Roland V-Club Set

[Marc Duchesne]

I'm primarily a guitarist, however I've recently sold off a couple amps that weren't seeing much use, so I've got some extra cash lying around.

 

I've always loved messing around with drums when friends leave their kits at my place, and always wanted to develop my skills a bit for messing around with recording. The problem is that drums just don't go well when you have three other people living with you. So, I was thinking an electric kit might be a nice way to practice quietly.

 

Anyway, I noticed someone selling a Roland V-Club set for 1000 Canadian (around $750US). AMS sells the same set for $1200US

 

Would this be a good pick up? I don't need anything super-fancy, because it will only be used for practicing/experimenting. However, I don't want to waste my money.

 

Let me know your wisdom guide me!

Thanks for any help.

[Johnboy Walton]

Wow, this has got the be the single-most common guitarist-turned-drummer question EVER!

 

I just did EXACTLY this. I'm a failed guitarist turned bassist who's sick of trying to find a drummer for our band. I live in an apartment, so acoustic drums are no option at all. I just picked up a used TD-6 kit for $800 with a single-kick pedal.

 

And by just, I mean I just got it home last night and tried it out. Here's what I noticed:

 

1) The drums sound pretty darned real. I could NEVER program a roll to save my life in the sequencer, but now they sound pretty convicing.

 

2) The hi-hat function needs some work. You can very clearly hear it velocity-switch between the open and closed sounds. It's really not giving you any in-betweens. That said, for most rock and metal stuff, it'll be fine. Jazz players would probably go insane.

 

3) I REALLY suck at drums. I thought my timekeeping was okay, but now I can totally hear how much work I have to do.

 

4) They're not as quiet as I'd hoped. The stick-on-pad sound (as has been said here a lot) is still pretty pronounced. I set the kit up in a room in my apartment that only shares floor/ceiling with neighbors, so we'll see if I get any complaints. I put a towel under the hat a kick pedals to minimize the "stomping-on-the-floor" effect.

 

Bottom line, though - I'M STOKED!!! I have wanted to play drums as long as I could remember. I almost bought a Roland e-kit (TD-7K) WAY back, but bought my bass rig instead. I'll still probably be programming drums for my band for a while now, but I've finally got a chance to learn something I've always felt I had in me.

 

With regards to the hi-hat, it's not as bad as my first statement really makes it sound. If you sit there and just concentrate on the hi-hat by itself without the context of the kit, you can hear it, but if you're not listening for it (and depending on the sample you've selected) it's pretty smooth. Much of it is just my technique.

 

If you have the cash to spare and really feel it's something you want to do, go for it. It definitely put some of the fun back that playing has been missing lately.

[byrddog]

FYI... we do have a new one in stock for $1199. Hope you find what you're looking for.

 

Thanks

Brad