The Best Affordable Drum Sets

Things to Consider When Buying an Affordable Drum Set

As a musician and teacher, I answer a lot of questions about which instruments to buy. I have played and taught drums for over twenty years, and both of my children are drummers. We've played, shopped for and bought drum sets many times. This brief guide comes from years of experience.

Buying a drum kit, especially one of the lower-cost options, can be confusing. You're not always told about the pieces and parts that are necessary, yet strangely not included in many kits. While there are currently some really good drum sets out there, especially online, it can be hard to tell from pictures and descriptions what is exactly being sold.
We're here to help first-time buyers and those looking for an awesome gift for a new musician. If you're a pro drummer or otherwise well-versed in what kind of kit is right for you, and if you have been through the process of finding an affordable kit and are happy with it, then this guide will be basically a review for you. If you're a parent or a new player looking for a little help with the purchase of a kit, then I think you'll learn some things and gain from the advice I want to offer here.

Stage Rocker 5pc drum set with double-braced hardware (Cymbals, Stool and Sticks included) - Black

This is the kind of drum set that I recommend to my students who are serious about playing. A drum set like this can take the beating that a full-sized person can dish out, and has a good, powerful sound. It's not a toy and doesn't sound like one, though it is appropriate for beginners.

This is a full-size, adult drum set with a four-star Amazon rating, for under $150. Believe me, that's unusual. If you're starting out, or you have a full-size young person you're buying for, this is a sweet deal.

A couple of caveats: first, as with all drum sets you buy anywhere, there's going to be a fair amount of assembly required. You won't need to call in an expert, but you should consider the time and effort needed to set it up. For example, if you want to have it under the Christmas tree in time for the next boring, you might want to start some time in the afternoon to make sure you're not working on it when Santa shows up.

Second, when they say "everything included," be ready. While it will definitely be playable and complete in that sense, in my experience there tends to be a few things that you decide you need as time goes on. So let's say there's everything included for the first few months of rocking out.

The quality on sets like these is surprisingly good, and they can really take a beating. I have one that cost about the same and it has held up to 5+ years of serious pounding at the hands of some big, strong boys.

Tangkula 5 Pc Silver Complete Adult Set Cymbals Full Size Blackdrum Set ...

This is a full-sized kit and has everything you need included, from the cymbal stands to a chain-driven kick drum pedal. I played a kit just like this for a long time in my practice band, and it did just fine -- loud and sturdy. You may want to replace the cymbals at some point, since in my experience these are the weak link in a lower-priced kit.

What's the Best Size Drum Set for Beginners?

This is Robert Wadlow, the tallest man in history. So which are you? Are you the world's tallest man? Or are you more his mom's size? Hopefully somewhere in-between...

 Drum kits are often measured in terms of the diameter of the kick drum, so when you're selecting a from picture the size of the kick. There's a kid-size set on this lens that has a kick drum that's 16 inches across -- that's pretty tiny! There's also a full-sized Pearl set with a kick drum that measures 22 inches across, a more typical size for an adult set.

Best Choice Products Drum Sets-1263 5 Piece Complete Adult Drum Set with Cymbals, Full Size (Black)

•  Full Size Complete Drum Set with Everything Included
• Hi-Hat & Crash Cymbals Sticks Stool Stands all Included
• Premium Quality & Easy Assembly
• High Gloss Silver Finish with Chain Driven Pedals
• Assembly Instructions Now Included

Beware of Drum Kit Add-Ons

In my experience, the most important thing people don't realize about owning a drum kit is the number of necessary parts that are often not included in the basic kit. In other words, you can shop and compare prices and choose a good kit, but then find out that parts like the cymbal stands, or even the cymbals themselves, aren't included. What started out as a sweet deal can rapidly turn into a budget-breaker, and you'll walk away with a severe case of sticker shock. It's not that the people selling drum kits are evil -- it seems to me to be something like a holdover from the old days of music stores wanting to get you in the door with one price and then send you out the door with another.

Another tradition is that the more expensive and top-end the drums, the more likely the price is only for the drums and not the add-ons. But in recent years the trend is toward better quality drum sets that actually do include things like kick pedals and hi-hat hardware. You'll find some excellent deals on beginner and mid-range kits that do truly include everything you need to start playing. Look for these deals first.

