Ohio Drum Works - New and Used Drums, Cymbals, and Accessories. Lessons and Repairs

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Welcome

Ohio Drum Works is a specialty drum shop in Canton, OH. We offer a wide variety of products and services to drummers from beginners to professionals. Please click any of the links above or contact us to find out what we can do for you.

Register Now for Fall & Winter Lessons

The new school year is here! Study with some of the area's finest instructors and be ready for your best year ever!

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*Four Lesson Minimum. Prepay Required.

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Deal of the Week

Our First Annual End Of Year Clearance Sale Is On!!!

The New Year is Here And We Need To Make Room For The 2012 Models. Take an Additional 20% Off Our Remaining Stock of Cymbals & Snare Drums

DRUMWORKS TV

Check out our MEDIA page for the latest educational videos and product demonstrations

News & Notes:

November 22nd, 2011 The holiday shopping season is here. Check back often for special deals on everything you or the drummer in your life might want under the tree this year. We will be closed Thursday the 24th for Thanksgiving. Have a great holiday!October 25th, 2011 Check out the Lessons page for a FREE downloadable software metronome.October 8th, 2011 Check out the Lessons page for a simple and effective sticking workout.October 4th, 2011 Click the link to the left to read the most well known drum set buying guide on the web and check back regularly for a new Deal of the Week.September 6th, 2011 Check the "About Us" page for driving directions!August 11th, 2011 The new mobile version of this site is up and running! Steer your smartphone browser to http://m.wix.com/tvdrums/ohio-drum-works and bookmark the link.June 22nd, 2011 3 months in business and we are continuing to expand our inventory. Thanks to everyone who has dropped by to shop and hang out. Check the Repairs page to see pics of a recent snare drum we refurbished.June 10th, 2011 Lots of new snare drums in stock. Stop in and check out premium snares from Dynamicx and Taye, as well as used drums from Ludwig, Yamaha, and Gretsch.June 1st, 2011Just a reminder... we will be closed for the day on Saturday June 4th. We will resume normal business hours the following week.

Taye Drums - Snare Center Day _ Fork's Drum Closet

About Us

What is Ohio Drum Works?

After years of working, teaching, and shopping in drum shops and music stores around the country, I decided to open one of my own. Simply put, we are the drum shop I always wanted to work in, shop in, and hang out in. Hopefully we're the shop of your dreams too. Come by sometime and see what we can do for you.

Matt Middleton

Owner/Founder

Directions From the North: -Take I77 South towards Canton -Take the Route 62 East Exit -The shop will be about half mile down on your right, after the first light From The South: -Take I77 North towards Canton -Take the Route 62 East Exit -The shop will be about half mile down on your right, after the first light

Lessons

Drum Lessons

Drum lessons are taught in a traditional one-on-one format, guaranteeing that each student receives the instructor's complete attention. We believe a strong foundation is the key to acheiving any musical goal. Our course of instruction emphasizes fundamental skills, such as technique, reading, time, and meter. Lessons are available Monday through Saturday in both hour and half hour blocks. Students and instructors typically meet once each week.

How much are lessons?

$18.00 per half hour lesson or $30.00 per hour. Lesson fees are due in full at the beginning of each month with an additional 10% discount for students who wish to pay quarterly.

Who are your teachers?

You can learn more about our teachers HERE .

Student Referral Program - Earn FREE Drum Lessons!

Know someone else interested in taking drum lessons? Students and parents who refer new students will receive one FREE lesson for each referral, with no limit. Refer 4 students and you get one month of lessons for free. Call, email, or stop in for further details!

Click Here to Download a FREE Software Metronome

Arrow Our Teachers

Teaching Staff

Matt Middleton

Owner Matt Middleton has been a professional drummer and teacher for nearly 20 years. He is a graduate of the Armed Forces School of Music and a former member of the US Army Band. He has taught both privately and in public school systems, where his students & ensembles have consistently acheived the highest ratings at the district and state level. Matt's specialties include beginning to advanced snare drum and drum set, and beginning mallet percussion and hand percussion.

Jordan Morrison

Jordan Morrison has been a professional gigging and studio percussionist for 6 years and has studied percussion for 12 years. He is a recent graduate of Malone University with a Bachelors Degree in Music Education. He has taught both privately and in the public school system. Jordan's teaching specialities include begining to advanced mallets, snare drum, and begining to intermediate drum set.

Eric Baltrinic

Eric is one of the most in-demand drummers in northeast Ohio. He recieved his education from Kent State University and is a former member of the Canton Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps. He writes, records, and tours the US regularly with a wide variety of bands and artists. Eric's specialties include beginning to advanced hand drumming and drum set.

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Repairs

Drum Repair & Refurbishing

Ohio Drum Works offers a wide array of standard drum repair and refurbishing options on new and vintage drums and cymbals. All work is done by trained technicians with years of experience.

Standard repair options include:

Bearing Edges

Snare Beds

Re-wraps

Hardware Repair/Replacement

Parts

Re-heading & Tuning

Cleaning & Detailing

Cymbal Cleaning & Re-Lacquering

Please call, email, or drop by any time during normal business hours with any questions.

