Buying and Upgrading the CHEAPEST Drum Set on Craigslist

Drums are expensive, but does it take to make a $100 drum set sound good?
Patreon: / rdavidr
IG: / davidraouf
Gear Used in this Video:
Drum Key:
amzn.to/3BpYleK
Drums/Cymbals -
Sound Percussion Drum Set
Agazarian Cymbals
16" & 20" Sabian B8:
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18" Zildjian K Custom Special Dry Crash:
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20" Zildjian Crash of Doom:
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21" K Custom Special Dry Ride:
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Sticks/Heads -
Vic Firth Freestyle 5b Drum Sticks:
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Remo Pinstripes:
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Remo Ambassador Clears:
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Remo Ambassador Coated:
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Remo Ambassador Snare Side:
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Microphones/Headphones -
Earthworks ICON Pro:
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Pair of Slate ML-1 (as overheads):
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Austrian Audio CC8 (as rooms):
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Earthworks DM20 (toms):
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Earthworks SR20LS (snare top):
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Lewitt DTP 640 REX Bass Drum Mic
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Shure SM57 (snare bottom):
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Austrian Audio Hi-X60 Headphones:
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Earthworks DK7 Drum Mic Kit:
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Can You Make a $100 Drum Set Sound Good? This is something I wanted to figure out after asking if I could make a kids drum set sound good. I wanted to see how much money it took to upgrade a used drum kit I found on craigslist. The kit is a basic beginner drum set you would find at any music store. It's a Sound Percussion Labs kit and came with the stock snare drum and Agazarian cymbals. I started off with tuning the stock heads, then replacing them with new heads and upgrading the cymbals a few times. Pretty simple to do, but kinda pricey!

[@rdavidr]

!!Please be aware of scammers pretending to be me asking to message them. If you see any, report them!! *What type of heads did you have on your first drum set?* Consider supporting on Patreon: www.patreon.com/rdavidr

[@Randombikekid]

I had super beat up Aquarian heads

[@zulumagoo1]

I found a garage sale on craigslist. It started early. I stayed up all night. Scored a 270$ Pearl mid grade set, (blonde, raw finish). The bass was obviously darker cherry. He sprayed it with primer. 4 pc. Matching blonde snare. A ride crash and a crash. Hats with stand. I still sit on an office chair turned to a corner seated position. 50$ double kick pedals. A 45$ snare stand. Full set B8 pro for 99$ at pawn. The icing though was when i put the Evans Level360 hydraulic heads. Im very very content. NARD (not a real drummer) Thanks for all you inspired. Lol. I think it was you that let me see... used drums still play fine. Affordable.

[@nokia-gm8gv]

3

[@hieronymus1288]

I think i had the original pearl (export series) mixed with some other type, but really don't know anymore. I just wanted to play the shit out of that set! Years later i actually learned how tune drums... and i'm still learning :)

[@MichaelSandersLovesAnne]

Beat up red hydraulics.

[@aterix]

0:12 Stock 2:56 Stock fresh tuning 6:19 New heads + cheap cymbals 8:31 Better cheap cymbals 9:18 Even better cymbals

[@e_j_]

you forgot: 2:35 baby bearded rdavidr

[@not_on]

Thanks, that's very helpful! I was hoping he would do a side by side comparison at the end, but this works as well. To me it sounds like new heads + cheap cymbals made the biggest improvement.

[@mynineridesshotgun]

I was actually surprised that the toms sounded halfway tolerable at the beginning. Not too bad for $100

[@bennettknerzer7425]

Yeah I have this kit with emperor heads and it sounds great!

[@lak9684]

Can’t like, nice comment

[@ZeshXD]

Cheap kits does sound great, but are not as durable

[@audhen1]

nice sounding room makes most of that tone

[@ZeshXD]

@Fantomas Shin Long hehe don't worry, they break if you dismount/mount them a lot, like in a band, but in your bedroom it will last years 👌 cheap kits Can often be a bit more hard to tune and stay in tune ;) (saying cheap I talk about 100-150$, 400 is already quite good 👍

[@famitory]

those cymbals it came with sounded surprisingly acceptable, ive gotten cymbals with used kits made of brass or even painted sheet steel that turned into tacos if you hit them long enough. they sound great in stacks though.

[@Gatchi]

the ones that came with my Ludwig Pinnacle kit bent into tacos, so I took it further and hand rolled them into burritos. They kinda sounded like shitty cowbells after that lol

[@jonnylawless6797]

My first band in high school, our drummer and I had the idea to turn his cheap bottom hi-hat into a makeshift china cymbal until he could afford one, and it sounded so trashy on breakdowns that he kept using it until it broke lol 🤣

[@famitory]

@@Gatchi shoulda made a DIY version of the sabian V-wave

[@presterjack9764]

They're Agazarians, Chinese B20 cymbals, I would say they are better than the Sabian B8s he bought as an upgrade.

