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Best Beginner Drum Sets of 2020: An Actual Drummer’s Guide

June 13, 2019 by Yannick 42 Comments

Updated: December 29th, 2020

Decided to pick up the drum sticks but you’re not sure what drum set will be best for you?
On this page, especially for beginner drummers like you, I’m providing tips and guides that will assist you in choosing the most practical, new and affordable drum kit for beginners. You can start with our top picks.

Our Top Picks:

  • Best Beginner Drum Set Overall: Pearl Roadshow
  • Best Selling Beginner Drum Set: Pearl Export
  • Best Acoustic Beginner Drum Kit: Ddrum D120B 5-piece drum set
  • Best Complete Beginner Drum Set for adults: Ashthorpe 5-piece drum set
  • Best Electronic Drum Set for Beginners: Alesis Nitro
IMAGE PRODUCT  
Best of the Best
Pearl Roadshow
  • Based on Pearl’s advanced production technologies
  • Looks good enough for the stage
VIEW LATEST PRICE →
Best-Selling
Pearl Export
  • Very good pedal
  • Sturdy
VIEW LATEST PRICE →
Best Beginner Kit
Gammon 5-Piece
  • Useful beginner practice kit
  • Bestselling drum set on Amazon
VIEW LATEST PRICE →
Most Complete Beginner Kit
Tama Imperialstar 5-Piece Drum Set
  • Great snare drum
  • Tama kits last long
VIEW LATEST PRICE →
Ex-best for beginners
Alesis Nitro
  • Cheapest electronic drum
  • Easy to practice on
VIEW LATEST PRICE →

I’ve kept it short for each set, but included links to the individual reviews in case you want to dig deeper.

And please make sure to check out the buyer’s guide at the end. This will tell you what to look for in a starter kit – and what to ignore.

So let’s get to it…

If you decide to buy one of the products reviewed here, please consider going through the links on this site, because this will earn me a small commission – at absolutely (!) no extra cost to you.

I’ve poured my heart and lots of time into these reviews, and by using my links you help ensure that future readers will find this site still working.

Also, if you’re looking to buy only the cheapest beginner drum kits, read this article too.

Best Beginner Drum Sets

Table of Contents

  • Our Top Picks:
  • Best Beginner Drum Sets
  • Ddrum D120B 5-piece set – Bestselling beginner kit
  • Pearl Roadshow – My Best Beginner Drum Set 2020
  • Pearl Export – The Best Selling Kit of All Time
  • Ashthorpe 5-piece drum set – Most complete beginner kit
  • Alesis Nitro – Ex-Best for Beginners
  • What Characterizes the Best Beginner Drum Set?
    • Purpose
    • Size
    • Setup
    • Cymbals
    • Tips and Tricks
    • Drum Heads
    • Stuff You Should Ignore
  • Discounted Beginner Drum Kits
  • Conclusion

 

Ddrum D120B 5-piece set – Bestselling beginner kit

WHY YOU SHOULD BUY
Ddrum D120B 5-piece set for beginner drummers
DD Drum D1 Junior
Featuring tunable, diminutive drum sizes and it even includes cymbals, hardware, and a throne.
VIEW LATEST PRICE →
PROS
  • Full size
  • Great value for the price
  • Durable hardware
  • Drum heads are easy to tune
CONS
  • Cymbals are thin and not of a high quality 
  • No instruction manual included
  • The drum throne is rather short for tall persons

Ddrum D120B is a complete fusion set drum kit that features toms, cymbals, stands, pedals, and a throne. The full-sized drums consist of 10 x 8, 12 x 9 mounted toms, a 14 x 14 floor tom, a 14 x 5.5 snare and a 20 x 16 bass drum. The shell has a solid Basswood construction, the hoops are triple-flanged, and the drum heads have great resonance when perfectly tuned.


On purchase, a drum key, a pair of drumsticks, and a wrench are included with the drum set. Though instructions are not included, the kit can be assembled by looking it up on YouTube. And will take less than two hours to set up. The black coated drum rims, as well as the stands, are quite durable and make the kit more appealing to the eyes.