Check out these before and after pics of a 14x8 snare drum to see a recent example of our repair and refurbishing work

Sales

New Drum Equipment

We are extremely honored to carry products from these outstanding manufacturers

Sticks, Heads,

& Accessories

Attack

Aquarian

Beatnik

Beato*

Cannon

Danmar

Evans*

Gauger Percussion

Gibraltar

Groove Juice

Grover

Hamilton

HOLZ

Hot Sticks

HQ Percussion

Innovative Percussion

Keller

Kickport*

Latin Percussion

Manhasset

Mike Balter

Promark*

Protection Racket

Puresound

Qwiktime

Regal Tip

Remo*

Rhythmtech

SKB

Slug Percussion

TKL

Trick

Vater*

Vic Firth*

Drums

Black Swamp

CB Percussion

Dynamicx

Pacific Drums

Sakae

Taye*

Yamaha*

Worldmax

Cymbals

Amedia*

Bosphorus

Sabian*

TRX

Wuhan*

Zildjian*

Percussion

Latin Percussion*

Remo

RhythmTech*

Toca

Hardware

Cannon

Gibraltar*

Tama

Taye

Trick

Yamaha*

* Best Seller

FAQ

Do you sell used drum equipment?

Yes. Our used inventory is constantly changing with many items bought and sold each week. Please stop in the store or check our Ebay page for up to date used inventory.

Do you buy drum equipment?

Yes. If you are interested in selling us your unwanted gear, please drop by the shop any time during normal business hours.

Do you sell on consignment?

Yes. Please call, email, or stop in for details on our consignment program.

Can I order from you online?

We are in the process of creating an online shopping cart. In the meantime, we are happy to take your order over the phone.

What if I have questions about a product?

No problem. Our shop is staffed by real working drummers and educators. We're always happy to talk drums with our customers, so call or drop by any time.

Media Page

Vater Percussion - Zachary Alford
Vater Percussion - Chris McHugh - Keith Urban
Taye Snare Center Showcase with Gary Stanionis
NEW Yamaha Club Custom
Features of Taye MetalWorks Bass Drum Pedals
Yamaha PHX Series Dave Weckl
Making Of Rock Tour Lexus Com
Hear Taye Drums: StudioMaple (Studio Mics)

Vater Percussion - Zachary Alford
Vater Percussion - Chris McHugh - Keith Urban
Taye Snare Center Showcase with Gary Stanionis
NEW Yamaha Club Custom
Features of Taye MetalWorks Bass Drum Pedals
Yamaha PHX Series Dave Weckl
Making Of Rock Tour Lexus Com
Hear Taye Drums: StudioMaple (Studio Mics)