[@tomtoms15]

I used to have that offensive "crash ride cymbal" 18 scimitar fm zildjian. Then i was able to purchase the sabian B8 ride, 20", a 17" 18" crashes AAX, one paiste 16 inch china and some splashes 8, 9, 10, 12 inches

[@iiswythak]

While I am far out of the "beginner" stage of my drumming journey, I have to say this is probably the most helpful all around video for beginners. It covers pretty much everything you would have to know in a clear, simple way. If I had seen this as a beginner, my life would have been so much easier, and I've seen a lot of videos for beginner drummers!

[@markmullen1852]

It didn't sound bad to begin with. I've heard many drummers live with WAY more expensive drums that didn't sound that good. Good heads and tuning truly makes a WORLD of difference.

[@elithepitbulldog2209]

Better question is how easy is it is to make a $5,000 set of drums sound like a $100 set😵 Happens a lot unfortunately

[@dericanslum1696]

...and much easier to do apparently...

[@michaelvarney4723]

It's all in the hands.......

[@metube3489]

Easy, put me behind the kit

[@dennisnickoloff1723]

@@metube3489 Haaaaa! Best comment 🔥😂

[@ModernLove100]

Ask Lars Ulrich

[@easeupkid8270]

I think what’s cool about drums is you can indefinitely upgrade your kit over time wether it be the heads, hardware, cymbals or eventually shells

[@xCr00k3Dx]

Once you upgrade the shells... ShipOfTheseus.mp3?

[@jacknguyen7004]

@@xCr00k3Dx that’s what I’m saying

[@jumpinjojo]

*Whether

[@ModernLove100]

True, but always try to get good cymbals as soon as you can! It's easy to make a cheap drumkit sound good, but it's impossible to make cheap cymbals sound good. They will simply always sound cheap because of the material used.

[@adamimberti6948]

I built myself a really nice kit upgrading 1 or 2 things at a time. I started with a beat up Stage Custom and ended up with a AHM with Paiste 2002's and a Black Beauty 2 years later. The kit grew with my abilities as I replaced a component with each milestone i reached or extra bit of cash I had.... I still suck at drums but at least I've got a really nice kit to suck on.

[@michaelhughes6583]

turn the drum kit into furniture, tables, lamps and flower pots etc. and see how much you can sell it for

[@zulumagoo1]

Thats what i did with the Export set.

[@jazzfear]

Not everyone can spend thousands of dollars right of the bat. Specially for like a hobby or beginners that are going to sound bad anyway even with a 5k drumset. I think this is a good advice for people who want to upgrade their $100 Craigslist drum little by little. And in a couple months or years, after they have nice hardware and cymbals, they could upgrade the drum shells and get decent ones.

[@marshmower]

​​@@jazzfearpeople used to say that was called "arting" on something. It's no longer original and worth very little. It's worth more as a functional original with little put into it. People ruin everything they touch it seems trying to make something into fashion statements.

[@ryanwilson5936]

I bought a kit to learn on about a year ago. A wine red Pearl Roadshow 5 piece. Sabian Commuter cymbal pack with an extra 16” XSR crash and an SR2 22” ride. Upgraded the hihat stand and kick pedal to Pearl 930 hihat stand and a Pearl p932 double bass pedal. Put a pair of Trick ultralight aluminum modular beaters on it. Put Aquarian heads on the top and bottom of every drum. I also got a full Audix D series drum mic kit along with an 8 channel interface. Built over 150’ of Mogami/Neutrik cables for all the mics, even got the color coded Neutrik bands for the XLR connectors. Got mic boosters for a few of the dynamic on the kit. The only thing left I had to upgrade was the throne. Fast forward to now and I had to move into a townhouse (our 5th move since Covid began) and my kit is broken down in the corner. I had barely any time to develop anything and now I’m just more depressed than I usually am. Quiet practice isn’t an option. Walls are paper thin. My son just joined middle school percussion though so I look forward to giving it to him if we have the chance to move to a proper home before he becomes an adult. If not, I’ll just donate it to the schools jazz band :(

[@LedWolf7]

I’ve used my Sound Percussion crappy drum set for over 5 years, I took off the plastic wrap, painted black with a splatter paint finish, got hydraulics on the toms, B8 ride, stagg crash ride and zildjin zxt hi hats, toss a blanket or a pillow in the kick and a Ludwig Supralite as my only major upgrade, I love my kit and I’ve tried upgrading and only sent new drums back because it wasn’t the drums I know and love, I will probably use this set till it breaks, your gear doesn’t have to be perfect or expensive, use what you have and find your sound

[@clinel]

great message!

[@elliotpietri98]

It's advisable to rub a wax candle over the bearing edges...so the drum tunes smoothly without friction/binding ...

[@JDogTheDrummer]

I say do a complete overhaul on them- re-wrap, new mounding hardware and spurs from Inde Drums, poly stain in the interior… the whole shebang!

[@tea2920]

for the cymbals i’d recommend the wuhan b20s, the pack that comes with hi-hats and a ride is less than 250 bucks

[@Hannibu]

@@rensjanssen1172 A well-known brand name doesn't mean all cymbal lines are good. ´The 101 series is crap. The wuhans sound at least ten times better.

[@MykytaStasevych]

@@Hannibu Yeah. It was my first series. Weakest cymbals i`ve ever heard.

