Great cheap drums? "SM7 is to mics as X is to drums..."
- Thread starter kojdogg
- Start date
hazerlazer
New member
Yamaha's low end kits sound fantastic to me. A set of Gigmakers would only run $500. Use the extra money to get a good snare and some cymbals -- I'd suggest a Pearl Sensitone Aluminum snare and Sabian AAX (Xplosion Crashes, Stage Hats and Ride) cymbals.
If you can't get good sounds out of that setup, it's definitely user error.
If you can't get good sounds out of that setup, it's definitely user error.
drossfile
nope
"cheap" is a pretty relative term, so your budget would be useful info.
that aside, toms and kicks can usually be coaxed into usable results as long as you're not shopping in the kiddie section at sears. keep trawling craigslist.
my advice would be: get a pearl export set used. a 5-pc can be had for around $300 on craigslist. tune 'em up right.
then spring for a good snare (i and several others will swear by the mapex black panther premium 7.5"--versatile, wide tuning range, etc--but there are other good options).
listen to suppercrap on the cymbals. it'll take some time and creative shopping (ebay, pawn shops) if you wanna do it at a relatively low cost, but you absolutely have to have high-quality cymbals if you want a good sound.
go with name brands, find out what their "budget" lines are and avoid them at all costs. occasionally you'll find an exception (i still use a sabian b8 6" splash), but these are few and far between. good cymbals cost a lot, just like good drums. problem is, you can't tune, dampen, or tweak a cymbal. it is what it is.
good luck man!
that aside, toms and kicks can usually be coaxed into usable results as long as you're not shopping in the kiddie section at sears. keep trawling craigslist.
my advice would be: get a pearl export set used. a 5-pc can be had for around $300 on craigslist. tune 'em up right.
then spring for a good snare (i and several others will swear by the mapex black panther premium 7.5"--versatile, wide tuning range, etc--but there are other good options).
listen to suppercrap on the cymbals. it'll take some time and creative shopping (ebay, pawn shops) if you wanna do it at a relatively low cost, but you absolutely have to have high-quality cymbals if you want a good sound.
go with name brands, find out what their "budget" lines are and avoid them at all costs. occasionally you'll find an exception (i still use a sabian b8 6" splash), but these are few and far between. good cymbals cost a lot, just like good drums. problem is, you can't tune, dampen, or tweak a cymbal. it is what it is.
good luck man!
D
dintymoore
Guest
I've played cheap drums that were fine and expensive ones that sucked.
There's so much that can be done to a drum as far as head selection and preparing the kit that I'd rather have a well prepared cheap set than a good set right out of the box that nobody tweaked.
Ditto everybody else's comment on cymbals - you can't do anything to cymbals, they either work or don't.
You can't beat an 60's set of Ludwigs for all around good sound - Hal Blaine used them on a lot of great tunes, and I see them for less than crappy sets all the time.
So my SM57 of drums would be a 60's set of Ludwigs with a pillow in the kick.
22x14/9x13/16x16 w/5x14 Supra and lots of peeling chrome
There's so much that can be done to a drum as far as head selection and preparing the kit that I'd rather have a well prepared cheap set than a good set right out of the box that nobody tweaked.
Ditto everybody else's comment on cymbals - you can't do anything to cymbals, they either work or don't.
You can't beat an 60's set of Ludwigs for all around good sound - Hal Blaine used them on a lot of great tunes, and I see them for less than crappy sets all the time.
So my SM57 of drums would be a 60's set of Ludwigs with a pillow in the kick.
22x14/9x13/16x16 w/5x14 Supra and lots of peeling chrome
Lethalxbeats
New member
If you want a set of drums that are recording quality,look great,and built really well I suggest a used set of Mapex Saturns.
A used 5 piece kit in good condition will go for around $800.00 to $900.00 -with the economy the way it is it seems like all used gear is going for less $
I fully agree with the guys that gave reasons not to buy new gear- they decrease as soon as you play them. Big time.
As far as cymbals go I have been a Sabian and Zildjian guy over 25 years. But this time around I went with Meinl crashes. They just had the sound I have always wanted-although I still use Zildjian A custom high hats and a A custom 20" ping ride.
Zildjian,Sabian,Paste,Meinl.....etc. etc. all make great cymbals and they all make lower level,medium level, and pro level cymbals- depends on how much $ you want to spend.
The BEST sounding cheaper cymbals IMO are Paste Alpha series and a company called Dream cymbals is prolly the cheapest- around $65.00 for a NEW 16" "Bliss" series crash cymbal- I tried one the other day at my local drum shop and could not believe how great it sounded. I about fell over when the owner told me it was a $65.00 cymbal. It sounded as good as many $150.00-$175.00 crash cymbals.
A used 5 piece kit in good condition will go for around $800.00 to $900.00 -with the economy the way it is it seems like all used gear is going for less $
I fully agree with the guys that gave reasons not to buy new gear- they decrease as soon as you play them. Big time.
As far as cymbals go I have been a Sabian and Zildjian guy over 25 years. But this time around I went with Meinl crashes. They just had the sound I have always wanted-although I still use Zildjian A custom high hats and a A custom 20" ping ride.
Zildjian,Sabian,Paste,Meinl.....etc. etc. all make great cymbals and they all make lower level,medium level, and pro level cymbals- depends on how much $ you want to spend.
The BEST sounding cheaper cymbals IMO are Paste Alpha series and a company called Dream cymbals is prolly the cheapest- around $65.00 for a NEW 16" "Bliss" series crash cymbal- I tried one the other day at my local drum shop and could not believe how great it sounded. I about fell over when the owner told me it was a $65.00 cymbal. It sounded as good as many $150.00-$175.00 crash cymbals.
I can't agree more with anything you said lethal. Mapex saturns can be found used cheap and they sound fabulous. Their hardware is second to none, as well. I adore the paiste alphas as well, but I think they stopped making them... Didn't they?
I haven't played one but I've heard really good things about the dream cymbals and the samples I've heard of them back that up.
I haven't played one but I've heard really good things about the dream cymbals and the samples I've heard of them back that up.
Lethalxbeats
New member
Thanks man. Yeah they still make/sell Alpha's- but yeah -for the $ I think the Dream Bliss crashes sound really good. I prefer the Alpha's but they are more $.