Buying Guide

Drum Set Buyer's Guide

1 Who wrote this article and why it is a popular link This buying guide was originally written by George Lawrence and posted on a percussion usenet group in the early days of the internet. Since its publication, it has become the most read and referenced buying guide of its kind anywhere. It has been updated periodically to reflect changes in the drum market. This revision was completed September, 2011 by Matt Middleton with the authors permission.About George: George Lawrence has been a professional drummer, educator, and drum shop owner for nearly 40 years. He has performed and recorded with some of the most recognized names in music and is currently the drummer for the band Poco and a freelance studio drummer in Nashville, TN. Until recently he was the owner of Georges Drum Shop, first in his hometown of Jackson, MS and later in Akron, OH. He is the owner/publisher of Not So Modern Drummer Magazine and the owner of Famous Drum Co.About Matt: Matt Middleton is a professional drummer, educator, and drum shop owner residing in Canton, OH. He has more than 15 years of experience in the drum retail business and is a freelance writer for Not So Modern Drummer Magazine, specializing in new product reviews. In this article you will read our opinions about what, when, where, and why you should buy. If you have a trustworthy local source like a drum teacher or a local stand-alone drum shop, I suggest you buy there. If you are in the Cleveland/Akron/Canton area come by Ohio Drumworks and let Matt help you in person. Most of our customers over the years like to talk to a real person before buying, especially the first timers. Getting Started: What brand should I buy for a beginner drum set, and how much should I spend for a good quality, durable set? If your drummer is committed to learning and practicing the instrument, my short answer is to spend around a thousand dollars on a Student/Entry level standard five piece drum set with a set of B8 bronze cymbals and a throne. Street price for the drum set will be around $600 to $1000, the cymbals $220, and the throne about $40. An instrument in this price category will be good enough to last your kid through high school and on into college if he remains a hobbyist. You can't go wrong at this price point and you won't need to trade up and spend more money on another complete set unless your drummer reaches that point where a semi-pro or pro level instrument is necessary or desirable. If you have a very young drummer who has not made a commitment to studying and learning the instrument then spend $400 to $600 on an entry level package with cheap cymbals and throne included, and trade it on a better set later if your drummer sticks with it. If you can stay away from the cheapest sets, $199 to $250 you see online and EBAY, youll be doing yourself a favor, My cynical opinion is that all major brand drum sets are very similar at every price point up to $1000. Even though I would like to tell you that some of the brands on the market are exceedingly better than others, I can't because they are all made very much the same way with similar components, just like DVD players and televisions. Almost all the major European and American brands own or contract foreign factories to produce all but their high end and custom made instruments. The drums are similar because the manufacturers' competitive goal of offering the consumer a certain price point dictates similar quality of wood, metal, features and manufacturing costs. So a Brand X drum set that retails at $1000 has almost exactly the same features as Brand Y's $1000 set. Only the cosmetics and styling are different. There are a few good and bad exceptions. Where should I buy? Who should I trust? Let me start off by saying where you should not buy. I recommend avoiding small music stores that do very little if any drum business, huge composite stores like Wal-Mart and Costco that deal with instruments as a side line only at Christmas, and the big box stores like Best Buy, Guitar Center and other 'big box' music stores. Why? Small music stores like mom and pops, mall stores and marching band stores usually charge more for their instruments simply because they sell fewer of them. They often carry only brands that net them the highest profits, and their knowledge is limited to what they carry. Some of the slightly larger music stores will carry many generic stencil brands to make it appear that they carry many name brands when actually they are all generic drum sets. Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and Costco sell the cheapest and flimsiest excuse for drums known to man and dont carry replacement parts. BE VERY AFRAID! Parts and repair service at all the sources mentioned above will be limited or non existent. Drum shops often won't take them as trade-ins and they have little or no resale value. You should also be very careful about who you buy from online, especially on Ebay. Some Ebay sellers are working out of their garages, taking your order and having the manufacturer drop ship the set. Make sure that you are buying from a real music store who can service the instrument. My Guitar Center Rant: Yes, I am biased against the largest chain in the country, but not because it has hurt me. A Guitar Center, by moving into my area, has actually improved my business. Through voluminous advertising they increase the general interest in drumming, yet their lack of service drives those customers my way. The same is true of Best Buy. The salesperson will not be working there six months down the line. Good luck getting drums repaired at Best Buy. The average employee turnover at Guitar Center is less than six months and the employees receive no real training. They will ignore you when you walk in and you will have to yell over the din of kids playing guitars and drums at full volume. Its a zoo. Their employees are typically customers, yes, young customers, whose goal is to make enough money to buy instruments at employee discounts then quit. Since the bankruptcy of the Mars Music chain store in the nineties, many manufacturers will sell only a few models of their line to the large national chains and some will not sell to them at all. Guitar Center's prices are actually not very competitive. They do have constant loss leader specials that make it appear that their prices are better but, upon comparison of standard items like drum sets, you can find better prices and service elsewhere. For a good chuckle do a Google search for Guitar Center horror stories. Lessons and repairs are not available at most Guitar Centers. This demonstrates their lack of interest in the future of their customers. There's more to it. Here is an example of the 'bait and switch' that the large chains use: First they bait you with a low price for a drum set (the bait) and then you find out when you get to the store that it doesnt include the hardware (the switch)! What should have been listed as a shell pack (a kit sold without stands and pedals) is misrepresented as a full 'drum set'. By the time they add the price of the hardware you will have paid more than you would have elsewhere. Heaven forbid you buy it online and it shows up Christmas week without all the parts. I had a customer walk in once with a list from Guitar Center