Now that I own a home, it is time to fufill my dream of being a drummer. Only problem is I don't have the first clue about anything. I've been scouring craigslist for the past few days, but I have no idea what I should steer clear of and what would be right for me. I'd prefer to get something $300 or less because I don't know how long I'm going to stick with this.

For example, this kit was just posted on craigslist this morning in my area:

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/msg/1898117375.html

For what they're asking (I'd offer $150), it seems like it's just what I'm looking for.

You could do worse than that for $150.

This is where you try to talk him in to a full custom job from TBigs/Heirloom Drum

If this was 2005, we could have him get a HELOC at 120% of his homes' already inflated value to pay for it.

*sigh*

Just remember the following things.

1. Might need new heads. A decent kick drum head can set you back $40/50 but it'll last for years and give you a lot more satisfaction. I'd recommend an Aquarian Super Kick II. I like Remo Coated Ambassadors for my batter heads on snare and toms. You don't need to change your bottom heads until you learn to play and learn to hear the difference, it's subtle. You might not need them if they bought it for their kid and he never really touched the kit. You will most likely need to tune it.

2. No matter what the instrument, you probably have a friend in your circle who knows something about the instrument you're interested in. If they don't feel qualified to go with you and check it out, they might know a total gearhead that's willing to go and assess for you. You can find real deals, even at crappy places like guitar center. I got a 1972 ludwig kit in black marine pearl for $220 at guitar center. It sounds amazing.

3. Have your gearhead help you do the following.
a. Show you how to change heads and tune drums. Youtube can help with this

b. Help you set the kit up for your ergonomic comfort and the safety of the drums. No wierd angles that make you poke holes in your new drum heads.

c. bitch about how much your cymbals suck. and they will. Troll guitar center once a month for used cymbals. Don't become a brand nazi. Hit the cymbal. Does it sound cool? Collect cymbals. Never ever sell cymbals. Don't bother with wierd cymbals. You don't need a china. You don't need a splash. You don't need a zil-bel. You need a good set of hats with definition (can get pricey quick, but have resale value and are worth their weight in gold or lasagna, whichever is more expensive), a good heavy ride (but not too heavy, at least not at first. I recommend the Zildjian 20 inch rock ride, plenty of them around used), and one or two good crashes that won't fry your ears out. I love Paiste signatures, Zildjian dark K series, and Sabian hand hammereds, but those can get silly. Hats, two crashes, Ride. Don't overdo it. You can get silly later if you figure out you aren't going to quit.

d. help you with a headphone amp setup so you can play along to shit

4. Remember, drums sound best loud, and it'll take you time to learn how to make them sound good when you AREN'T playing your loudest, but it can be done. Your arms and hands will definitely go through some damage by the time you figure out any kind of finesse. Don't sound like a pussy though, even when you're playing quiet. Learn to tag the drums.

5. Learn a basic beat, and how to play and construct fills without losing tempo. Then join a band immediately. This should take you anywhere from two weeks to two months. Just do it. Haven't you lost enough time?

6. Have fun.

Phil, you are the man.

drums are so much fun to play

I think I want this one:

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/msg/1899443659.html

That's awesome tok--I'd jump on it unless the cymbals are cracked and/or the hardware is non functional. That rules that it's got all the stands and stuff: that shit adds up fast.

I'd buy this, which doesn't have everything you need to start, but I'd buy stuff piecemeal around it.

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/msg/1898771184.html

This is a good deal. Yeah, the cymbals aren't great, B8 cymbals are sabians trashy sounding starter cymbals. Ear splitting. But that roc n soc throne is the same throne i have, about $150 new, and even if you sell the kit, you'll probably want to keep the throne. Can't stress the importance of a good seat enough. Which means you're really getting a Yamaha kit and hardware for $400

From the pictures, it looks like the heads are super clean.

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/msg/1898655289.html

What's the story on this guy?

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/msg/1896267491.html

If you visit him, I'd say ask him about a slightly nicer four piece kit rather than a beginner 5 piece kit.

Hold the phone. Don't yell at me for posting this one, but by the time you price out the cymbals and the hardware alone...
http://stlouis.craigslist.org/msg/1895298847.html

You could sell it all piecemeal. Probably turn a profit.

