What are the top four drum brands to avoid? What are the reasons why you should avoid them? What are the factors that were considered for these brands to be included in the list? As there are already a huge number of drum brands that have scattered in the market, there is a really huge chance that their products are not up to the standards.
So, are there really drum brands that you should avoid and not waste time researching them? Yes. These are those drum brands that have garnered a reputation for being bad drum brands, as the quality of their products is not up to the standards that you can get from a more established drum company.
The brand’s reputation is really important to learn from, as it can be a great basis for assessing their products, although it is still not an assurance that a good reputation can immediately satisfy you for their product’s quality.
But in this list, the four drum brands that will be cited are really those you should avoid if you can and if you still have other options that you can buy, as these brands are known for producing lousy drum kits. Expect that all of these drum brands are those who make entry-level drum kits, as they are usually known to have the lowest quality when it comes to a drum kit.
Factors To Be Considered In Choosing The Worst Drum Brands
Substandard Shell Construction
When it comes to the making of the drum shells, drum companies should really implement strict quality control, but sadly there are still some drum brands that have their drum shells of very poor quality. You can see some warped and unsanded parts on their drum kits, and usually, their bearing edges are poorly cut, which is the reason why they sound awful.
Entry-level drum kits often have cheaper and softer wood for their shells, and you can notice that the manufacturers do not include the name of the wood that is used in the specification table. Usually, the drum shells of the kits are made of either Poplar or Basswood, as these two kinds of wood are typically used because they are cheaper compared to other types of tone wood.
Terrible Hardware And Awful-Sounding Cymbals
Low-quality hardware can greatly affect the lifespan of a drum kit, so even if your drum kit is only an entry-level, there are still some companies that use durable materials for their hardware. Unfortunately, there are many entry-level drum kits that use low-quality materials for their hardware and can easily get rusty, which leads to them disintegrating by themselves.
Although most of the hardware can corrode over time, many entry-level drum kits have their hardware very susceptible to corroding in a very short time. One issue also is that some drum kits have plastics on their hardware, which is why they do not last long. The materials used in the hardware is really a huge factor in considering purchasing a drum kit.
Another thing you should also look into is the sound of the free cymbal set that comes with purchasing an entry-level drum kit. Usually, these cymbals do not really sound good for performing, but I have tried some freebie cymbals that sound decent for playing. So, if some companies can improve the quality of their free cymbals, then why cannot all of these companies improve their cymbals.
Bad Customer Service And Lack Of Available Replacement Parts
As most of the entry-level drum kits are made in China, Taiwan, or Korea, it is really expected that the customer service is really not that good or even non-existent, especially since most of these companies are not like those established drum companies like Pearl, DW, Gretsch, Sonor, and Tama. This is one of the issues of purchasing from those drum brands that are not popular with the public.
Next is that you should easily replace a drum part when it is damaged. It is expected that the parts of a drum kit do not last really long, so it is important that you can get a replacement part for it. Sadly, many drum companies do not make replacement parts for their drum kits, so it is really hard to repair or replace them when the hardware is damaged.
Top 4 Drum Brands That You Should Avoid
Jinbao Drums
When it comes to Jinbao drum kits, the first question that really comes to mind is, can you trust a drum kit that is made by this company? When it comes to entry-level drum kits, Jinbao is really one of the worst brands you can look into, as you cannot trust their products to last long.
Durability is really a huge question for every Jinbao drum kit available in the market. Of course, they are more affordable compared to other brands, but you have to remember that there are also some sacrifices on their quality, which is why they can be sold at a lower price. It would be better to find another drum brand if you can have the option to do it.
Global Drums
Global Drums has one of the cheapest drum kits that I have ever played with, and it does not really feel good. Anyway, no wonder they do not sound good for the price you are paying for a Global drum kit. I cannot also trust the drum kit to last for a long time without experiencing any damage on it, as the materials used in making these drum kits are really not that durable.
One thing that I can take as a positive for them is that these kits are really cheap, but you get what you pay for, so do not expect great things if you are planning to purchase one.
Mendini By Cecilio
Mendini by Cecilio is one of the drum brands whose manufacturing companies do not really focus on producing drum kits only, as Cecilio is more known for producing woodwind, brass, and stringed musical instruments. When a situation like this happens, you can assume that the drum kits that the company manufactures are not up to standards, as it is not the company’s main product.
They do not sound good, as the drumheads in these kits are not that good either. The hardware in these drum kits is also not that durable, which is expected, as they are sold at a low price. The cymbals in these kits do not sound great, too, as the materials in making them are really substandard.
Startone Drums
The Startone Drums is one of those brands that you get what you pay for. Yes, these drum kits are cheap, but as you get what you pay for, you also get an unimpressive drum set. One of its issues is that the maximum snare and floor tom heights are too short for a tall person. Another problem with these kits is that the drum throne is not stable and can easily collapse.
So, are these all the drum brands to avoid? No, there are still many more drum brands that you should avoid, but the four brands that were mentioned are a great start for you to avoid so that you won’t waste time researching a product.
