Guide to Buying your First Drum Kit
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 drum kit?
It typically comprises:

• Five drums - a snare drum, bass drum and three toms.
  
• The stands, pedals and fittings to go with the drums typically inlcude:
  
  • 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 pedal which holds the Hi-hat cymbals.
    
  • A Snare Drum Stand.
    
  • A Bass Drum Pedal.
    
  • Tom-Tom Holders
    
• A Standard cymbal set to go with a standard drum kit it is generally a ride cymbal, a crash cymbal and a pair of hi-hat cymbals.
  

Low End Drum Kits or Starter Drum Kits
Kits under £500 tend to be produced as a complete package to include cymbals, a stool and sticks as well as the 5 Drum Shells, the Hardware including Boom Cymbal Stands, Hihat Stand, Snare Drum Stand and Bass Drum Pedal. 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. We can supply a "Starter" Box Set of Cymbals in this instance to compliment the Kit. These Lower End Drum Kits tend to give the most cost effective package for the lower budget. The Drum Shells themselves are the most important part of the Drum Kit, and therefore tend to get the most attention on these type of Lower end kits. The Hardware is usually double braced and fairly sturdy however will not last forever, and the cymbals are a "Starter Point" and are probably the first thing you would need to upgrade as you progress further.

Mid Range - Semi Pro Drum Kits
In the £500 plus category, drum manufacturers tend not to supply cymbals with the kit, however they do usually supply the hardware. This gives you the choice to add cymbals from whichever manufacturer you prefer. Drummers choosing kits at this level usually have a preferred choice of cymbal sound and usually have a cymbal range already or know exactly which cymbals they want. If you are still unsure about cymbals at this point then we can give you the best advice possible. If you tell us what kind of sound you like and how much you have to spend we will try to find a cymbal set to suit. We can supply a box set of cymbals or can select various cymbals from different Ranges and Manufacturers to suit your desired sound and taste.The hardware usually includes Boom Cymbal Stands, a Bass Drum Pedal, Snare Drum Stand and Hihat Stand. Sticks, Stools and Set up DVD's are not usually included at this level unless stated.

Top End Drum Kits and Shell Packs
Drum Kits usually classed as "Top End" or "Professional" are not usually sold as a "Kit" but are sold in what is called a Shell Pack or Shell Set. So basically you just buy the Drum Shells themselves in your desired sizes. It is assumed that at this level you perhaps already have Good Quality Hardware and Cymbals and therefore want to change just the Shells themselves. This allows you to purchase the exact diameters and depths that you require as well as the exact number of shells. Some Manufacturers offer pre-configured shell sets in the most popular sizes and these are usually stock items. Unlike the Starter Kits, Mid Level Kits and Pre-configured Kits that are usually stock items at both Drum Stop and at the Manufacturers, the Individual Shells themselves purchased as seperate items are usually "Special Order" Items and can take between 12 and 16 Weeks for delivery from the Manufacturers. This can be quite a major deciding point when choosing which sizes you require.

Custom Built Drum Kits
Custom Built Kits are what they say in the title. They are totally custom designed and built to order. Drum Stop have a unique Relationship with one of America's Top Custom Drum Builders, Truth Custom Drums. They can build it all from chambered hybrid snares, hybrid kits, custom graphic drums, sand blasted logos on acrylic, custom snare vents, wraps, stains, you name it and Truth can build it. With a Current Lead time of between 3 - 4 Months, Truth Drums Can Build your Own Perfect Drum Kit just as you want it. If you are interested in having a Cutom Built Kit by Truth, then call the store for more info and to get a quote. Each Quote is done on an individual basis and can be discussed in detail with the sales staff.

Drum Kit Size Guide
The Bass Drum Is the Large Drum Central to the Kit that stands on the floor, Usually 20" or 22" Diameter x 16" or 18" Depth. The Toms are the Smaller sized Drums usually mounted in Front of you as you play. Sometimes these can be mounted on the Bass Drum (This would be a Drilled Bass Drum) and sometimes they can be Mounted off the Bass Drum (This would be an Un-drilled Bass Drum) The Undrilled Bass Drums tend to be Prominent in more Top End Dum Kits and Most Low End Package Kits and Mid Level Semi Pro Kits Tend to have Drilled Bass Drums for ease of positioning and Set up. Toms can range in size from 6" - 18", the most common sizes however for Hanging Toms are 8" - 14" Diameter and For Floor Toms the most common sizes are 14" - 18". Floor Toms Stand on the Floor supported with 3 legs which are height adjustable. 9", 11" and 17" Toms are not a currently recognised Size and we would advise against them should they be requested for Custom Builds.