You'll Need Drum Sticks

On Stage Maple 5B Wood Tip Drumsticks 12 Pairs

No matter how complete your new drum set is, you're still going to need to throw down for sticks at some point. The sticks that come with kits are often an afterthought and don't last too long. Plus, drum sticks are hardly a one-size-fits-all item. They vary in length, material, thickness, and weight, and you'll need to come to some conclusions about which one is perfect for you. Plus they break! Drumsticks don't have to set you back a million bucks, but you will need several pairs. My advice is to experiment by picking up a few different weight and sizes, figure out which ones "fit," and roll with that.

Affordable Drum Sets -- The Electronic Option

Yamaha DTX400K 10-Inch Electronic Drum Set with Drum Throne, Vic Firth 5A Drumsticks and Stereo Headphones

It used to be that electronic drum sets were either flimsy toys for kids, or insanely expensive and fragile "fringe" instruments played by dudes who wanted to be Bill Bruford. Not anymore. Now there are a number of sturdy, affordable, and feature-loaded electronic drum kits out there. Full disclosure: I myself have never owned a set like this, though I have played a few. I chose the set here based on its features and excellent star rating on Amazon (which means satisfied customers!).

An electronic drum set is an excellent choice if you live in a family situation and the noise of a drum set is a problem for others in the house. I often recommend an electronic drum set like this -- it really keeps the peace. The drummer hears what they're playing through headphones, and can dial in huge, dynamic sound with ease; everyone else only hears quiet little clicks as the sticks hit the drum pads. I have had success with this kind of kit, and it can really solve a lot of problems.

More Cowbell!

Pearl PCB1030 Primero Rock Cowbell with PPS30 Mount

Ah yes, the cowbell. In my 1970s high school hard rock band, the cowbell was an essential "instrument" that got a workout in almost every song. If you don't know what a cowbell sounds like, I refer you to the beginning of "We're an American Band" by Grand Funk Railroad. If you're still unclear, then watch the classic SNL bit, "More Cowbell," featuring Will Ferrell as the producer during Blue Oyster Cult's recording of "Don't Fear the Reaper." That should do it.

Affordable Drum Kits -- One For the Little Ones

Gammon 5-Piece Junior Starter Drum Kit with Cymbals, Hardware, Sticks, & Throne - Metallic Blue
This is a good, solid kit for young players. I'm a firm believer in starting out early -- this set is good for kids 5 and up. But it's not a toy! I kind of hate those toy drum sets with butterflies and plastic drums that you can get. Why not start out a with a real instrument? It will cost a little more, but the difference in quality, sound, and durability is enormous. Most of all, you'll be giving your young one the message that you respect their future as a real musician!

This kit has drums, cymbals, stands, throne, and sticks (though you should probably pick up a few extra pairs of sticks). The kick drum measures 16 inches, too small for bigger kids but perfect for the young ones.

Some people might think that having to out together a drum kit out of the box is asking too much. And it is pretty serious undertaking, depending on the size and complexity of your kit. But just as a guitarist needs to know how to put on new strings, a drummer – you – needs to be able to set up and take down his or her kit. You can have someone do it for you I guess, but unless you have a roadie or two, you're going to have to figure it out for yourself eventually. The skill of drum kit set-up and take-down is unique to drummers, and something of which you may be justifiably proud.

Pearl Quality at a Great Price

Pearl RS525SCC706 Roadshow 5-Piece Drum Set, Charcoal Metallic

Pearl is one of the best-known manufacturers going. This kit is top quality, with 9-ply aged mahogany shells, wrap finish, and chrome hardware. Double-braced hardware package includes cymbal stand, hi hat stand, snare stand, throne, and chain-drive bass drum pedal

Happy Pounding!

The Best Affordable Guitar Amplifiers

Choosing the Best Affordable Guitar Amplifier for You

A good electric guitar is a work of art, the perfect intersection of form and function, music and technology. So much attention is paid to the guitar, however, that an equally important part of the equation is often virtually ignored: the amplifier. Every electric guitar needs an amplifier, and it seems that too often a fine guitar winds up being played through a substandard amplifier.

