Pearloid Guitar
Pearloid Guitar
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You've taken some lessons, you have your rudiments down and now you're ready to start looking for your first real drum set. What do you look for? Where do you start? Are you looking to buy new or used? What's your budget? Brand name, versus off-brand name? Where do you start? A new, brand name professional drum set can cost several thousand dollars depending on how many drums and cymbals are included. The good news is that you can buy a brand name starter drum set for under $500 and some off-brand name sets for half that. Sometimes you can get more for your money with a good used set. This article will give you the information to make the best choice possible.
Let's look at the standard 5 piece drum set.
The components
- Bass (Kick Drum)
- Snare
- Tom Toms (two, mounted on bass)
- Floor tom
- One Ride/Crash Cymbal
- One optional crash cymbal
- Two High Hat Cymbals
Basic Accessories & Hardware
- Bass pedal
- High Hat stand
- High Hat Clutch to hold top cymbal
- Snare Stand
- Cymbal Stand(s)
- Mount for toms on bass
- Legs or stand for floor tom
- Throne or stool (optional)
- And finally...A Drum Key for tuning your drums
Next
Brand name equipment is often more reliable and has better resale value. Ludwig and Gretch have endured time and have been the choice of many professional drummers. Sometimes off-brand equipment is just as good as the brand name equipment. Pearl & Sonar were considered junk 40 years ago and have risen to quality brand name status. I remember seeing a Pearl drum set at K-Mart. Not today! Many world-class drummers swear by these brands. As I stated earlier, you can pick up a brand name starter set for under $500 including cymbals.
Brand names
- Ludwig
- Gretch
- Mapex
- Premier
- Pearl
- Yamaha
- Rogers
- Remo
- Sonar
Off-brand names
- Percussion Plus
- Sunlite
- Thor
- Adams
- Pulse
- Thor
A word on cymbals here
Cymbals are a whole different discussion. Many drum sets are sold as a complete set including cymbals. Starter sets do not include top line cymbals such as Zildjan, Sabian and Paiste. Start with the cymbals that come with the kit and upgrade later to keep your costs down.
Where to Buy
Now that you know what you're looking for, where do you start looking? A good place to start would be your local music equipment store. Most music stores have a drum section where you can examine and sometimes play the drums. Often, the people working there are real musicians with the expertise to answer your questions and help you make the right choice whether you buy from them or somewhere else.
On line stores like Musician's Friend are reputable and offer guarantees and free shipping on many items.
If you decide to buy on eBay, buy from a power seller/store with a high rating, great feedback and guarantees. Ask questions via e-mail. Guarantees? What is their return policy?
Buying used instruments from individuals through an on-line auction can be risky. Make sure the person has a high feed back score. Ask plenty of questions before placing your bids. The best scenario would be that the person is local and you can go look at the drums. eBay does a great job to make sure you don't get ripped-off. If someone doesn't have a high feed back score, I suggest you don't do business with them for obvious reasons. Stay with the high ratings!
Some points on buying used drums
- Are top and bottom heads on?
- No tuning lugs missing.
- Laminate and finish in good shape?
- Is all the hardware there?
- Do the locking mechanisms work properly?
- Are the drum heads are in good shape?
- Buy from an older player. They usually take better care of their equipment.
- Name brands = reliability and re-sale value.
- Do you know an experienced drummer? Take him with you.
- Ask questions!
- Bottom line: Trust your gut...If it feels light, it's right...if it feels heavy, it's wrong
Conclusion
Buying your first drum set can be a fun experience. Follow these suggestions and you will find the right drum set at the right time in the right place. Be patient. Make your best decision based on your budget, your research and your gut.
Seann is a lifelong amateur musician with backgrounds in drums, guitar and flute.
Please visit his eBay niche store at: [http://www.drumfiredrumsets.com]
Conveniently, you will find over 11,000 drums, drum sets and drum equipment only auctions to choose from.
