Need help on buying new drums please

Hi! My name is Steven, i have been learning drums about 6 months now. I was waiting to get a "real" kit until i got a bit better. i still have a long way to go but i want to get my first bar gig worthy kit. right now i just have a practice kit that does not sound too great. its good enough for practice but i want something that i can start taking with me on weekends to play with. So I just wanted to get some opinions? I live in winnipeg, canada if it matters.

I'll have about 1.4 thousand to spend on it. Should I just get one piece at a time or..? lol ok thanks any help would be very appreciated

here is my advise...

1.Yamaha Stage Custom you can pick up a nice new set for $489 guitar center has them on sale right now, they are regular $599

2. Mapex Meridian Maple, this is a nice mid level set and its Maple. $549 i believe and also at Guitar Center.

3. Look for a good used set, with $1400 you can buy a damn nice set...

just remember what ever drums you buy you will need cymbals and thats where it can get expensive. just the 3 minimal cymbals will set you back atleast $600....I would start with quality cymbals Zildijan, Sabian, Paiste and a few others. Start with the hats + ride and 1-2 crashes if you get quality cymbals these will last a lifetime.

Thanks for the reply. I did not mean to make another "what should i buy" thing lmfao i did not see how many people are asking this same question as me.

hit up some local music shops and tap on some kits in your price range

I am sure something will tickle your fancy

when buying a full kit and cymbals salesmen tend to get very generous

take your time doing it .....it is an extremely enjoyable process

ask tons of questions and make them earn their commission

I'm sure if you read similar posts on this forum, you'll find that the most common advice given to someone like you is "buy used". Especially at this time of year,when a lot of people are either saving their money for Christmas (ie:not buying drums on Craigslist) or trying to raise money for Christmas (ie: trying to sell drums on Craigslist) you should be able to find a killer kit, including cymbals on CL or Kijijji well within your budget. Long and McQuade (the Canadian equivalent of Guitar Center) generally can't compete price wise. If you are patient you should be able to find a mint condition kit at 50-60% of retail-AND not have to pay taxes on it! Good luck,be patient, have fun with the process.

Slippy said:

....1.Yamaha Stage Custom you can pick up a nice new set for $489 guitar center has them on sale right now, they are regular $599....

Click to expand...

Saw that today and was really surprised. Normal price on those at almost all places is $649 (USD). That deal ends today though, so the OP better act fast.

For the OP - if you buy used, you can get more for your money, and maybe a full kit with everything you need.

The trade-off is that if it's a full kit, it'll be what someone else picked out for themself, not something you picked out. Not too bad if you just get a drum shell pack. But then you'll still need to get cymbals and hardware.

There are some super deals on new, mid-range, shell packs right now. if you'd rather buy new, one of those along with a cymbals pack and hardware pack, would set you up nicely, and be within your budget.

Hi stevenk, like yourself I live in Winnipeg too...plenty of great deals on Kijiji. Used is the way to go in my humble opinion.

The other thing I like to add is are you taking lessons? Are your lessons paid for? If not, some of that budgeted money should be put toward lessons. It also gives you someone to ask other questions like these to!

I generally agree with everyone's assessment - except I don't feel it's a bad thing if this is your first kit ever and you don't know a ton about drums to get a mid-level kit from a store. There's at least some level of quality control and service. There is also another level of overselling, but stick with a plan and you're golden. Mid-level kits will hold more resale value if your drumming journey comes to an end - unlike a CB kit perhaps...

I have the Stage Customs myself, and they're great drums and perfect for learning on. You can play/learn/gig on those and sound great. The Mapex kit sounds like a good one too. Try and play them at a good drum store where they'll help explain the differences between each one, the nuances of hardware, etc. Ask these questions too!

That said, I'd ignore all pleas from said GuitarBoxStore to buy a cymbal pack/hardware pack. Individually, these can easily be found on Craigslist/Ebay and be perfect for a lower price. Nothing wrong with getting cymbals at a store, but please please please go for decent hats/ride/crash. No B8/ZBT. You will enjoy playing more, then in turn play longer! But cymbal choice is very personal and some research here, listening at mycymbal.com and playing them at an actual store will help you stretch your dollar to find something that YOU like.

P.s. Buying gear is awesome! It never ends (double edged sword there).