One reason this happens is money. Once you get done paying for all the guitar you can afford, the cash for a decent amp is almost an afterthought. That's what first gave me the idea for this guide -- I wanted to provide a manageable starting-point for your quest to buy a good electric guitar amplifier for a small amount of cash. The best deals on guitar amps are almost always online, and you can buy with confidence, since quality amplifier names like Fender, Marshall, and Vox are all available online in a wide variety of models and prices.

It can be confusing, shopping for electric guitar amps online, so I hope this brief guide to the best options helps you make a decision. No matter which you choose, you can be pretty sure you're going to get a quality guitar amp. Most features are similar between amp makes and models, and there are very few truly bad choices. I hope this lens helps you make a good decision about which electric guitar amp is best for you.

I hope my advice here helps you decide which kind of quality guitar amplifier is right for your budget!

Best Affordable Guitar Amplifiers -- The Fender Mustang

Fender Mustang I V2 20-Watt 1x8-Inch Combo Electric Guitar Amplifier

Recently, amps that use digital technology to recreate the sound of vintage, and more expensive, units have become very common I have to admit I am not a big fan of digital "modeling" amplifiers. These are amps that use digital technology to mimic the sound of virtually any guitar, amp, or effect you have ever heard. The sounds of classic amps and effects are generally created with an analog signal path -- that is, nothing digital. The digital versions mimic the sound, and these amps can come really close. Zillions of people use them. I myself have just never really gotten into them, partly because I'm an old-fashioned crank, and partly because to me digital always sounds, well, digital. I may be one of a dwindling breed here, so take my objections with a grain of salt. These Fender modeling amps, the Mustang I and the Mustang II, are perfectly good, maybe great, little amps that are both affordable and amazingly versatile. Young players especially will never think twice about the digital/analog controversy, and maybe that's for the best. I'll gather dust with my analog amps and effects, while the young guns learn how to shred, wail, and everything in-between with their affordable modeling amps.

For sheer dollar-to-wattage ratio, the Mustang, at 20 watts, is a solid value. Like many other digital modeling amps, it features an impressive number of modeling presets, which get you started on coming up with your own custom sounds, from chiming bright tones to heavy, brutal distortion. Another nice feature of this amp is the easy connectivity to your computer, for complete control of recording and tonal potential.

Best Affordable Guitar Amplifiers -- The Line 6 Series

Line 6 Spider Classic 15 Modeling Amplifier

If you're ready for a modeling amp at a great price, Line 6 is where you should start. Among the first to push modeling technology when the digital revolution made the technology affordable, Line 6 offers a pretty amazing range of amp and effect models. What this means for you, the player, is that you have faithfully recreated digital versions of virtually every amp on the planet, from a punchy Fender Twin to a roaring Marshall Stack. You can create and save 4 distinct amps, compete with separate EQ's and effect settings. There's even a built-in tuner, which saves you the hassle of hooking one up and the expense of buying a separate unit.

Best Affordable Guitar Amplifiers -- Vox VT20 Plus 20-Watt Combo



VOX Valvetronix VT20X Modeling Amplifier

Vox, along with Fender and Marshall, is one of those iconic names that conjure up images of the greatest rock acts in history. Vox powered any number of high-volume bands, and now you can grab a little of that raw energy with a genuine tube amp at an astoundingly affordable price.

Most, if not all, of the affordable guitar amps on the market today use exclusively solid-state circuitry coupled with digital modeling technology that replicates tube amp tones. This is a gigantic step forward for players without a ton of cash, because they can get powerful, almost-tube sound without going broke. Back when I was coming up, in the 1970s, there was no way to get tube sound without putting out the cash -- the little amps we got from Sears and JC Penny's were crappy little solid state amps that had a thin, farty sound. And we were stuck with them.

The Vox VT20, on the other hand, combines the best of both worlds: it's a modeling amp that also happens to have a genuine 12 AX7 vacuum tube, which give this unit true tube tone, as well as the digital technology to deliver virtually every tone imaginable. Eight user programs, master volume, EQ, and built-in tuner rounds out the features of this unique amp.