 

Pearl Roadshow – My Best Beginner Drum Set 2020

WHY YOU SHOULD BUY
Pearl Roadshow - My 2020 favorite beginner drum set
Pearl Roadshow
It’s a great-sounding set of drums on its own — its 9-ply poplar shells with modern 45° bearing edges deliver a modern, lively attack that’s inspiring behind the kit and easy to capture with a mic
VIEW LATEST PRICE →
PROS
  • Based on Pearl’s advanced production technologies
  • Best included cymbals I’ve seen so far
  • Looks good enough for the stage
CONS
  • Seriously, I couldn’t find any

Obviously, Pearl’s higher end kits involve better material (wood, loops etc.), but the Pearl Roadshow profits from Pearl’s advanced production technologies. And out comes a sound that surpassed my expectations for a drum set that’s so cheap:

I also think the Pearl Roadshow looks more professional than the Gammon or the Mendini, so that this is a drum set for practicing as well as for the stage. And audiences will judge you by your looks!

Plus: the cymbals are a tiny bit better than those on the Gammon and Mendini kits. That said, they are still stock cymbals and can’t be compared with brand cymbals (which don’t have to be all that expensive – see the cymbals section below).

The Pearl Roadshow is my best beginner drum set and will be a companion for a good few years of drumming!

And if you want to know why exactly, check out my full Pearl Roadshow review.

 

Pearl Export – The Best Selling Kit of All Time

WHY YOU SHOULD BUY
Pearl Export drum kit for beginners
Pearl Export
In terms of design, sound and hardware this drum set is far more advanced than the Gammon and the Mendini.
VIEW LATEST PRICE →
PROS
  • Very good pedal included
  • Sturdy, long-lasting hardware
  • Widely recognized drum set + brand
CONS
  • Cymbals not included
  • Stock heads won’t allow for full sound potential

In terms of design, sound and hardware this drum set is far more advanced than the Gammon and the Mendini. It’s perfect for practicing and perfect for playing on stage.

But it comes without cymbals (which is normal for advanced kits). So you’d have to spend some extra cash for a good budget pack of those. (See the cymbal section below to find out that they don’t have to be expensive.)

Still, if you’re an ambitious beginner willing to spend some money, this kit can take you a long way into your drumming career. See what John, who recently bought it, has to say about the Export.

The Export is also available in a beautiful lacquer finish. Then it’s more glossy and has visible wood grains.

Looking for current deals on this kit? Still have a question or some doubts about it?

Find out if there are any in my full Pearl Export review.

 

Ashthorpe 5-piece drum set – Most complete beginner kit

WHY YOU SHOULD BUY
Ashthorpe - the complete drum set for newbies
VIEW LATEST PRICE →
PROS
  • Unlike most kids’ drum, this is a real drum set
  • When nicely tuned, the drums sound great
  • Solid and sturdy drums
  • High-quality materials
CONS
  • Instructions on assembly manual can be confusing
  • No warranty
  • Not for adults meaning you’ll need to buy another one in the future

This junior drum set features a complete package with a snare drum, bass drum, toms, and genuine brass cymbals. The 8“ hi-hat cymbal has its stand and pedal while the bass drum has a chain-driven pedal. The toms include mounted and floor ones. Along with the drums are also an adjustment key, an adjustable drum throne, two drumsticks, and an assembly manual.
Ashthorpe 5-piece kit is ideal for young drummers between ages 2 to 12 years. The drums are sturdy enough to withstand frequent bashings, and they have quality sounds that can rival most adult drum kits. Its shells are made from genuine poplar wood that enhances the acoustic nature of the set. The triple-flanged hoops aid the resonance produced by the drums. There are several finishes from which to choose, and each is as aesthetically pleasing as the other.

Alesis Nitro – Ex-Best for Beginners

Alesis Nitro
Alesis Nitro
Alesis Nitro has officially replaced the Alesis DM6 as my best electronic drum kit for beginners. And it deserves that title because it provides amazing value at an amazingly cheap price.
VIEW LATEST PRICE →
PROS
  • Cheapest useful e-drum set on the market
  • 42 beats to learn with guidance
  • Module easy to handle
CONS
  • No advanced features (half-open Hi-Hat cymbal sound, triple zone Ride cymbal)

With the Alesis Nitro, one can play excellent drum styles with few practices. It is an 8-piece e-drum with a Nitro e-drum module. The module, which is the icing on this cake called a drum, has several percussion sounds and play-along tracks. Few other essential aspects of the module include a metronome that shows if you are quite early or late to a beat, a headphone jack. The USB connection on the module is there so that you can plug into your MP3 player or a computer. With the module, you can adjust the sounds played on any pad and play along to any tune of your choice.


