I need a bit of advice please.
My 8 year old has taken up drums at school, I went to a little show they put on tonight and was impressed by how good he was.
We’re thinking about getting him a kit at home (I know, must be mental) where do I start, how much should I expect to pay etc…

any advice at all.

cheers.

Electronic kit……you can turn it down

And plug headphones in.

Have a look for a Yamaha DTXplorer.

DTXplorer are not especially cheap.

Problem with most drum kits is they’re not sized for 8 year olds; if you want an acoustic kit rather than electronic, I’d go for a “jazz” kit with a smaller bass drum (18in if possible), so the kit can be set up more compactly.

I have an Alesis electronic kit as well as my acoustic kit and I think you could set it up so all parts of it are reachable, but I’m not certain

The only other alternative would be to buy a “junior” kit but he’d probably grow out of it in 2-3 years and you’d then be stuck with a tidgy kit you can’t get rid of, and the expense of another kit all over again

have a look on http://www.drumwright.co.uk or http://www.drumshop.co.uk

Oh yeah, you’ll need cymbals as well, and they’re not cheap either

here’s an example of a “jazz” kit with an 18in bass drum: http://www.drumwright.co.uk/drum_kits/gretsch/drum-item-gretsch_2010_catalina_club_18_inch_jazz_bass_drum_configuration_with_gibraltar_hardware_pack.htm

Cymbals are extra, I’d go for the Sabian B8 cymbal pack at £189 for 14in hi-hats, 16in crash and 20in ride

And a stool (or “throne”) for £25. Bingo, you’ve spent nearly £850, but be sure in the knowledge that it’ll last a long time – probably longer than his interest 😉 – but you’ll be able to sell it on later if he does lose interest

A cheaper option would be this: http://www.drumwright.co.uk/drum_kits/pearl/drum-item-pearl_target_series_drum_kit.htm – but you may need extra stands

I don’t know much about drumkits other than I have looked into the option of buying second hand a while ago, but yes, you are probably mental but also a probably a great parent (who may, from time to time wish to have a bash on the kit yourself).

Never ask a musician about instruments 😉

£850 for a kit! £200 fir a cymbal kit! Drummer, he’s 8 he’s not going to be opening for the Foo Fighters.

Meanwhile back in the real world. Check out Gear for music and Dolphin Music they both do 5 piece 3/4 sized sets for about £130-150. And you get a stool and cymbals and probably even sticks. Mum and dad got one of these for my little brov about 3 years ago and it was fine for practicing his paradiddles and whatevers I think dad sold it on ‘bay fir £50 A while back.

They’re fine for practice and bedroom but you wouldn’t want to perform on them. But it’s less of an outlay. I doubt Dave Grohl”s first kit was £850!!

Hey I never said it was a cheap option 🙂

The point I was trying to make was that there might not be much sense in buying a kit for an 8 yo.

Either you buy a juniior kit that he’ll grow out of in 2 years, or you splash out on a full size kit that he may get bored of…
The £200 cymbal pack is relatively cheap, as cymbals go, without sounding like dustbin lids
My hi-hats alone cost more than that.
Did you look at my second option – much less than the first one 😉

Btw my first kit was a “bitsa*” and came in at about £150

* bitsa this, bitsa that

I agree with john. Drums are pretty bloody expensive and anything cheap will be junk.
but…look on ebay cos there are loads on there.

(thinking about getting another kit after selling my Pearl a few years ago to feed the bike parts habit)

Guys you’re missing the point. Mostly when you start out it really doesn’t matter that stuff sounds a bit rubbish. My first guitar was a half sized thing with nylon strings made out of cardboard (not quite but you get the idea).it was crap hardly held it’s tuning but I just used it to learn basic chords and where the notes were I still play my school scheme Yamaha that mum got cheap and that got me to grade 6

Brov’s school had proper kit that he played in nearly every school play and concert and the 3/4 was fine for messing about on and if he’s still playing it in 2 years at least you know he’s keen!

But your right instruments are blinking expensive, I’m looking for a nice guitar and Wow, expensive much! LOL

£499 for a DTXplorer, with throne and sticks from my local drum emporium.
http://www.rhythmbase.co.uk/shop/drums/electronic-kits/dtxplorer/

There are cheaper ones available. Session Pro and the like.
Ebay is always good too. 2nd hand drums can be a whole new world of cheapness.

I think, like buying a bike, the best thing to do would be to go to some LBS…er, LDS and have a look, a try and a chat.

I totally agree with you emsz. No point in spending silly money on quality kit for 8 year old kids. They dip in and out of interests, so the drumkit could be abandoned for a skateboard in a few months!

Pah, if you were a really good parent you’d get him this:

http://www.musicradar.com/gear/all/drums/acoustic/drum-kits/5-piece-drum-kits/stainless-steel-kit-17397/review

The neighbours would love you too.

I ended up getting a loan when I was 17 to get my kit

told the bank manager it was for a car

didn’t even tell my parents I was buying it, just had it set up in the front room when they got back from work

😉

I’d be tempted to get an electric kit, as it has adjustable volume, and when he’s bored of it I can buy it from you at a massively discounted rate

maybe this one?

DezB – that’s what I’ve been trying to say, seems I didn’t do it well enough.

But the OP did ask about prices. I wouldn’t recommend a cheap ‘junior’ kit either though, as he’ll probably be too big for it by the time he’s 10 or 11 and if he’s still playing, you’ll have to spend again

But yeah, second hand is the way to go for a first kit if you’re not sure about it. Remarkable the difference a new set of batter heads will make

DezB – that’s what I’ve been trying to say, seems I didn’t do it well enough

Too subtle for me pal!

And just like bikes, you can get quite a lot for your money second hand.

The point I was trying to make was that there might not be much sense in buying a kit for an 8 yo.

Either you buy a juniior kit that he’ll grow out of in 2 years, or you splash out on a full size kit that he may get bored of…

So how much trouble would you get in if you bought him this set

As an aside though that is a great site to get music stuff from if you want to do it mail order (although I wouldn’t get their ‘Millenium’ brand stuff)

Guys,

thanks for all the feedback, plenty to think about. I can feel a trip to the local drum emporium coming on. I guess it’s just like buying a bike, I’m pondering the 2nd hand option. I’ve already ruled out junior kits as I know he’ll grow out of those.

Choices,choices…

To be boringly sensible, at 8, a kit may not be best. Some sticks, a practice pad and investing in lessons with a good tutor might be the best way to go.

where’s “local” anyway? If it’s anywhere near Leeds I can maybe point you in the direction of a good shop or two

BTW I priced my kit up earlier (at full list price, like for like) for insurance purposes. It scared me. you could get two good full sus bikes for what it would cost me to replace my kit with equivalent stuff.

The drums themselves are a “mid-range*” kit from Mapex, the current equivalent of which is Meridian Birch at a relatively modest £875 list price (but of course nobody ever pays full list price.

* a bit like an £800 hardtail…

It’s the add-on snare and the cymbals that scared me the most 😯

I recently updated my drum insurance and was horrified by how much it was all worth. Blimey haven’t Paiste cymbals gone up a lot??

Re the OP if you can get 2nd hand do so. As long as the drums are round (no pun intended, as you would be surprised how many aren’t) you can transfrom the sound with some new decent heads

I think all cymbals have gone up a lot, compared with drums or hardware. ditto the decent heads, I have Remo Pinstripe on all my toms