drums for my son

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deadhippy

deadhippy

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My son has decided that He would like to take up drums.
Can anyone recommend a good starter set, relatively cheap?
I see that Tama has a beginner line in the neighborhood of $300, are these decent for a first set?

Thanks.
 
Don't forget the cost of earplugs for the rest of the family. :)
 
Learning drums is about learning coordination and getting 4 limbs doing 4 things at the same time. So realistically, a set of pots would do for learning on. So getting a cheap set will sufice. You won't get any resale value with anything, unless you are willing to drop over $2,000. So don't think about resale, think about how long will he stick with them and how much you are willing to put into it.

If he sticks with it, he can always get a good set later!!
 
SONOR...nice quality even in their starter (503 series). I think they're just a little more than your budget but they've got some nice hardware in their kits.
 
All I know is I would have been really happy to have had that posted kit as my first drumset.

Yeah, don't forget the earplugs and padded room for the drums if possible.
 
You could also look into the electronic Yamaha DTXPress kit, the original first model sells used for around $400. He could use headphones until he gets good enough to torture you with real drum sounds. :) I have one and it's great for practicing.

-Sys
 
also depending on space - an arbiter flats kit ae worth a look. search them on google and take a good look. theyre god for beginners. theyre loud enough to compete witha band - but quiet enough to practie on without the family wanting to kill him. also thery are easy to tune and they take up no space what so ever s they nly have one skin. you can learn everything you need to know on arbiter flats and if you get better then you can upgrade n a few years time to a bigger better kit.
 
Use your ears, take the boy to a large music store with a knowledgeable staff, tell them your price range and let him kick every kit they have that fit's your budget.
 
There are really no decent stores in my area! For instance, I was going to rent some mics to audition, but all they had were peavey mics and one old beat-to-hell 57...

I saw a sonor set @ 8th street for the same price as the Tama's.

So is it a toss-up? Or are the sonors better?

BTW, though I be a guitar player, I still likes to beat the skins, arghhh.... :D

Already have MANY sets of earplugs, and a semi-soundproofed room.
 
Tama

No it's not a toss up. If you can get the Tama rockstars or Tama period. I have recorded stuff with Tama rockstar kits and it turned out great. A long time ago. Guitar and bass can always go headphones. As far as electronic drums go, well I own a set and practice with them rarely. How many bands have elec. drummers? Real drums = real dynamics. Don't buy cheap cymbals period. If you can only afford one good cymbal it's worth ten cheap ones. To start just a hi hat and a 18 inch crash ride will do fine. Look at Sabian. Good stuff for the price. Go Sabian AA AAX-- Both good. Oh yeah and tell him to listen when he plays. Most important for grasshopper drummers. :D
 
Almost forgot

If you want those drums more quiet put a sheet on top of them and hang shoelaces on the cymbals. Had my moments with neighbors! :D
 
paganprogress said:
No it's not a toss up. If you can get the Tama rockstars or Tama period. I have recorded stuff with Tama rockstar kits and it turned out great. A long time ago. Guitar and bass can always go headphones. As far as electronic drums go, well I own a set and practice with them rarely. How many bands have elec. drummers? Real drums = real dynamics. Don't buy cheap cymbals period. If you can only afford one good cymbal it's worth ten cheap ones. To start just a hi hat and a 18 inch crash ride will do fine. Look at Sabian. Good stuff for the price. Go Sabian AA AAX-- Both good. Oh yeah and tell him to listen when he plays. Most important for grasshopper drummers. :D
Click to expand...

Can't afford the rockstars AND cymbals. The stagestars come with cymbals, though I've read that they are better frisbees than cymbals.

In your opinion, are the Tama Stagestars better than the Sonors (same price, but the Sonors do not come with any kind of cymbals or cymbal stands)?
 
get the sonor kit,
the bass drum of the tama kit is too small!!


deadhippy said:
Can't afford the rockstars AND cymbals. The stagestars come with cymbals, though I've read that they are better frisbees than cymbals.

