There are a number of factors you need to consider and the questions and answers below should help explain any uncertainties you may have, we would suggest looking at the Entry level drum kits as a good starting place, one key piece of advice, make sure you get EVERYTHING  you need, so read the descriptions and not just assume the pictures are correct.
To some people all drum kits look the same. Let us advise you on what to look for when purchasing, the most expensive kit isn't always the best, especially if you don't know how to play it.
What are the components of a standard kit?

It typically comprises:
•    Five drums - a snare, bass and three toms
•    The stands, pedals and fittings to go with the drums or hardware as it is reffered to included typically:
•    Stands to mount the cymbals on sometimes call Boom Cymbal Stands (these have a Boom arm that increases the manouvreability of the cymbals when mounted) or Straight Cymbal Stands (these do not have the boom arm so are less flexible but usually cheaper).
•    A Hi-hat Stand which holds the Hi-hat cymbals and has a foot pedal which controls the Cymbals on the stand.
•    A Snare Drum Stand to hold the Snare Drum
•    A Bass Drum Pedal with a beater for hitting the Bass Drum with your foot.
•    Tom-Tom Holders, which hold the Toms in Front of you in place while you play
 For a Complete beginner you will need:
1. a 5 piece Drum Kit (including 3 toms, 1 bass drum and a snare drum which is the layout of most starter/beginner kits, as well as all the Stands which are mostly noted as “Hardware” so a Hi-hat Stand , a Snare Drum Stand , a Bass Drum Pedal, A Cymbal Stand.
2. Cymbals consisting of a Pair of HiHats and a cymbal that can act as a crash or ride cymbal often referred to as Crash/Ride Cymbals. (Some Higher level Starter kits Include a Ride Cymbal and a Crash Cymbal which is better.)
3. Stool or sometimes  called a Drum Throne (Mostly included in Starter Packages but CHECK!)
4. A Pair of Drum Sticks
There is a Key On all of our Drum Kit Packages, so you can see at a glance which kit is most relevant to you. 


Entry level drum kits
Kits under £500 tend to be produced as a complete package to include cymbals, a stool and sticks. A Standard cymbal set to go with a standard drum kit,  is generally a ride cymbal, a crash cymbal and a pair of hi-hat cymbals. However, to keep costs down, crash and ride functions are often combined in one cymbal, and hi-hats are supplied too. Make sure you check if the package contains cymbals as to keep the price down some packages leave out the cymbals, so these can be ones of your own choice.

Mid Level Drum Kits
In the £500 plus category, drum manufacturers tend not to supply cymbals with the kit. We can supply a box set of cymbals for below £100 from leading brands of Cymbal Manufacturers. Drum kits Of this price range usually are for the little more advanced drummer and therefore they leave the cymbal choice down to the player.  So the Price of the kit is based on better quality shells and fixings, and the assumption is that you will already have good cymbals or know which you prefer.  We can advise you on the best choice of cymbals if you are unsure.

Size guide
Most youngsters age 5/6 and up can handle one of the standard size kits unless they are very small for their age. There are 3 standard sizes of kit, sizes being expressed by diameter of drums with proportional depths. Drum Kits Can Be Manouvered around to cater for all sizes due to the positioning options on the holders and therefore a standard kit in the sizes below would fit both an adult or a child.
•    20" Fusion - 20" Bass, 10, 12 and 14" Toms, 14" Snare.
•    22" Fusion - 22" Bass, 10, 12 and 14" Toms, 14" Snare.
•    22" Rock - 22" Bass, 12, 13 and 16" Toms, 14" Snare.

Selection is a matter of personal taste. Traditionally Jazz players played Fusion Kits and Rock Drummers played Rock Kits, however in recent years this has become more to personal taste. Many Jazz Drummers play Rock setups and many Rock Players play Fusion setups (usually with 22" Bass), it is all down to your own preference, and truth be known does not make as big a difference as you may think. The Most popular size nowadays being the 22"Rock Size due to being the most popular for ease of getting spares.

But please remember we are here to Help we are a Shop not just an internet site like some out there! All our Staff Play Drums and can help with any questions you may have. You can call us on 0114 247 2200

