Getting the most from a cheap kit???

[Zeta]

I would say to sell the drums you have. (keeping the cymbals and stands) for $100 and them go buy a Mapex Mars for $150-200

[rowsc]

I'm looking to order new resonant heads. Which would be better for getting a deeper sound from my kit (after I finish the interior with tung oil), the Remo Diplomat or Ambassador?

[quikstang2]

I like Emperors over Ambassadors, but maybe try maybe Pinstripes over Ambassadors for your kit. They probably had something close to Diplomat resonant heads originally.

[BlueSky]

Thanks for the feedback!

I can keep the beat with most of the songs I like, but am not very good at fills. It's funny, even when I screw up and stop my arms my foot keeps going right along. I guess that is a good sign.

This is about my ability level. I was amazed when my arms and feet started working together instead of fighting.

welcome to the forum

consider a second hand shell pack for an upgrade rather than trying to (put make up on a pig) upgrade that kit ..heads are fine but once you start swapping out hardware and finish you will soon see dollar signs in the same ball park as a intermediate shell pack, that kit is a great beginner kit don't get me wrong, only issue is you cant be a beginner forever

After about 9 months, I'm still a beginner for a variety of reasons...but the main one was I hated the way my drums sounded, so I didn't play much. I tried changing out the heads, but it still didn't sound right. After playing some sets around here, I found out that the kit was all wrong for the sound I liked. It took me a couple of months, but I just sold them on CL for my asking price. Now I'm searching for an e-kit (a whole 'nother story) and when I was trying one out yesterday I felt a desire to play that had been missing for awhile.

It is possible that kit you have will never sound like you want it too. Take a suggestion that someone gave me - go play some drums around town and then ask if modifications could make yours sound the way you like. If not, CL is your new best friend.

Keep us updated, and good luck.

[TonyFreeDrum]

I have a cheap drum set too, and it will never sound like the more pricey sets you here around. Plus on records the drums are altered to make it fit with the song better, so what you'll usually hear is sound engineered drums. The best advice I can give you is to Get Remo ambassador coated heads and get O rings to concentrate the sound, on the bass get the white felt strips to dampen, with cheap sets the pillow in the bass just deaden the sound.

[hippychip]

I have an older Groove Percussion 5 piece kit that I paid 50 bucks for---I put some Remo black suede Emperors for batters over black suede Ambassadors on the toms, a black X over Hazy on the snare with Puresound blasters, and a black suede Powerstroke 3 with a ported flame graphic reso on the kick. While I had them apart I checked roundness, flatness, and redressed the bearing edges. When I got the new heads on and tuned them I was blown away by how great they sounded. The next step was hardware---PDP 2-leg hi-hat stand, PDP boom cymbal stands, a couple of boom clamps, and Pearl P902 Powershifter double pedals. I added a mix of Zildjian and Sabian cymbals, and a CRAZY Wuhan china! No moongels, duct tape, or pillows were used in this experiment I invited a pro drummer friend over to check it out, expecting him to laugh at me for wasting my money on a piece of junk, but he just started jamming, grinning from ear to ear, so I picked up a guitar and played along! I know they will never sound like DW's, but for less than $1000 I have a pretty cool kit!

[kay-gee]

There are expensive drums and there are cheap drums but in the end a drum still works on a very simple principle...a membrane stretched over a cylinder!!

The better the membrane and the better the contact between membrane and cylinder equals the better sound the drum will make.

Simple

all the best...

[SunDog]

My instructor has a Gretsch Catalina Birch kit that has a powerful crack that I love. Mine is all over the place. The snare is flat, the bass is dead, and the toms ring without much attack. Being relatively new to drumming, I'm still confused about the value of reso heads. Logic says they should last forever since you never hit them. But I took "The Physics of Sound" for my college science credit and remember the prof saying that drums were the most complicated instrument because there are so many factors involved. It sounds like it would be good to spend $40 on a couple of reso heads and invite my instructor over to help tune what I have.

Catalina birch is just a better drumset. You can't make yours sound like it. You can (i have) make a beginner set sound like an intermediate with some investment. First get a good snare drum. Kick hi-hat and snare is 90% of your sound. I played an entry level kit well into my pro years. I put high end cymbals and a 67 Ludwig jazz festival snare on it. The snare was blue glitter so I stripped the wrap off the kit, sanded it and gave it a light poly. The next thing is to make your bass sound good. New heads (front too) a light muffle inside (no pillow). I like eggshell foam cut to make light contact with both heads. Now tune the kick to LPP (lowest possible pitch). You have an AA hat, your kick is now tuned, add a good snare and you are going to be much happier.

[Jackie]

Play the kit for what it is. Put on what ever heads you think sound good. That kit probably went for a few hundred dollars new. You don't need to spend a lot of money on a good sounding kit. I just bought a Yamaha rock tour kit for $349. a 3 piece kit, and I had other kits, so I can compare what I have to other kits and they are just as good. All the kits today are made using modern technology, meaning low cost kits also sound pretty good. You just don't get all the bells and whistles when buying a lower cost kit. A good drummer will make any kit sound good. Don't get caught up in cheap or expensive kit, nonsense, master what you have and take it to the next level whenever you think you are ready or just enjoy the kit you have. Sound percussion does make some good equipment. The bottom line is to: Play the drums.

[N2Bluz]

Play the kit for what it is. Put on what ever heads you think sound good. That kit probably went for a few hundred dollars new. You don't need to spend a lot of money on a good sounding kit. I just bought a Yamaha rock tour kit for $349. a 3 piece kit, and I had other kits, so I can compare what I have to other kits and they are just as good. All the kits today are made using modern technology, meaning low cost kits also sound pretty good. You just don't get all the bells and whistles when buying a lower coast kit. A good drummer will make any kit sound good. Don't get caught up in cheap or expensive kit, nonsense, master what you have and take it to the next level whenever you think you are ready or just enjoy the kit you have. Sound percussion does make some good equipment.

I almost bought one of the $349 RT shell packs myself. It's still very tempting, but I already have more drum kits than I need and couldn't justify spending the money right now.