Best Affordable Guitar Amplifiers -- The Fender Champion 40

Fender Champion 40 - 40-Watt Electric Guitar Amplifier

I like Fender amps, and this one has wide tonal versatility in a classic package. Fender Champion amps have been powering classic rock for decades, providing sweet-to-vicious tones for recording and small club settings. This series of modern-feature Fender Champions boast top-notch digital modeling, including "British" amp models and a slew of effects (delay, reverb, etc).

Fender's legendary ease-of-use is evident in the no-nonsense Voice and FX Select controls. You also have the option of playing along with any song in your hard drive via the MP3 connection.

I like the 12" speaker, which is larger and heavier-sounding than nearly every other speaker in affordable guitar amps that compete with this model. The bigger the speaker, the bigger the punch, and it's among the few features that make a big difference in your sound.

Best Affordable Guitar Amplifiers -- The Pyle PVAMP Series

Pyle-Pro PVAMP60 60-Watt Vamp-Series Amplifier With 3-Band EQ, Overdrive, And Digital Delay

This is one loud amp -- at 60 watts it outdoes amps that cost much more. If you need to compete with a drummer, bass, and another guitarist, then an amp like this is the thing you need. The Pyle also has high and low inputs, clean/overdrive channels, and EQ control to shape your sound. Built-in digital delay and headphone jack rounds out this working-band's amplifier.

Best Affordable Guitar Amplifiers -- the Marshall MG4 Carbon Series

Marshall MG10CF MG Series 10-Watt Guitar Combo Amp

Marshall was there at the beginning -- there's hardly any known guitarist in any band that hasn't played Marshall at some time or another. There's something about gigantic stacks of Marshall amps that just makes a band more rock. KISS even used to put up walls of empty Marshall speaker cabinets just to look more impressive.

You probably don't need a towering wall of Marshall amps, but you can get that legendary Marshall power and design -- not to mention that legendary grill -- at a price way below what you might expect. For example, the MG4 Carbon Series.

These amps are solid state, which means they rely on digital modeling to get faithful tube-amp tone (Marshall tube amps are preferred by purists, and one will set you back about four times as much as solid state). The MG30CFX pumps out a powerful 30 watts through 4 programmable channels. It also features a range of effects, and an MP3 input.

Best Affordable Guitar Amplifiers -- The Peavey VYPYR V.I.P.

Peavey Vypyr VIP 1 - 20 Watt Modeling Instrument Amplifier

Leaving aside the silly name (which reminds me of Keanu Reeves' band in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, "The Wyld Stallyns"), this is a good, forward-leaning choice for the guitarist interested in the extent of affordable amp modeling technology. Peavey's V.I.P. feature, which stands for "Variable Instrument Input," means it has amp models for not just an ordinary electric but also acoustic and bass guitars. Not only that, but it means your regular six-string electric can be induced to sound like a bass, an acoustic, or even a 12-string. Pretty cool, and only scratching the surface of what digital modeling will be offering to players of the not-distant future.

With its 32-bit, floating-point SHARC® processor, and an advanced tube-modeling signal chain called "TransTube® analog circuitry," this amp is certainly big on bells and whittles. Peavey has been around forever, and has come on recently to to rise from a merely acceptable name to one of the front-line modeling amp manufacturers. The VYPYR boasts more than 70 amp, stomp box, and rack effects, pretty impressive considering this amp is still quite affordable, and within the reach of most guitarists.

Bugera -- An Affordable Tube Amp

Bugera is an off-shoot of Behringer, which has a kind of spotty reputation for out-of-the-box quality. I had to return a sweet-sounding G20 Infinium amp because it had a bad tube from the minute I plugged it in; on the other hand, I have a lower-watt model like the one pictured here, and it works fine. If you're not depending on it for live situations, this is a great, affordable, dirty-sounding for way less than the competition.

 

 

 

 

What Do I Know About Buying Music Gear?

I have been in touring rock bands for almost 25 years, and now at (ahem) 49 years of age, I can safely say that I know what to look for and what to avoid when buying an instrument. In addition to my road gig experience, I have taught drums and guitar for many years. As part of my teaching work, I have helped dozens of students and their families decide which guitars, amplifiers, and drum sets to buy. I take into consideration some things others don't, like playability, durability, and the cost of accessories.