The different makes that we stock are,
•    Truth Custom Drums ( Bespoke Professional drum kits and snare drums mostly made to order in any colour and size and Exclusive to Drum Stop. See a selection of Drum kits Here and Snare Drums Here)
•    Ludwig Drums ( One of the oldest and most famous drum manufactures in the world, they make drum kits and snare drums for beginner, advanced and Professional drummer see a selection of Ludwig Drum kits Here and a selection of Ludwig Snare drums Here
•    Pearl Drums ( Pearl drums have been around since 1946 they are one of the largest drum company’s in the world they make Drum Kits, Snare drums, Marching and Pipe band Drums, Congas, Bongos and everything in between that comes under the ‘Percussion’ Label. They also make some of the best drum hardware in the world.See selections of Pearl drum Kits Here Snare drums Here and hardware Here )
•    Tama Drums ( Famous for their Drum hardware innovations, they invented Double braced hardware, around since the 60’s another of the world’s largest drum company’s who make drum kits snare drums and drum hardware for beginners, advanced and professional drummer. See a selection of Tama drum Kits Here, snare Drums Here and Hardware Here)
•    Mapex Drums (One of the fastest growing drum companies in the world been around since the early 90’s. Mapex also make drums and hardware under the names Black Panther Snare drums and Falcon Hardware. They Make drums for Beginners Advanced and Professionals. See a selection of Mapex Drum Kits Here Black Panther Snares Here and the Falcon Bass Pedals Here.)
•    Gretsch Drums (Another Very Respected and very old drum company making drum kits for beginners, advanced and professional drummers. See a selection of Gretsch drum kits here and snare drums Here)
•    Sonor Drums ( Another Oldie in the Drum Industry, Sonor has a reputation for solid made Drums with a range of kits for beginners, advanced and professional players.  See a selection of Sonor Drums here.
•    Yamaha Acoustic and Electric Drums (Yamaha probably the most famous name in drums as everyone has heard of Yamaha, A selection of their acoustic drums can be found here.  Yamaha also have a very good reputation in providing Electronic Drums and the DTX ranges cover all levels Beginner to Professional.  A selection of their electronic kits can be found here.
•    Roland Electronic Drums (Don’t make acoustic drum kits, but are very well respected in the electroinic drum market and provide excellent kits for beginner through to professional players.  Some of their electronic kits can be found here.

The simple answer is No. A drum kit is a visually stunning instrument to look at and to get that effect you don’t have to spend a small fortune. The main differences range from the different qualities in woods or materials used for the drum shell or the metalwork or ‘hardware’ used to finish off the drum, and even down to the exterior finish on the drum kits. Now most reputable brands in the beginner ranges are made to a very high standard and the difference in price is represented by "Better Quality" or "Better Materials Used" the higher the price.  If for any reason you are unsure why one Kit seems to be more than another then please don't hesitate to call us.  There is always a good reason and if there isn't then it could be a price error!!!  Things to  consider when looking at differences are The Woods: Maple and Birch are the most popular Woods Heard of when talking about Drums.  Maple tends to be more expensive because it is harder to source as Maple Trees Take longer to grow than say Birch or Beech Trees, but some people prefer the more specialist sounds from Maple rather than the Bright sound of Birch.  Then there is Mahogany which is even more expensive as this wood is becoming more and more difficult to source.  There are Ply wood shells put together with hardwoods that are usually less in price than the softer woods and tend to be used on the cheaper kits.  It is difficult to decide on a kit by Shell Alone as there are lots of things to consider. The Hardware Used: So the fixings on the kit, the two most important bits being the Lugs and the Hoops.  Low Mass Lugs are the best as these are designed to have less contact with the drum shell so enabling it to resonate better. The Lugs hold the Tension rods in place and these hold the drum together.  If there is more contact then there is more strain on the shell, thus taking away the quality of the sound it produces. The Hoops usually come in one of three options.  Flanged, Die Cast or Wood.  All three have their own distinguishing properties but Flanged is the most popular method.  You do sometimes pay more for Die Cast or Wood, but the reasons should be personal and not because they are more expensive etc.

A Yes you can "Add" to any Kit.  Things such as Cowbells, Blocks, Extra Cymbal Stands etc. Can be added to ANY Kit.  A Starter / Beginner Kit Will Last "Some" People as long as needed but some people's needs will grow as does their interest in drumming.  Most Starter drum kits come as a full set up and will get you playing drums immediately. They are are fantastic starting place and can stand the test of time if required.  It comes with 5 Drums which is sufficiently adequate for any drummer to play with.  The "Adding" on only becomes difficult if for example you wanted to add another Tom say a 13" tom or an 8" tom, then this is where the Starter Kits Are Not able to be added to.  Most starter kits today, you can't buy add on toms for and so people tend to at this point decide to move on to a more intermediate / pro kit.  It is just a course of natural progression and differs depending on people's individual needs.  Some people play their starter kit for 10 years and are happy doing that.  Others prefer to Get something of better quality, more flexible and in an exotic finish for example after a smaller amount of time has passed.  There are also other things that can be upgraded or added to as time goes by such as hardware like stools which you could maybe buy a more luxurious stool, or maybe add a double Bass Pedal, Maybe a Drum Rack to make mounting Toms and stands easier or even add Heavier duty hardware for extra durability. The options are endless and you tastes will change as you progress.  Cymbals can Also be added, changed and combined to individualise your set up to your liking.