There are 3 standard sizes of kit, used by all Manufacturers, sizes being expressed by diameter of drums with proportional depths.
These are as follows:

• 20" Fusion - 20" Bass Drum, 10", 12" Toms and 14" Floor Tom, 14" Snare Drum
  
• 22" Fusion - 22" Bass Drum, 10", 12" Toms and 14" Floor Tom, 14" Snare Drum
  
• 22" Rock - 22" Bass Drum, 12", 13" Toms and 16" Floor Tom, 14" Snare Drum

Size 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, space available and generally what is available for quicker delivery. Many Players find no extreme differences between the sizes for the style of music they play and with today's technology most drums can be tuned deep and high enough to cover a wide range of musical genres. Far wider than most players will ever need.

What is a standard cymbal setup?
A standard setup comprises a ride cymbal (typically 20 inch), a crash cymbal (typically 16 inch) and hi-hat cymbals (typically 14 inch) - These are a pair of cymbals horizontally mounted which can be crashed together with a hi-hat pedal, or played closed with a stick. Many players choose to add crashes (14 inch - 19 inch), splash cymbals (6 inch - 12 inch) or china cymbals (10 inch - 18 inch) to enhance their sound.
A Ride Cymbal is typically used to maintain a steady rhythmic pattern and is usually the largest Cymbal in your set up.
A crash cymbal is a type of cymbal that produces a loud, sharp "crash" and is used mainly for occasional accents .
Hihat Cymbals are two cymbals mounted together on a stand facing each other. When struck closed or played with the pedal, the hi-hat gives a short, muted percussive sound. Adjusting the gap between the cymbals can alter the sound of the open hi-hat from a shimmering, sustained tone to something similar to a ride cymbal. When struck with a drumstick, the cymbals make either a short, snappy sound or a longer sustaining sandy sound depending on the position of the
pedal.China and Splash Cymbals give alternative accents when playing.

The cheapest brass cymbals start at under £100 per set. The typically comprise of 16" or 18" crash-ride cymbal (a single cymbal serving as both crash and ride functions), and a pair of hi-hats. Such cymbals are often included as part of the package with kits in the under £500 range. Better quality brass sets, mirror the standard setup - 20" ride, 16" crash and 14" hi-hats. Machine hammering and lacquered finishes improve their tonal quality and appearance. Nevertheless, any brass cymbal is best thought of as an interim measure.

The next level of cymbals are made of B8 Bronze (92% copper, 8% tin) e.g. Zildjian ZBT, ZXT, Meinl MCS sets out of these cymbals - 20" ride, 16" crash, 14" hi-hats.

Finally, top model cymbals are made from B20 bronze (80% copper, 20% tin) mixed with traces of precious metals to a formulae jealously guarded by manufacturers over the centuries. Models such as Zildjian Avedis, A Custom, K, K Custom, Z Custom, Meinl Byzance, Paiste 2002 and Signatures all fall into this category and are purchased individually rather than in pre-determined packs.

Methods of production...

Basic and intermediate cymbals tend to be pressed from sheets of metal or metal alloys. Top model cymbals are cast from molten alloy. The different sounds created for each range are the result of the particular lathing, hammering and finishing processes. Some top cymbals are hand hammered by skilled craftsmen who have learned a craft passed down over the centuries. Top quality cymbals are highly tampered instruments. They need to be played correctly and handled with care. Even a top quality cymbal can crack or split if it is misused, e.g. through overtightening or being struck with a head on blow, rather than a glancing one.

Size...

Reference has been made already to the typical size of crash, ride, hi-hat, splash and china cymbals. To state what may be obvious, smaller cymbals produce smaller sounds and lower volumes. Larger cymbals produce bigger sounds and greater volumes. For example, some heavy rock players have moved to nineteen or twenty inch crash cymbals!

Weight...

Thinner cymbals respond faster; heavy models tend to be louder with longer sustain (duration). Thin and medium thin crash cymbals are the preferred choice of many players selecting cymbals 14" - 16"; medium thin and medium for cymbals 16" - 18", with metal and rock players often favouring the heavy weights.

Finish...

Some players prefer cymbals in their natural state. Such cymbals are sometimes described as having bite. Others prefer their cymbals to have a polished, glossy look, which tends to give a smoother response.

Pitch...

Much will depend on the type of music you play. Lower pitch cymbals are perhaps more subtle, blending easily with the music and giving a big full sound. Higher pitch cymbals will tend to cut through the music.

