Which set to buy?

What’s up everyone, new to the forum, been looking to purchase a drum set just for the pad. Use to drum back in the day and want to get something to beat on again. There are a lot of different options, new & used. Been looking for a couple weeks now, and it’s hard to make a decision. I have 1000 - 1500 to spend, and would like to get a full kit for that. Drums, cymbals, throne, pedal, hardware all of it. Everything I see used in my area seems a little over priced, and nothing that has come up has really tickled me. Been looking on reverb and seen some good deals on some new stuff. There is a pearl decade 5 pc set with hardware for around 800$, which seems like a good deal and I can live with the color. There are also some crush sets ready to go, the birch, poplar 5 pc sets shipped to my door for 799$.

I know pearl is tried and true and if I get that set for 800 I can get a few cymbals a throne and be right in my price range. The crush comes complete and I might have to buy a throne, and I can get some better heads if I wanted. Only thing about the crush, is there Facebook, Instagram and other media outlets are dead. Nothing has been posted since 2019. I like the look of the sets and the reviews look good, and they sound good, and reading their customer service is great. Just don’t want to get a set and have the manufacturer go out of business. Was also looking at the pearl export double bass set ups, and the Ludwig element evolution double bass sets which for 1200 $ seems fair and would be cool to have a double bass set up. Just don’t want to give up the quality for quantity.

Truth is I am looking for a 5 pc set with hardware, cymbals, everything I need to start drumming again. A snare, kick drum, 2 high toms, and a floor tom. Hi hats, a 16 crash, an 18 crash, and a ride. Maybe a double bass pedal later on if I really start to jam again. Every music store near me isn’t that great and only has lower end kits in stock so I can’t go see how they sound or feel. I can keep looking for a used set just have to wait for the right deal to come up. I’m open to suggestions, and if anyone knows of a good outlet for used equipment I would appreciate it. I also have 2 boys so I’m hoping if they hear me in there jamming, they will get interested and either want to take the kit over, or pick up another instrument and start to jam with the old man. In all truth I really like the crush sets just catch my eye and give me that tingly feeling. U know like when u climbed the rope in gym class.

Thanks, looking forward to the replies.
 
If craigslist or ebay offer nothing, there is https://www.musicgoround.com
The prices seem pretty fair and you buy from a store, so maybe there's some warranty.
If your kids are still small, you might look for somewhat smaller drums without very deep toms. Otherwise, I'd get whatever drum set that is available locally to save shipping: old Tama Rockstars, Mapex Mars, Pearl Export, Yamaha Stage Custom or whatever else, preferably with some hardware, for about $200-300. If they are not damaged, they will hold up well.
That will leave you with plenty of money to find excellent used cymbals (or a snare) online - about $400 if you're patient.
The rest for heads, sticks, hearing protection, lessons...
 
You mention Pearl above. I'll always recommend Pearl, evidenced by the badge in my forum ID. If you want to get back into drumming after many years away, you could do a lot worse than an Export. It's a solid kit at a reasonable price, and it will hold up for many years if you wish to pass it on to your sons. You can always move on to another series down the line, but the Export would be a reliable starting point.
 
An option may be to go with something like this Yamaha Stage Custom used: https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Yamaha/2015-Stage-Custom-Drum-Kit.gc
Pick up this Yamaha or similar HW pack: https://www.guitarcenter.com/Yamaha/HW-780-Drum-Hardware-Pack-1274115032483.gc?rNtt=yamaha drum hardware packs&index=3
And this Zildjian A Cymbal pack: https://www.guitarcenter.com/Zildjian/A-Series-391-Cymbal-Pack.gc?rNtt=zildjian cymbal packs&index=4
That puts you super close to your price and gets you real drums, cymbals and HW, except a throne. The pack prices on both HW and Cymbals end up less than buying them individually, so probably the best way to go.

Every once in a while I see a knockout deal on CL, but they are becoming very rare. When I found my old 5pc PDP set, they were two years old, in great condition, came with a full set of 800 series HW, Sabian XS20 cymbals, blocks, cowbells and an Axis X single pedal and throne for $700. That got me back in the game immediately and for cheap. Today, most CL sellers seem to think they are selling you a stash of gold!
 