that had the Pearl Forum shells and a list of their Sound Percussion hardware at a price higher than the Pearl hardware would have been. Another big chain bamboozle that I don't like are the "extended warranties" that they sell. Folks, insurance is cheap. The big store is charging you $25 to $50 for insurance that they pay $2 to $5 for. Don't buy the insurance. The major brands warranty the stuff already, a good store is going to fix it on the spot for you, and the insurance does not cover the drum heads which are the only thing that is supposed to break. Put the drums on your homeowner's insurance and it won't cost you a cent. Where you should buy, whether in person or on line, is from a reputable full line local or regional music store with a well stocked drum dept. or an established independent drum shop. Of course I am biased but there really are more valid reasons to buy at drum shops. Most drum shops carry brands worth buying and will not favor one brand over another. You will get the best information and advice from experienced drummers who care about you and/or your kids musical experience. Most drum shops have the best teachers in your area. Most drum shops are interested in your repeat business. The percussion manufacturers favor drum shops and depend on drum shops to be their best representation, thus giving them the best product info and the pick of the litter on drum sets. If you decide to buy online make sure that you find out about the stores location and reputation. Dont just click and buy. Call the toll free number, talk to a salesperson and judge their service on the phone. Some online stores are just a bank of phone operators like Musicians Friend which is the online front for, you guessed it, Guitar Center. Dont read the customer reviews. Most are written in the throes of passion just after they have received the drum set and the problems havent surfaced yet. Also, Consumer Reports magazine always gets it wrong on drums. If it looks too good to be true online it usually is. If you see a great picture of a no name drum set for $249 plus free shipping and think it may be as good as the name brand set for $750, guess again. Talk to the pros. When you should buy packaged beginner drum sets for Christmas is no later than the first week in December. Stores start running out of models, colors and brands around that time. This is not a big industry so dont depend on an endless supply. Allow for typical UPS/FedEx/USPS holiday delays and ask for full shipping insurance. The best time to buy for price is the week after Christmas but selection is limited. Discounts List prices on drum sets and cymbals are like sticker prices on cars; No one pays list price. Discounts on the internet are anywhere from 25 to 40 per cent off of the manufacturers suggested list price for brand names. List prices for the cheap stencil sets are always inflated. The good major brands will require dealers to advertise at their Minimum Advertised Price limit (MAP) which is around 35% to 40% off the list price. This keeps dealers from getting into advertising price wars and helps protect dealers from internet low-ballers. Dealers can sell at whatever price they wish in their stores but they usually sell at MAP. Most dealers will require a written or published quote to match prices from other stores. If you see a price much lower than MAP on the net or in print, then something could be wrong; bootlegs, discontinued models, blemished stock, B stock, refurbished, etc. Discounts on floor models, scratch and dent and old discontinued stock are usually around 50 percent off list price. If you are shopping around I suggest you find five prices and lose the lowest one. Odds are that the lowest bidder will be the worst service; re-boxed kits, delays in shipping, damaged stock, discontinued colors, substitutions, bait and switch, etc. Odds are that three of the other prices will be the same (MAP). We dealers tend to keep a level playing field. Remember the old axiom: price, quality, service: Pick two! :-) What about used? Unless you are familiar with drums I recommend against buying used except from trusted friends and trusted dealers. If you are reading this article you most likely do not know what problems to look for in a used set. If you are not familiar with brands or what wear and tear to look for in a used set then your odds are better with a new set. With a used set there is always added expense for broken or soon to be broken parts to replace. There is no warranty. You should find out if the model and color is still in production. This will affect resale, replacement parts and add on drums. "BUT, Daddy! Mama! Drummer X from (insert your kid's favorite rock band here) says "ACME" drums are the best and his are purple sparkle! I saw it in "Modern Drummer Magazine"! Yes, advertisements featuring paid/compensated endorsers can be the big influence on a young drummer's buying decision. Disregard the ads because drummer x is playing the pro custom stuff, not the student level drums. It's just an ad. Again, they are all similar at the lower price points until you get to the pro stuff. If the right color and the kid's favorite famous drummer's brand motivates him to practice and improve, great! But he will do just as well with any name brand. The most important thing is getting him started with a good private instructor. Hell get over the brand difference in about 24 hours once his friends drool over his shiny new set. I started out on a no name Japanese set in the sixties, a cheap set made by Pearl that my parents bought me one drum at a time. To me it was the best drum set on the planet and I took pride in my possession. Buy the best drum set you can afford for your child because there is value and gratification in the more expensive instruments, but if you can only afford the cheaper stuff, remember that it will not hamper your childs progress if he has talent, commitment and a good teacher. "Does Rogers still make the best drums?" You will probably get some advice from adult friends who "used to play the drums". From the thirties to the sixties the American drum market was dominated by the American drum companies; Ludwig, Slingerland, Leedy, Rogers, and Gretsch. Ludwig was the leader in the sixties and seventies because of their leading spokesperson, Ringo Starr of the Beatles. Leedy makes only snare drums now. Slingerland is now owned by Gibson and their drums are currently out of production. Rogers was recently bought and revived by Yamaha but production ended last year and the brand has gone dormant again. Ludwig still makes great drums. Their Supraphonic 400 and Black Beauty snare drums are still benchmarks. They also import inexpensive low end Taiwanese drums which are very good. Gretsch's revered Custom line is made just about the same as their 60's drums. Gretsch has recently partnered with the parent company of CB 700 drums and Gibraltar hardware and is importing drums from Taiwan also; the Catalina, Renown and New Classic lines. Great drums! Japanese postwar industry took over the market in the late seventies with names like Pearl, Tama and Yamaha dominating. Now Chinese drums are following suit. All of the major brands make very good instruments at all the price points and most everything that sells for $2500 or less is made offshore now.