[@joshua.merrill]

I don’t know which Wuhans I got, but I just found the cheapest ones that were what I wanted (china, 3 splashes, a crash) and then got a Meinl HCS big bell ride, since Wuhan didn’t make a big bell that I saw. I am completely happy with how these sound. But, I also play black metal, so quality isn’t the biggest priority, just getting it done is, and the wuhans get it done.

[@ivanbajovic3476]

@@MykytaStasevych Wuhans are not durable for hard hitters. Recommended for medium and easy hitters.

[@MykytaStasevych]

@@ivanbajovic3476 i`m talking about the sound of paiste 101

[@robthedrummer5190]

As a very young player, I had a no-name blue sparkle kit as that's all I (and my folks) could afford. I spent HOURS tuning that kit, trying to get it to sound like the radio (this was before CDs). Learned a lot about tuning, for sure. Saved my money and bought Zildjian A cymbals, which made the kit sound better, and heads (Remo Pinstripes - even the black ones; remember those?), which made the kit sound better. Now that I can afford much better drums, those tuning lessons (and Zildjian cymbals) have come in handy. This is a long-winded way of seconding your message! Fun video. Thanks!

[@CBRansom35]

These are my favorite videos you do. Drumming on a budget hacks and tips. You are definitely a tuning master and play very well. Love your videos, man!

[@volsguy16]

I bought those exact drums brand new from guitar center for $150. Changed the stock heads to the remo black suede heads, gave them a good tuning with remo muffs, n they sound as good if not better than any other high end kit that I own. Paired with a set of Meinl dark mode classic cymbals. They’re almost my favorite kit I have 👍🏻

[@ewanwickward8587]

I found this exact model kit (only it was missing some pieces) from a Goodwill for $85. I bought 2 cymbal stands on eBay for another $90, a snare stand for the Tom drum for $25, and that plastic and felt piece that goes under the hi-hat for $6. I then topped it off with a Paiste 2002 18" for ~$170 and an old Meinl HCS 20" Ride that I had lying around. I love the way it sounds, but new heads will be my next step when I can afford them, lol Glad you got your kit to end up sounding awesome as well; great vid!

[@LarkVsOwl-de3op]

With more fresh heads, tuning, muffling, and making sure the hardware is working, I made a 14x4 SP snare sound shockingly good.

[@flarson8579]

That is the same drum set that I have. Mine has remo ambassador heads, 2 splash cymbals, a cowbell, a tambourine, a hi-hat, a drop clutch, a crash cymbal, a trash crash, a ride, a pearl shortfuse snare, sambago bells, the snare that came with the set, the Tom's that came with the set, and the bass drum that came with the set. All Zildjian cymbals. And it sounds very good.

[@STSGuitar16]

Sam Ash and Guitar Center literally right beside each other lmfaooo

[@stephen_cannillo]

The internet needed this video. You can do so much with a cheap kit, some tuning skills and decent heads.

[@jameskirkbydrums]

totally agree on the "learn to tune a drum" aspect, theres plenty players round my area who come to me for tuning their kits or tuning advice because theyve learnt to play but never learnt how to properly change and tune drumheads. local drummers love how my kit sounds, and i told them its all in the head selection and tuning :) i have aquarian force ten batters over classic clears on my toms, superkick 2 over ported regulator on the kick, and coated focus-x with power dot over hi-performance resonant on the snare, and the kit is only a cheap tama rockstar :)

[@michaelsullivan1262]

I loved my kit just like that. Brand new it had clean interiors and edges. Round shells, tuned up nice with real heads.

[@weschilton]

The transformation of that snare with the new heads was pretty spectacular. It sounds killer now. I think the new heads on the floor tom really opened it up too. but, I think the toms sounded more open and resonant with the original heads.... maybe weird but that's what I hear.

[@claudehudson5433]

I did exactly that a few years back. My friends told me about the "Campfire Jams" going on at the Wanee music festival, an Allman Brothers event in Live Oak Florida. I wanted to take a drum set for the jams which are held outside near where all us ABB fans hang out. I didn't want to take my best kit so I found a friend who had a Peavy drumset and her son wasn't playing it. Got it for 100 bucks, took it home, took off all the heads and hardware and repainted it hippy style so it would look good at the fest. Put it all back together and it sounded really good considering. Brought a vintage Slingerland snare drum and just used the cybals that came with the set and it sounded really good amazingly enough. Had several drummers use it and even got to jam with some of the guys from Dickie Betts' band. I have used it at gigs since then a couple toms and it actually rocks! I have never been one to use all the tricks to tuning as in this video, I just got it where it sounded good and left it the fuck alone!

[@grahamroden8897]

Great video. I’ve just done something similar. In the end I bought used Remo UT heads off eBay for the resos, recycled some pinstripes that I’d changed after a few years on my main kit (they weren’t in too bad shape) and fitted a hydraulic on the kick. End result? My wife said my main kit sounded far better than the cheap kit. My first kit went through loads of heads to find the right sound, it was only when taught how to tune that I actually started getting a decent sound, by that point I’d moved to a Mapex Pro M and found it suited coated emperors or G2’s ( I really can’t tell the difference in sound). Cymbal wise if you want a decent sounding semi budget cymbal and don’t want to risk used Paiste PST7’s or Zildjian S series are both safe bets although they are still very expensive.

