TIGER MUSIC Full Size Beginner Drum Kit - Red

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Secondly, do you have a particular playing style or musical genre in mind? We ask this because different drum kit configurations will be better suited to different styles. What to look for in a beginner drum set Gretsch drums are iconic in the music industry. With a firm grip on the world of jazz drums from the early days, and now a roster which includes Underoath's Aaron Gillespie, Green Day's Tre Cool, and Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters, Gretsch drums have been proven to cope with plenty of different playing and musical styles. Gretsch fans often comment on how warm, rich and resonant Gretsch drums are - great for anyone who wants a really full drum sound. Starting with the top-quality option, the DW Collector’s Series Purpleheart is an incredible pro drum set that has an excellent reputation.

Likewise - unless you’re buying a beginner friendly, all-in-one setup - you’ll need to factor in a set of cymbals and stands (sometimes known as hardware) into your budget too, so keep that in mind when browsing. Mapex is another brand who seems to create drum sets which work in nearly all musical scenarios. Its Saturn drum set is an industry favourite due to its maple/walnut shell materials, and the more affordable Mars, Armory and Storm kits follow in the 'ultimate versatility' footsteps. Mapex drums tend to be pretty lively sounding - all about that 'punch'. Most 7-piece drum sets will utilize a lot more cymbals than a traditional 5-piece drum kit, so you might want to think about buying extra cymbals, such as several crash cymbals, as well as effects cymbals such as splash cymbals and china cymbals.

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As ever with budget drum kits, we found the snare to be the weakest link. It’s lightweight and takes some judicious tuning before it will yield a decent sound. The rest of the kit, however, sounds little different from a kit three times the price. If you have a large drum setup, you’re most probably going to need more cymbals than the average drummer has. There’s nothing wrong with playing 2 crashes and a ride, but they will just look a bit bare next to all your drums. One of the best things about buying a drum set is all the choices you’re offered when it comes to shell types and sizes.

The Gretsch Catalina Maple is one of the most popular 7 pc drum sets on the market. It has such a good reputation for being a versatile kit that works well in any style of music.

It will make your large setup feel more stable and comfortable to play on. It will also allow you to set up more cymbals around the kit without needing several cymbal stands. Tama’s Imperialstar range of kits has been a beginner/intermediate staple since what seems like the dawn of time. Its versatility and good looks are quite routinely overlooked - so we’d like to shed a little light on the Imperialstar. The drums are made from 7-ply maple shells. These shells have the classic Gretsch tone that sounds vintage, yet modern enough to fit in any band. You get a musical range of notes as you play down the toms. The first step is to get the bass drum sitting level, and adjusting your stool height so that you’re sat correctly. From here you can start placing your drums and cymbals so that everything is within easy reach, allowing you to hit them without needing to twist or become uncomfortable. The small sizes sound much bigger than expected, and allow for easy ergonomic movement around the kit, which is perfect for beginners. The shells are made from hardwood poplar and have an excellent tone, especially for Hip Hop and Jazz. They also come with bags which - although a little thin for safe transportation - are perfect to throw over the drums as dampeners.

The toms are mounted with Tama’s Star mount system. The toms are easier to adjust thanks to the design. All of the hardware on the Tama Superstar drum set feels substantial and fairly heavy-duty. Many kits now come with good quality heads that you should be able to tune-up out of the box, but these heads are again designed to be all-rounders. With a bit of practice and some tuning aids such as muffling, you’ll get it sounding great in no time. Acoustic vs electronic drum sets This is a precisely constructed kit. The shells are round and the bearing edges textbook. It sounds as good as a modern kit gets. Mahogany has a warm musicality and Cherry has a darker sound, so the two complement each other well. The drums are sensitive too – we approached them softly and they still articulated clearly - with the tone opening up immediately once we laid into them a bit more. Shells are all six-ply, 6mm North American birch – Yamaha's Air Seal shell technology with angled seams ensure near-perfect shell construction. Most will be happy with the supplied, studio-friendly Ambassador Coated batters. Paired with the perfectly round shells, sharp, level edges, and standard 1.6mm steel hoops, we found tuning to be as easy as ever, and the tuning range as wide as it gets.

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Broadkaster shells are crafted from North American maple/poplar/maple formula that screams vintage vibe and creates tastefully punchy and warm tones for all to enjoy. With a set of clear heads, you can expect to embrace a bright, present top end that’ll cut through the mix, and with a coated set, you’ll be enveloped in warm, vintage thuddiness. I’ve been able to play dozens of high-end drum sets over the years, but this was definitely one of the best-sounding kits I’ve played. This kit shined in the low to mid ranges, having a strong punchy sound thanks to the DW HVLT shell technology. Tama drums are another brand which has a rich and interesting history. Made in Japan since the mid-'70s, Tama drums have had a varied catalogue of artists, from Vinnie Paul and Lars Ulrich to Billy Cobham and Peter Erskine. Currently, Tama drums are loved for their punchy and bright tones, thanks to Maple and Birch being commonly used in shells. Purpleheart is known for its density and tonal richness. It imparts a unique character to the drums and they produce deep, resonant, and punchy tones.

Setting up your drum kit in the most ergonomic way possible from the start is arguably the most important thing you’ll ever do as a drummer. It lays the groundwork for everything you do, every sound you make and every song you rip on - so it’s worth spending the time to make sure you’re as comfortable as can be. The Catalina Club is one of Gretsch’s most affordable and popular kits, and with a slew of beautiful finish options, some seriously cool shell configurations and bags of vintage style, we can’t say we’re too surprised. I love the sound of this kit, and I’m a big fan of how these shells sound with the more rounded 30-degree bearing edges. It provides a warmer yet punchy and full tone.

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With this PDP drum set, I really appreciate the DW hardware touches, they do a great job in making it feel luxurious. Blending these vintage elements with reliable modern hardware is one of the Catalina Club’s most enticing features. Every configuration, whether you’re playing be-bop or Bonham, is centered around a 14” deep bass drum - offering up smooth and punchy tones to build the rest of your sound upon. Coupled with a 30 degree bearing edge, we found that, during testing, these drums provide warm, rich resonance to help your playing transcend.