The electronic drum itself comprises three tom pads, a dual-zone snare drum, a kick drum pad, and three cymbals. It comes with two drum sticks, a drum key, a module user guide, and an assembly manual. The pads do not wear out quickly, but they are quite small at an 8-inch diameter. The kick drum sounds as authentic as a bass drum should, and it has a real pedal attached. The snare is very responsive. For persons 6 feet tall or more, the drum kit may be quite short to play with for a long time.

Alesis Nitro’s setup puts analog drum kits to shame with its quality, compactness, and sound. The equipment is easy to set up, the music is impressive, and the various options on the module helps the beginner hone new drumming skills as early as possible. Whether a pro or a beginner, you will undoubtedly enjoy playing and practicing with this e-kit.

 

What Characterizes the Best Beginner Drum Set?

Check out 5 of the best hihats this 2017.

I’ve shown you the drum kits I highly recommend for beginners. But this might well not be enough for you. For I believe there never is THE best drum kit. A drum set can only be best relative to YOUR purpose and circumstances.

So let’s quickly learn what’s important when looking for a good starter drum kit:

Purpose

What do you want to do with your set? Practice, play live on stage or record in your home studio?

When making that decision don’t only take into account the tomorrow. Think about the next 2-5 years of your drumming journey and where you might be by that time. For you can easily keep your first drum set for that long.

In case you’re not even sure whether you’ll stick with drumming, I recommend: go budget! That is, go for a practice kit (the Pearl Roadshow) instead of a used one. Used ones can be broken or can have missing sections. This may prevent you to play your drum correctly specially while you are trying to learn.

If you’re dead set on home recording, I suggest you look at my electronic drum set reviews. Electronic kits make home recording way cheaper and easier.

Size

Again, I’ve shown you the best starter drum sets for adults. In terms of size, this means that anyone taller than 5ft will comfortably fit behind all the sets presented here.

If you’re looking for a drum set for someone shorter than 5ft, you can check out my best junior drum set review.

Setup

Possible setups of drum kits are limitless. Yet, there is one “regular setup” (below) which will enable you to play 95% of the songs you hear on the radio:

best beginner drum set
Regular setup

You won’t need more until a good few years into your drumming journey – unless you’re trying to show off.

best beginner drum set
Showing off big time

Cymbals

Cymbals are important – you’ll play them more frequently than some of the drums. So it’s good that all kits except the Pearl Export come with cymbals included.

However, they most of them come with only two cymbals each – a hi-hat and a crash cymbal. What all beginner drum kits, except for the Tama Imperialsta – are lacking is a ride cymbal:

best beginner drum set

A ride cymbal is larger and thicker than a crash, and without it you’ll be loosing out on the higher pitched cymbal sounds that accompany many guitar solos and choruses. So with only two cymbals you won’t be able to play everything you hear on the radio exactly as it’s played there.

I’m saying this only so you know. It is not crucial to add a ride cymbal now, but it will be probably happen sooner or later.

If you need help then, turn to my best budget cymbal review. (This article is about packs of 3 cymbals each, but the Ride cymbals can all be bought individually too.)

Tips and Tricks

When purchasing a new drum set, especially if you are a novice around drums or musical instruments in general, there are few things to note:

  • Tuning is essential: If not correctly tuned, you may assume your drum set is the most inferior quality ever to be sold in the market. Tuning your drums right can be the difference between pleasant sounds and noise. You can improve your tuning skills by checking out videos on Youtube. If, however, your drums do not sound right despite your tuning abilities, find out if you need new drum heads.
  • Quality is not dependent on price: Possibly, you want a durable drum kit, made of quality materials that can produce quality sound and not those that would disintegrate in less than a year or two. While learning to play, you should note that there is always a balance between quality and cost, hence the importance of guidelines and reviews. Check out online reviews on different types of drum sets before deciding on which to purchase except you want a famous brand.
  •  Noise: Keep in mind that drum is a noisy musical instrument. You should think of your neighbors as well/
  • Drum size matters: For a young child less than 5-feet tall, a junior drum kit could be easier to use than an adult set. Also, as you become more skilled with using the drums and develop a better ear for quality sounds, you may decide to purchase a more professional drum set.