[@Keith_KC8TCQ]

On cymbals, if you are fortunate enough to live in an area like me, they have stores specifically for selling and buying used equipment including cymbals. I've been playing since 1980, and i have always preferred used cymbals over new, they are already broken in. and unlike many box stores, the places that sell used usually don't have an issue with you testing the cymbals to find the sound you are looking for.

[@lauedbeatz5655]

Beginner drums typically don’t project as loud as the high quality drums do. That’s pretty much the main difference. Like you said - good heads/tuning, and good cymbals is the secret to making any drum kit sound great 👍🏻 💯🤘🏻

[@AdamStachelek]

I love the philosophy here. Heads and cymbals really govern a lot of the tonal landscape. If you learn some tuning you can get in the ballpark. Using cheap 16" Hi Hats sounds better than cheap 14" hi hats is another great trick. It's great what you're doing to help people not spend money (says a guy that spent a lot of money on his kit). Bravo

[@billdrummer1197]

All you need now is a Tune-Bot Studio, and you're good to go !!! Best $99 i've ever spent on all of the drum gadgets that I have acquired through the years. Makes tuning FUN, and interesting; but the best thing is repeatability and the fact that your kit will always sound the same.

[@JosephTavano]

@@billdrummer1197 then how will you evolve your craft?

[@billdrummer1197]

@@JosephTavano The Tune-Bot Studio IS an example of the evolution of the Art of Drumming. Do you NOT agree??

[@JosephTavano]

@@billdrummer1197 That's right. I don't agree. It's a little gadget. It's not an evolution of the art. Get real. People have been tuning drums just fine for centuries and will be tuning them just fine after. If you can't tune your drums without a gadget, then get the hell off the comments, shut up, and educate yourself. It's not hard.

[@db9692]

I love your friend's drum room at 2:20! I had a rental house years ago with a dining room that had that wood on the floors and walls. It was the perfect drum room!

[@iMatty_2]

I had that exact sound percussion kit for years. Much like the video, I just made small upgrades over time. Good heads, Good cymbals and hardware, etc. I ended up having that kit as my only kit for about 9 years before I bought a proper Tama kit, and I still have it set up to mess around on. Just because its cheap, doesn't mean you can't sound good.

[@scratchtogigs]

Wow, this is a pretty amazing video! I was skeptical until you added the final cymbal setup and BANG. very informative, thank you for taking us thru the process!!

[@ZachPowers]

3:32, it’s just striking me how strange and small the world is! Being at my hometown Sam Ash, and talking with someone I used to be on the line with. (Also I remember you teching our indoor ensemble that one year! Godwin 2015? 2016? It’s been a while) Fun video, love to see renovations to cheap kits made better!

[@alexanderjamieson7971]

Coat the bearing edges with paraffin wax. Helps smooth out defects and helps seat the heads better

[@iRideuWatch]

Better to sand them smooth first

[@alexanderjamieson7971]

@@iRideuWatch can do both. The original Camco drums from Oak Lawn, Illinois shipped with paraffin wax coating on their bearing edges.

[@takafumiarisawa70]

One of my go to's is lubrication. A bit of ATF for the lugs every couple years/once a year.

[@chris_d_r_u_m_s]

I think your recording ability is so good that the kit before any changes were made sounded awesome awesome 😂

[@ashtonirigatoni]

I might do this with an old SPL kit I have, it's just been sitting in my garage but it would be great for gigging if I made it sound good.

[@gamify4228]

As someone who has only been drumming for a few months I have to say getting those cheap second hand cymbals and replacing the crap ones that came with the kit made it sound soooo much better and it cost me under a hundred pound

[@guycabiarro586]

I'm an old guy that just got interested in drums, In searching for how to videos I came across yours. I really have enjoyed 4 or 5 videos so far and have subscribed. Please talk about your church service drumming. I also enjoy hearing you drum compared to others you have filmed because you actually play a rhythm, instead of just wacking all the drums in erratic patterns, if you know what I mean. Also really enjoy watching you fix things that are broken etc... Keep up the good work. I'll be viewing more.

[@hammarn]

I honestly thought the stock cymbals sounded decent and they also looked surprisingly good...

[@rdavidr]

yeah I was kinda surprised too, the hihats blew me away especially being 13"

[@jaidenamccarroll]

​@@rdavidrI need that crash!😂 Do you know what brand or whatever it is?

[@joshonthekit]

@@jaidenamccarrollAgazarian 16 in crash, amazing. cheap and i have one myself

[@jaidenamccarroll]

@@joshonthekit thanks man

[@magicalmixer5453]

I remember my first cymbals were Agazarians way better than expected. What a flash back to see.

[@muysfsu]

Id like to see you chop one of the rack toms in half and make a snare out of it. You did one years ago, another one would be cool, particularly focusing on how one could get a decent bearing edge without the best tools.

[@michaelvarney4723]

I would examine if the wrap application affects the sound. First make a note of the tuning of all the drums, exact pitch/tunebot frequency/drum-dial setting etc. Then I'd remove all the wrap, put everything else back on, and tune the drums to the same parameters.