Ultimatley, obey one simple rule: choose with your ears, not your eyes. Forget designer labels. There is no one definitive manufacturer or range. Mix and match as you wish.

Caring for cymbals...

When cleaning cymbals (and many people don't!), use only a polish recommended by the manufacturer, otherwise you may remove the protective lacquer and damage both appearance and tone. A good carry-case (preferably one with dividers) will protect your instruments for the future. Properly cared for, your cymbals could last for life!

How to order
To order any product off the website click on the Add to Cart button, if the product has multiple options such as "colour" or "size" then simply select your options in the drop down menus and then click "Add to Cart". To check what is in your cart click View Cart button found at the top right hand side of the page you are viewing. To finish shopping and pay for your items from inside your basket, click the "Checkout" button, if you're still browsing the website, just use the "Checkout" button on the page at the top right Hand Side.

You will then be able to pay securely using your Credit or Debit Card using Visa, Visa Electron, Mastercard, Maestro, Solo and Visa Debit through Sage Pay Secure Online Payment Processing System or by using your Pay Pal Account if you have one. Credit Details will at no point be collected by Drum Stop. All transaction information passed between merchant sites and the Sage Pay VSP Systems is encrypted using 128-bit SSL certificates. No cardholder information is ever passed unencrypted. In order to process the order you must have the card with you at the time of ordering and supply the CCV2 Security Code (the last 3 digits from the reverse of the card) and the card must be registered to the delivery address for the order to be accepted. You must supply your telephone number in order for us to contact you should there be any problems with processing the order and to confirm delivery information with you if required.

Alternatively you can place your order over the phone. Over the phone we will check instantly for you whether the item is in stock or not and can proceed from there. Your details will be taken over the phone and the order processed once the phonecall has finished. Once the order is complete and the payment has been accepted, your card details will be destroyed. Again to process the order you must have the card with you at the time of ordering and supply the CCV2 Security Code (the last 3 digits from the reverse of the card) and the card must be registered to the delivery address for the order to be accepted. You must also supply your telephone number in order for us to contact you should there be any problems with processing the order and to confirm delivery information with you if required.

You are also welcome to visit our shop in Sheffield to purchase goods. You can phone the store beforehand to make sure we have your desired item in stock and we can put that item to one side for you to collect.

Prices
All prices are in £ sterling inclusive of VAT at the rate of 15% and exclusive of delivery. Delivery Charges will be shown before you complete your transaction. Prices, offers and products are subject to availability and may change.
Free Delivery is available on Orders over £500 to Mainland UK Only. Please note that if you are within this category, the shipping will automatically be deducted from your shopping cart at the checkout when you order value goes over £500. If a delivery charge is still shown and your order is over £500 then this means you are not within the Free Shipping Zone.

Pricing Disclaimer
All products are subject to availability, and can be withdrawn at little or no notice. While every reasonable effort is made to ensure accuracy, Drum Stop reserves the right to alter, amend or withdraw pricing in the event of misprint or accidental errors.

Please note: Standard courier charges apply to England, Wales and parts of Scotland.Spend over £500 and the postage is removed,(Feburary 2010 spend over £20 ) This only applys to England, Wales and parts of Scotland, the area is worked out using your delivery postcode. The Scottish Highlands and Islands, The Channel Islands, Northern/Southern Ireland and all European Countries are subject to a delivery premium, and are excuded from the offer of Free delivery over £500. The price will be calculated according to the weight and quantities of items ordered and will be shown in your basket before purchase.

All deliveries must be signed for and you should keep your receipt for future use should you need to claim for warranty. All Orders will require a Telephone Number to be entered in order to contact you should there be any queries with the delivery address and timescales for delivery.

Why do We Charge Shipping Costs and How Much is it?
We Like to make sure that our prices for the products we offer are as competitive as possible.  The price you see is the price of the Item you are looking at.  Most Items have Shipping Costs attached to them which will be shown seperately when you buy the item, as we think it is important that the price does not reflect an inflated price to Cover the Costs of "FREE SHIPPING".  We want to be as honest as possible and that is why we believe that adding a shipping cost per item is the best way to do this.  This Shipping Cost also ensures that your products are insured during transit and all courier despatched items are trackable online.  Where an item or a Multiple Purchase exceeds the value of £500, we have added FREE SHIPPING to that delivery.  This is by no means a way to "Hide" an inflated price, but as a goodwill gesture for your high value purchase with Drum Stop.  These orders will also be Insured during transit "FREE OF CHARGE" at Drum Stop's Cost if sent by Courier.  They will also be trackable online as normal.  The following costs are applied at the checkout:
UK (Excludes Scottish Highlands/Islands, Channel Islands, Northern/Southern Ireland)
£4.00 - Upto 2kg (sticks, books, small spares etc.)
£7.00 - Upto 30kg (hardware, cymbals, pedals, stools etc.)
£12.00 - Upto 60kg (some small drum kits, multiple pieces of hardware etc.)
£18.00 - Upto 90kg (most drum kits come under this bracket, unless over £500, then free shipping applies)
FREE if Order Value Exceeds £500.