 

Drum Heads

There are dozens of variables which determine how good a drum set sounds. But the quality of the drum heads and tuning are the most important ones. As you can see in the video below, new heads and good tuning alone can make any drum set sound amazing:

And while you’ll probably need to play around with tuning for a bit to get it right, you don’t need to read whole books on it. Start with this tutorial, try to grasp how it basically works. Then just play around with your heads.

And speaking of heads: start with the ones that come with any of the drum kits above. With the right tuning, you can greatly improve their sound.

Only once that’s not enough for you any more: buy new heads. Compared to the wonders they work, they aren’t too expensive. And choosing them is easy too – at least with this guide of mine.

Stuff You Should Ignore

What about shell sizes, loops or snare carpet?

These things do make differences in sound, but none of them are huge and none of them matter much to drum beginners. At worst, they will confuse you or cost you money.

Take care of your tuning first and ignore the rest for now.

Better invest your time and money in good drum instructors.

Also Read: Best Professional Drum Sets

Discounted Beginner Drum Kits

I know you would enjoy finding one of those kits above at a discounted price, wouldn’t you?

If so, this guide on how to find discounted drum kits is for you.

Conclusion

I hope this best beginner drum set review will help you in making your decision. If not (or if you disagree with anything), let me know in the comments. I respond 100%!

Best of luck in finding your new drum kit and lots of fun playing it!

Freedrum- Play the drums anytime, anywhere

Best of the Best
Best of the Best
ksydfs-item__image
VIEW LATEST PRICE Read Our Full Review
Freedrum
If you crave a convenient, mobile drum kit that is and Freedrum is exactly what you need. Connect using bluetooth and play on your smartphone, computer or tablet
FEATURES
  • Sensors are super accurate
  • Good Value for Money
  • Compatible with all major music software / DAWs

PS

If this best beginner drum set review was helpful to you and if you decide to buy one of the drum set mentioned here, please consider going through one of the links / buttons on this page. This way I receive a commission and you reward me for the time and care I put into writing these reviews. Please note that I don’t have any incentive towards specific product, since I receive a commission no matter which drum kit you pick (if you do). You can read more about my review ethics in my affiliate disclosure.

Filed Under: Acoustic drum kits

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Glen says

    January 11, 2017 at 7:25 am

    Hi, thank you for the review. Could you please tell me why other people says that the Roadshow is a junior kit when it has 22″ bass drums like the standard drumsets? just about the size of the Export right? And what are the counter-part of the roadshow in Tama, Yamaha, Sonor?

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      January 11, 2017 at 10:37 am

      Glen,

      The Pearl Roadshow is certainly no junior kit. As you say: it has a 22″ bass drum and I don’t know which child would be able to play on that comfortably. No, it’s a full-size drum set just like the Export.

      Actually, Tama and Sonor have no drum kit whatsoever in that price range. Yamaha its Gigmaker model, but in my eyes this can’t compete with the Pearl Roadshow.

      Does that help?

      Reply
  2. Glen says

    January 11, 2017 at 7:25 am

    Hi, the roadshow in this video sounds great, really. But why does other roadshows in youtube sounds bad?

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      January 11, 2017 at 10:31 am

      Hey Glen,

      Glad you asked! Well, there are lots of variables to how a drum set sounds (quality of heads, material of shells, recording device, track edited or not, room etc. etc.). And the Roadshow will sound differently for everybody, because when you unbox it, you’ll have to tune it.

      And from my experience tuning is also the 1 variable that can improve a drum set sound by 80%. If you get this right, the Pearl Roadshow will sound very decent for you out of the box.