[@joeday4293]

Perfect distillation of all the best beginner buying advice. As for what to do next with these, how about a cheap "alternative" wrap job? Shelf paper, cricut vinyl, faux leather from the fabric store, etc. One of my favorite wraps I've every seen was plush orange acrylic fur. The drums looked like Muppets. It was fantastic. Maybe take this project the next step and show how cheaply you can make them *look* good, too.

[@CamTarn]

Ha! I love the idea of the muppet drums 😁

[@MisslesEverywhere]

I HAVE AN IDENTICAL DRUMSET!!! im a kid whos been drumming for 3 years now and i have always spent hours of my practicing simply learning tuning. To see this SP drumset that looks identical to the one i own is amazing taking in that my family didnt want to buy an expensive one. This is a very helpful video for making it nicer too!

[@AdamEmond]

The change in the snare with new heads 🤯

[@oneinfinity]

When it comes to budget cymbals, you really just have to know what to get. Most beginner cymbal lines sound like crap, but there's gems to find even for low prices: Masterwork Troy: Used the basic cymbal set with hihats, ride and a 16" crash for years when I started playing, they have a very good sound and the set isn't too expensive. I paid about 250€ back in the day, but now the set costs 400€ if you buy it new. Still a good price. Sonor Armoni: Same deal as the Masterwork Troys, great sounding cymbals for a pretty affordable price. I still use the 10" splash I bought 15 years ago, was my first splash and will probably never leave my kit. Meinl HCS: Hands down the best beginner line out of the big cymbal manufacturers. It's brass, so it's still hit or miss, but especially the bells and rides sound great. I'm using the 18" big bell ride as my secondary ride at the moment. For about 80€ I think it was a pretty good deal. Meinl also had the Classics series in the past (the ones with the Eye of Horus in the logo, not to be confused with their Classics Custom series), which were pretty good value for money. They had a cymbal set with two splashes and a china for only about 100€. The china was a bit too crashy for my taste, but I still use the splashes to this day. Sadly they discontinued it, but maybe you can find some still tucked away in some dusty corner at your local music store.

[@wheel326]

You can also modify the B8 cymbals to sound less glassy and drier. I've hammered an 18" B8 Pro Medium Crash and it was fun to crash ride on since the overtones were more controlled.

[@forthefunofit5487]

how did ya do the hammering? Some B8s sound awful some sound pretty fair.

[@wheel326]

@@forthefunofit5487 I took a lot of tips from Lance Campeau's The Cymbal Project. B8 cymbals are more forgiving since they're more malleable than B20 (the expensive stuff). Generally, more hammering around and near the bell, less towards the edge. Maybe some deep dimples on the outer parts to give it more trash/ballistic crash effect. Too much hammering will dull and muffle the cymbal as the material will tense up and not resonate/flex much. Though they would make great stacks pieces. I took a Sabian B8 10" Splash and a 12" China Splash and hammered them quite hard tona refined china shape. Put them together and you get a clap stack. The 12" by itself sounds great on its own, though it doesnt have much volume.

[@AndrewReevesArt]

I bought a $50 kit off Facebook Marketplace, put Reno Ambassador drumheads on it and upgraded the crash and ride and bought two stands for about $250 total and it sounds good enough to record - thanks for the inspiration!

[@TheConfusionalCat]

You should do a flip drum series where you take drum kits and improve them then sell them for a profit kind of like seths bike hacks flip bike series but obviously with drums

[@sullysullster8217]

How about making an in depth, ultimate lightweight gigging kit for a rock/ cover band rig. including stands. Like a basic four piece ,3 cymbals and make it as simple, light and fast as possible to pack and setup. Possible one trip for everything maybe use a cart to load into a small car. Multi clamps can be used to use less stands and hardware. Standard sizes more or less. Maybe Sweetwater can hook you up on this project.

[@ryangroom2959]

You should try hammering the b8 cymbals yourself. In my experience that alloy is really easy to deform without cracking them and honestly they didn’t sound too bad 🤷‍♂️

[@jamesledzepplin7839]

Just bought an old sonor force budget kit to.leave at a rehearsal combination of new and older but still good bass drum heads and it sounds surprisingly good. Putting a pillow or blanket in the bass drum doesn't just help the sound of the kick, it also helps with dampening the overtones of the entire kit. Buying a budget kit and slowly adding second hand quality cymbals and a good second hand snare is a great way to start

[@MichaelSandersLovesAnne]

I had to sell my drums to pay doctor bills. I started over with almost no money and found the same set of drums you have on the video ,but red, for $40 and it came with Evans G2 heads still in the box. I took the red wrap off and sanded the shells down and applied one coat of black stain and then about four coats of blue. I flipped the bass drum over so the tom mount holes are on the bottom so it's a virgin looking bass drum. Put the new heads on it and it sounds good for what it is. Next is cymbals, and yes, it's gonna be about $1000.

[@vercality6170]

Man, this takes me back. I bought my first SPL kit as a high school freshman because of your channel. Now I'm a senior in college and I have music coming out with my band and live shows in the coming weeks. Never would have gotten here if I didn't follow your tutorials on how to really have fun with drums.

