I've been drumming for about a year and a half now and my bands is starting to really kick off. My drum kit at the moment was bought second hand and is in really rough condition. I mean there's green studd on the cymbals, theres rust all over it, i cant take the toms off the bass. Anyway, i want a new drum kit that can take a heavy beating for a long time. What's a good quality drum kit that will be sure to last?

geffa_the_heffa@hotmail.com - email and msn

I would go with a mapex. Great sound, great quality, long lasting durability, and it has locking mechanisms on most hardware to keep your set as you always have it.

My dad got a Mapex set about 9-10 years ago and it takes a rather good beating at least twice a week. It still has the same heads and none of the hardware has been replaced or has needed fixing. The only thing I've had to do is dust and shine it occasionally. For cymbals I would go with Sabian or Paiste. Those are both great brands but Paiste tends to be a bit on the expensive side. The one paiste cymbal that I have is the only cymbal that's lasted as long as the drumset itself, too.

My second suggestion is pearl. I've never owned a pearl set before, but I've heard great things about it and it makes alot more add ons than Mapex/Tama.

Pearl is probably your best bet. I have had a Pearl Export series kit for over 6 years, and it gets pounded every day of the year. People jump off of it, ect, and its been holding up strong, my first and last kit, very customizalbe and strong.

For cymbals I go sabian. While no cymbals last forever if you pound the crap out of them, Sabians are usually cheaper than other compareable cymbals, and tend to sound better. I play AAXplosion and AA Metal-X crashes, and B8 hats, which have held up surprisingly well for the 6+ years I've been playing.

Pearl and Sabian, unbeatable in price and quality/reliablility.