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Thread: Intermediate Drumset Brands & Series

  1. #1

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    Default Intermediate Drumset Brands & Series

    Hey guys need some help. One of my students is looking into some new drums. They would like a good intermediate kit as he's been a student of mine for a couple of years and he's really sticking to it. Right now they have a super cheap intro percussion plus kit. His mom would like me to put a nice list of some good intermediate kits to purchase. I'd like to give her a nice list.

    Can you guys help me with my list for some good intermediate drum kits... Brand and Series price guesstimate
    Feel free to throw me names and anything else

    Here is my current list:
    PDP - Concept Maple Series ($680+)
    Pearl - Export Series ($650+)
    Tama - Imperial Star ($800+)
    Sonor - ? Select force? ($900+)
    Yamaha - Stage Custom ($650+)
    Ddrum - Reflex ($549+)
    Ludwig - Epic ($549+)
    Gretsch - Catalina ($799+)
    Last edited by SpazApproved; 03-23-2016 at 01:47 PM.

  2. #2

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    Default Re: Intermediate Drumset Brands & Series

    Quote Originally Posted by SpazApproved View Post
    Hey guys need some help. One of my students is looking into some new drums. They would like a good intermediate kit as he's been a student of mine for a couple of years and he's really sticking to it. Right now they have a super cheap intro percussion plus kit. His mom would like me to put a nice list of some good intermediate kits to purchase. I'd like to give her a nice list.

    Can you guys help me with my list for some good intermediate drum kits... Brand and Series price guesstimate
    Feel free to throw me names and anything else

    Here is my current list:
    PDP - Concept Maple Series ($680+)
    Pearl - Export Series ($650+)
    Tama - Imperial Star ($800+)
    Sonor - ? Select force? ($900+)
    Yamaha - Stage Custom ($650+)
    Ddrum - Reflex ($549+)
    Ludwig - Epic ($549+)
    Gretsch - Catalina ($799+)

    I sent you a PM...............
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
    (What Else Would I Ever Need ?)


  3. #3

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    Buying second hand would be my first recommendation.

  4. #4

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    Strongly endorse the Stage Customs... big fan of Taye drums as well.

    Secondary market for both will be a great bang for the buck.
    A simple, elegant design is good engineering.

    Axis | Ayotte | Evans | Gibraltar | Ludwig | Pro-Mark | Remo | Roc-N-Soc | SKB | Taye | Vic Firth | Whitney| Yamaha | Zildjian

  5. #5

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    If your student/student's parents are willing to drive over to the Milwaukee area and aren't opposed to going used, the Music Go Round in Greenfield has some killer kits for $500 or less right now. This includes a Premier Signia Marquis, a player quality Rogers, and a Ludwig Classic Maple (24, 13, 18). None have snares, but you could pick a decent one up and still be under the price point of the kits you've mentioned.
    Mmm... Saturns.

  6. #6

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    Default Re: Intermediate Drumset Brands & Series

    Quote Originally Posted by weezy View Post
    If your student/student's parents are willing to drive over to the Milwaukee area and aren't opposed to going used, the Music Go Round in Greenfield has some killer kits for $500 or less right now. This includes a Premier Signia Marquis, a player quality Rogers, and a Ludwig Classic Maple (24, 13, 18). None have snares, but you could pick a decent one up and still be under the price point of the kits you've mentioned.
    last time I stopped in there I was super disappointed in their snare drum selection. A lot of beat up gear. When I was in Nebraska I stopped at a Music Go Round and they had some super nice stuff.

  7. #7

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    From personal experience I would seriously look for a used Mapex Meridian Maple. Couldn't be happier and they can be had for $500 (and I liked them better than the Concept Maples when I bought them).

    Mapex Armory, if you are looking new, are also getting very strong reviews.

    I would get a used Tama Silverstar or Superstar over Imperialstar.

    Gretsch Catalina's always get positive reviews.
    Jesse

    1986 Tama Crestar - Lacquered Piano White
    2016 Roland TD-25K
    2015 Tama Starclassic B/B - Indigo Blue Sparkle

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by SpazApproved View Post
    last time I stopped in there I was super disappointed in their snare drum selection. A lot of beat up gear. When I was in Nebraska I stopped at a Music Go Round and they had some super nice stuff.
    You're at the mercy of whatever they have in stock. I've gotten some awesome stuff there but other times I've also found absolutely nothing I was interested in.

    My first MCA kit was from that store. 10/12/14/22 with a matching snare with the tom holders for $650. They price stuff cheap so it doesn't sit around but the good stuff also doesn't last.

  9. #9

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    PDP Concept Birch would be good. Mapex Mars are also a great value. I was on the fence between my Concept Maples and Mapex Mars. If it wasn't for the clearance deal I got on the PDP, I probably would have went for the Mapex.
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  10. #10

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    Probably because I own one, the PDP Concept series is amazing. People don't like the snares for some reason but I threw some Puresound wires and a Genera Dry over a Hazy 300. Sounds great.

  11. #11

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    If you can get a hold of some of the older mapex kits like the old mars, they were maple and mahogany.
    Mapex Saturn 6 pc
    14x6 mapex stainless steel snare
    Zildjian,Paiste, Meinl
    DW5000 td4 double pedal

  12. #12

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    Really cannot go wrong with the Yamaha Stage custom, although the new Pearl Decades look nice I have not heard one in person.
    Ludwig Classic Maple 22x16,10x8,12x9,16x16
    7" Moon Gel Practice Pad
    Sabian HHX Legacy

    Decide whether this is love for the craft or simply an ego thing

    http://www.redskymary.com/ NOT MY BAND, JUST A GREAT LOCAL BAND WHO SHOULD BE SOOO MUCH BIGGER IMO

  13. #13

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    a good used PDP FS set would work for that too. Can be gotten pretty cheap and more money left over for good hardware if needed.

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by SPSLICK View Post
    Buying second hand would be my first recommendation.
    This. And, of course, I would steer them toward a used Pacific CX Maple kit (about $300-400), and encourage them to use the extra cash on used first-line Zildjian or Sabian cymbals and good hardware. Lots of money saved, first class gear, and happy student!

    GeeDeeEmm

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