In your opinion, are the Tama Stagestars better than the Sonors (same price, but the Sonors do not come with any kind of cymbals or cymbal stands)?
Click to expand...
 
and take a look at "taye" and "mapex"
they are all cheap but the quality aren`t bad.

drummercat said:
get the sonor kit,
the bass drum of the tama kit is too small!!
Click to expand...
 
If you get earplugs I'd suggest the person who should be wearing them is your son. My son started drumming quite young and you want to protect their ears at that age. There could be many years of drumming ahead and there's a lot of ear damage that can happen over the years.

Maybe we're nuts but the whole family enjoyed the racket and over time the improvements we could hear. (After all they tolerate my guitar wailing from time to time.) By the age 14 there was a noisy/friendly punk band jamming upstairs with my son drumming and we had lots of good times together. Lots of pizza and Coke too... I guess what I'm saying is allow yourself to enjoy this time...it doesn't last long!

Now to answer your question, we just got the lowest cost complete kit that seemed credible (Pearl Maxwin) and wouldn't fall apart when you looked at it. And of course the colour had to be cool (black). Once he used it for a few years he had a much better idea of what he wanted and then upgraded. Now he's a committed drummer, has played in bands and recorded at the age of 16.
 
What kind of drums

Really what it boils down is this--A nice expensive drum out of tune will not sound as good as a cheap drum in tune with itself. I heard someone mention Pearl/ Maxwin- thier good to. You'll have to get new heads later anyway. So buy the cheapest drums that seem reasonable and functional. It's important he learns how to tune drums not just hit them. Drums need to be in tune with themselvs. Hardware is important but cheap hardware will work for now. Don't buy the crappy cymbals though. When I started I had a whole host of frisbees. When I got my first real cymbal I was amazed. A good cymbal is musical,a frisbe is, well... a frisbee. :) For good drums I'm a Tama fan. For now buy everything cheap EXCEPT CyMBALS! Cheap cymbals are a bane to mankind and musicians in particular. Hope this helps. :)
 
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paganprogress said:
Really what it boils down is this--A nice expensive drum out of tune will not sound as good as a cheap drum in tune with itself.
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This is absolutely correct - you can take any cheap set - put some good heads on them - with either mufflers or moon-gels and make them sound great.

You'll have to get new heads later anyway.

Actually - you should be able to tune bass and toms pretty well even with stock heads - but I always change the snare heads - it's worth the added investment.

It's important he learns how to tune drums not just hit them. Drums need to be in tune with themselvs.

This too is very true........ if the drums don't sound good - he isn't going to be anything but frustrated - if he can't make sounds that sound good to him he'll lose interest pretty quick.

Hardware is important but cheap hardware will work for now.

True.....

Don't buy the crappy cymbals though. When I started I had a whole host of frisbees. When I got my first real cymbal I was amazed. A good cymbal is musical,a frisbe is, well... a frisbee.

This is the same as tuning the drums........ if it sounds like crap he won't keep interested.

My nephew has been taking lessons for a year now - and his mother has been going crazy trying to get him to practice.

I told her to bring him to the house for an 8 hour session with me - and I let him know he was going to work his butt off.

The 1st thing I did when he showed up was tune his drums (and taught him how to in the process) dropped some moon-gels on them - and then threw away his cymbals and gave him some good Zildjian cymbals - older 60's and 70's brass........ just a 14" crash - 12" high hats and an 18" crash ride with a nice bell.

When he heard how his kit sounded when it was done (and after spending 8 hours getting used to some rudimentary beats on a full set) he lit up like a christmas tree.

His mom doesn't have to bug him to practice - he looks forward to it - and he opened a set for me at the fall festival we do in September - and although he has a way to go (he's only 11) he was rock solid - found the groove and kept it.

Hearing yourself sound good makes a world of difference.

If you can't buy good brass brand new out of the store - then look around for used brass..... you can get some pretty good deals......

Good luck.

Rod

Goos luck
 
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