Top 7 Best Acoustic Drum Kits Under $2000
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Investing in a higher end acoustic drum set is a decision usually taken by those who feel ready to commit to this instrument long term. Today we are going to check out a few kits that fit the occasion. We will start by going over our picks for the top 7 best acoustic drum kits under $2000 and then move onto what makes these kits so expensive. Needless to say, some of these are easily among the best drum sets on the market right now. As you are about to find out, there is a lot to higher end drums.
Top 7 Best Acoustic Drum Kits Under $2000:
Image | Acoustic Drum Set / Rating | Summary | Check Price |
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+ - | Pearl Masters Maple Complete Total of 4.88/5 | Impressive shell packs that meet the needs of both professionals and enthusiasts. | |
+ - | Gretsch New Renown Total of 4.83/5 | One of the better models from Gretsch which packs quite a punch. | |
+ - | DW Design Series Total of 4.78/5 | A shell pack with a great track record and interesting hardware solutions. | |
+ - | Sawtooth ST-COM-4PC-24-RS-S Command Series Total of 4.78/5 | A complete drum set that comes with everything you could possibly need. | |
+ - | Pearl Crystal Beat Total of 4.70/5 | Acrylic shells deliver quite an interesting sound, but also look pretty awesome | |
+ - | DW Design Series Frequent Flyer Total of 4.65/5 | One of DW's more interesting shell packs for those who value consistency. | |
+ - | ddrum REFLEX RSL Powerhouse Total of 4.58/5 | An awesome set that features an unusual but interesting choice of tonewood. |
Pearl Masters Maple Complete
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Pearl's Masters series maple shells have proven to be something you can rely upon whether you're a professional or an enthusiast. The maple these are made of comes in form of an EvenPly Six laminate, which measures 5.4mm in thickness and offers great acoustic properties. Unlike many other laminates out there, this one is actually all maple. Master series shells include 22"x18" kick drum, a 16"x16" floor tom, 12"x8" mid and 10"x7" hi tom. On top of that, these come with Pearl's Super Hook II hoops, Remo heads and a pretty cool choice of finishes which includes Absinthe sparkle and a few more conservative options. Overall, this is one of the best shell packs available.
Gretsch New Renown
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Gretsch has been making quite a bit of noise with their drum sets lately, no pun intended. Being competitive on the market has pushed them to offer slightly more than their competition. Gretsch New Renown kit is interesting for a few specific reasons. For starters they've used several types of maple, all of which are high quality woods. However those slight differences in maple give this kit a specific flavor. On top of that, you are looking at great finish and build quality overall. Gertsch ships these with their die cast hoops, which makes the pretty consistent overall. This is a 4-piece package that includes a 22" kick drum, 16" floor tom, 12" mid tom and a 10" hi tom.
DW Design Series
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Drum Workshop's Design series is definitely one of the better families of shells available right now. They have proven to be pretty reliable and consistent while the sound itself isn't too bad either. The pack we are looking at here features a couple of DW's solutions which you will see applied in their more expensive models. To be more specific, you get a set of HVLT shells, which sound great right off the bat. These are packed with low mass turret lugs and a generally lighter hardware overall. The idea is to interfere with the natural acoustic of the shell as much as possible. Remo heads seal the deal and ensure that you're getting quality right out of the box.
Sawtooth ST-COM-4PC-24-RS-S Command Series
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Unlike our previous picks, this Sawtooth Command series set is actually a complete set. It is a four piece set but it only comes with a mid tom. Instead of the other mounted tom you are getting a 14"x5.5" snare. This effectively makes it a three piece set. Moving on we find a set of pretty decent hardware. All of the mounts are great, feature good bolts and generally inspire confidence. Where this kit truly excels are the accessories. Not only is packed full with hardware and shells but you are also getting a set of Zildjian S series cymbals. We are talking two crashes, a ride and a hi hat setup. This is a really good option.
Pearl Crystal Beat
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It's no secret that pearl is one of the brands that dominates the market right now. Their solid wood models are truly something else. However, what makes Pearl so great is the fact that they offer alternatives as well. Pearl Crystal beat set of shells pretty much pushes the boundaries in many ways. For starters, you're looking acrylic shells. This alone sets the whole Crystal Beat series apart. Pearl went a step further and matched the shells with a set of acrylic hoops as well. This is a five piece set of shells which includes a kick drum, two floor toms and two mounted toms. Needless to say, the transparent shells are definitely something else when it comes to aesthetics.
