Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Guitar Amps
  • Plugin Week 25
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Artist news
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Software & Apps
  • Drums
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • Plugin Week A-Z
  • You Oughta Know
  • Fake AI band
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Wrecking Crew
Recommended reading
DrumCraft Urban Beats
Drum Kits “A good-looking kit which won’t break the bank”: DrumCraft Urban Beats review
Yamaha Stage Custom drum set in a studio with spotlights behind
Drum Kits Best drum sets 2025: Top drum kits for beginner to pro drummers
Alesis Strata Prime electronic drum set in a blue room
Electronic Drums Best Alesis electronic drum sets 2025: My pick of Alesis electronic drums for beginners to pros
A collection of single and double Tama Iron Cobra pedals on a silver corrugated metal sheet
Drum Pedals Best bass drum pedals 2025: single and double bass pedals for every budget
Alesis Strata Club
Drum Gear 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
Man jams with a guitar player and bass player on an electronic drum kit
Drum Gear These huge drum deals at Sweetwater are about to disappear – here’s your last chance to bag up to 60% off electronic drums, cymbals, sticks and more
Alesis Strata Club
Electronic Drums “There is no question that there’s enough quality audio here to cater for every musical taste and presents a massive amount of editing options”: Alesis Strata Club review
  1. Tutorials
  2. Drum Lessons & Tutorials

How to build the ultimate drum setup… on a budget

Tuition
By Rhythm magazine, Tom Porter last updated 26 February 2020

The best cheap kit your money can buy

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

The budget kit

The budget kit

Every month, Rhythm Magazine take the finest drum gear on the planet and thrash it to within an inch of its life. Every week, we post the results in the form of a killer buyers’ guide. Here, we’re left with the best of the best: a guide to building the best drum setup your money can buy. First up: the excellently cheap Mapex VX Series…

MusicRadar’s verdict:

“The VX has eight-ply 7.2 mm basswood shells with a lacquered maple veneer and breezy choice of translucent satin or coloured 'plasma' finishes. The small toms have ITS isolation mounting brackets, completing the up-market look. There's also a wide range of sizes to choose from – or to expand your kit with later on.” (Via: Buyers’ guide: budget drum kits)

“There's real potential lurking in those shells, which means this isn't a kit that you will outgrow in a few months, and the hardware pack will certainly see you into a gigging career. So all in all, another welcome offering from the Big M. Just be sure to check out the flashier finishes if tree-lover brown isn't your thing.” (Via: Mapex VX Series Kit full review)

  • Find your next kit with our guide to the best drum sets
Page 1 of 9
Page 1 of 9
The beginners' budget kit

The beginners' budget kit

MusicRadar’s verdict:

“Astonishingly generous package, the only kit with 14" hats, 16" and 18" cymbals, plus two double-braced cymbal stands and full professional lug count. In addition to that, there's a complete set of carrying bags and drum/cymbal mute pads. Finally, you have cool finishes in black, chrome, red and even Bumblebee Yellow, all with black metal fittings.” (Via: Buyers' guide: how to buy beginner drum kits)

“Kits such as the Adder are all about perspective. Any half-serious drummer would find it underwhelming in terms of build quality and tone, but, as mentioned in the review, when judged on its own merits it acquits itself well. It's certainly a better budget kit than what was doing the rounds even five years ago; the full complement of stands, cymbals, bags and silencers is very welcome, and it comes in at a remarkable price.” (Via: Cannon Adder Kit full review)

Why you love it:

“This is a great kit for new drummers starting out, especially if your parents aren't too keen on the noise of the full fledged drums, and the price is absolutely Great!!!” (Thanks, jacko552)

Page 2 of 9
Page 2 of 9
The budget wood snare

The budget wood snare

MusicRadar’s verdict:

“Oak is Yamaha's trump card at the moment. The company seems to be able to make oak drums cheaper than its other lines and many of Yamaha's endorsers are big admirers. Oak has a warm, deep and centred tone, as well as a beautiful wide grain in this matte finish.” (Via: Buyers’ guide: budget wood snare drums)

“The 14"x7" snare also brings out the best features of oak, delivering a fantastic crack that mixes toppy bite with woody warmth. Its depth adds authority and clarity, which remain undimmed through a variety of tunings.” (Via: Yamaha Oak Custom Kit full review)

Page 3 of 9
Page 3 of 9
The budget metal snare

The budget metal snare

MusicRadar’s verdict:

“What's in a name? The Black Panther label has done wonders for Mapex, the evocative title proving so successful that it's now attached to a wide range of drums, from cherry wood to phosphor bronze. This steel snare in black chrome is one of the least expensive, but performs as well as any.” (Via: Buyers’ guide: budget metal snare)

Page 4 of 9
Page 4 of 9
The cymbals

The cymbals

MusicRadar’s verdict:

The rise of Stagg as a favoured budget cymbal brand has been an interesting development in the last couple of years. Proving that value is as important as profile at this end of the sector, the Stagg Double Hammered offering is a must-see if your budget is limited.” (Via: Buyers’ guide: budget cymbals)

Page 5 of 9
Page 5 of 9
The electronic kit

The electronic kit

MusicRadar’s verdict:

“Roland's pre-eminence in the electronic kit market starts with the TD-3K. Great sounds, decent playing surfaces and some useful in-built coaching features make it a very sound choice for those looking to put in the practice hours at home. The quality module also makes for a fine studio sound source, too.” (Via: Buyers’ guide: budget electronic drum kits)

Page 6 of 9
Page 6 of 9
The hardware

The hardware

MusicRadar’s verdict:

“Scorching value stands from the Chinese manufacturer seemingly bent on world domination. The four different levels of stand vary from merely functional through to heavy duty, with all of the stands in the 1000 Series sporting menacing-looking spikes on each foot. Double-braced tripods feature throughout all four ranges.” (Via: Buyers’ guide: budget drum hardware)

Page 7 of 9
Page 7 of 9
The sticks

The sticks

MusicRadar’s verdict:

This budget range from stick giants Vic Firth includes not only regular finish but also exotic black and red sets for half the price of the popular Vic Firth sticks. They might have minor cosmetic blemishes but, as cut-price versions of their big brother, they are made in the US and will serve you well.” (Via: Buyers’ guide: budget drum sticks)

Page 8 of 9
Page 8 of 9
The heads

The heads

Unfortunately, the heads are one piece of drum gear you can’t scrimp on. ‘The heads maketh the drum…’, etc. Fortunately, unless they’re made of gold, heads aren’t going to break the bank. Try Evans’ G-Plus…

MusicRadar’s verdict:

“G-Plus are a clear cut above most heads on the market, let alone 2008's offerings. Warm, rich and durable, these skins cut through live situations like a knife while providing an almost pre-EQ'd quality for the studio. They're a revelation, seriously…” (Via: The best drum gear of 2008)

“The Evans G-Plus drum single-ply tom heads are a revelation in design that live up to every claim the manufacturer makes about tone, sustain and durability. These aren't just mere heads, they're instruments in their own right. Whatever you're currently using, do yourself a favour and give these outstanding heads a try.” (Via: Evans G-Plus coated drum heads full review)

Page 9 of 9
Page 9 of 9
Tom Porter

Tom Porter worked on MusicRadar from its mid-2007 launch date to 2011, covering a range of music and music making topics, across features, gear news, reviews, interviews and more. A regular NAMM-goer back in the day, Tom now resides permanently in Los Angeles, where he's doing rather well at the Internet Movie Database (IMDB).

Read more
DrumCraft Urban Beats
“A good-looking kit which won’t break the bank”: DrumCraft Urban Beats review
Yamaha Stage Custom drum set in a studio with spotlights behind
Best drum sets 2025: Top drum kits for beginner to pro drummers
Alesis Strata Prime electronic drum set in a blue room
Best Alesis electronic drum sets 2025: My pick of Alesis electronic drums for beginners to pros
A collection of single and double Tama Iron Cobra pedals on a silver corrugated metal sheet
Best bass drum pedals 2025: single and double bass pedals for every budget
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
Man jams with a guitar player and bass player on an electronic drum kit
These huge drum deals at Sweetwater are about to disappear – here’s your last chance to bag up to 60% off electronic drums, cymbals, sticks and more
Latest in Drum Lessons & Tutorials
Chad Smith
Chad Smith just destroyed the Wu-Tang Clan in his latest drum tuition video
Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater
“I’m sorry I ruined your song!”: Mike Portnoy hears Taylor Swift's Shake It Off for the first time and plays along... with surprising results
Nile Rodgers
The music theory behind laying down the perfect groove explained
Overhead shot of electronic drum set plugged into a laptop running a VST
“At certain points in music history it became fashionable to place accents on certain beats”: How to score a drum part
Man in white t-shirt playing a Roland electronic drum set
10 common electronic drum set issues and how to troubleshoot them
Drum kit in recording studio
How to recreate classic recorded drum sounds from The Beatles, Metallica, Nirvana and more
Latest in Tuition
Odin 2
Fantastic (free) plugins and how to use them: The Wave Warden Odin 2
ableton
8 things you can do with Ableton Live's updated Auto Filter device
Native Instruments Raum
How to use reverb to build impressive-sounding filters, reverses, risers and pads
mixing desk
“Learning how to mix is almost as important as hitting on your original musical idea”: New to the mixing process? Start here
Best VST synths
Don't know where to start with virtual instruments? We're here to help
Guitarists
How to record virtual and live instruments more smoothly by taking stock of your sample buffer

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...