      I’d recommend this process (do you own the Pearl?):

      1. See how much tuning can do here and then start learning it here.
      2. Play around with tuning your kit. That’s the best way to become good at it.
      3. If you know how to tune and you can’t get the sound right, consider buying new heads. I’ve written a full guide on drum heads here.

      This has worked wonders for me in the past and is also the cheapest way of all to improve a drum kit’s sound.

      Hope that helps!

      Reply
  3. Heather Gless says

    February 19, 2017 at 7:52 pm

    What do you think of the Rise kit by Sawtooth?

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      February 20, 2017 at 10:24 am

      Hey Heather,

      Thanks for asking. I hadn’t actually looked at the Rise kit for a long time. And apparently with good reason: a rating of 1 star out of 3 reviews is unheard of on Amazon (in a bad way). Now, I haven’t played it myself, and I wouldn’t want to keep you from trying it out when only 1 reviewer had something bad to say about it. But three 1-star reviews is too much to my mind. I wouldn’t take the risk.

      Why not go with the Mendini drum kit instead? I can personally attest that you get good quality for the money there. Plus: it’s currently discounted quite a bit.

      May I ask who the drum set is for and for what purpose it’ll be used for (practicing? first-ever kit?)?

      Best,
      Yannick.

      Reply
  4. Heather Gless says

    February 20, 2017 at 5:43 pm

    Thanks for answering! It’s for me….I have been playing on and off since 1973 and just wanted an inexpensive set for practice, but also one that was stage-worthy. The blue sparkle set looked very nice compared to the others.

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      February 21, 2017 at 12:24 am

      Alright, I see. If you want to go up on stage with your set, I’d honestly like to nudge you away from the Mendini. Mendini isn’t a rcognized drum set brand and itn terms of both sound and design it’s (to my mind) more of a practice kit. Once you go up on stage, you will notice the kind of drum set you play on has quite some influence on how the audience (as well as other drummers) perceive your playing. I don’t like this sort of outer-appearance-over-what-you-can-actually-do-on-the drums approach, but in my experience this is how the game works. So if you want to make a longer-term investment and really get a good set for both practice and the stage, I recommend you read up on the Pearl Roadshow above. It’s a fabulous set that I’ve taken up on stage. Sure, it’s more expensive than the Mendini, but in terms of what you get it’s quite another league.

      Reply
  5. Alex says

    March 3, 2017 at 10:08 pm

    Hi, a drummer friend of mine recently suggested the Ludwig Breakbeats as my beginner drum set. I’m currently deciding between the Ludwig and Pearl Roadshow. Any suggestions regarding which one to get? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      March 4, 2017 at 6:24 am

      Hey Alex,

      That depends on what you want to use the set for and on your budget.

      The Ludwig Breakbeats is a compact drum kit designed specifically for people who regularly carrry it around to gigs in small venues. Therefore it has a smaller bass drum than the Pearl (16” vs. 22”) and that does make a difference in sound. The Breakbeats also comes without cymbals, so you’d have to spend some extra money on a good budget pack of those. I’ve written about the Ludwig Breakbeats in depth here.

      The Pearl does come with cymbals (although stock cymbals are never great), has a standard-sized bass drum and one more tom then Breakbeats.

      I’d say I’ve you’re carrying your set around all the time and often find yourself squeezed onto a small stage, get the Breakbeats. If not, go for the Pearl Roadshow. Just my 2 cents though…

      Let me know how you decide – and when you do so, I’d be more than grateful if you purchased through one of the links on my site!

      Best,
      Yannick.

      Reply
  6. Mike says

    May 9, 2017 at 6:41 pm

    I ordered a Roadshow as a lighter set to use instead of my Pearl sessions , and sent it back pronto.I don’t think Pearl should put their name on them.I’m cosidering an export fusion instead.What do you think of the exports for an experienced gigging drummer?

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      May 10, 2017 at 9:53 am

      Hey Mike,

      Sorry the Roadshow wasn’t for you. I like it a lot, but as so often in drumming, it comes down to personal preference in the end – especially for you as an experienced drummer who will have played much more expensive kits I guess.

      Anyway, have you read my Pearl Export review? I’ve happily played lots of gigs with it and especially like the versatility in terms of sound. With a good knowledge of tuning I’ve been able to get a punchy sound of it in both small and larger venues.

