Buying Your First Drum Kit

To some people all drumkits 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.

Back to Main Info Menu

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 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 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 it is generally a ride cymbal, a crash cymbal and a pair of hi-hat cymbals.
  

Low end drum kits

Kits under £500 tend to be produced as a complete package to include cymbals, a stool and sticks. 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.

£500+ 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 from as little as £75 from leading brands of Cymbal Manufacturers.

Size guide

For the younger/smaller drummer we can offer smaller size drum packages in the form of the Mapex Voyager. This kit is slightly smaller, so easier to store and easier for very young drummers to play such as up to 6 years of age. this option is priced at £309, however, most youngsters age 6 and up can handle one of the standard size kits unless they are small for their age. There are 3 standard sizes of kit, sizes being expressed by diameter of drums with proportional depths.

• 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.
  
• Mapex Voyager - 18" Bass, 8, 10 and 12" Toms, 12" 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.

Back to Main Info Menu