Drum Gear Part 3: Drum Kits

This is part 3 of my advice for students and parents about buying equipment.  I'm doing some research on student model kits, I have some general advice and so far one specific recommendation.


General advice:

• I recommend getting a 20" bass drum, 10" and/or 12" mounted toms, and a 14" floor tom.  This is often called the "fusion" kit.  I'm not a fan of the word "fusion" but I am a fan of the sizes.
• To generalise about bass drum sizes, 18" is common in jazz, 22" is common in rock, 20" is a pretty good versatile size for different styles.  I've been using a 20" x 16" bass drum for 10 years, it's not perfect for every situation but it is definitely what I would recommend for students.  Also the smaller sizes are often better for smaller people.
• Similarly the tom sizes (10", 12", and 14" floor tom) are pretty good for different styles of music, and most of my students tend to play more jazz than heavy metal so it's a good start.
• Don't be tricked by kits with extra toms which you think must be a good deal because they have more drums.  I've seen this happen. I basically recommend to students that they use one or two mounted toms and a floor tom, I personally prefer one mounted tom most of the time because it's easier to reach the ride cymbal.  The average drummer doesn't use 3 or 4 mounted tom toms.  Owning extra toms are fine, if you like the kit and it's the right price that's fine, but DO NOT let the extra tom toms be the deciding factor for buying one kit over another.
• Get a reputable brand.  I basically don't recommend the cheaper brands with brand new kits for $500 of less, you're much better off with a second hand kit which is better quality. ie. Yamaha, Pearl, Gretch, Mapex, DW, and there are a few others. There are specialty and boutique brands that are much better but we're not talking about them for students.
• You can make a bad drum sound ok with good skins, but you can't make a good drum sound ok with bad skins.    In other words, you need good quality skins. If you buy a premium student kit or a professional kit, they will most likely come fitted with good skins.  If you get a really cheap kit you're likely to need $100+ worth of skins straight away.   Click here to read more about drum skins
• Some kits won't come with a seat. Get the best seat you can afford, they range from under $100 to $500 or so for a really comfy one with hydraulics etc. 

Specific recommendations:

I will make a few recommendations for drum kits over time because I don't endorse any particular brand, but this is the first:

• Yamaha Gigmaker kit (GMOF5: 20" bass drum model (there is also a model of this with a 22" bass drum and bigger toms) = $999

• This is a 5 piece kit (20" bass drum, 10" and 12" mounted toms, 14" floor tom, 14" snare drum) with standard hardware (bass drum pedal, cymbal and hi hat stand, snare stand, tom mounts) EXCEPT that it has no seat and there is only one cymbal stand. 
• The extra cymbal stand is a good idea if you have another cymbal, for a second cymbal I would recommend getting a 20" ride cymbal and using the cymbal included with the kit as both a crash and a second ride cymbal
• The seat is essential, you'll need to get one seperately.  More on that in another post, or just ask me.
• There is another model which has a 22" bass drum, 12" and 13" mounted toms, and a 16" floor tom. The recommendation as a kit still applies, but I still think the smaller kit is better.
• It comes with a pair of 14" hi hats and an 18" crash/ride cymbal, Paiste brand and they are a fairly standard student model cymbal. These are not professional cymbals, but they come with a kit for under $1000.
• Wollongong Music Centre definitely can get these in stock as can several stores in Sydney, they may have to order one in. Support your local music store as much as possible, you don't want to live in a town with no music store because nobody goes there. Click here for info about music stores in Sydney/Wollongong.
• The price I've been told is about $AU999 for this kit with the included cymbals
• There are five colour options (red, blue, green, black, silver), all in sparkle finish
• Check out this video that some guy made for YouTube to demonstrate this kit - click here
• Check out more detailed information (and of course the colours) on the Yamaha website - click here