Scottish Highlands/Islands, Channel Islands, Northern/Southern Ireland
This section covers the Scottish Highlands/Islands and Channel Islands as well as Northern and Southern Ireland.  It does also cover some areas of Scotland that may not be strictly classed as highlands, but our Courier Service class them as more difficult areas to reach when making deliveries.  Therefore our Shopping cart system has to put them in a separate section to add the additional costs that our couriers charge to ship to these places.  So in addition to the usual Scottish Highlands and Islands, shipping to the places with the following postcodes are also liable to the higher shipping costs: HS1-9, IV40-51, IV55-56, KA27, KA28, KW15-17, PA20, PA34, PA60-78, PH42-44, ZE1-3, FK17-99, G83, IV1-28, IV33-39, KW ALL, PA21-33, PA35-40, PH18-26, PH30-42,
£4.50 - Upto 2kg (sticks, books, small spares etc.)
£7.20 - Upto 4kg (small clamps, larger spares etc.)
£10.00 - Upto 6kg (some stands, and tom clamps / arms etc.)
£12.00 - Upto 8kg
£13.00 - Upto 10kg
£15.00 - Upto 20kg
£21.00 - Upto 30kg
£40.00 - Upto 60kg
£60.00 - Upto 90kg

European Countries are charged per destination & weight, this will be calculated per each shipment at the checkout

Returns
'No fault' returns for items bought online are to be made within 7 days .

You can cancel your purchase at anytime either before or up to 7 days after delivery of your product by:

• returning the product to us in person or by post (you must include your receipt with the item) and cover the costs of returning the items to us. We will refund your payment excluding the original shipping fee. Please email or call us us with your intention to cancel/return to sales@drum-stop.co.uk or tel: 0114 247 2200 so we can arrange for the refund to be processed when the item is returned.
  

Your product must be complete, unused and in 'as new' condition (eg if you have opened the box to examine the product you must have done it without marking the product in anyway). It should be returned with the original box, packing and accessories. Pre-recorded DVDs must be sealed. Any 'Free Gifts' received with the product must also be returned.

We make no charge if you return the product to our store in person. If you choose another method you must bear the costs. We will not cancel or refund your purchase when:

• You return your product without proof of purchase.
• The goods were a special order to your specification, or an item not usually stocked by Drum Stop Ltd.
• The item is used, damaged or not in an "As New State"
  

To qualify for a refund or exchange, the product must be:-

• in otherwise 'as new' condition;
• complete with any accessories and free gifts offered with it (and if possible, the original box and packaging).
• Accompanied by proof of purchase.

The guarantee does not cover faults caused by accident, neglect, misuse or normal wear and tear, nor consumable items (eg drum-sticks, heads, cymbals, etc) unless there is clear evidence of manufacturing fault.

THIS RETURNS POLICY DOES NOT AFFECT YOUR STATUTORY RIGHTS.

We will endeavour to answer all of your queries promptly and accurately by e-mail, telephone or mail whichever you prefer or if you like you can visit the store where you will receive specialist attention to your query and you can take a look around the store at the same time!

Other Shopping Information
We supply Schools, bands, youth groups, professional and session drummers and beginner drummers of all ages, styles and tastes and aim to give you a truly personal shopping experience whether through our online drum shop or in person when visiting our midlands based drum and percussion store.

We want to enhance your shopping experience as much as possible by giving you the best advice and product selection we can, in order to make your purchase as easy and as exciting as we can. We offer you the chance to try before you buy, give Product Demonstrations and share our in depth knowledge about all of our products in store. With helpful and friendly staff willing to help you at all stages of your purchase and a simple to use web site with easy on-line buying, drum set up videos and advice sections we at Drum Stop want to give you all the help you need and all the advise we can. If you have any query no matter how big or small it is, please give us a call or e-mail us and our team will be happy to assist you.