KINGFIELD, MAINE – Let’s face it: there are hundreds of thousands of drummers in the world and only a few dozen will ever see their name and signature on a drumstick. Large drumsticks corporations can only afford to print custom logo drumsticks for the most popular drummers, leaving the vast majority of drummers out in the mud.   However, Foxy Drummer is trying to change that by offering each and every drummer the opportunity to get their artwork/signature on their own drumsticks – at a price that is less than what they would pay for a typical store bought pair.
For the last few months, Foxy Drummer has been perfecting the art of making custom logo drumsticks for a small circle of drummers.  Now their services are open to any drummer with a dream.   Foxy now has the ability to:

• print multi-color logos
• print logos up to 7” long on the stick
• offer a selection of over 25 different stick sizes
• color the stick in 1 of 8 different colors
• provide you with samples so you can ‘try before you buy’

Play with them, sell them, or throw them at your screaming fans – it’s up to you. Custom logo drumsticks start at only $4.99/pair and band typically resell them at their gigs for $10+/pair.

For photos and more information simply visit www.FoxyDrummer.com

As drummers, it is very important to take care of our cymbals so they last longer, retain their sound and tone, and simply because they’re usually expensive! After years of hearing other instrument playing musicians complain about the cost of their gear I say we as drummers need to stand up and tell them what it means to spend $300.00 on a cymbal that if you take care of, may last 6 months?.. And then tell them that, we are only talking about 1 cymbal. The fact is that by the time you fill out a drum kit you can spend three to four thousand dollars on really good high quality drum cymbals.

Tama DSB52S Standard 5-Piece Drum Bag Set

SKB CS22 Cymbal Safe Roto Case

First you should get a hard shelled cymbal case for traveling or at least one with a sheep-skin inner protector for your cymbal bag. Many of my drummer friends have hard cymbal cases, but I have a sturdy drum bag, which seems to be protective enough. If I was to tour often with a band, then a hard case would certainly be the better option. I mean, after all, If you drop a hard case full of cymbals it’s not a good thing still, but at least they will be better protected from the freight handling people at the airport. One tip is to check the bell area of all your cymbals as soon as you can after traveling to make sure there is no damage.

Second, its is recommended to always make sure you have sheaths for your cymbal stands. This isn’t a necessity, but to be extra careful of your precious cymbals, this would be the way to go. That way when you hit your cymbals they move and vibrate against the soft surface of plastic and not the metal of the stand bolt.

Third, clean your cymbals! Apparently, the better they look, the better they sound. Always pick them up and move them by the edges. Finger prints don’t look good on a crisp gold or silver cymbal and the oil in you skin may lead to corrosion and a dull looking and sounding cymbal. If you have finger prints on your cymbals you can go to any music store that sells cymbals and get some cleaner. It can be fairly expensive ($30AUD), depending where you buy it, but its definitely worth the sight of what a clean and new-looking cymbal can look like. You might have to use some elbow grease to apply it, but trust me, it will be worth it.

If you leave your cymbals on the stands as most of us do while the drum set is set up for rehearsing cover them and your drums with an old bed sheet. This will help keep dust and moisture from getting on them.

When you take care of your cymbals you get longer use out of them and you save money. Its sounds simple I know, but I know sometimes we all get a little slack from time to time, well, at least I do sometimes. I suppose the level of your care factor will depend on how much you’ve spent on the particular cymbal, but nevertheless, if you can take good care of your cymbals now, it’ll surely save you from having an empty wallet all of the time.

I hope you have found this article helpful. Please leave your comments or questions below and I will happily answer them as soon as possible.

Thank you for visiting DrumSetCymbalsBlog.com

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Cheers!

Greg Beazley

I personally like Pearl or DW, Zildjian cymbals, and Vater sticks.

I’ve been playing about 30 years and I’ve come to think there isn’t much difference between any of the quality sets. Hardware and heads are important as is the shell material. Right now I’m playing a Premier jazz set with dark pinstripe heads that I like. Not big and boomy, but good tone and I don’t mute them at all. I feel a little differently about cymbals, and really do like zildjian although I have a 20″ studio crash from Sabian that I like a lot – even though I’ve broken 2 of them playing live.

