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From intermediate to professional kits and jazz to metal kits, here are Sweetwater’s votes for the best drum sets of 2024. Want to learn how to buy the best drum set for you? Check out our Drum Set Buying Guide below!
Oct 28, 2022 · Best drum sets: Our top picks. For sheer value for money we really have to give high marks to the Pearl Export , while Yamaha ’s long-esteemed Stage Custom drum kit is a leading contender for both build quality and tone.
- DW Collector’s Exotic 6-Piece Shell Pack. So yes, I’ve started the list off with a rather expensive drum kit. While I will get to more affordable options later in the article, the Collector’s Series from DW makes an excellent case for being the best drum set money can buy.
- Tama Starclassic. The five-piece shell pack from Tama is a combination shell of birch and walnut wood. Tama also offers the Starclassic in maple, but it’s not nearly as popular.
- Pearl Crystal Beat Shell Pack 5-Piece. Acrylic drums seem to be all the rage these days. Pearl’s Crystal Beat shells are acrylic but feature a frosted finish that is transparent, yet opaque.
- Drum Workshop Design Drum Kit. To my knowledge, DW originally released the Design series back in 2013. The line targets intermediate to professional drummers, being much more affordable than the Performance or Collector’s Series drums.
- Our Top Pick – Pearl Export 40th Anniversary 6-piece Complete Drum Set. SPECS. Shell Material: Poplar/Asian Mahogany. Number of Drums: 6. Cymbals Included? : 13" Hi-hat, 16" Crash, 20" Ride.
- Best Drum Set for Beginners – Tama Imperialstar IE52C 5-piece Complete Drum Set. SPECS. Shell Material: Poplar. Number of Drums: 5. Cymbals Included? : Meinl HCS 14" Hi-hat, 16" Crash, 20" Ride.
- A High-End Shell Pack – DW Collector's Series Lacquer 7-piece Shell Pack. SPECS. Shell Material: Purpleheart. Number of Drums: 7. Cymbals Included? : No. $10,000 is a lot to spend on a shell pack!
- A Great Starter Drum Set for Kids – Pearl Roadshow Jr. 5-piece Complete Drum Set. SPECS. Shell Material: Poplar. Number of Drums: 5. Cymbals Included? : 10" Hi-hat, 13" Crash.
- Premier Artist Club 100 20” 4pc Shell Pack. Key Features. 7.5mm, six-ply birch shell. Triple-flanged steel hoops. Chrome hardware. Pros. Superb stability, courtesy of triple-flanged steel hoops.
- Tama Club-Jam Pancake 18” 4pc Shell Pack. Key Features. Ultra shallow drum shells. 100% poplar construction. Vintage-style wood bass drum hoops. Pros. Warm drum tones are full of character.
- Yamaha Stage Custom Hip 20” 4pc Shell Pack. Key Features. Six-ply birch shells. Floor tom can be transformed into a snare drum with attached snare wires. Comes with an EAD10 Drum Module or Yamaha’s ”Crosstown” lightweight hardware pack.
- Pearl Masters Maple/Gum 22” 4pc Shell Pack. Key Features. Unique R2 Air Mount. Six-ply maple gum shell. 60-degree bearing edge. Pros. High-end quality and construction.
My top pick: Mapex AR628S 6-piece Drum Set. This Mapex model is affordable and has a unique style with high-quality hybrid shells. The drum has a notable finish and curved bearing edges. With a few tweaks and upgrades, you can easily outperform your competitors. Pros: Affordable; Notable finish; High-quality hybrid shells; Cons: Needs few ...