O.k., i'll price it out for you on gc's website

New Beat hats - 285
A series rock ride (As and Ks are my favorite Zildjians) - 265
DW 4000 - not made anymore but the 5000 is 160-180
DW 5000 hat - I don't see his hat stand priced, but i'd guess from their other models it's in the $160-220 range
A ludwig snare stand is $65. You get three of them (my favorite way to also mount toms, looks cool, sounds great, doesn't knock into the top of your kick drum)
2 pearl cymbal stands... probably booms? - $80 x2

If you were to buy that all new, that's around $1400 from GC but you could probably talk them down to $1200 out the door tax included. Note that that doesn't count the drums, or the soft carrying cases in the picture which he doesn't mention specifically, but he says everything in the picture is included. You can easily spend a few hundred in cases, which you'll need when you start gigging.


I'm just saying, yeah, it doesn't look like a good deal, but it's actually a great deal. You could also price it out on ebay, and it's still a great deal.

Also, i have a really good drummer friend in St. Louis if you need to borrow him.

my second kit was a black tama rockstar 4 piece. i tried to do everything in my power to be dave grohl

and just get ready to break things and often. it depresses me to think how much money i blew through after breaking all those sticks, destroying drum heads, and obliterating cymbal after cymbal. aside from buying strings for a guitar, drums are one instrument that is a constant necessary financial investment. of course, it depends on how often you play and how hard you hit. but hit hard, that's what they're there for.

the most annoying thing ever about being a drummer in a band is the post-show load out and getting the shit in your house. there's just so much shit! makes me appreciate just toting around a guitar + amp. oh and get cases for everything too.

basically, just listen to phil. he's right, per usual.

Said they'd go as low as $475 on this one. Really hard not to jump on it, but I told myself $450 is the most I'd spend. There have been so many options, however, that I'm trying not to be too spontaneous with my decision.

Okay, check that. They came down to $450 after I said I'd pass. I think they're sold.

i was thinking of buying a drum kit too around the end of the year.

i'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a tube amp. drums are up next.

my 2c: practice with a click whenever possible. sucks at first, but will make you a much more solid timekeeper than your contemporaries, and your future bandmates will thank you

that's one hell of a story shiv. A-

fuck you i'm too tired to placate your ass with stories.

frownie face

I used to have all the unfettered drum access a man could ask for... kits around 24/7 and nobody lookin. I could NOT fucking play. Couldn't do it. I "knew" what to do but couldn't separate my hands and feet. (One of those kits was that same black Tama Rockstar, Busty's old rig.)

Kyle, if you can say it, you can play it.

When i was teaching on the west side in chicago, I had my kit in there because i didn't even have a piano, and no text books of any kind, not even a recorder.

So I brought my kit in to teach them the basics of rhythm and try and have some fun and they came up with their own sayings to help them learn that first basic rock beat of kick on 1 and 3, snare on 2 and 4, and hats on all 4 quarter notes.

Kick is right foot and hat is right hand crossed over, so they just said "Right" which meant both right limbs. That was beat one.

Beats two and four, they said "alone", because it was the right hand all by itself. Beat 3 was "hands" which i think is pretty self explanatory. So they'd practice saying "Right alone hands alone" over and over again in tempo, and they'd practice drumming on their own body since we only had one drum kit, and they'd learn it pretty fast. They'd come up with different sayings for more complicated beats, they'd come up with rhythmic sayings for how to incorporate drum fills.

The things you do on guitar would melt their minds, until you took the time to break it down and show them. Anyone can do this shit, it's drumming, it's not rocket science.

I picked up that Yamaha kit yesterday afternoon and so far I'm loving my decision. I've only had about an hour or so to play, but I've got the basic rock beat down. I've been drumming on Rock Band for the past three years so the hand/foot coordination hasn't been too difficult for me. Got a loooong way to go, though.

Phil, you were right about those cymbals. Ear-splitting indeed. I think I want to make that the first upgrade on my list. I'm gonna attempt to tune the drums myself, probably this weekend sometime. After that, I'll try to judge how soon I need new heads.

good video on tuning drums

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pH_RoUQy ... re=related

Congratulations!