Jump to content

Drumset for garage rock


zinzin

Recommended Posts

  • Members

I am looking for a drumset for playing garagerock a la black keys or think early stones but bit heavier.
So ... I am no drummer, i just learned the basics. I need a cheap drumset for recording. It should sound garagey BUT good on record. I'd like to buy used. What could you suggest? Budget is under 700

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

+1. Just try playing everything you can thats in your range. These days, even the entry level kits sound great with good heads and tuning. For the price range you are looking at you should easily find a good setup that could likely include decent cymbals if you search hard enough.

Hint: Cheap out on the drums, not the cymbals and heads, and you will be happier.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

For what you want, tuning and heads are probably more important the drums themselves. And good cymbals are a requirement also. If I were looking for used for what you describe, I'd go for a used Yamaha Stage Custom or Ludwig or Mapex kit. Any major brand really. A 4 piece (1 bass drum, 1 snare drum, 2 tom toms) would probably suit your needs.

I wouldn't get too concerned about the heads it currently has. You'll want to replace those with new ones anyway. Then get a drummer if you know any to help you tune it up with no muffling and even pressure to get a nice ring. Maybe get an Evans Torque Key to help you tune. Coated Ambassadors is a good choice. I prefer clear but coateds are good too.

I'd look for Zildjain or Paiste or Sabian cymbals. You'll need a crash cymbal and hi hat for what you want and maybe a ride cymbal too.

You should be able to get a decent used kit like I described with a hi hat and a cymbal or 2 for $700.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I would go vintage for a garage rock thing. Brand names like Rogers, Ludwig, Premier, names like that. Heads I would go with a 2ply coated batter and a single ply clear or coated resonant side. I would match that with a Ludwig acrolite. Great snare for the $$ I would use a power center (dot) head, and a thin reso head, and some good snare wires, like Pure sound, and I'd tune it LOW... But a wood snare would also sound fantastic.
I'd find an old Ludwig speed king pedal on eBay. Just because.
Cymbals. I'd go Zildjian A's and such. I'd choose big and low, like a 24 inch thin ride thats crashable, and a 20 inch crash thats rideable and some new beats.
That's what I would try to piece together used and would be happy as a urinal cake in a pissing contest.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Thanks, good tips. I can get a k ride from a befriended drummer. That should do it also as a crash, i read that the jet drummer does it this way. Are the resonant heads important or could i leave the original heads on and just change the top skin?
Any thoughts on the gretsch catalina sets? How big the kick to be good for recording?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Like everyone has already said, A brand name set by a known maker, not a toy set, with good heads and decent cymbals is the way to go used if your going used and want the cymbals included too. Are you really going to record in a garage? Or is that is just the type of music you're going to record?

A cheap ass set with good top heads and tuning and some decent cymbals should work, like Gremson said, if you can replace the bottom or reso (Resonant) then sure replace them, but is better to have good top heads and good cymbals first. as long as the bottom heads can still be tuned and work is the main thing.

When you shop, you want a set where all the knobs work, all the lugs to tune are there and not missing or stripped out, the stands work and hold everything secure. Like the others have said good heads and good tuning are the key. Cheaper sets or any set with a lot of muffling will sound like cardboard when you record. Cheaper sets tend to have more "dead sounding" shells but sometimes you can get a great set for a good price used so please give us links and pictures to what you're looking at and we can give our feedback. A cheaper set can sound good with good heads, but cheap cymbals will always sound like cheap cymbals no matter what.

We can always give our opinions but in the end, it's the sound that you want, Maybe you can bring a friend with you that knows more about drums?? Let us know if you have anymore questions and I hope this helps!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Thanks to everybody chiming in. No, i'm not recording in a garage, i have my own projectstudio. I wanna play garagerock.
I can get a "k" series ride from a friend that is big enough to be used as a crash too. That leaves me with the need for a hi-hat. For the kit i will be looking for roger, gretsch, ludwig's and i won't buy on the net but try formyels before i buy. And when i find something i will post a link here
Could someone teach me more bout the heads? What are the main differencies in sound?
And what can you say about these:
Zildjian avedis a custom crash 17"
Zildjian avedis a sweet ride 21"
Mastersound hihat k 14"
Paiste powercrash 18"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

the nature of garage rock dictates - get whatever you can afford that you think is cool & hit it hard. But vintage A's & singly ply coated heads are a good base line.

