Looking to buy E-Drum Set

  • Thread starter Thread starter EndersGame
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EndersGame

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Hello, I'm looking to buy an electronic drum set but I do not have alot of money. I'm looking for something under $800. Can anyone help me out? Any suggestions or anything would be well appreciated. Thanks in advance.
 
Hey EG:
There's not anything I can think of new out there under 1500.00, so you may want to look into getting a used one.
Major makers are Roland, Yamaha, and Alesis.
I own the Yamaha DTX kit, but mine costs around 2000.00 new complete.
Hope you find something. Check out used instruments on-line, and check our used instruments forum here as well.
DJ
 
EndersGame,

Go to the Electronic Drum Web, there you will find plans to build your own triggers "very" cheaply...at least take a look at this option before dispelling it, I almost did...now, I have ten triggers built, on a used Roland Rack, with an Alesis DM5 and DMPro, and everything works flawlessly! These are very easy to build, using Remo Practice Pads with real drum heads, which are replaceable of course, you can "tune" down the head for a softer stick response, etc. I think you could come in well under your budget, provided you looked for a used module and rack, the triggers themselves cost under $20.00 each complete.
Take a look, they really do work!

Good luck,

BW
 
One other option- it may be outside your budget, but the pads themselves are very good. Try Hart Dynamics. Their web site is http://www.hartdynamics.com and they have a retail outlet under the same roof called http://www.edrumstore.com .

They occasionally have killer sales on equipment, which is how I picked up my Hart kit a while back (for less than half of the old V-Pro price). I use it with a Roland TD10 brain. The Alesis kit you see at retail these days is actually OEM Hart pads with the Alesis logo on them... I have played and broken the Roland hardware, and the Yamaha hardware looked equally dodgy (for a heavy player like me). The Hart stuff has held up unbelieveably well, and I very much like the Hart cymbal feel: I don't like to have to think about whether I'm playing acoustics or E-drums. On a tight budget, I'd spend some time looking for used Hart pads and then snag whatever brain suits your sonic needs.

Drummers can be very hard on equipment, and underbuying can be more expensive in the long run than saving up and just getting stuff that really matches your needs right up front. Breaking equipment gets expensive. Trust me- I bought a Roland TD7 kit, killed most of the pads, replaced them, killed the replacements, replaced them with Pintech pieces and killed _them_ before I found the Harts. My pocketbook still smarts from that exercise.

There are many threads on the Roland VDrum site having to do with this theme. It would appear that I am not the only one who plays hard and gets tired of replacing broken hardware, clamps, and pads. That site also has a listing for classified ads for used equipment, where you might find some useful leads. That is http://www.vdrums.com .

Just a thought: your mileage may vary, and you may be a very light player so that this doesn't apply. Still, IMHO, they are worth a look.
 
Electronic Drums

The least expensive electronic kit I know of is the Yamaha DT Express - you should be able to buy one new for $1,000. Naturally you could buy triggers, a sound module and some pads (I've actually put Hart triggers on Remo practice pads and it worked). However, keep in mind that by the time you buy all the triggers, pads, etc. you may be close to the price of the DT Express. Words of advice: 1) The DT Express is built rather fragile (hey its only $1,000) and 2)Alesis makes some of the best modules - you can pick up an SR16 or an HR16 used for less than $100
 
The DTXpress is fragile??? :confused:

I've been beating the livin' shit outta this kit for 4 months without a single problem!
Obviously, you don't own one, or you would've stated your case from personal experience.
I OWN one... and it isn't "fragile".
Sounds like pure speculation to me.
 
I am biased so feel free to disregard.

I can't comment on the quality control at yamaha, cause I don't make them, but...

I can say that the DT express wasn't that great. I had the misfortune to play one of those kits for two months about three days a week as a fill-in for another drummer. The bass drum trigger has the electronics housed right next to the pad, and had to be replaced with a sturdier pintech pad after the beating loosened the wiring (could've been faulty though)

I just plain hated that drum kit.

I liked the V-Drums, they were fun to play.

I am biased, as I own a real drum kit and play it a whole lot. :)
 
If you read the original post, this guy only has about $800 to spend.
While I also enjoy the high-quality and versatility of the Roland kits, they're just waaay outta this guys' price range... (except for the 'trap kit', which we all know is crap anyway)
The V-Custom is more than 3 times what he wants to spend, and the V-Pro is more than 4 times what he wants to spend.
You're suggesting a fully-loaded Mercedes to a guy who can only afford a base-model Toyota.
Granted, the Toyota won't come near the Mercedes in overall quality... but at least it's still brand new and functional.
 
