Buying a drum kit can seem daunting at first, but we are here to help clarify things and get you the best drum kit for your money this Christmas. To help us choose the best drum kit for you, we need to know two things really.
1. How old is the person you are buying the kit for?
2. What kind of budget are you working to?
If you are buying a kit for anyone from roughly age 8 and over then you really should get a full sized drum kit. It is a cheaper option to get a junior sized kit, but as they will quickly grow out of this type of kit, its a false economy really.
For the under 8s, there are two brackets really. The very smallest kits have a 13 inch bass drum and are suitable from toddlers upwards really. If they can sit on a stool and hold a pair of sticks then they will have a great time with these kits. They are too small for anyone above around the age of 5 or 6 though.
For 5 year olds we recommend getting a 16inch bass drum kit, which is still a junior size, but is more of a real drum kit and less of a toy. These kits are a good introduction to drumming for young drummers without the size to handle a full size kit just yet.
If you need to get a full size kit you now have the option of going for a normal “acoustic” drum kit, or alternatively an electronic drum kit. Both of these options have benefits and costs so it really is up to you.
An electronic drum kit is an excellent choice where space and more importantly noise is an issue. An electronic drum kit can be played on headphones alone, so that the drummer will not disturb anyone else in the house and yet will still be able to hear exactly what they are doing. Electronic kits also have a much smaller size than the average acoustic kit, and are a lot lighter. This makes them great for situations where you would want to be able to lift them into a corner, or store them under the bed to save space. The only real drawback to an electronic kit is that they are more expensive and less suitable for gigging.
An acoustic kit is really what most people think of when they think of a drum kit. It has skins on it and when you play it makes noise, generally quite a lot! If you can find a place to play the drums, or if you are primarily looking at playing in a band then an acoustic kit is generally a much better choice. An acoustic kit is also a bit cheaper than an electronic kit.
If you do want to have an acoustic kit, but would like the option of being able to practice silently, a set of drum practice pads will do the trick. These are simply circles of rubber or foam which are laid over the top of the drum skins and deaden the sound of the kit. This allows the drummer to still get the feeling of playing and practicing on the kit without making all the noise.
If you want an acoustic kit but are worried about the space needed to set up the kit, the latest generation of flat drum kits such as the Traps Kit are an excellent choice. They have all the sound of a normal acoustic kit, but with much less size and weight. The Traps Kit can even be quickly folded down and slotted into the boot of an average car – Highly Recommended.
If you are looking for a drum kit or drum hardware that is a cut above the usual in terms of quality and performance, we highly recommend looking at Pearl drums and hardware. They have an excellent range of stands, drum kits, percussion and more which is aimed at the serious / semi / professional drummer.
The drums are only a part of a drum kit. The cymbals are a really important part of a drum kit and are often the first thing that people upgrade. For the best cymbals PlayRecord.Net always recommends Zildjian. With cymbal packages to suit all kinds of budget, and with huge PlayRecord discounts – a cymbal set is a great choice for a Christmas Present for a drummer who already has a kit.
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