first time home studio drum purchase

[landwanr]

Ok so I know that a person cannot skimp on cymbals when trying to get a good recorded sound. I have already spent my dough there and on good mics. I am a funk guitar player/songwriter with a home studio (got to love that unlimited studio time). I used to arrive at rehearsal every day an hour early just to play the drums and I figured that I am just about good enough to start cutting my own drum tracks for my solo project. I would like to invest as small an amount on drums as possible but still retain a good drum sound. I have some experience recording drums but most of the kits I have worked with are top end drums. I was thinking of getting a sonor force 2001 kit in the smaller sizes for around 600 dollars. 10, 12, 14, 20" kick. It is mahogany (7ply I think) and I do like the fact that it is unwrapped. From listening to it in the store I know that it could sound sweet. Here is the question: Can I get a nice sound from an even less expensive kit like a rockland 5000 (9 ply mahogany, 12 lug toms, 16 lug kick drum, wrapped shells). I am a little concerned about the tunability of a 16" floor tom with 12 lugs. Potential problem? Here are my tastes for a studio kit. Tight kick sound, good cymbals, responsive, dry snare, and I do not like the toms to ring for days. I figure cheaper toms will sound a bit like good toms with moon gels or zero rings on them. I also realize that I will need to put better heads on a cheaper kit. The $300 savings would be significant to me at this financial low point in my life. Sorry for the length of my question and thanks for any and all help.

 

[svart]

drum purchase

Go for a yamaha set. I play them and you can get a stage custom set for around 600. they are leaps and bounds over the next cheapest things (much better than more expensive drums also!) they ahve the sound you are looking for for the most part. putting good drum heads on crappy drums will work somewhat but it will take some serious work to get them to sound good (i.e. tape, tape and folded rags, muffle rings, different heads, more tape, more muffle rings) might as well get it done right the first time than have to buy another set in the future when you want more.

 

[Tim Brown]

I would say go with the Sonor kit.

Any of the "no-name" kits are kind of a chance, because of issues such as the number of lugs and BEARING EDGES. If you put the money into some crap set-and the bearing edges are no good-it will cost more than $500 to have bearing edges cut-then you would have paid $800 for a kit that originally was $300!

Order a Drum Catalog ( order the others as well-they have good deals on outboard gear, I've ordered tons of stuff from them, and they went out of their way to get me stuff!) from Interstate Music-they have Sonor drums in the catalog (and yes they have prices on them)-AND you can buy individual drums as well...so you could start out with a 4-piece kit, and add the other tom later.

When I talk about "cheaper" drums or "less expensive" drums, I'm talking about kits like the Sonor set, not those $300 pieces of crap.

Heck, take a look in your local paper, or if you have a "Trading Post/classified ads" paper locally (In Jacksonville,FL we have "The Coastal Trading Post")-check them out...you'd be better off putting the $300 on a used Ludwig, Tama Pearl, or whatever vintage kit.
I've seen used Ludwig 5 piece sets sell for $200-$250, WITH cymbals.


Also, if you do not care what color the drums are-check out Used Gear By Mail/ "Daddy's Junky Music"....I've seen TONS of great deals on single drums (and alot of times they have matching toms...the key is just buying from the same drumline (if you're buying Tama make sure the toms are all of a matching line, like all ImperialStar, or Superstars or Rockstar) But the Kick could be a different line if you plan on putting any amount of muffling on it.

http://www.ugbm.com

Tim

 

[mikeh]

The Sonor 2001 is a good sounding kit in the $600 range. The Yamaha Stage Custom is also a good sounding kit in that range. You can probably get the Stage Custom for about $500. They are being discontinued and the stores are clearing them out.

I like the sound of the Sonor more than the Yamaha (not a lot more, but more). I would go with the fusion sizes (10",12"14"20") since they are easier to control for recording.

You may want to consider putting better heads on - for recording Remo Pinstripes or Evans G2's on the toms. Maybe an Evans EQ3, EQ4 or EMAD on the kick. I think the Evans Dry vent works very well on the snare.

You will not be happy with a $300 "off name" kit. Your concern about a limited number of tuning lugs is a valid concern.

The suggestion about looking for used gear may work, but you need to know what to look for - be careful to avoid warped shells, poor bearing edges, worn lugs, etc.

 

[Salvadore]

I play a pacific cxl series and they have a great sound and there around 600 i find that they are great when im playing punk funk or straight up metal the bass drum sounds sweet when i mic it up with a atm 25 mic but sonors are also great