      Hope that helps!

      Best,
      Yannick.

      Reply
  7. Simon says

    May 22, 2017 at 12:40 pm

    Hi! Any thoughts on the Mapex Tornado? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      May 22, 2017 at 3:15 pm

      Unfortunately, not really, Simon. Haven’t played this one enough to say something substantial. Here’s the only halfway decent review I found (albeit short): https://soundreview.org/instruments/drums/mapex-tornado-series-really-mark/

      If you want a kit that will accompany you for years and in any setting (practicing and live), I recommend you consider the Pearl Roadshow!

      Hope that helps!

      Reply
  8. David Boeren says

    September 3, 2017 at 3:52 pm

    What’s your opinion of the Percussion Plus PP4100 set? Our local music store is selling these for $249-299 with one free $25 lesson thrown in which puts it in the same price range as the Gammon that we are also considering. This set would be used by myself (adult male) and also our 6 1/2 year old son who wants to play. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      September 4, 2017 at 1:09 pm

      Hey David,

      Thanks for your question! The Percussion Plus is very similar to the Gammon kit. I only didn’t mention and/or recommend here, because it costs $500+ on Amazon and that is certainly overpriced in my opinion.

      If you can get it for for the price you mentioned, though, that’s a good deal – especially with the lesson on top.

      As for your son, age is not the deciding factor – size is. Please read my kids drum set article to find out if he’s ready for an adult set (you’ll be fine on this).

      Hope that helps!

      Best,
      Yannick.

      Reply
  9. Nathalie says

    November 19, 2017 at 3:07 pm

    Thank you for your tips! They will be very handy !

    Best regards,

    Nathalie

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      November 21, 2017 at 12:13 am

      My pleasure, Nathalie!

      Reply
  10. Laure says

    December 16, 2017 at 2:07 pm

    Hi,
    Which would you say is the best kit between Ludwig accent drive, Mapex rebel and Pearl Roadshow ? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      December 17, 2017 at 4:33 am

      Hey Laure,

      Thanks very much for your question – which also reminds me that I should finally put up a review of the Mapex Rebel and the Ludwig Accent Drive. I appreciate it!

      As for your question, I think that all of those kits are very similar in quality (durability & sound – which mostly depends on your tuning abilities anyway), so the edge has to be found in price or setup. And:

      • in terms of price, the Ludwig Accent wins over the other 2 by a small margin
      • in terms of setup, the Roadshow wins because you can choose between four different purposes / setups (jazz, fusion, rock, new fusion) which all give you different shell sizes – whereas the Rebel and Ludwig Accent only come in one setup (22” bass drum; 14” snare; 10”, 12”, 16” toms)

      So it really depends on what you prioritize. If it’s price, you might want to go with the Ludwig Accent. If it’s having the right kind of setup for you style of music / drumming, the Pearl Roadshow would be the kit to go with.

      My personal opinion is to prioritize the setup and go with the Roadshow, since if you pick the right setup now, you could easily play this set for years and years and years.

      Hope that helps!

      Best,
      Yannick.

      Reply
  11. Simon says

    December 16, 2017 at 6:07 pm

    Thanks for the article, very informative as I’m just starting drumming lessons for real after all of those years of air drumming! ????

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      December 17, 2017 at 4:34 am

      Haha, that’s very cool Simon!

      And seriously: I think airdrumming is a great way to perpare for being a great drummer.

      Reply
  12. josh says

    December 22, 2017 at 1:03 pm

    hi

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      December 22, 2017 at 3:03 pm

      Hi Josh,

      Thanks for stopping by. Did you have a question? 🙂

      Best,
      Yannick.

      Reply
  13. Graeme Jaye says

    January 8, 2018 at 3:51 am

    When rehearsing with my band, we use a (very cheap and nasty) electronic kit and I was considering buying something just a little better (Alesis Nitro or Forge are the likely candidates).

    I was wondering what your views might be regarding an electronic kit for a total beginner? Our drummer seems to get by with the existing kit, but he’s already an accomplished musician and could probably make a set of cardboard boxes sound good.

