Tagged As: Used Ludwig Drum Set
Question:
Hello. Maybe, there's a better newsgroup for this, but I couldn't find one that actually had people posting to it. I'm looking for a drum set in the $400-600 range. Is there anything in this range worth getting? I'm completely new to drums. Any bits of advise on examining and choosing a new set would be appreciated
Answer:
Since you're starting out, just spend about $300-350 on a used Pearl Import set. Don't be overly concerned with the appearance of the heads, but make sure the shells, hardware and rims are in good shape. Cymbals shouldn't be cracked, etc. If the snare head is in poor shape, replace that first. Later when you get better (when you can appreciate the sound), replace all the other heads. Spend some extra time with the kick drum pedal. If it feels too loose and you can get it adjusted right, you'll probably end up investing in a new one of those fairly soon. I just went through this last year and had a pretty good experience. I managed to get a decent used Premier kit for $150 minus the snare and cymbals. This was perfect, because that left me enough to find the cymbals and snare I wanted with enough left over to re-head everything. I would definately say keep the snare and cymbals as a seperate purchase if you are looking to record with this kit. What you are looking for out of these items is likely vastly different than what someone who plays out a lot is looking for. I'll pile on. Many of the cheap kits are perfectly good for starting out. The downside is that they usually come with pretty crappy heads and cymbals. This is fine if you are learning to play yourself in your studio. The included heads and cymbals are usually wimpy, and if you play it a lot your hi-hats will be dented and you'll pop holes in the heads. Then it's time to get new, better heads and cymbals! As others have said, the alternative is to pick up a used set in decent shape and use what you can from it. Usually the snare can stand replacing (unless it happens to be good), but you never know, sometimes a couple good cymbals and so forth are with a cheap used kit.
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