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Mahogany/Poplar shell design. Great drum kit that sounds as good as anything you'll find at twice the price. I bought one just because of the price and it's an amazing drum kit for the money. Then add a throne and some good cymbals and...voila!
 
You can get a brand new Yamaha Stage Custom Birch with hardware for around $950 in the US. A used Stage Custom kit is almost always a safe bet too. Great kits! The newer sets come with shallower rack toms and when matched up with a 20" kick drum, are easy for both kids and adults to play.

Cymbals are trickier. I prefer matched sets which I've never seen used, and I like my cymbals to look brand new so for that reason I generally buy new. That can get expensive but cymbals are the one thing not to cheap out on. I would buy a new cymbal pack of pro grade cymbals if I was starting all over again.

Good luck. Let us know what you find!
 
An option may be to go with something like this Yamaha Stage Custom used: https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Yamaha/2015-Stage-Custom-Drum-Kit.gc
Pick up this Yamaha or similar HW pack: https://www.guitarcenter.com/Yamaha/HW-780-Drum-Hardware-Pack-1274115032483.gc?rNtt=yamaha drum hardware packs&index=3
And this Zildjian A Cymbal pack: https://www.guitarcenter.com/Zildjian/A-Series-391-Cymbal-Pack.gc?rNtt=zildjian cymbal packs&index=4
That puts you super close to your price and gets you real drums, cymbals and HW, except a throne. The pack prices on both HW and Cymbals end up less than buying them individually, so probably the best way to go.

Every once in a while I see a knockout deal on CL, but they are becoming very rare. When I found my old 5pc PDP set, they were two years old, in great condition, came with a full set of 800 series HW, Sabian XS20 cymbals, blocks, cowbells and an Axis X single pedal and throne for $700. That got me back in the game immediately and for cheap. Today, most CL sellers seem to think they are selling you a stash of gold!
Yes sir, I’ve been looking and looking some deals pop up but you can go buy a new set and have it shipped to your house in the color u want for 100$ more. I get it it’s your drum set, but I’m not gonna pay 550 for a used imperial star with a double bass pedal.
 
Yes sir, I’ve been looking and looking some deals pop up but you can go buy a new set and have it shipped to your house in the color u want for 100$ more. I get it it’s your drum set, but I’m not gonna pay 550 for a used imperial star with a double bass pedal.
That stage custom link I included above....You can get the newer version with snare for that price. It was just a reference. This one is even better: https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Y...116356508.gc?rNtt=yamaha stage custom&index=2
 
I'd look at the pearl roadshow 'jazz' kit. You obviously can play any kind of music you want on it but it's sizes are a bit smaller (18b, 10t, 14ft, 13s) so it will not take up as much room, comes with a full set of hardware, and the reliability and lifetime warranty of the pearl name all for under $500. That leaves you with $500+ left over to get nice cymbals and new heads.

I always used to knock pearl until I bought a midtown (also a compact kit, same shells) and I'm honestly blown away by it.
 
I'd look at the pearl roadshow 'jazz' kit. You obviously can play any kind of music you want on it but it's sizes are a bit smaller (18b, 10t, 14ft, 13s) so it will not take up as much room, comes with a full set of hardware, and the reliability and lifetime warranty of the pearl name all for under $500. That leaves you with $500+ left over to get nice cymbals and new heads.

I always used to knock pearl until I bought a midtown (also a compact kit, same shells) and I'm honestly blown away by it.
It’s nice when u can have a manufacturer that will back they’re product. Another reason I’m leaning toward new.
 
Welcome to the forum! The best thing IMO would be to wait on a good used deal. It’s going to be hard to get everything without cheaping out on the cymbals. I would also add new heads to the price of a kit. To get the most out of beginner/intermediate drums you will need good heads (unless they come with the kit.)
If you are set on either the Crush or the Pearl, I would suggest Pearl. I don’t have any experience with Crush but I have owned a few sets of Pearl Exports and they were incredible bang for the buck. I would imagine the decades are even better.

The good news is that entry level and intermediate drum sets have never been better.
 
Yamaha Stage Customs are the best quality for the price. Many (or most) people here on the forums will tell you the same thing. They're great.