A Starter Drum Kit, sometimes referred to as a Beginner Drum Kit Usually comes as a full package.  It should contain the following items as a minimum to ensure it is ready to play without buying ANYTHING ELSE.
- Five Drums (consisting of A Bass Drum, A Snare Drum and 3 Toms, one of which usually stands on the floor on legs called a floor tom, one which does not stand on it's own but "Hangs" on a stand, can sometimes be referred to as just a tom or a hanging tom)
- A Drum Stool, sometimes referred to as a Drum Throne.
- A Snare Drum stand to hold the Snare Drum.
- A Bass Drum Pedal
- A Hihat Cymbal Stand
- A Cymbal Stand (Usually a Boom Stand, which is more flexible than a Straight Cymbal stand and comes with a Boom arm to help position cymbals exactly where they are required.)
- A Pair of Sticks
- A Pair of Hihat Cymbals
- At least one other Cymbal Usually a Crash/Ride Cymbal which can be use as both a Crash Cymbal and a Ride Cymbal.

Optional Extras that are Definitely worth considering are: Drum Cases (Click Here) to protect your drums in transit, Drum Silencers (Click Here) to reduce the noise of a drum kit by upto 70%, Build & Tune Service (Click Here) which means we Buid your Kit and Tune it before we send it out for delivery and maybe a DVD or Teaching Book (Click Here)

Please be aware of Cheaper Imitation Drum Kits. We are a Specialist Drum and Percussion Store, Our Starter Drum Kits are the Best Value for Money in this Price Bracket. We do not sell Imitation or Toy Drum Kits, this is a "Real, Full Size, Drum Kit" that will Stand the test of time, where as some of the Cheaper Versions Just will not!! Please Just Be Aware When Looking for a "Bargain" Starter Kit, if the price is Too Good to be True!!, it Usually Is!!

The starter kits seem to be getting better and better in quality so yes they will easily get through gigs.

A good quality starter kit will last you as long as you need it to last you really. You can upgrade key things like cymbals and drum heads (drum skins) to improve on the sound of your kit.

You get exactly what you will see in the picture unless otherwise stated, All contents of our products are listed in the description section of the page so please read through the descriptions carefully to make sure there is no confusion or just ring us on 0114 247 2200.

If you are buying a complete starter kit package then generally everything you will need to start playing will be included. For the more advanced drum kits, these are normally sold as drum kit and hardware packages of which cymbals will need to be added. You can also buy kits as just a shell pack, which includes just the drums and skins, so hardware stands and cymbals will need to be added.

Assembling a drum kit for the first time can seem quite tricky, we do include a basic assembly guide in all of our starter range drum kits, which shows you through the more difficult areas to putting together a drum kit. We do also offer a ‘Build and Tune’ service , Click Here for More info on Our Build & Tune Service, where we assemble the drum kit for you instore, re-box the drums and ship them to you, getting the difficult tuning issues sorted for you. Also in our gallery section of the website there are various help videos available for you to watch as a guide to help you through.

Yes we are always on hand to offer advise so please call in store or give us a call on 0114 247 2200, We love to talk drums and all our staff are drummers, so they should be able to help you with any drum related query.  If you feel you haven't had your question answered or you think of something else then you can always email us to sales@drum-stop.co.uk and we will aim to get back to you within 48 hours at the very most and more often than not it will be within the day the query is received.  Please feel free to say if you query hasn't been answered and we will always get there for you!!  All enquiries are dealt with manually so that a dedicated member of the sales team is directly available One on One to deal with you at all times.

Yes parts that will need replacing over time will be wear and tear items such as drum sticks and skins. Both items do depend mainly on how often the drums are played and how hard they are hit, but generally a good pair of drum sticks should last you a good couple of months and for skins a good few months at the very least.

Drumsticks do come in quite a few different weights and lengths so it can seem a little confusing at first. Stick choice mainly comes down to what feels comfortable in the player’s hands, we recommend popping in and trying out a few sticks to see which sit right with you. Or you start with whats known as the industry standard size of stick which is a 5A stick and see how they feel. If any help is required, just ask.  A Higher Number represents a lighter stick so 7A is lighter than 5A and a lower number represents a heavier stick so 2B is a Heavier stick.  The Most poular sticks are 2B, 5B, 5A, 7A (Representing heavier to lighter with 5A being the most popular "STANDARD" size) Naturally Heavier sticks tend to last longer as they are thicker.

