few years ago and knowing that they make great musical instruments, I decided on a 2nd generation Stage Custom when I bought my first decent kit. I have now owned four Yamaha acoustic kits and one electronic.

My interest in Gretsch came about from hearing great things about their drums here on DW. I wanted a maple kit and chose a current generation Renown as a result. I couldn't be happier with them.
 
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I decided on my Mapex Saturn V Exotic when they had a Covid-19 promotion so their dealers could stay at home and offer some blowout pricing. I like Saturn shell layup with the maple/walnut. Their lacquer finishes are nice too.

Gretsch Renown: I'm buying a nice used one later this week. Older model with die casts and rims mounts. I dig the config and the lacquer finish. No better kick sound that a Renown 22". Everyone should own a Renown.
 
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In terms of the kits I've owned I've tended to stick to the brands that I thought were cool growing up in Ireland and Germany in the 80s and 90s (mainly Yamaha), but realistically I've played all of the major brands, usually enough different series to have a good idea of what to expect, and I've worked my way up to the kits that I just think are the best. Same with snares. I'm even more democratic with cymbals - I think Sabian make by far the best hats (especially HHX), Zildjian make by far the best crashes (K/K custom/K sweet) so that's what I play exclusively. I own Bosphorus, Paiste and Zildjian rides, and I have a Dream Bliss splash because it sounds much better than any other splash I've owned.

I've been lucky enough to play a huge range of brands in backlines/kit shares/rehearsal studios/kits belonging to friends and teachers etc. and I've been rash/foolish enough to buy many others, so I've basically just worked my through them and now I play what I like best.
 
I just happened across an ad in the classified section of the newspaper (remember those?) and saw my kit for sale and had the money. I've since expanded on them, cymbal and hardware wise, and added two 6" concert toms and eventually swapped out the bass drums for sizes I prefer.
 
Ever since I was in high school, I always wanted to play a Sonor drum kit. I loved the logo, and a lot of my favorite drummers were playing them.
(Steve Smith, Phil Rudd, Nicko McBrain) Seeing rock magazine covers with the front bass drum head and it's logo on stage was great marketing.
That's why so many people bought Ludwig drums in the 1960s. They all saw Ringo Starr on TV with the Ludwig logo on his bass drum head.
I just never got around to owning one until 3 years ago. Now I have three Sonor kits. I enjoyed watching the factory tour on Youtube.
I like the craftsmanship that goes into the drums, and the fact that they offer beech drums. Also, everyone else has DW.
 
I was originally a Tama guy, largely because my mate that was a drummer when I started was also a Tama guy and my first kit was Tama Swingstar that came with Paiste 101s (which i quickly upgraded). Loved the kit, loved Tama and I’ve always liked the Japanese brands even with guitars ( a lot of my mates had Ibanez gear). Then more recently I had to buy an electronic kit so I could practice in an apartment, and originally I was looking at Rolands but found the DTX532 gave me more features I wanted for the money. So I got a Yamaha. Really turned me on to the brand. Then I went to get a compact kit for playing live to go with the DTX. Started out looking at the Tama stuff but eventually settled on the Yamaha Manu Katche Jr (a 3 Tom version of the hipgig) because it had great finishes (lacquered not wrapped), came with the extra rack Tom, was fully birch not poplar and just all around nice. Around this point me and my band mates realised nearly all our gear was Yamaha (2 drum kits, 2 keyboards, mixer, pa gear) and that this was totally coincidental. So the goal now is an endorsement hahaha.

But I gotta say I really dig Yamaha at this point and it’d need to be a sweet kit/deal to lure me away. Great Hardware, great finshes, solid builds, good sound and generally a bit cheaper too.

As for cymbals that was easy, Copeland played paistes, I love that sound and I’ve just never Really digged the sound of Zildjians so I became I paiste guy. Although I near picked up a set of Turkish cymbals recently but the shipping would’ve killed me (bloody Australia) so I stuck to paiste. I definitely think even since I started playing which wasn’t that long ago, there’s just so much more quality gear, and as someone with an intermediate budget we’re spoiled with quality that would’ve been considered pro not that long ago, so that’s pretty sweet.
 
Tradition. All my heroes play (or played at some point in their career) a gretsch/zildjian/vicfirth/remo combo. If it’s good enough for them it’s good enough for me. Those tools help me replicate the sounds ive heard on countless recordings that I’ve absolutely loved. Oh also, they look real pretty! Haven’t showed you all my new kit yet ;)
 
"... there’s just so much more quality gear, and as someone with an intermediate budget we’re spoiled with quality that would’ve been considered pro not that long ago, so that’s pretty sweet.

An important recognition, one often overlooked by today's up-and-coming drummers. They don't realize that a lot of the midrange gear on today's market is just as good as, and sometimes better than, the elite equipment of yesteryear. Major strides in production have had a transformational impact on manufacturers' capacities to offer first-rate products at reasonable prices. There's really no need to drop five grand on a drum set these days. You can get a great kit at a fraction of that sum.
 
I'm not a brand whore, I just like to get good value for my dollar. I bought my Pearl Exports when the local drum shop was selling a couple of new 5-pc sets for $300 (Canadian dollars) -- they're fine for what I need. More than fine, I'm happy with them, no complaints.
 
But I gotta say I really dig Yamaha at this point and it’d need to be a sweet kit/deal to lure me away. Great Hardware, great finshes, solid builds, good sound and generally a bit cheaper too.
As a general rule of thumb, the answer is Yamaha when you dont know. Meaning, Yamaha makes quality gear. If you need a piece of equipment and know nothing about it, Yamaha is usually a safe bet.
 
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