Electric Drums: Help!!!

[matt.]

Alright, so I just got my tax return back and also got 3 checks this month (not 2 as usual) so I've decided I want to finally breakdown and buy an electric drum set.  I'd really love an acoustic set, but since I'll be living in an apartment for a while I see electric being my only choice.  What would you guys reccomend as a decent kit, but not too low or high end.  (Lookin in the $1500 range).  Thanks!

[matt.]

?



http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-DTXPRESS-Special-Electronic-Drum/dp/B000YK9XB8

[GrandpaQueefer]

id say save the money for a rainy day

[have heart]

id defo go for a top of the range roland kit matt, i have a td-3, it is still going strong and its great. and thats now one of the very low range ones and is also now quite old too. with a $1500 budget you could definetly get a great kit. personally i would not go for a yamaha, or anything else other than a roland lol. ive played on yamahas and other kits back in school. rolands top all.

[Brae.]

With my experience I find that Roland has a lot cooler effects, but Yamaha sounds and feels a hell of a lot more real. In that range, you have the td-4sx from Roland and the Yamaha DTX-press you posted above.

I'm actually looking into getting a set for university next year, as acoustics got on peoples nerves a little this year haha. With electronic drums you truly do get what you pay for, the more you spend the better kit you get, simple as that. However, in this price range, all of the kits are solid quality with tons of options. Personally, I would go for the DTX-press and I find the td4 to feel cheaper and more limiting.

If it's any help, I've been playing for 7 years and consider myself to be pretty knowledgeable when it comes to most gear, and that would 95% chance be my answer.

[Julian Casablancas]

i'd never buy an electronic kit but if i have to, i'd definitely go for a roland. i've tried it several times and it sounds and feels great

[matt.]

hey, thanks for the input guys.  so 2 for roland, 1 for yamaha?  i've actually been hunting for a set somewhere somewhat locally on craigslist, but had found nothing.  then this pops up today in the town i live in:

http://daytona.craigslist.org/msg/1698900541.html

he said the lowest he would go is $400.  now i'm thinking go cheap and put away the other money, but will i be satisfied with something like this?  i am pretty much brand new to drums besides beating around on my buddies set in college, but i've always wanted to learn so bad because they seem so much more fun that guitar to play.  sooooooo yea, what about that Yamaha DTXPL set?  It seems like it goes on the internet for $600 so i'd be saving a few bucks...

[Brae.]

What you found on craigslist is the lowest model of dtx-plorer. The few problems I have with the kit is:
 a) the cymbals are shaped retardedly, being used to real cymbals I just found it weird.
b) It sounds cheaper than the other yamaha you posted above, and the roland. Like I mentioned above, with electronic kits, you get what you pay for, when you pay the least amount you have to expect the least quality.
c) The hi hat pedal is not as responsive as id like it to be. Doing any kind of off-beat, open/close patterns can be a pain as the controller does not always work flawlessly. That was my biggest peeve with this kit.

That being said, if you want something to beat around and have fun on, this will get the job done and save you a bit of money. If you want something more real, the DTX IV - the one you mentioned above would be better. It feels, sounds, and plays considerably more realistic. Also, these kits have recently been discontinued so you may be able to pick them up for a great price if you can still find one.

Also, EBAY! eBay is a drummers best friend for all our ridiculously over priced gear, I'd highly recommend seeing what you can find used so you can have both quality and money in your pocket.

[GrandpaQueefer]

hey, thanks for the input guys.  so 2 for roland, 1 for yamaha?  i've actually been hunting for a set somewhere somewhat locally on craigslist, but had found nothing.  then this pops up today in the town i live in:

http://daytona.craigslist.org/msg/1698900541.html

he said the lowest he would go is $400.  now i'm thinking go cheap and put away the other money, but will i be satisfied with something like this?  i am pretty much brand new to drums besides beating around on my buddies set in college, but i've always wanted to learn so bad because they seem so much more fun that guitar to play.  sooooooo yea, what about that Yamaha DTXPL set?  It seems like it goes on the internet for $600 so i'd be saving a few bucks...

and 1 for save your money till you actually need it.

[shoegazing]

yeh brae's right roland have better sounds, yamaha feels more like a real kit

[matt.]

well that person's now not selling that yamaha kit on craigslist so probably this weekend i'll start looking at roland kits.  Thanks for all the input man!  Sorry I forgot ya too Niku, it's just I already have plenty of money saved up in my savings account, i just usually use my tax return as a gift to myself.  That and if I get a bonus at work each year.  

[chris619]

What I did at my halls is take a basic acoustic set up and replace the heads with mesh heads and trigger them through my laptop using ezdrummer.

Works out alot cheaper and imo sounds alot better and obv feels like an acoustic kit.
Just slap some roland electric cymbals on for hi hats and crashes and you're golden.

- All u need is cheap bunch of drums, basic module (cos your using the sounds on the laptop), 4 triggers, mesh heads, interface, bunch of leads and a good drumming programme, which i'm sure you could "aquire" online for not so much money...

And that also allows you to record pretty easily through cubase or something...

Hope this helps

[Brae.]

What I did at my halls is take a basic acoustic set up and replace the heads with mesh heads and trigger them through my laptop using ezdrummer.

Works out alot cheaper and imo sounds alot better and obv feels like an acoustic kit.
Just slap some roland electric cymbals on for hi hats and crashes and you're golden.

- All u need is cheap bunch of drums, basic module (cos your using the sounds on the laptop), 4 triggers, mesh heads, interface, bunch of leads and a good drumming programme, which i'm sure you could "aquire" online for not so much money...

And that also allows you to record pretty easily through cubase or something...

Hope this helps

You lose all portability and the small size of an electric kit though.

Plus you need an acoustic set to begin with, which I believe Matt doesn't have.

[racerboX]

see if you can get your hands on a roland td-6. I've used it for a few shows and it was pretty solid.