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Assistance/opinion on first drum set.


Axwound

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Well, The Blue set is the newest and cleanest set. But is no crash cymbal and the tom sizes are on the smaller side.  The Blue set does have the rim clamp hardware where the tom arm doesn't go through the toms. This helps the tone of drum since no holes are in the side but I can't remember or not if some said that this style was hard on the rims or not? The Sabiam AA series are nice. This is a really nice set, but you said you definitely have to have all the cymbals and pieces there?

 

The second set is nice as well, although somebody has done some serious sheetrock work around the drums and not cleaned them up that well. Is why the bass drum looks like a faded color. This set has it all to me, a five piece set with cymbals and it has small tom toms and a decent size floor tom. A few things: The description says it has a 20" ride, plus a 16" AND 18" crash but yet I don't see the other crash in the picture??? If this because the seller doesn't have a stand for the other cymbal, then that that's okay, finding a stand isn't too hard and can help you ask the seller for less money. Plus the words say they are Zildjian cymbals, which is a good cymbal name. If the Zildjians are the Schimitar, ZBT or ZHT series, then that's not so hot. This is their entry line cymbals and sound okay to good across the board, but where the ride cymbal may sound good in that series, the crash or hi hats do not, depending on the person. But for just something to play and practice on, it would work.

 

The last set is nice as well, a five piece set in standard sizes 12" 13" and 16" tom sizes. This set also shows the full size lug design (goes all the way down the side of the drum) and is more resistant against vibration. Sabians are nice cymbals as well with B8's and XS being their lower end.

**Note when I say entry or lower end, that's not always a bad thing. There are cheaper cymbals that I started on and I guess are still made? That would dent and crack after a week of playing. The entry level Zildjians, Sabians, Paiste and such won't do this but they won't be as full bodied and tonal rich as some of the other series (oh man, let the attacks begin!)

** A lot of a drum's sound is dependent on the drum head. So even with a new entry line or mid level set is a good idea to replace at least the batter (top) heads just to replace the original generic or utility heads. This is close to like you would replace the strings on a new mid line guitar just because the stock strings are generic. The new heads will help with the sound you want (there are many styles to choose from) and just easy to tune. On a used set, this is a good idea as well if the original heads have been on awhile or the old ones have a lot of wear.

**What kind of music do you play? If you play mostly heavy rock and stuff, that first set will be harder to get the deeper sounds like you could out of the bigger tom sized sets, yes you can get heavy heads and tune them low for that as well, but is why I ask.

 

**What are the cheaper sets in your area that you're looking at?? Pearl is a great maker and the Export is a fine series but has tended to be more of an entry/student/gig set. Some of the Export Series are made with better woods or mixed with better woods?? LIke with the Export EX series? If you want I can do more searching and find out exactly for you. Exports are a great set of drums for an affordable price. Yamaha Rydeens or Stage Customs are affordable used, as well as Tama, Mapex, Gretsch and others as well.

 

*** I see that you live in Winnipeg, Canada?? Maybe a few of us here can do some web surfing or give you links to places in Canada that may help?? Also, if you can, go visit and look at each set before you buy, just to make sure all the parts are there, see how comfortable the set is for you play? That all the stuff works and just how the kit sounds. Bring a friend or have someone else play while you stand away from the set since drums sound different in front of the set than behind it.

 

Hope this helps and let us know if you have anymore questions!

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I'd go with the Blue kit out of those 3 unless the one with the Zildjian cymbals are GOOD Zildjians.  Like A's or something.   If they are the budget line then pass. 

 

The Blue drums look very nice and the cymbals are Sabian's standard line which are very nice.  Used by "pros" basically.  The other one with the sabians has those B8 and personally I think those sound like {censored}.  The one AA crash doesn't make it worth it to me.  With the Blue kit you can take that 200 dollars of your budget and get a nice crash to go with your ride and hats. 

 

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No no ... get that cheap beginner kit.  Learn how to tune it and learn how to fix it when it falls apart.  That way, if you decide to stick with drumming you can get a nice kit and grow into that one.  You then have a junky kit for your friends to wreck ('cause that's what they'll do) and you'll instantly know how to fix it, thereby sparing your nice kit from their grubby little hands.

And, if you decide you don't want to follow through with drumming like you thought you would (let's face it, some things we start out with the best intentions, but ... ), you're not out a bunch of dough when you decide to sell that kit that's taking up all that room in the basement.

 

(for future reference): you're welcome

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agogobill wrote:

 

 

No no ... get that cheap beginner kit.  Learn how to tune it and learn how to fix it when it falls apart.  That way, if you decide to stick with drumming you can get a nice kit and grow into 
that
one.  You then have a junky kit for your friends to wreck ('cause that's what they'll do) and you'll instantly know how to fix it, thereby sparing your nice kit from their grubby little hands.

And, if you decide you don't want to follow through with drumming like you thought you would (let's face it, some things we start out with the best intentions, but ... ), you're not out a bunch of dough when you decide to sell that kit that's taking up all that room in the basement.

 

 

 

(for future reference): you're welcome

 

Totally disagree.   He's already a guitarist.  If he thinks he'll get into drums then he will.  It's not the same as someone choosing their first instrument for the first time.

 

You can "learn to tune" on a decent kit even easier than on one that sounds like dog crap, so I don't know where you're getting that from.

And buy a kit to "learn how to repair it"???  That's just ridiculous.  I mean seriously...it's NOT rocket science.  If you want to do things yourself it's pretty easy to figure out, and a better kit simply WON'T break down quickly. 

He said he want's a kit for his friends to jam on.  I'd assume that means he knows someone who already plays.  Even if they don't....I don't know what kind of friends you have but mine wouldn't treat my stuff like {censored}.

And to your last point.....resale on a no name super cheapo kit is WAY worse than on something like a Pearl, Mapex, or Yamaha kit.

Some people don't need to "grow into" stuff.  I took up guitar after playing drums for 25 years.  I could easily "handle" nice gear and I knew what I wanted.  Why would I waste my time with some {censored} guitar and amp that had terrible tone and didn't feel as nice as better stuff?  So I could "earn my stripes" as a guitarist first?   Please.  That's just nonsense.

 

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