I would then buy a Yamaha 600 hardware pack for $280. Very high quality for the price.

For the cymbals, I would look at getting some good USED cymbals. Otherwise you'll have to cheap out and get crappy ones. Nothing is worse than having to go with cheap cymbals. Look on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, you can get great cymbals for a fraction of the cost.
 
In case you want a little more information. The snare that comes with the SCB is surprisingly good too.

 
In case you want a little more information. The snare that comes with the SCB is surprisingly good too.



I'm sure that is a great set but I'm sure it won't sound like this video when you get it home. If you go off of all these you tube videos of guys who know how to make a video. Like Drum Center of Portsmouth they could make a trash can sound good why, because they sell drums. Why do drumeo videos sound so good. They know how to make a drum sound good in a video to make money selling lessons. Believe it, a real set of drums is dynamic where is it set up, what heads? How are they tuned and what method did you use to tune them. Why is my snare buzzing when I hit some of my toms? Why doesn't my snare sound like that video? Why do my toms ring so much? Not just drums but music in general is very dynamic. But we tend to try and put it in a box. Good luck with whatever you choose.
 
I'm sure that is a great set but I'm sure it won't sound like this video when you get it home. If you go off of all these you tube videos of guys who know how to make a video. Like Drum Center of Portsmouth they could make a trash can sound good why, because they sell drums. Why do drumeo videos sound so good. They know how to make a drum sound good in a video to make money selling lessons. Believe it, a real set of drums is dynamic where is it set up, what heads? How are they tuned and what method did you use to tune them. Why is my snare buzzing when I hit some of my toms? Why doesn't my snare sound like that video? Why do my toms ring so much? Not just drums but music in general is very dynamic. But we tend to try and put it in a box. Good luck with whatever you choose.
There's more to the video than just the sound of the drums but I get your point. The OP has played drums before so it's safe to say that he/she is familiar with how they sound.

The drums sound good in these videos because they ARE good. This is what you can expect from them if you tune them well and use them on stage or in the studio. I realize that not everybody does that but a lot of us do. The videos are still quite helpful.

This one is good too:

 
There are some good deals on new sets but I'd look primarily for used sets. You said you want something to bang on and get back into playing. I'd buy new drums only once I know exactly what I want, so I'd just start with something that's solid and nearby. Finding a nice used set for less than $500 is possible and then you'll have a lot of money left to improve it or buy missing things. If you sell it eventually you might lose or win $50, so it's like renting a set for free.
I don't know the drums you mentioned but $800 is already quite a lot to me if you'd like to spend 1500 maximum. You might want new heads eventually, a sound system to play music while drumming, good cymbals and other miscellaneous stuff. If you post your city and how far you would drive, people can probably recommend some good deals.
 
I'm sure that is a great set but I'm sure it won't sound like this video when you get it home. If you go off of all these you tube videos of guys who know how to make a video. Like Drum Center of Portsmouth they could make a trash can sound good why, because they sell drums. Why do drumeo videos sound so good. They know how to make a drum sound good in a video to make money selling lessons. Believe it, a real set of drums is dynamic where is it set up, what heads? How are they tuned and what method did you use to tune them. Why is my snare buzzing when I hit some of my toms? Why doesn't my snare sound like that video? Why do my toms ring so much? Not just drums but music in general is very dynamic. But we tend to try and put it in a box. Good luck with whatever you choose.
I understand, there are a lot of variables that make the set sound like it does. From how it’s tuned to where it is, a garage, or a small room. Vibrations from other drums affecting the snare or other variables. Watching the videos can give me a base on what I can strive towards in those variables. Watched a video yesterday of a guy playing on buckets, pans, scrap metal, and some trash can symbols. A good drummer can make anything sound good. In the videos you can see and hear a little difference in the types of wood and everything else. Obviously better hardware, cymbals are ridiculous 700$ for a set, ouch.
 
Obviously better hardware, cymbals are ridiculous 700$ for a set, ouch.
I'm a bit unclear on what you mean. Do you consider $700 for a new shell pack to be expensive? I'm not trying to sound snobbish here but that's a smokin' deal. Incredibly, you can get Stage Customs for $650.

Drums and cymbals are expensive. There's no denying that.
 
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