2 What are the brand names? They all look alike! Looking at drum sets in stores can be very confusing for the first time buyer because the inexpensive sets and the expensive ones look very similar. Whether you are buying a cheap set or putting a bit of money into a set, a good idea to cut through some of the confusion is to stick with brand names. They are no more expensive than the off brands and will have higher resale and trade in value. The major brand names of drum sets that have been around for a while and proven themselves are listed later in this article. If one of these names is not on the drum set then it is most likely a generic stencil set or a relatively new company or a high end custom shop name. The major brands were mostly American, Japanese and European, but recently lots of Chinese and Taiwanese sub contracting source factories like Taye, Peace and Mapex established brand names in the west. This is how the dominant Japanese drum companies like Pearl, Tama and Yamaha started in the nineteen seventies, but they all sell the same basic products. Pick up a copy of Modern Drummer magazine at a book store to see who buys the biggest ads. Those are the major brands. A nice new shiny drum set is very inspiring to young drummer. Drummers are very visual oriented. A beginning drummer will not make a $3000 pro level maple shell drum set sound any better than a $750 poplar wood drum set, but you and he or she will be able to tell the difference between the $750 set and a $269 no name set with free shipping (hint, the shipping isn't really free, you're paying for it). The main differences between price points are: •Craftsmanship. A hand made drum set will cost twenty times as much as a cheap set cranked out in a factory in Taiwan. There are no cheap sets made in the states anymore. •Wood quality. The more expensive the wood, the more expensive the drums. Luan, which is also called Philippine mahogany, is a common wood in the low end sets. Hollow core doors are made of Luan. Intermediate woods are poplar and basswood. The most popular wood for professional drums is Canadian maple. Other pro woods are birch, beech, oak, ash, bubinga, and African mahogany. Some drums are now being made of Chinese Maple which is a lower grade of wood than the North American variety. If it's a cheaper maple set it's most likely "Chinese Maple." •Metal quality. Almost all metal parts, stands and pedals on a drum set are made in China or Taiwan now, even on the high end pro sets. The thickness and strength of the metal and the quality of the chrome goes up as the drum set price goes up. We are starting to see a lot of ABS plastic parts being used for lugs and other parts. •Brand Name: The older and more established the name, the more the value and resale value of the drum. Some of the bigger brand names are introducing secondary names to sell at lower price points like Pacific by DW. The standard "five piece" drum set or drum "kit" (a British term). The standard five piece drum set of any quality level consists of five drums of different sizes, and the associated metal stands and pedals. The number "five" refers to the drums only. The stands, pedals, cymbals etc. are not counted as "pieces". Drums:•One 20 or 22" diameter bass drum (also called kick drum) with spurs (legs) and a metal bracket on top for mounting tom toms on top of the bass drum. Depths of bass drums can vary, from 14" to 18", but 16" and 18 are now the most common. For a beginner the sizes are not critical. •One small mounted tom tom 10" or 12" in diameter, also called 1st tom, shell tom and rack tom. •One large mounted tom tom 12" or 13" in diameter, also called middle or 2nd tom, shell tom and rack tom. •One floor tom tom 14" or 16" in diameter, also called 3rd tom. The two mounted toms are attached to the top of the bass drum with a metal bracket and arm apparatus called a tom holder. The floor tom has three adjustable legs attached to its shell. The old standard sizes for toms are 12, 13, and 16 and the more prevalent new standard is 10, 12, 14. Either will do for a beginner. Depths vary and are not critical for beginners. •One 14" diameter snare drum. Depths vary from 5" to 6.5 inches. It's called a snare drum because a set of "snares" (coiled wires) are held in place against the thin bottom head to cause a high pitched short snappy sound.Hardware: •Bass drum pedal (foot operated device for striking the bass drum). •Hi-hat cymbal stand (the pedal for the foot operated cymbals). •Snare drum stand which cradles the snare drum. •One or two cymbal stands. The sub entry and entry level kits usually have only one. Student/Performance level sets and up will have two. •Two adjustable mounting arms to attach the mounted tom toms' brackets to the bracket on top of the bass drum. •Usually a drum tuning key and drumsticks are included. What is normally NOT included is a throne (stool) or cymbals, though cheap thrones and cymbals are sometimes bundled into the price of lower priced Christmas packages. It may be worth mentioning that although a 5 piece set is a standard configuration, a new student doesn't necessarily need to buy 5 drums. There is a lot to be said about starting on a smaller four piece kit; bass, snare, mounted tom, floor tom. This is the standard jazz set up and was the rock standard up until 5 pc. kits emerged in the sixties. If you can learn and articulate your musical creativity on 4 drums you'll most certainly be able to do it later on 5, 6, 8 or 12 tubs. It may be worth saving on the cost of the drums by going to a 4 pc. kit instead of 5, and have a bit more money available for better cymbals or bass drum pedal, and hi-hat stand. A few drum companies offer 4 pc. kits in their entry level sets. I started on a three pc. kit in the sixties; bass, snare and one mounted tom but that configuration is rarely offered as a package kit now. You will not save a significant amount of money buying one less drum. (I recommend that my students start on a five piece kit). Although they are part of the entry level packages, snares are the most important drum in the set and the snare drum quality suffers more than the other drums in the sub entry and entry level. They are the primary voice of the instrument and used more than any other drum in the set. A number of pro, semi-pro and student kits have snare options (wood, metal and varying depths with different prices of course). You will see metal and wood snare drums in the lower priced kits. I prefer the metal drums over the wood ones in the lower price range. It is worth talking to the dealer to see if the snare drum can be upgraded in the package entry level deal especially if your child is using the drum in school band where a certain brand or type of snare drum may be required. You may also want to consider two snare drums if cartage to school and back is a problem. What is a drum made of? A drum is a deceptively simple instrument. Generally, it consists of a wooden cylinder called the "shell" usually made of about six plies of hardwood about a quarter to half inch thick that is formed in a mold with glue, moisture, heat and pressure. This cylinder will either be painted or stained and sealed with a clear lacquer or, less expensively, covered with a plastic (PVC) colored wrap that is glued to the shell. The edges of the cylinder are supposed to be cut, trued and beveled to a narrow rounded point so that the drum head has a thin level "bearing edge" to sit on. This bearing edge serves the same purpose as the bridge of a guitar or violin, transmitting the energy and vibrations of the tightened drum head to the shell so it can resonate and amplify the sound. The drum heads are made of polyester plastic (DuPonts trade name is Mylar) mounted into a metal rim and a head must sit evenly on this bearing edge to vibrate correctly. The head is held in place on the drum by a metal hoop and square head bolts which are threaded into brackets (lugs) mounted on the side of the shell. You turn these tension rods with a special square head tuning key to tighten and tune the head. There are metal brackets attached to the mounted toms for attaching them to the bass drum, and similar brackets attached to the floor tom for its legs. There is also usually a small air hole cut in the shell and fitted with a metal grommet. Most of the metal parts are white metal or zinc that have been chromed. In more expensive drums, brass and die cast parts may be used.

