You can rent sets. You can also rent electronic sets that have decent, realistic feel, are quiet and won't drive you crazy. I'm unsure of cost as it's been a while since I sold my last kit and moved on from drums.

They really are a great instrument for young boys for exactly the reason you son mentioned. Plus, chicks dig drummers.

I would get him involved in your schools music program. If they have some kind of jazz band, he will have a lot of fun, learn tons and make friends.

As for used kit, any 5 piece from major brands will suffice. Hi hats, a crash and ride cymbal are fine to start with. Look for Pearl, Yamaha, etc. For brands of drums, Sabian or ziljian cymbals. There are different grades or levels of cymbals, I would avoid the absolute bottom their of the brands mentioned but anything over that is fine.

Hardware is important. Try to get stands that are double braced in the legs. Nothing makes a kit feel flimsy like single braced stuff rocking all over the place.

Invest in ear muffs. All of you ;).

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Long Chile was a silly place.

I understand your concern. I got my son electronic drums years ago and he was done in a few weeks.

But WTF, first page showing threads by Mjuric and big kahuna. Wow.

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It doesn't really matter what Phil is saying, the music of his voice is the appropriate soundtrack for a bicycle race. HTupolev

If you do decide to buy a drum set, Music Go Round is a franchised chain of used musical instrument dealers, with stores all around the country. I've been to their stores in St. Louis and Columbia, Missouri, and found some nice, used guitars at very good prices. Their sales people are knowledgeable, as well. If your son loses interest, you can sell the drums back to Music Go Round (but don't expect to break even). That will save the hassle of trying to sell them on eBay or Craigslist.

Each store has its own website that you can visit to check their current inventory. You can also search all of their stores at once through the company's main website.

If you're a musician, the stores are fun to browse in.

Guitar Center and Reverb are 2 sites I have made used drum purchase from as well.

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"one eye doubles my eyesight, so things don't look half bad" John Hiatt

You can check with your local school first. If your school has a band, chances are they have an agreement with a local music shop for rentals and in many cases you can get a decent deal. You generally are not required to be a band student to take advantage of the deals.

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TEAM HD
Each day is what you make of it so make it the best day possible.

Renting is the way to go. Also, if you're concerned about disturbing the family AND the neighbors, I'd look into renting a set of electronic drums. You can adjust the volume and they have a headphone jack so your son will only destroy his own hearing. I have a set of Roland V series drums and I love em.

I wasn't aware that you could rent.

If renting, or starting out in anyway, I recommend electronic. Its not the same as an acoustic kit, but at early levels, it won't make a difference.


If you don't want to rent, buy used so that hopefully you can resell it at a similar price as you paid for it.

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-----------------------------Baron Von Speedypants
-----------------------------RunTraining articles here:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...runtraining;#1612485

 
Renting electronic is gonna get real spendy if you keep them very long.

Fire up Craigslist and find a used set. I bought my first set of drums new for $300 in high school. I beat the hell out of them for years before I moved on. I didn't take them with me when I moved out so my dad sold them for $80 on CL, they still worked just fine.

Yes there is a big difference between the $6k set I played when I was in a band, and the $300 set. But the $300 set worked fine to learn on. I would not look to buy electronic used. You have to spend a decent chunk to get good electronic drums, wait on that till he is in a band and gigging.

You have to spend a decent chunk to get good electronic drums


What he said.

What he said

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I'll be what I am
A solitary man

An acceptable electronic set goes for ~$800, new. FWIW

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-----------------------------Baron Von Speedypants
-----------------------------RunTraining articles here:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...runtraining;#1612485

We actually talked to a few people. 90$ a month for lessons and the guys said he wouldn't even need a set of drums for the first month because he always has his students work on simple coordination first. He then said if my kid liked it he would help us find a decent set of used drums.

I like the idea of electric but if they are pricier then regular I'd stay with the regular ones.

Matt