DW Design Series Frequent Flyer
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One thing many drummers appreciate about DW is their ability to deliver consistent performance no matter what. DW Design Series Frequent Flyer is a pretty interesting four piece shell pack. These feature some of DW's solutions that you can see applied to their more expensive series of drums. Not only that, but you are getting a pretty solid deal right out of the box. Factory hardware and heads are holding up even after prolonged use. Frequent Flyer is easy to tune, holds that tune for quite a bit and generally doesn't give you trouble. This one comes in pearl white, which gives it a very attractive aesthetic. At the end of the day, it is a decent value pack.
ddrum REFLEX RSL Powerhouse
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Last but not the least we have a very interesting kit coming from ddrum. Always being on the lookout for new solutions, ddrum has started experimenting with different tonewood over the years. Their latest choice and one they've used with this kit is alder. This is a very well known tonewood that has been used in guitars for a long time. Truth be told, it has a slightly different sound to it, which makes the whole thing stand out quite a bit. This being a five piece shell pack, you will need to get hardware additionally. With that said, this configuration at this price is quite a great deal. Especially if you are looking for a good 5-piece drum set.
What To Expect From Acoustic Drum Set Under $2000
Once you step into professional drum sets, you will be introduced to a lot more refined kits. Truth be told, most of the sets you will find in this segment are shell packs. There is a reason for it, a good one as well. The idea is that not many people are starting out with a $2000 kit. Instead, most go for a $1000 drum set and work their way up from there. Since most of those come with hardware, just like most beginner acoustic drum sets as well, it is generally a given that you already have hardware. If you don't, you will need to get it separately in most cases.
The main reason why so many of these shell packs feature no hardware can be traced back to the fact that every drummer has their own style and taste. Not everyone uses two crash cymbals nor does everyone own a ride. Because of that a shell pack comes across as the most efficient option, especially for those who have their setup nailed down to the smallest detail.
Main Benefits of Going With a Professional Drum Set
Investing in a good set of shells is always a good thing. Some of the benefits are pretty obvious while others may require a closer look. One of the main benefits are going to be advanced materials and more robust shell design. The material the shell is made of has a lot of impact on the way the entire drum is going to sound. This combined with advanced hardware really makes it obvious why some of these drum sets tend to be rather expensive. Even with simple shell packs you are investing in top notch build quality, quality control and machining. All of these factors come into play when you are trying to nail down that perfect sound. Lets talk about materials and shell design individually.
Materials
Materials have always been an important aspect of drum design and their overall performance. Different materials have different properties, which doesn't necessarily make one choice better than the other. As you have had a chance to see from our list alone, professional drum sets come in wood but also acrylic. All in all, you will run into a pretty wide range of materials in this segment of the market. This is especially good for those who want complete control over their sound.
Hardware and Features
We have already mentioned that most of the sets in this particular range come with no hardware. However, the drums themselves do feature the standard hardware. In other words you are still getting a tension rod, tuning lugs and so forth. Quality of these components is crucial. The fact that some of these drums feature really robust hardware is also one of the reasons their price tags aren't all that forgiving.
Another thing that needs to be factored in are the heads. Those who have only worked with more affordable kits know that factory heads are not always that great. That ceases to be the case once you move up in price a bit. The stuff you get in the $2000 price range is pretty good right out of the factory. Not only will they get the job done but you won't need to swap them for a good while. After all, most of these shells come with some pretty serious heads.
Shell Design
Last but not the least we should briefly mention the shell design in this price range. One of the great things of expanding your budget is the abundance of options you're getting exposed to as a result. In terms of shell design, you are looking at various hardware solutions and shell finishes depending on the brand you go with. We are generally talking about independent tuning lugs, tension bars and more. These details can make a huge difference depending on what you are doing what your taste is.
Conclusion
Moving into the professional segment of the drum market is always exciting. Even more so if you know exactly what kind of sound and setup you are after. The models we have shown you today are by far some of the best you can get at the moment. There are plenty of models out there which deserve to be on this list, but couldn't make it purely for the sake of brevity. All you need to do is figure out what you want from your perfect drum set and get yourself a pack that works toward meeting those specific needs.
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