My very favorite sticks were synthetics (not Ahead) They were made by Mainline, but they haven’t made them for years. I like nylon tips because I’m a little deaf -ALWAYS WEAR EAR PROTECTION- and the nylon helps me hear the tips on the ride cymbals. Happy drumming!

Buying new drum equipment, whether it is a new or used drum set, cymbals, or any drum accessories, can be a
bit challenging, especially if you’re not quite sure what to look for. With so many different brands of drums, cymbals, and hardware on the market and so many opinions, it makes the decision process even more difficult.

Here are 4 things you definitely need to do before buying new or used drum sets and cymbals…

1. Get Knowledge

My advice is to get all the knowledge you can get before you spend a dime on new or used drum equipment. Don’t just take the advice of a commissioned paid music store sales rep. Their opinion can be swayed by the price tag… the higher ticketed item they sell you will bring them a higher paycheck. Now of course this isn’t true with every music store employee, but why take the chance?

Do your due diligence… Get educated first, know exactly what you are looking for when it comes to drums and cymbals before you go shopping. You could literally save hundreds, or even thousands of dollars, by avoiding the wrong purchase.

2. Know Your Budget

One of the first things you need to consider when contemplating purchasing new or used drums or cymbals is… How much are you able to spend?

This seems obvious, but are you really surprised at how many people end up spending more on drums and cymbals
than they expected? This usually happens for two reasons:

One: They didn’t do their homework first and only relied on a sales reps opinion or recommendation… and

Two: They simply got emotional and bought on impulse with no plan. It’s as simple as that!

If you’re limited on funds, here’s an idea…

Since drums are unlike most other instruments, you can buy pieces one at a time and build your drum kit as your budget allows.

You can start with as little as a new or used snare drum for your old drum kit, some new or used cymbals, some new or used hardware, and maybe even some new or used drum accessories.

There’s no need to make a huge investment into a brand new set of drums right off the bat, especially if you’re not ready financially!

3. Get Qualified Opinions

I know, I just said you cannot just rely on the opinions of a commissioned paid store employee. But, what I meant to say is, don’t take their opinion as gold. Just hear what they have to say. Once you “get knowledge,” which is the first step, then you will be able to tell if the store employee knows what they’re talking about or not.

Go to several different music stores or drum shops and get as many opinions as you can from as many different drum sales reps as possible. While you are in the drum shops beat around on the different brands of drum sets that are displayed and listen for which ones are most appealing to your ears.

Since different drum sets and drum manufacturers make their shells out of different types of wood, sounds will vary. Most entry-level drum kits are made of basswood, poplar, or Philippine mahogany, which is cheaper wood that does not produce a high quality sound. Higher-end drums use more expensive wood such as birch or maple, which produce a more rich, more resonant tone, but also require a higher price tag.

4. Test

There is a minor difficulty to overcome about the drum sets on display, and that is, most display drums are not muted, or not muted properly. So, you will have to bring some felt or something with you to the drum shop along with some tape assuming the drum store doesn’t have anything you can use.

Also, ask the drum rep if you can remove the front bass drum head so you can insert a pillow, blanket, or your coat as a muffle if there isn’t something already in there to muffle it.

Why do you think many drum shops don’t have the drum sets already muted? Because they are just assuming you are gonna buy a drum set based on its looks, or its brand name. Unfortunately, this is the way most people spend their money, and needless for me to say, it is the wrong way!

When your shopping for new or used cymbals be sure to bring your own drumsticks with you into the drum shop. You don’t want to use drumsticks handed to you by an employee. Those drumsticks could be much lighter, or heavier than the ones you’re used to drumming with.

When your crashing the crashes, riding the rides, and splashing the splashes, you want to get a good feel for them,
and hear the tone they will produce when you hit them at the same intensity your custom to playing at… and with your own drumsticks.

A quick tip… be sure to write your name on your drumsticks or mark them somehow before you take them into the drum store. Also, inform the drum reps at the store upon entering that you are bringing in your own drumsticks. You don’t want them to think you stole them when you leave, particularly if they look new.

Conclusion

There you have it…

4 things you definitely need to do before buying new or used drums sets and cymbals. By getting educated, knowing your budget, getting qualified opinions, and testing, you are prepared to make the best choices on drum equipment that are right for you!

I hope you found this article useful. Please leave any comments and or questions below and I will respond as soon as possible.

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Cheers!

Greg Beazley