3 There are five basic grades and price ranges of drum sets1. Inexpensive Stencil Drum Sets 2. Student/Entry Level 3. Performance Level 4. Pro Stock 5. Pro Custom 1. Inexpensive drum sets / Stencils (about $200 to $400) •Durability: Low •Sound: Mediocre at best. •Resale Value: 20% to 30% of original sale price •Add on sizes? none •Usually only comes with one cymbal stand These are usually called "stencil sets" in the retail business. They are also called "cheapos", "low end", "store brand", off brand, and "no name" sets. They are usually sold as a Christmas package with cheap cymbals and a throne. Foreign factories make these sets and sell them to any drum company, importer, large retail chain and even department stores. The buyer determines the name on the badge (stencil). Usually the only difference between brands is the name on the front and maybe the shape of the lugs. These sets are okay for someone who is not sure of their commitment level or who needs just anything to start on or for very young children. Most undersize childrens sets fall into this category. We do not recommend buying these sets if the next step up is within your budget. Spend just a bit more and buy something with durability, tone and value. Stencil kits will not stand up to constant transporting or use outside the practice room. The heads are thin, the shells are the lowest grade wood, the bearing edges are marginal, the covering material may be taped instead of glued which leads to wrinkling, the chrome is thin and the stands, pedals and other metal parts are flimsy and prone to screws stripping, tubes bending and parts breaking. The pedals can be sluggish, without a good responsive movement to them. You can improve the sound of these sets by replacing the sub par thin heads with good ones, and replacing the sub par pedals and stands with good ones but why not buy the better instrument in the first place? When, not if, a part breaks, matching parts are sometimes hard to find for these drums, especially lugs. Drum shops do not like to see these kits coming back through the door because they are usually torn up by kids and bottom out in resale value quickly. I would just as soon not sell the very low end but the internet and Walmart have lowered the bar so I must keep up with what the market will bear. During Christmas my shop sells one or two models of cheapo sets. We choose which brand we sell on how well it is built and how well the manufacturer warranties it, usually Cannon/JAMM. We carry parts for these kits and the customer can call us directly for repairs and warranty issues. They will work for beginners, but their limitations become apparent very quickly to the student who wants to improve his technique, tone and musicianship. Beware of the stores who try to present these as more than they are. If you need verification of the quality level of any of these stencil kits, please call or email me. Typical brands are (listed alphabetically): •Atomic •Adam •CB700 •Coda•Enforcer •First Act•Groove Percussion (Sam Ash's stencil) •Hammer •Hohner Rockwood •Jamm •Maxam •Peace Legion •Peavey •Percussion Plus •Pulse (Musicians Friend) •Sound Percussion (Guitar Center) •Summit •Titan •TJ Percussion •TKO There are too many to name. New ones pop up constantly. If it is in the $200 to $350 price range it's usually a stencil kit. If it's on Ebay for $199 plus shipping it's a stencil kit. The lower the price the less quality and value. You get what you pay for. Some of the major manufacturers also make a stencil quality kit including;•Pacific Z5•Gretsch Nighthawk•Taye Astro•Ludwig Accent•Ddrum D2 2. Student/Entry Level drum sets ($400 to $690)•Durability: acceptable to good •Sound: acceptable to good •Resale value: fair •Add on sizes: maybe •Many are short that second cymbal stand•Many come packaged with brass cymbals These kits are excellent choices for people 8-12 years of age or for those who do not want to spend the money on a better student level or semi-pro kit. The shells are usually made of a non finish grade wood like luan, poplar or basswood, wrapped with a primary color PVC laminate. The single-braced hardware comes pre-packaged and they are found mostly in the standard 5-piece configuration but some manufacturers are now offering optional smaller jazz size entry level kits. Luan shells accentuates the lows and midrange frequencies and is thought to sound best with two ply heads but are usually supplied with single ply heads. Once you go through the stock single ply heads it is advisable to replace them with the two ply for better durability and tone. I started out on a 60's no name set made by Pearl that was in this category and sell a lot of used and refurbished ones at my store. I also use an entry level kit for rehearsals and some softer gigs. One of the differences between the various entry level kits is often the hardware that is provided along with them. Some companies offer better, sturdier hardware, while others seem to keep their price down by offering smaller gauge hardware. Assuming that the drums are pretty much from the same mold, so to speak, the value of one kit over another is often related to the hardware that is provided. Hardware that is well made and durable will enhance the life of the kit and the enjoyment of the student. For a beginner, having to struggle with cheap bass drum and hi hat pedals is often frustrating. Many entry kits suffer in this category, and in many cases it may be possible at the time of purchase, for an increase in price, to negotiate for a good entry level set of HH stand and BD pedals instead of the ones that come standard with the set. I suggest trying out the pedals and comparing them with a benchmark like the pedals that come with the Performance level kits. Even a non-drummer can tell the difference in workmanship, durability and mechanical functionality. If cymbals do come with the set, they are usually the throw away brass thin