Electronic Drums

Buck, I admit I don't own a DT Express. However, I do work in a drum shop that sells and services Roland and Yamaha electronic kits. I have played and worked on all the kits we carry and have played various other electronic kits in the studios I work in. I have actually played electronics since the 80's (when Simmons first came out). I do feel that the DT Express triggers fail more often than most of the electronics I've seen and the mounting equipment is not real rugged. However, for the price I do think it has good sounds and it is a logical entry into the electronic realm. I agree the Roland V-Drums are out of the price range stated in the original post. Personally I feel they are over priced for almost anyone who doesn't generate significant income as a player. I own the V Pro kit and it is a great recording kit, but I still prefer accustics in live applications.
 
Granted, nothing sounds as good as a well-tuned, high-quality acoustic set. I'll take a DW kit any day of the week.
But, I ran out of patience trying to mic my acoustic kit and get the same excellent results every single time. I don't play my drums out, so an electronic kit was the obvious choice for recording purposes only. I agree that the Roland V-kits are MUCH better than the Yamaha DTXpress kit, but for under a grand, the Yamaha's can't be beat. (no pun intended) ;)
 
mikeh: Hey, thats interesting! You prefer acoustic drums drums in live situations, but electronic for recording?
I know that when the Clavia drums came they got really popular with the Swedish dance and cover bands. These guys bump around Sweden typically doing 4-6 gigs a week, playing crappy schlagers and foxtrot and things like that, and liked them because they didn't need miking, so they were easy to set up.
So I have always looked on electronic drums as more of a live tool...
 
Relax

I did read the original post, I just happened to comment that I liked the V Drums, wasn't necessarily recommending them or implying he should buy them.

But since you brought it up, and I totally see why you thought that...:)

If you are seriously looking at an electronic kit as a means to improve your set-up in the studio, or for live applications, and beyond the hobbyist stage of music, then save more money and but something great. Don't settle for a cheaper product becasue it fits your budget, do the research and buy the product that best fits your needs.

IMO, the DT Express, though the most reasonably priced of the lot, is lacking in a couple of categories: The cymbal and hi-hat samples are very weak (which is a problem inherent in the technology with all E-drums, the Yamahas just seem to be the worst), second, in my experience which I fully agree is limited, the Yamahas hardware and triggering pads appeared to me to be of lower quality when compared to some of the other kits out there.

Now, I didn't care for the rest of the drum samples on this unit either, but that is a highly subjective thing.

I guess the biggest questions you would have to answer Endersgame is, Where are in refernece to playing ability?, What are you using them for?

Those answers should help determine your needs.:)
 
Electronic Drums

Regebro, the reasons I prefer accustic vs. electronic live are as follows: 1)the E drums require at a minimum a keyboard amp with a 15" speaker and a tweeter to achieve my stage volume, 2)normally they would still require a line out to the main PA, which in turn needs to be an adequate system with monitors for the band to hear the drums, 3)the E drums can create gain/level problems from one preset to the next, 4)too much potential for failure. Whereas the accustics in many cases don't need mics and even if they do, much of the level control lies in playing technique.

On the flip side, in the studio the accustics can take alot of time to tune and mic. In the old days (60's and 70's) I had to bring several snares, kicks and cymbals to a session for the right sound (we spent way too much time getting drum sounds). With E drums I can have a very controlled sound dialed in quickly and I can track audio and midi at the same time - which even in home/demo studios can save lots of hours = $$$$$$$$
 
I like em

Heya
I had a roland td-7 non-turbo modual and the older smaller pad stage set.

I am puting together a set right now with remos but am getting a pintech for the snare.
Anyone know how to dampen or shock proof the remos so they dont false trigger?
and anyone know how to triger from a real bass drum?
 
Reco,

I took standard L-rods to a machine shop and had the ends threaded, then added to the rod: 1) a large steel washer; 2) a rubber washer; 3) then threaded the remo pad on to the rod/washers...adjusted the Alesis modules for crosstalk and...no false triggering!

Good luck,

BW
 
Reco,

Well, it doesn't...what this does is sort of add a cushioned support area so the nut is not as apt to pull out of the bottom of the plastic pad over time, and so when you "spin" the pad on to the thread, it doesn't "bottom out, but snugs up to the rubber washer...the dampening or shock mounting to cure false triggering is mostly done in the module fine tuning section (crosstalk parameters, etc.) with slight adjustments in location of clamps (if needed)

Hope this helps, as I said, it works for me!

BW
 
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