Best Drum Kits For Beginners.
In the next series of blogs, we will be guiding you through which drum kit might be the best choice for you depending on your budget.
This is part one of three blogs where we will be delving into what to look for when buying a drum kit with three budgets in mind.
We will give our top picks for kits under £500, between £500 - £1000 and £1000 - £2000 which unless you want the best of the best high-end drum kit should cover most people’s budget.
Today it’s all about entry-level drum kits and which ones we think are worth an audition and ultimately give you the best bang for your buck!
What You Can Expect From A Starter Drum Kit.
Over the last few years, the quality of starter drum kits has certainly improved, which is great news for anyone looking in this price range. This is due to the manufacturers wanting a big slice of the entry-level market so build quality has never been better and the choice of finishes now available has considerably improved - that’s right! whoever would have thought you could get woodgrain or sparkle finish on kits for under £500 - well you can….happy days!
The other good thing with a kit in this price range is that it will more often than not come with a hardware pack (Hardware is the term us drummers use for the Hi-Hat, Snare drum, Cymbal stands, and Bass drum pedals) which means you’ll have everything you need ready to go! (unless the kit doesn’t come with cymbals - see below) something that high-end kits don’t offer….. who says spending more money is an advantage!
You may or may not need to add a cymbal pack to a starter drum kit, some kits throw in a basic set and others don’t so just keep this in mind when choosing as you’ll need to work this into your budget if they aren’t included.
You can expect a decent starter kit to offer:
Great value
Good sound
All the equipment you need to get started with no extra outlay for hardware.
A good choice of finishes (some that look a lot more premium than the price suggests)
What Is The Longevity Of A Entry Level Drum Kit?
This is a question we get asked a lot and the truth is that we can’t really give a definitive answer as it all depends on the individual’s needs.
Sure, a starter drum kit is more than good enough to last a good few years particularly if it pretty much stays in one place - in a home environment for example and has had a few upgrades along the way such as changing the drumheads (skins) to a more profession set as this will greatly improve the overall sound of the kit.
However, if the kit is being used for gigs or performances and is constantly in transit from venue to venue, the build quality of the drum kit may start to show and this is where the superior build of more expensive drums will ultimately prevail - not to mention the better sound they produce.
And like everything, there is always better and that is certainly no different in the drumming world, people are always looking to improve their sound and that’s vital if you are going onto lots of musical situations and studio work.
The most important thing to remember is, if it sounds good to you, it is good - more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better when it comes to sound and a lot of people in a blind test may struggle to tell the differences between a starter drum set and one costing considerably more.
Here We Go, Our Top Three Picks.
The drum kits listed below in our opinion are three brilliant choices that whichever one you choose you simply can’t go wrong with.
There are of course lots of other kits in this price range that are great, but these are the ones we feel offer just that little bit more having worked with them and seeing and hearing their capabilities.
We must stress, we have no affiliation with any manufacturer so these are our impartial choices.
Natal Arcadia.
Natal’s Arcadia is a great choice as an entry level point into drumming.
Made from poplar wood, the shells produce a wonderful tone that has good attack and projection.
The kit doesn’t suffer in the low frequencies either, producing good lows that cut through loud music.
With a great choice of configurations and some awesome finishes, including a black sparkle and a sunburst fade - you’ll be sure to have a drum kit that has the “wow” factor.
At the time of writing this, we found this kit was available with hardware for just under £500.
Check out the kit in more detail here Natal Arcadia
Pearl Roadshow.
Pearl drums are one of the market leaders and so it’s no surprise that any drum kit from them will be built to a very high standard and sound great. They have a high list of endorses including some of the greats!
The Roadshow is made from 6 plies of poplar that delivers a powerful punchy tone that resonates well.
Built with sturdy hardware (lugs and tom mounts) on the drum shell, this kit will stand the test of time.
With four colour options available that include a gorgeous charcoal metallic (pictured) and a good selection of drum sizes you really can’t go wrong with this fantastic drum kit!
We found this kit with hardware and a couple of cymbals at £469 which is amazing value.
For more information on this kit click here Pearl Roadshow
Yamaha Rydeen.
….. but they make everything from motorbikes and jet skis, I hear you say, correct! but they also make incredible drum kits.
Having been in drumming for well over 25 years the general feeling I’ve picked up on is that Yamaha is slightly unfashionable when it comes to drums.
A lot of people I feel what one of the more cooler names, but this is a big mistake. Yamaha drum kits are some of the best crafted drums i have ever seen. It’s no surprise that one of their kits - The Stage Custom…. next part of the blog! in my opinion can challenge drum kits around the £2000 mark on sound quality, a true testament to just how good they are.
The Rydeen kit is made from poplar wood and delivers a rich musical tone with a long sustain.
Build quality is as you’d expect from Yamaha and there’s plenty of choice when it comes to configurations.
There is a choice from six colours including hot red, silver sparkle and the rather striking mellow yellow and comes in just shy of £500 which includes hardware.
More information here Yamaha Rydeen
To Summarise.
So there you have it, our top recommendations for drum kits under £500.
Each will have its unique features and more importantly, its own sound, so we would always recommend a trip to your local drum shop to hear them.
YouTube can also be a useful tool when it comes to product reviews.
If you make a purchase and need us to come and install the drum kit, so it is set up and tuned correctly - you can book an installation here
See you next time when we will up the budget and hit the semi-pro level drum kits.