[@benjaminvasquez5826]

Dude when I was a kid here in Costa Rica I wish I had a set like that, that would be a dream kit when I was a kid.

[@Rhythmic1]

Good vid. Hardware is another area beginner and hobbyist drummers end up sabotaging themselves when trying to save money. Good hardware is really important to your playing and physical health. But cheap hardware will mess you up in every way. A rickety drum throne is asking for back problems and playing fatigue. Chasing pedals all over the floor and readjusting cymbal stands all night long is exhausting. I learned that lesson the hard way when I was first starting out. I spent my savings on a really great kit but cheaped out on cymbals and hardware when I ran out of money. I should have known better by then but it was still quite a shock to realize that although I scored on a great set of shells that was only one half of the kit. I had to spend just as much money on a great set of cymbals and hardware if I wanted to get the most out of the drums.

[@lesfarmer5111]

I just picked up a set of Sound Percussion drums with Evans EC2s heads on the Tom’s and an Evans Emad base drum head, a complete set of Sabian XS20 cymbals and all upgraded hardware for $400. Tuned them up and they are now my rehearsal/practice set. For a cheap set of drums the upgraded heads and mid range cymbals make it sound really good.

[@sleepwhenimdead9667]

Recently did this with a cheap set of 80's Rockers. CS Dots all around. It sounds great under mics and I don't have to worry about my much more valuable vintage kit being damaged or stolen at a bar gig.

[@IsaacA192]

Getting good at tuning is definitely a journey. Small steps, start on a cheap or old kit. If you can make those sound good you'd make anything sound good. Currently looking at buying myself a custom built TAMA Star going to be nearly $16k. After 22 or whatever years I feel like I've earnt it.

[@davidduker4441]

I sold MANY of those Sound Percussion kits when I was dept mgr of drum dept @ guitar center some 8-10yrs ago. Lots of value in those kits even when new, and they can sound decent. Love your budget minded videos for drummers it makes us all think about new options! Maybe try some of the newer SP kits (really curious about their Velocity series - birch, trick hardware, cool finishes) and maybe try out some cheaper b20 cymbals like Saluda, Wuhan S/Akoi, Dream, Aqua, Masterwork, Soultone etc. Keep up the great work sir! Btw nice first name ;)

[@Journeyman.71]

Thoughts fr an old drummer (at heart, at least) who hasn't held a stick in years.... 1. When changing the heads, maybe take some sandpaper to the bearing edges, make sure they're smooth-ish and level-ish. 2. I will live and die by Remo Pinstripes on tom's! 3. Best "cheap" cymbals I ever had were a box set of Wuhans! I forget the line. 4. I've always strongly believed similar to what you said: if playing a show (bar, wedding reception, bar mitzvah, etc.), If you can get the girls dancing, then your set's pretty well good enough!

[@ATTACKofthe6STRINGS]

This is maybe one of a handful of videos of yours I’ve come across, and you’re the only person who uses two keys to tune a drum and, honestly, it makes sense. I’m probably going to head to my local GC to grab another, just cause.

[@1thess523]

The Tom's actually sounded pretty good with the original heads, tuning is key and i learned that in the early 90's when I started playing on my CB700

[@billdrummer1197]

A tip for you David.....before you begin to use your 2 drum keys method ; the only way you can rely on the feel of your keys reliably. You must first run a Tap through all of your lugs and then run a Die over all of your tension rods. That's the ONLY WAY you can dial the tension in by using your 2 key method. There is no other option. I know it's a pain in the butt, but you only have to do it once per shell. Also, my first kit was exactly the same as yours only it was branded as an Astro and I put Evans Hydraulic Clear batters on top and Evans EC Resonate on the bottom and then I tuned up with a Tune-Bot . The results blew me away! I think that was because the rack toms were not the FAST sized crap that is forced on us but probably two inches deeper! Try my suggestions......you WILL BE HAPPY YOU DID.

[@edwhite7475]

Yep...youre gonna have to spend SOME money.. All my brass was about $650 , -20 years ago...14" Sabian hats,a 17" Zildjian crash, a 16 inch heavy Zildjian crash/ride and a 20" Zildjian heavy ride... All from pawn shops...all older models but in good shape, And i got lucky and my last and final drumkit is the Ludwig Accents, '08? Silver Sparkle John Bonham kit I got for $350 from a kid who was leaving to be a missionary. I put Aquarian heads on it, and it sounds awesome But im primarily a guitar player, who likes to beat on things. Ive had a bunch of kits over 35 years, red Ludwig vistalites was one notable kit, and North drums .. Yamaha , Rodgers, and Pacific. All pretty cheap, but i kept my cymbals, exceptthe only NEW hi hats I ever bought, Zildjian 14" new beats, which were $450. I couldnt believe how EXPENSIVE they were, but you hit them every measure, so they gotta sound good. I tried some B-8s, and after 4 hits i was utterly DISGUSTED with the sound, and RAN back to the store, and ordered the New Beats. If you dont SOUND good, you wont practice, and its torture. I also got an old Pearl rack for $50, and got rid of the cymbal stands, and that was smart. I love your videos, and the t shirt too- Cheap drums aint cheap... But they sure are fun.