ones and I recommend that you buy a brand name heavier brass cymbal or better yet, a sheet metal bronze cymbal set. Drum sets in this class make up the majority of drum sets sold. They are good for serious students of all ages and make an excellent choice for adult hobbyists or even as a second kit for pros. The standard 5-piece is most common but jazz size kits (18 bass drum), 4 piece kits (two toms) and 6 piece kits (four toms) are sold in pre-packaged kits as well. This level of drum set is usually not sold as a package with cheap cymbals and throne. It is assumed that you will be selecting bronze cymbals and a throne to go with the set. The quality improvement of these drums over entry-level kits is remarkable and their higher price is justified. They feature sturdier and more durable hardware, suspension tom mounting systems that allow the drums to resonate better, nicer finishes, and better woods such as birch, maple and ash, etc. Some brands offer deluxe models with a deluxe pearl or wood stain finish. This category is usually the best value for the money in drums. Some professionals will use these sets as a second instrument and you will sometimes see adult amateurs playing them in public. I have taught on this grade drum set for many years. The major manufacturers tend to spend the most advertising dollars on these kits. Some will add a feature normally seen in the more expensive semi-pro kits like suspension tom mounts, better wood in the outer shell ply or composite bass drum hoops instead of metal ones, longer bass drums, double braced stands, etc. These may appeal to the young player, but only the suspension tom mounts actually improve the sound of the drums. Common manufacturer promotions are a free addition of an extra small 8 tom, a second floor tom or small auxiliary snare drum. Student/Entry Level drum sets •Sonor Smart Force•Tama Swingstar & Imperialstar•Pearl Forum & Vision Standard•Pacific Mainstage•Yamaha Gigmaker•Gretsch Blackhawk•Mapex Horizon & Voyager•Taye Rockpro & Spotlight•Ludwig Element•Ddrum Reflex & Diablo•OCDP Venice•Gretsch Catalina Club3. Performance level • Durability: Very good. Some as good as pro •Sound: great, pro stage performance quality •Resale Value: good •Additional sizes: yes•You can find these in "shell packs" (drums only, no stands and pedals) The performance level drums (sometimes referred to as semi-pro) are the happy medium between pro and student level sets. It is at this level that bearing edges are very good (perfect is a term I'd rather not use), more ornate and superior lugs appear, and more professional wood like Canadian rock maple is used, sometimes "sandwiching" lesser woods. These sets can vary in price from $800 for shell packs to $1600 for complete sets. Pre-packaged sets are available in 4 to 7 piece sets, in standard, jazz, and fusion configurations. The separate components available in this level are greater too, featuring less popular sizes such as 8" and 15" toms. These kits can also come with lacquer or wrapped finishes, suspension mounts, and quality snare drums. These drums will have better high frequency response compared to the less expensive luan shells, providing the player a greater choice of suitable heads and tuning range.Performance level drum sets•Sonor Select Force & Essential Force•Tama Superstar & Silverstar•Pearl Vision VML & VBL•Pacific M5, X7, and FS•Yamaha Stage Custom, Tour Custom, and Rock Tour•Gretsch Catalina Maple, Catalina Birch, and Catalina Ash•Mapex Meridian•Taye ProX•Ludwig Epic•OCDP Newport•Pork Pie Little Squealer•Ddrum Dominion As you can see, nearly every major drum maker offers multiple series and/or versions at this level. The only difference is often in the type of wood used. The hardware (lugs, hoops, rods, etc) are nearly always the same. 4. Pro Stock A mass manufactured high-grade kit. This type of pro set is mass-produced by one of the large drum makers. Most feature shells made of premium tone wood(s), suspension mounted toms, a choice of wood and metal snare drums, premium wrap and lacquer finishes, and a wider choice of options. Shell kits at this level can start at around $1500 with pre-packaged sets going as high as $4000. The hardware that comes with these kits is top of the line; double-chain drive bass drum pedals, double-braced hardware, and low-mass lugs, among other things. Manufacturers make many different types of pro drums, with the series differing by wood type and shell thickness. These drums are played by many professional and amateur players, from basements to arenas, and are used by pros in recording studios because of the fullness and brightness of their tone. Pro Stock Level Sets: •Mapex Orion & Saturn•Taye Studio Maple & Studio Birch•Ludwig Centennial & Keystone•Ddrum Dios•Sonor Delite, S Classix, and Ascent•Tama Starclassic•Pearl Masters MCX & Reference•Pacific Platinum•DW Performance•Yamaha Club Custom, Oak Custom, Absolute Birch, Absolute Maple, Phoenix•Gretsch Renown & New Classic5. Pro Custom Unlike pro stock, which offers some limits on sizes, finishes, etc. drums in the Pro Custom category offer just that, complete customization. In most cases there are little or no limits on sizes, finishes, configurations, wood types, etc that can be selected to make each one-of-a-kind kit. In recent years there has been a mass proliferation of small drum makers offering custom drums built to the drummers desired specifications. There are far too many of these smaller companies to list here including many that fall into the fly by night category, but some of the more well known and trusted boutique brands include Truth, SJC, Risen, Baltimore, Allegra, and Stauffer Percussion/Black Label. Established name brands in the Pro Custom category include•Sonor SQ2•DW Collectors•Ludwig Classic & Legacy Classic•Gretsch USA Custom•Taye Original•Pearl Masterworks•Ddrum USA•Pork Pie Full Pie•Noble & Cooley•GMS Grand Master•SPAUN USA•OCDP USA