Yes People can easily share a drum kit no problems at all, Kits are all fully adjustable to lower drums and tilt drums etc. So with little tweaks anybody can play on the drums easily. Just make sure that you are tall enough to reach the floor from a standard Drum Stool. Usually most 6 Year Olds can do this if they are average height for their age. Trying the size out in person is always the best option, we have plenty of Drum kits in our showroom for you to check out sizing any time.

Annual costs to play drums can vary, lessons depending on the teacher and locations range from £25-£35 an hour which, to start with, we would recommend attending lessons weekly or at least fortnightly.  We do have our own Teaching Studio and can take your details and get the teacher to call you to book a lesson at any time.  As you progress you will pick up techniques to practice on your own and regular gigging or playing with friends will improve your playing skills. Wear and Tear Items will need replacing and Decent sticks range from around £8.00 and drum head packages start from around £30.00. Generally a good pair of drum sticks should last you a good couple of months or more and for skins a good few months at the very least.

Drums can be fairly loud instruments to play indoors in a home or garage, an ideal add on is a drum set mute pack which will mute each drum and cymbal and reduce the noise levels by around 70%, Click here to check out the Mute Packs now.

A drum kit is an instrument that does need tuning from time to time. It doesn’t need doing as much as something like a guitar, but drastic drops or rises in temperature can make the drum skins go out of tune. There are various videos on our website that will guide you through the basic tuning of a drum kit in the gallery section, or purchasing a drum dial is worth considering if changes of temperature is likely on a regular basis or you are experiencing the drums losing tune regularly.  Feel free to call us for advise on this or even bring in your "Hard to Tune" drums and we'll see if we can get them tuned for you!!

A basic 5 piece drum kit with a set of hi hats and at least one crash cymbal is the best set up for learning the basic steps. All drum kits are fully adjustable to suit any type of player including setting up for left handed players where the toms are positioned opposite to a usual set up with smaller toms going from right to left rather than left to right for right handed people.

To clean the drums, a household polish is fine to use with a light dusting cloth, preferably lint free. for the cymbals we don’t recommend the same polish, we recommend specialist cymbal polish which is available from us and is very cheap at around £8.00 a bottle.  Specialist polish restores, protects, cleans and most importantly doesn't affect the sound and finish of the cymbal.  You must never rub a cymbal fiercly as that can end up with the "LOGO" rubbing off as some Cymbal Polishes are abbrasive. Please ask again if you are unsure!

Yes we have a specially purpose built sound proof drum studio in store which we do drum lessons in, on a one to one basis fully stocked with the latest in drum gear to learn on. Just give us a call in store for more info on 0114 247 2200 and we will get our teacher to call you to discuss your exact personal requirements for yourself, your partner or your child and get you booked in for your first lesson.  All our teachers are Grade Eight Trained, Have Extensive Teaching experience, excellent drumming histories and are CRB checked.

Drum lessons are reasonably priced at between £25 and £35 an hour depending on the location and teacher, our prices are current and can change depending on the teacher etc.  We would always advise that you call us to find out the current rate but it will always be between the Stated averages listed here.  We would recommend at least a handful of lessons to show you the basics like stick grip and posture which are vital to get right in the long run. Once you have the basics, the best thing you can do is play as much as possible with other musicians to gain experience and maybe drop in some lessons now and then to get you onto the next step or to help you master something.  Our Teachers can help you do exams, just help you pick up tracks and decipher the drum section, help you play along to music or even learn to read drum music. It really is your call as to how many lessons you feel you want or need.

Yes, we sell all the latest Drumming DVD's and Books including Teach Yourself Drums, Beginners Guides and How to Play versions.  These are great to use in your own time to help master the basics.  We also have a range of Drumming DVD's from some of the greatest Drummers of all Times showing us their talent and Drum Festivals, Tricks and also Advanced Techniques for the Drummers wanting to learn something New.

Yes, we stock most spares and replacement parts and any specialist items can be ordered in if not in stock.  We have excellent relationships with all the major Drum manufacturers and can readily provide a back up service for all products stocked and sold.

You can learn to play the drums from any age, however most drum teachers take on students from around 5/6 years of age, as by this age children are usually big enough to reach all the component parts of a drum kit and No, you are never too old to learn, some of our drum students have been 75+ and have managed to pick up the basics in only a short amount of time.

Learning to play the drums isn’t too difficult, as long as the correct time and effort is put in you will see results fairly quickly.

Yes you can arrange scheduled deliveries just by putting in your requested date in the comments box at the online checkout or by giving us a call in store.

Yes we offer a part exchange policy, you can do this by emailing us detailed photographs of the items you are wanting to exchange to sales@drum-stop.co.uk or by calling into the store with them.
Please remember we are here to Help we are a Shop not just an internet site like some out there! All our Staff Play Drums and can help with any questions you may have. You can call us on 0114 247 2200