    I know nothing about playing drums, but since the kit would be permanently available to me, I really fancy having a go myself. What concerns me is, is starting on an electronic kit going to complicate the move to an acoustic kit or would the transition (should I ever make it) be fairly easy?

    Regards

    Graeme

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      January 8, 2018 at 7:01 am

      Hey Graeme,

      Thanks for your question!

      I can totally relate to your concern and that’s why I only recommend electronic kits that are setup exactly like acoustic drum kits, so that you won’t have to unlearn any of the moves you’ve stored in your muscle memory while playing on the electronic kit.

      So I see no reason why you couldn’t start on an electronic kit – and both the Nitro and the Forge are favorites of mine.

      Hope that helps!

      Best,
      Yannick.

      Reply
      • Graeme Jaye says

        January 8, 2018 at 7:55 am

        Hi

        Thanks for the quick response. I would be setting up as a ‘normal’ kit. I did look at the ‘table’ type kits, but I could see they would be totally different, compared to a ‘proper’ kit, when it came to playing one- So you’ll be pleased to know I have purchased a Forge kit this very day.

        Now I can’t wait for it to arrive 🙂 .

        Regards

        Reply
        • Yannick says

          January 8, 2018 at 9:16 am

          That sounds amazing, Graeme! I wish you lots of fun with it!

          And if any questions come up: just drop me another comment!

          Best regards!

          Reply
  14. Jennifer says

    February 18, 2018 at 6:49 pm

    I think the Mapex Rebel drum sets may be new and I am wondering how they compare to the Pearl Roadshows which they seem to be priced to go up against. The RB5044FTCDK contains a 22″ bass drum while other models contain a 20″. Have you tried one of these out? Would be interested in your opinion!

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      February 19, 2018 at 12:14 am

      Hey Jennifer,

      Thanks for your question – I’m in the process of reviewing the Mapex Rebel, so right now I can only tell you that I think the Rebel is a well-made drum kit, but I still think that the Roadshow has the range of different setups going for it.

      Do you want me to let you know once I’ve finished and published the Mapex Rebel review?

      Best,
      Yannick

      Reply
  15. John Landon says

    April 6, 2018 at 3:45 pm

    Hello!
    I recently bought the Pearl Export series and it sounds AMAZING! I purchased Sabian cymbals and used stock drum heads, and it sounds way better than I imagined. This video about it helped a lot and now I am using the drum in my studio and on the stage.

    At first, though, the toms were not in tune as well as I hoped, so I had to learn how to tune it on youtube, but other than that there is absolutely nothing wrong with this drum.

    #BEST DRUM EVER

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      April 7, 2018 at 3:59 am

      Hey John,

      That’s awesome! Thanks so much for sharing this. I’ve linked to your comment from within the post as I think this would benefit all visitors.

      Best,
      Yannick

      Reply
  16. G says

    April 10, 2018 at 8:30 pm

    Hi! I was just at the music store shopping for a drum set for my 7 year old son. It’s very difficult to understand if the girl we chatted with is selling me on stuff for commission or really telling me the truth. I went in to buy the Pearl Roadshow. She was trying convince me the cymbals will bend within 2-3 months so going with the Tama Imperialstar or Ludwig Accent was my best bet since I would have to replace the stock cymbals with the Roadshow. She said the Pearl export would be ok but the set doesn’t come with cymbals. My son is a beginner. His drum teacher is telling me to go with great “used” drums.

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      April 11, 2018 at 12:53 am

      Hey G,

      Thanks for your question!

      The Ludwig Accent has a similar kind of stock cymbals as the Pearl Roadshow – so if she’s convinced that the cymbals bend, they will bend on the Ludwig Accent too. That said, I don’t share this opinion and in fact I haven’t seen a student of mine bend his / her cymbals on the Roadshow. It’s true that the cymbals aren’t great and that you’ll likely have to replace them as your son develops a better and better ear for the sound of his drums. But most of my students use these cymbals for 1-2 years at least.

      She is right, however, that the Tama comes with better cymbals (Meinl CHS) – but, online at least, they also cost significantly more.

      So your decisions comes down to paying more now for a better cymbal sound from the start (Tama Imperialstar) – or saving some money now and buy better cymbals in a year or 2 (Pearl Roadshow).