[@MichaelDBauer]

Absolutely correct about cymbals. You can make a cheap drum set sound good, but a bad cymbal is a bad cymbal no matter what you do. I learned that quickly when I tried to record with my set of vintage Zilco (vintage meaning old) cymbals. 14" hats, 16 and 18 crashes, 20 and 22 rides. Took me years to complete that set of Zilcos to match the year/era of the kit I still have that's pictured in my avatar from 1972 - Majestic Deluxe MIJs with alternating lugs. If I had an endless stream of cash, I really love the Zildjian K Sweet series, but that wasn't the case. I had one Sabian B8 18" I bought years ago and it recorded well, but the B8 line was OOP. I had the chance to try the B8X entry line series and those things actually record well. I don't gig, so recording is my outlet. The Zilco you mentioned in this video doesn't look anything like mine, but I know there were Zilco cymbals made decades before the Zilco line I have which were made in the late 60s through the mid 70s. They had a very distinctive low rise bell.

[@georgerobartes2008]

The secret behind cheap kits is make sure all the metalwork is tight . I paid £20 ($30) for a kit ( might be a Session Pro ?) for use as a static set for multi band use on a ' bring your own brass and throne ' basis , on the grounds that any kit sounds good with good brass . After tightening cleaning departure angles ( except for steel snare shell !) ,fitting polymer washers under the tension bolts , I fitted Evans 360 NOS coated 2 ply batters on the toms and snare as a kit that was on special at a throw away price, placing the old practically un used clear singles on the reso side . The 22" kick batter was in good shape but wimpy , so I coated it with a textured spray paint which damped it nicely and hot canned a hole in the reso ( stock but tightened until it was wrinkle free . The main improvement came from installing a second pair of legs on the kick from a scrapper shell , lifting the batter rim just off the ground and free floating the pedal . Makes a huge difference in response and does not require micing at most venues . About a dozen bands go through the kit at any one festival , all being impressed with the sound . One guy brought his mega buck custom walnut and maple stave snare and changed out my steel one , as a result it could not be heard in the mix . I too tune the snare to a G3 + to cut through anything with a satisfying poing that works well with all genres , not just reggae ! I agree , its a waste of time trying to tune a kit to some famous drummer set up , just prat around with what you have got and arrive at the tuning that sounds best for the shell . Even cheap shells have a sweet spot . Tune the rest to suit either up or down or matching depending on what sound response you are looking for . I'm no drummer but I know what sound I like to hear from a kit and this one was around £70 ($85) all in .

[@1dudecrush]

I have a 3 piece shell pack of these, some early 2000’s SPL. With good heads, they sound weirdly huge. Also I’m considering taking them to Rupp’s on the 20th, cuz apparently a local Denver drum builder is redoing bearing edges for FREE. That’s the correct price

[@antoniofragaledesma6866]

This channel is awesome! What to do with the set?? According to the number of kits it seems you have: 1. Go to the street. 2. Ask the first kid you found if would like like play drums. 3. If response is "yes" automatically give him/her the kit as a gift. You create a new drummer in the world! 4. If response is " no" go to step 2 in a loop until found a kid that would be like to be a drummer. Thanks for your crazy videos!!

[@ViperrVFX]

that wide shot with you talking and messing with the drums in the back was dope

[@wiebetje00]

Real OG's know you only need to spend $20 on a drum kit

[@toekneemarz8824]

Check out Kasza cymbals. Not very well known chinese company, but their cymbals are quality. On par with zildjian for less than half the price.

[@b.p.879]

I went through a process of trying out several different heads after getting my newest kit recently, and I like to think I've gotten better at tuning because of this latest venture as well. I've used mostly Pinstripes for the past twenty+ years, and wanted to try something new, so I tried out almost all the different Aquarian series, starting with Hi-Frequency-coated on all 7 drums, then tried several Evans series, but when I put a pinstripe back on one of the toms and compared it with others side by side, the pinstripe just sounded better, with an almost wet-like attack and deep shell sound. I spent so much money trying new heads and ended up right where I began and now I wouldn't use anything but pinstripes. Great video as usual!

[@billdrummer1197]

I say Evans Hydraulic heads are the only way to go to get that Great '70's sound! They are probably the easiest heads to tune properly for a beginner to start learning about what NOT to do. IMO, the resonate heads are way more important than the batter as far as the final sound of your kit goes. Tuning the top and bottom heads to the same frequency (I recommend using a Tune-Bot Studio for accurate measurements), will give you the most resonance that the shell can produce and it will offset the dead sound that the Hydraulic heads make thus making ANY shells sound fantastic!

[@jeremystig98]

I just bought a Starclassic, now i'm thinking about what my old birch kit could have sounded like with new heads... thanks David

[@cbandstra]

I bought that same set 10 years ago for the same price used. Converted it to an electric set and it’s fantastic!

[@passiton3801]

Years ago, I traded in a Pearl Drum X kit for 4 drums only (3 toms an a kick) worth £100. I immediately put decent heads on them, tuned up properly. I rack mounted them, along with cymbals, snare an stands (which I already had). The kit sounded awesome.