I play all vintage Ludwig & Slingerland, but here is a vid of me playing classic garage/psych on some dudes Gretsch kit - it was dead as {censored}, but fine as long as I had my supra & A's to cut.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by zinzin View Post
I can get a "k" series ride from a friend that is big enough to be used as a crash too. That leaves me with the need for a hi-hat. ...
I have a 20" Pre-aged K ride and I crash it all the time.
It's washy and not pingy though so it takes getting used to.
I use the bell for definition. As far as hats, there are tons of New Beats
on ebay. I have about 3 pair and they are all great. Definitely old school
and fairly cheap.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by 6topher View Post
the nature of garage rock dictates - get whatever you can afford that you think is cool & hit it hard.
Someone needed to say this. thumb.gif

The sound of "garage rock" comes a lot more out of recording style and the player than it does the gear. Sure, some drums and cymbals lean more towards that idiom, but part of lo-fi recording is doing what you can with what you've got.

As per all of the above, it's all golden:

1.) Get any brand name kit
2.) Hats, crash, ride (crashing on ride is certainly an option) 3.) Get new batter heads first (if needed), new reso heads after (if needed)
3a- Coated heads generally provide warmer tone (Remo coated, Evans coated, etc)
3b- Clear heads (2 ply) are punchier but cooler (also Remo Pinstrip, Evans Hydraulics, etc)
4.) Make sure your bass drum isn't going to fall apart

With all due respect, you also sound a bit new to this, so I'd recommend buying thicker heads and more solid equipment, as technique, especially the ability to hit hard but not damaging, isn't learned overnight. smile.gif
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by FitchFY View Post
Someone needed to say this. thumb.gif

The sound of "garage rock" comes a lot more out of recording style and the player than it does the gear. Sure, some drums and cymbals lean more towards that idiom, but part of lo-fi recording is doing what you can with what you've got.

As per all of the above, it's all golden:

1.) Get any brand name kit
2.) Hats, crash, ride (crashing on ride is certainly an option) 3.) Get new batter heads first (if needed), new reso heads after (if needed)
3a- Coated heads generally provide warmer tone (Remo coated, Evans coated, etc)
3b- Clear heads (2 ply) are punchier but cooler (also Remo Pinstrip, Evans Hydraulics, etc)
4.) Make sure your bass drum isn't going to fall apart

With all due respect, you also sound a bit new to this, so I'd recommend buying thicker heads and more solid equipment, as technique, especially the ability to hit hard but not damaging, isn't learned overnight. smile.gif
spot on!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Members

i have a set! a friend o'mine lends me his pearl master custom set for a while. the snare is a DW, dunno the exact model.
Ride = Zildjian avedis a sweet ride 21" = great for crashing!
Hi-Hat = Mastersound hihat k 14" = nice n' dirty
The kick is biiiig, 22", gives a lot of "oooompfff" almost to much for garagerock. now i need to change the heads!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Quote Originally Posted by danrothmusic View Post
Looks like you've got what you need!

Since it's not yours, you should treat it with respect--learn how to crash on cymbals before wailing on that ride (it's an oblique strike, not dead-on).
Phil-Thumbs-Up-Small.gif
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
PMC.jpg

Aw, the things useless like that. You need to remove all the reso heads and 2 or 3 tension screws from the batter sides then scuff up the finish somewhat. Drip some vodka and brown gravy on the lacquer as well and set that out in the sun to cure. This process works best if the project slips your mind for a couple weeks but a couple hrs for starters will do.
Then all you need to do is duck tape the batter heads and the ride cymbal and tape a square of bath towel on the bass drum head where the beater makes contact. Done.
It's best if you discard the bottom hoops at this point. You'll never need them for one but it would very inappropriate and embarrassing to have them available should you decide to sell. Keep the bottom heads as replacements should any head tear to the point of unplayability.
Also you'll need 3 tipless and badly chewed sticks which I can provide at reasonable cost.

Enjoy! thumb.gif
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

^^^hahaha!

yeah, it's way tooooo nice that set! but my playing ain't! hah! now, tuning: well ... aaah ... I DON'T HAVE A CLUE!!! :-)) please help with advice. i got me an app iDrum Tune
which "could" help but i am a bit lost at this ...

 

 

Set the drum on the floor (carpeted or a towel). Tap the drum head about an inch in from each tension rod. Listen to the overtones and get them as even as possible. Raise or lower the pitch to your preference.

 

One thing to remember is that your drums sound very (as in A LOT) different from out front than from where you're sitting behind the kit, and with a band many of those sounds will be drowned out. In the matter of toms and kick, if your kit is not miced, you'll have to raise the pitch for any of that tone to be heard - that nice low tuning will sound like hitting a paper bag, as it does not project beyond 8 foot or so.

 

You can check out a number of videos by Bob Gatzen - here's one about toms:

 

and Jeff Ocheltree, talking about John Bonham's kit:

 

Tuning takes time. Keep in mind that you'll never get the sound of a recording, where the sound has been processed, etc., so don't get frustrated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...