      Hope that helps!

      Best,
      Yannick

      Reply
  17. Tony says

    April 12, 2018 at 3:41 am

    Yannick,
    I’m In my early 50’s, quite tall (6’8″) and am finally going to take the plunge and get a kit and hopefully let this old dog learn a new trick. I’ve been looking at used kits on-line and new ones. I’ve somewhat narrowed it down to a new all-inclusive Ludwig Accent which are readily available for $399 on Amazon or a used Pearl Export kit that I’m finding in my area for around $350. I think you mentioned you have an Accent review coming??? Buying second hand makes me nervous because I’m no expert and don’t want to get stuck with something that may possibly bring headaches rather than enjoyment. That said, will the Ludwig Accent with upgraded heads and cymbals down the road foot the bill as I progress? My goals are to have fun while challenging my brain, jamming in the basement with friends, and maybe playing in church or small settings. We’ll see how my dominant left brain works with the other side. Please weigh in and thanks for your help!

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      April 12, 2018 at 5:23 am

      Hey Tony,

      Great you’re getting into drumming! Please let me know how it goes down the line!

      As for the kit, I haven’t been able to test the Ludwig Accent yet, so I can only say that it looks decent and that I’ve heard good things about it.

      Have you had a look at the Pearl Roadshow? It costs slightly more but is my favorite beginner drum kit for the reasons explained above and here (standalone review).

      Hope that helps!

      Best,
      Yannick

      Reply
  18. Greg says

    May 25, 2018 at 10:32 am

    Yannick-

    Great and informative website. If possible, I would like to buy a kit that I can use as well as my kids as I really don’t want to have 2 kits in the house. My youngest is 11 and about 4’3″ (but growing like weed). Although I have played guitar in several bands, I am a relative newcomer to drumming. Is it possible to have a kit that would work for all of us? After reviewing your site, I was thinking the Pearl roadshow but would appreciate any insight you offer.

    Thanks,

    Greg

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      May 26, 2018 at 3:25 pm

      Hey Greg,

      Thanks so much for your kind words. I appreciate it very much!

      4’3” is still a littler short of what I’d consider ideal for an adult drum kit as you suggested, but if he / she really is growing that quickly the 5′ mark should be reached pretty quickly. So yes, I do think an adult drum set would work for all of you.

      And the Pearl Roadshow is my favorite option in terms of value for the price. If you want to go more professional, check out the Pearl Export.

      Yet, I do think the Pearl Roadshow will give you everything you need to happily drum for a long time to come.

      Hope that helps – if not, keep the questions coming!

      Best,
      Yannick

      Reply
  19. Veeba says

    June 21, 2018 at 9:34 am

    I am looking for a drum set for my son. He is 4’2″, junior drum sets are upto 5′. Now I don’t want to buy a new set in couple years. Do you think I should just get the Full size and let me grow to it. On the other hand my younger son has just started classes as well and he is 3’8″. Please assist.

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      June 21, 2018 at 11:27 am

      Hey Veeba,

      Thanks for your question. In that case, I’d go with a junior kit. It will gentler on your older son’s back and muscles overall – and the young one will be able to play it for quite some time.

      Best,
      Yannick

      Reply
  20. Joe says

    July 28, 2018 at 8:37 am

    do you have any opinion on PDP Z5 or Encore ? they’re sold at all the on line stores and are on sale right now, they seem to get good reviews on the stores websites but no one ever mentions them on websites such as yours…am I to assume they are just not very good ?

    Reply
    • Yannick says

      July 29, 2018 at 6:14 am

      Hey Joe,

      Thanks for your comment!

      I haven’t tested any of the 2 sets, but PDP generally is a reliable drum set brand. Still, I estimate the Pearl Roadshow would do better in terms of both quality and durability (because I’ve tested it against so many other drum kits already, and always convinced me more.)

      So have you looked at the Pearl Roadshow and ruled it out? The price should be about the same.

      Best,
      Yannick

      Reply

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Hey, I'm Yannick, and I want to help you become the awesome drummer you can be!
Throughout my 22 years of drumming, I've spent money on overpriced gear and time on ineffective lessons. Now I'll help you avoid both!

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