[@sterlingprattles]

You've upgraded the sound, now upgrade the aesthetic! Would love to see a follow up video of how to get that plain black wrap removed and maybe something cute with the wood like a stain 😁🖤🙏🏻

[@mariothedevil1537]

Off the topic of the prices, can we just agree that Dave’s beats and chops in this video were amazing? 😀

[@mzmm4186]

Over the years I've found hands down the best way to get a decent kit on a budget is to buy a complete set as whole, instead of an incomplete kit that might be cheaper initially, but will cost you time and money (sometimes full retail price) in completing the kit. Buying a $100 drumkit and then spending over $100 on heads alone is insane (something I've also been guilty of). Just throw some tape on it and call it good. I think a better challenge would be to make a $100 drumset sound good with less than $20 extra investment.

[@justinengler7308]

0:04 literally made me laugh so hard. 'Her name is Margaret'

[@rockker5]

Everything really adds up specially the combination of mics, lighting, video and audio post production. It feels like I'm in the room! Thank you for sharing this information.

[@rdavidr]

Glad you like it!

[@DarthAnubis1138]

To be honest, these days the beginners cymbal sets from Paiste and Meinl sound really good. The Sabian and Zildjian ones sound like shoe polish tins though 😂

[@mdzebar]

Dude.. you are actually a really good player. I liked the playing clips

[@jimosullivan8051]

And let's not ignore the fact that these mics and (I'm sure,) the gear being used to process, mix, record, etc., are good, quality stuff. This could be a whole series: high-end drums/heads/cymbals/recording gear, combined & compared to their low-end counterparts. The possibilities are (somewhat) endless. Then, modern-day gear vs. vintage gear, in all categories. I'm smelling some possible collabs with other KZbinrs. Love your stuff, man!

[@themetalchorus5661]

bro love the editing at 00:45

[@bruceperkins2921]

for those who are new to the craft and low on cash, wuhan cymbals are quite nice and very affordable. better quality than major manufactures budget cymbal lines

[@owenmark702]

bought a vintage Yamaha Power V Special shell pack in great shape for 175, an almost new set of Zildjian As for 450 and a used Ludwig hardware pack for 200. Upgraded heads for 120 so for just under 1000 I have a killer sounding kit that looks amazing too. You can get it done for 1000 if you shop on offerup in almost any major city.

[@goldenshowercap9395]

Every word true, although your evidence speaks for itself. When I bought my first new kit in '98 I couldn't believe the transformation upon upgrading the stock heads to.. Pinstripes! I upgraded the BD heads later and that was also a transformation. I upgraded the cymbals too but never appreciated how just much difference they can make; now wish I'd invested more at the time. Sadly I no longer play, but this excellent video is giving me the itch!

[@i_unknown2954]

I am a simple man. I see a new rdavidr video, I watch that video.

[@larrydavis3573]

I guess my Yamaha Stage Custom with a Ludwig snare and Sabian cymbals will be ok for recording after all! I was thinking of upgrading but not now. Thanks!!

[@brianwilson7928]

Pinstripes and tuning will make any kit sound awesome!!

[@jamesdevine02]

Very much appreciate your pragmatic attitude to tuning, especially the comment at 1:32 . I have always felt a similar way in that I couldn't understand why people doggedly adhere to one specific tuning method when every drum is different and there's always an element of human error. Going for whatever option is the least hassle to get a decent/good sound always seems the most sensible to me. Work smarter, as they say.

[@killer268]

I still have a sound percussion kit from the late 90’s or early 2000’s that we bought new, I got a nice pearl kit in like 2008, but always kept it as a second option, as long as it’s got good heads on it, and is tuned it doesn’t sound half bad. The hardware it came with leaves something to be desired.

[@metalfreaque]

Nice man, you make really cool videos, love to watch them! Id be interested in hearing them with a jazzy tuning. Maybe some kind of modding for the shells and then resell it for more? Greez from germany!

[@allyemeraart]

0:25 i know those drums aren't tuned ideally, kick lacks resonance and overall it's a bit choked, snare is gnarly BUT i'd kill to hear more drums on records even sound like THIS compared to the same EZ drummer samples.

[@santi975]

Sound Percussion drums were my first drumset and I still have them today 10 years later. I have Remo Emperor Coded and a B8 with a zildjian 20 inch crash-ride, and they sound great in recording. The kit doesn't matter, its only how good you can play on them and make them sound boss.

[@robotron17]

Most wood drums with some years on them will be out of round - pulled inward at the lugs. So you can't necessarily use drum dials on 'em. But even octagonal snares/toms can sound good.

[@marshmower]

Our quad toms in highschool marching band were not round anymore. The bearing shell rolled in slightly everywhere there was a lug below. Also from all the pressure and unbalanced tuning, the hoops were bent down from the tension rods. Put new head on there and there was issues. Pin stripe always helped

[@mickeyfinnegan7469]

i have been buying a few "cheap "kits on c/l myself lately, finally going to make some different [famous] kits to play in my driveway on beer addled friday nights. those sound percussion cymbal stands are the best i've seen, got a groove percussion set recently, included an 18" zildjian china-thats going to be my gong!