4 Alternatives: Electronic drums, practice sets, compact sets I'm not going to go into great detail about these alternatives since the goal of this article is to explain drum sets for the first time buyer and these types of sets do not normally fall into that category, but there are some who need one of these type sets because of noise, space or transportation issues. Electronic Drum sets start around $700. The drums themselves, called pads, are made of molded rubber or wood w/mesh plastic heads. They work similarly to the way that electronic keyboards work, except that instead of depressing a key to get a piano sound you hit a drum pad to get a drum sound (usually hundreds of different sounds are selectable). One of the reasons for buying an electronic drum set is that, when used with headphones, they dont make anywhere near as much noise as a regular drum set, BUT, they are not a drum, only a reasonable facsimile. To learn to play a drum you must practice on a real drum. The really expensive ones are used by pros in performance and on recordings. The two most popular brands are Roland and Yamaha. Most drum companies make an undersized acoustic drum set as well. Gigging drummers will use these kits for lighter jazz and coffeehouse gigs or rehearsals and gigs where volume, space or transportation is a consideration. Most of them come with either standard hardware and some have special space saving hardware. These are a better alternative to the child size drum sets. Since these dont fit into the standard five piece drum set sizes I am going to list any drum set package or shell pack with an 18 inch or smaller bass drum. I will not list the more expensive pro compact sets here. •Traps A400 Shell-less set •Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz •Mapex Voyager•Sonor Jungle Kit •Taye Go Kit•Yamaha Hip Gig•Yamaha Hip Gig Sr.•Yamaha Hip Gig JR. •Pearl Rhythm Traveler What about cymbals? This is the short answer: There are three levels of cymbals; Brass, B8 Bronze, and B20 Bronze. The brass is the cheap stuff. The sound is dull and will suffice only as practice cymbals for uncommitted beginners. Cymbals should be made of bronze. The B8 (8% tin, 92% copper)alloy bronze cymbals are the good beginner and intermediate quality cymbals and are also called sheet cymbals because the cymbals are stamped from sheet metal, a less expensive manufacturing process. Some pro level cymbals are also made from this alloy The B20 bronze alloy 20% tin, 80% copper) is usually used for the more expensive semi-pro and pro cymbals which are individually cast from this molten metal then lathed. The most expensive cymbals are usually hammered by hand or by machines for even more complex and richer sounds. There are other metals and formulas like Nickel Silver brass and B12 but the above types make up the majority of cymbals sold. The standard cymbal sizes that come in a beginner pack are a 20 ride cymbal, a 16 crash cymbal, and a pair of 14 hi hat cymbals. The ride cymbal is thickest and used to play rhythms on. The hihat cymbals are played by the foot or hand and sit on a hihat stand with a foot pedal. The crash cymbal is used for an explosive crash accent sound. Any number of crashes can be used with drum sets. Drummers tend to add them for more sound colors. The major manufacturers are Zildjian (American and manufactured by Turkish descendants), Sabian (Canadian, started by a Zildjian family member), Paiste (Swiss), Meinl (German) and a handful of small Turkish companies like Bosphorus, Istanbul Agop, Istanbul Mehmet, Supernatural, Amedia, Soultone, Materworks who make the expensive hand hammered pro stuff. The family feuds between the Turkish cymbal makers are legendary. Below are listed popular standard cymbal packages to compliment five piece standard sets. Beginner Brass and Chinese cast bronze: Sub entry level/ cheapos: •No name brass promo cymbals •Zildjian Planet Z •Sabian Solar •Paiste 101 Brass •Meinl Headliner B8 Bronze: Entry level and Student Performance packs (20 ride, 16 crash, 14 pair of hats) •Zildjian ZBT •Zildjian ZXT•Zildjian ZHT •Sabian B8•Sabian B8 PRO•Meinl MCS •Paiste PSTB20 Bronze: Pro - $600 to $1000 per set and up•Zildjian A, A Custom, K, K Custom, Z3 •Sabian AA, AAX, HH, HHX, Vault, Paragon, APX, XS20 •Paiste Alpha, Signature, 602, 2002, Twenty, Traditional•Meinl Classic, Byzance In recent years there has been an enormous expansion of the US cymbal market. Ten years ago there were the Big 3 of Zildjian, Sabian, and Paiste, European boutique brands like Meinl and UFIP, authentic Chinese cymbals by Wuhan, and a handful of small makers in Turkey that rose from the ashes of the original Zildjian factory, including Bosphorus, Istanbul Mehmet, and Istanbul Agop. In todays market, there are over 25 separate brands of cymbals available. The largest growth has been in the Turkish brands like Supernatural, Amedia, Soultone, Masterworks, and many others. The newest wave of cymbals is arriving from China (shocking, right?) and includes brands like Wuhan western style cymbals, Stagg, Dream, and Kasza. Chinese made cymbals are affordable and have improved vastly in quality of manufacture and sound, but they are also extremely inconsistent and are best chosen in person, and not over the net.A Word About Drum Thrones A drummers throne (the stool upon which they sit) is one of the most important and most neglected pieces of equipment in drum buying. The thrones commonly included with entry and student level kits are often wobbly, with thin padding and minimal adjustment capability. Drumming is extremely physical and sitting on a cheap throne for longer than 20 or 30 minutes can result in reduced circulation, numbness, sore muscles (especially in the lower back) and posture problems. Do yourself and your drummer a huge favor and buy the best throne your budget will allow. Making a Case for Cases Another commonly neglected area in drum buying is the purchase of cases. A quick look at most dealer's used drum inventory will yield any number of nicks, dings, scratches, rust, pitting, etc. This is the most common result of not buying and using cases. If you're a first time drummer or hobbyist and you have no intention of transporting your drums out of the house, then cases are not usually necessary, but if you intend to travel with your drums then cases are a must have. By now you have some idea of the kind of investment you'll be making in a quality drum set. Protecting that investment is just good common sense. Cases are available in many types and styles. If you only transport your drums locally then padded bags, often referred to as "gig bags" are usually sufficient. If you intend to travel frequently then hard cases are the best choice for protection. Name Brand Cases Companies Include:BeatoSKBHumes & BergProtection RacketKacesGator/XLImpactDrumslinger/Tough TravellerThank you for taking time to review this guide. We hope you have found the information and opinions presented here helpful in your search for the right instrument. Please feel free to come by the shop, or contact us by phone or email if you have any additonal questions.

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