Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Guitar Amps
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • "Worst rap album in history"
  • Superbooth 2025
  • Eilish vs Radiohead
  • 95k+ free music samples

Recommended reading

Deals of the week
Gear & Gadgets MusicRadar deals of the week: Score an impressive £400 off a Rickenbacker 330, £200 off PRS, and up to 80% off a host of synth gear
Deals of the week
Gear & Gadgets MusicRadar deals of the week: Enjoy a mind-blowing $600 off a full-fat Gibson Les Paul, £500 off Kirk Hammett's Epiphone Greeny, and so much more
Deals of the week
Gear & Gadgets MusicRadar deals of the week: Score over £400 off PRS and Epiphone guitars, $100 off Yamaha and Roland pianos, and so much more
A Korg Minilogue bass synthesizer on a blue background
Electric Guitars It's your last chance to save an extra £10 when you spend over £100 in the massive Flash Sale at PMT with this exclusive deal for MusicRadar readers
An Arturia KeyLab 88 MkII synthesizer on a blue background
Studios I’ve looked through all 372 deals in the Thomann Easter Sale - these are the 5 deals I’d grab right now
Millenium MPS-850 E-Drum set
Electronic Drums “Boasts an array of features, many of which punch impressively above its relatively low price-point”: Millenium MPS-850 E-Drum set review
Superbooth 2025
Synths "There's too much new gear!": The 12 best instruments, effects and innovations you need to know about from Superbooth 2025
  1. Drums
  2. Drum Gear

Great gear in this month's Rhythm

News
By Chris Burke published 24 April 2013

May's Rhythm, on sale now, is packed to the gills with expert reviews of tasty new gear

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Tama Star drum kits

Tama Star drum kits

Tama reveals the primary goal with the Star series was to re-examine every detail of their flagship Starclassic series "to enhance shell resonance". This has led to some interesting solutions and surprising retro features on the two kits sent to Rhythm for review - one in maple, finished in Satin Antique Brown, and the other in bubinga with a Dark Green Cordia finish.

What did Rhythm's Geoff Nicholls make of the kits? Find out in this month's Rhythm!

Page 1 of 5
Page 1 of 5
Ludwig Acrolite Limited Edition Snares

Ludwig Acrolite Limited Edition Snares

Celebrating 50 years of the famed Acrolite, Ludwig has released these special edition snares in all-over brushed aluminium. The Acrolite is undoubtedly a classic drum, so do these new snares do the name justice? Find out in the June issue of Rhythm!

Page 2 of 5
Page 2 of 5
Sabian Cymbal Vote winners

Sabian Cymbal Vote winners

Following a vote on the shortlisted 2013 Cymbal Vote Winners at Sabian's website, these four were chosen and duly sent for review to Rhythm HQ. So we have the AAX Air Splash, AAX X-plosion hats, AAX Freq Crash and AA Bash Ride up for scrutiny. How did they fare? Find out in this month's Rhythm!

Page 3 of 5
Page 3 of 5
Overtone Labs Tune-bot

Overtone Labs Tune-bot

Unlike other tuners, the Tune-bot doesn't measure the physical tension in the head or tuning rods but instead judges the pitch of the had via on onboard microphone. So is it the solution to the age-old problem of drum tuning? Expert reviewer Adam Jones gives it a go in this month's Rhythm!

Page 4 of 5
Page 4 of 5
Premier One Series snares

Premier One Series snares

Under the guidance of former KD Drums supremo Keith Keough, Premier returns to UK manufacturing with a pair of unique, handmade snares. The first is the 'Type 1' Bowood, constructed of 12 plies of old Georgian oak and cherry, all running horizontally, with an outer veneer of wild English walnut. The second is a 'Type 3' Balmoral, constructed of 15 plies of birch and African mahogany, with the plies laid vertically. How great are these drums? Geoff Nicholls rates them in this month's Rhythm!

Page 5 of 5
Page 5 of 5
Chris Burke
Read more
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: Score an impressive £400 off a Rickenbacker 330, £200 off PRS, and up to 80% off a host of synth gear
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: Enjoy a mind-blowing $600 off a full-fat Gibson Les Paul, £500 off Kirk Hammett's Epiphone Greeny, and so much more
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: Score over £400 off PRS and Epiphone guitars, $100 off Yamaha and Roland pianos, and so much more
A Korg Minilogue bass synthesizer on a blue background
It's your last chance to save an extra £10 when you spend over £100 in the massive Flash Sale at PMT with this exclusive deal for MusicRadar readers
An Arturia KeyLab 88 MkII synthesizer on a blue background
I’ve looked through all 372 deals in the Thomann Easter Sale - these are the 5 deals I’d grab right now
Millenium MPS-850 E-Drum set
“Boasts an array of features, many of which punch impressively above its relatively low price-point”: Millenium MPS-850 E-Drum set review
Latest in Drum Gear
Millenium Drums book
“This book will serve as a reliable companion on your journey through drumming”: Millenium launches new book for drummers
Alesis Strata Club
With the same mesh-head playability and powerful new Strata module as its bigger brothers, Alesis Strata Club brings a new compact form to its best-selling range
Sennheiser MD421 Kompakt
“A high-quality solution for capturing your drums”: Sennheiser MD 421 Kompakt review
Zultan Z series update
“A reasonably versatile set but these cymbals excel in a rock and metal context”: Zultan Z Series cymbals review
DrumCraft Urban Beats
DrumCraft’s Urban Beats delivers pro-quality looks and sound for the compact stage and budget
Thomann Valentines Day Sale
This Valentines Day, say it with… strings, plectrums and some bargain-priced software bundles?
Latest in News
Millenium Drums book
“This book will serve as a reliable companion on your journey through drumming”: Millenium launches new book for drummers
Hall & Oates
“It was a joke and suddenly it became a genre. I don't even understand it. I never understood it”: Daryl Hall can’t get onboard with the concept of yacht rock - “It's just R&B, with maybe some jazz in there"
Barry Keoghan
“I met him at his house and he played the drums for me”: As he prepares to play him in the Beatles biopics, Barry Keoghan has been studying Ringo Starr’s technique up close
Superbooth 2025
"There's too much new gear!": The 12 best instruments, effects and innovations you need to know about from Superbooth 2025
Tommy Emmanuel
“It’s really weird: 400 students asking questions, and I’m the only person there - and I’m the instructor - who can’t read music”: Acoustic guitar hero Tommy Emmanuel plays The Beatles and Oasis as he discusses the glaring gap in his musical knowledge
Sean Kinney
“While we were all eager to return to the stage, Sean's health is our top priority at this moment”: Alice In Chains pull tour after drummer experiences "non-life-threatening medical emergency"

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...