9 Best Drum Sets: Top Professional Kits
Whether you’re a new drummer or an experienced one, finding the best drum set right for you can be a difficult task. With so many manufacturers and models available, how can you choose?
In today’s article, I’m aiming to tackle this subject, offering my insight and an in-depth review of each kit listed. I’ll look at what they offer, along with my opinions of the brands.
I should note, the kits listed are the best professional drum sets, For those newer to drumming, you may want to check out my roundups of cheap drum kits and beginner drum sets instead.
Everything we recommend
DW Collector’s Series Dream KIT
Yamaha Live Custom Hybrid Oak RUNNER UP
TAMA Starclassic BUDGET PICK
All of the kits featured in this article are exclusively shell packs.
Since this is a best list, the choices are a bit more pricey. At the end of the day, most drums sound like drums. In this price range, I have no brand loyalty and can say, no matter which drum maker you pick from, you’ll get a beautiful-sounding set of drums you’ll be happy with for many years.
Let’s now dive into reviews and comparisons of the best drum kits available.
DW Collectors Series
DW Collector's Series Exotic 5 Piece Shell Pack
Sweetwater Sound
Collector's Exotic 5pc Shell Pack, Ultraviolet Ebony
So yes, I’ve started the list off with a rather expensive drum kit. While I will get to more affordable options later in the article, the Collector’s Series from DW makes an excellent case for being the best drum set money can buy.
- Beautiful tone, touch, and appearance
- Great balance with rich, robust maple/mahogany shells optimized by SSC
- High thread counts allow for finer tuning on True-Pitch tuning rods.
- Graduated hoops provide the correct weight and attack for each tom size
The Exotic line of drums is part of Drum Workshop’s Custom Shop finishes. Being that custom is in the name, you’ll have to wait a little longer to get your kit. It should be no surprise, a kit at this level does not include cymbals or hardware.
DW’s Custom Shop Collector’s drums feature SSC shells. Depending on the size, DW selects the best type of shell construction for optimal harmonious sound across the kit. This shell-crafting technique allows the drum to vibrate more freely, giving the drum a lower overall pitch.
Depending which shell pack you pick determines the hardware. Black nickel hoops are a favorite of mine on lighter-colored drum sets.
At the time of writing this, Sweetwater has quite a few finishes available for order. I assume since they work with DW, you can get any finish available on DW’s website.
A few of the available finishes include:
- Gloss Black
- Natural to Burnt Toast Fade over African Chenchen
- Candy Blue Azure Burst over Mapa Burl (one of my favorites)
- Deep Rich Red Burst over Exotic Mapa Burl
- Black Galaxy
- Cherry Mahogany
- Purpleheart Gloss Natural
- Pale Blue Oyster
Click here to see all available Collector’s Series shell packs.
Some drummers scoff at Drum Workshop drum sets, saying they’re overrated and overpriced. Others defend them to the bitter end. Whether you can justify the price is your call. I think Drum Workshop Collector’s kits are authentic works of art. A 2014 interview recently piqued my interest with DW’s John Good — it’s worth a read.
Whether you believe his process or not (and I do), John Good works meticulously to create excellent drum shells.
TAMA Starclassic
Tama Starclassic Performer MBS52RZSSKA - Sky Blue Aurora
Sweetwater Sound
Starclass Perf 5-pc 22"K Shell Pk, Sky Blue Aurora
The five-piece shell pack from Tama is a combination shell of birch and walnut wood. Tama also offers the Starclassic in maple, but it’s not nearly as popular.
The finish options Tama offers are endless with the Starclassic drum kit, and most are in stock at Sweetwater.
Some finishes include:
- Neon Orange Oyster
- Lacquer Phantasm Oyster
- Lacquer Molten Brown Burst
- Jade Silk
- Lacquer Satin Sapphire Fade
- Lacquer Ocean Blue Ripple
- Lacquer Transparent Mocha Fade
- Molten Electric Blue Burst
- Natural Pacific Walnut Burst
Click here to see all available finishes at Sweetwater.
The Starclassic shells have a more-pronounced attack with far better projection than other drums. These drums are perfect for intermediate to professional drummers with a knack for Tama.
Craviotto 5-Piece Maple
Craviotto 5-piece Maple Shell Pack with Snare - Maple Inlay
Sweetwater Sound
Maple 5-pc Shell Pk, Maple Inlay, BB Edges
The Craviotto 5-piece maple shell pack is a new kit with an old soul. Handcrafted and finished by Johnny’s elite team of US artisans, the one-piece maple shells are stronger and more resonant than plywood and steam bent for unmatched sensitivity and response.
Additionally, baseball bat rounded bearing edges deliver a warm, dry tone, while the toms and kick are warm and full with a snare drum that rings like a bell.
2.3mm triple-flanged hoops deliver a classically open attack, while the Trick GS007 three-way throw-off provides three options for snare tensions. Stock Remo heads included for performance-ready playability. The shell sizes (depth x diameter) are 9″ x 13″ high tom; 16″ x 16″ and 16″ x 18″ floor toms; 14″ x 24″ kick drum; 7″ x 14″ snare.
Craviotto makes one heck of a beautiful drum kit. At this price point, the shells will sound incredible, no matter what. It’s about the drummer’s wants and desires for how a kit looks in this range.
Some notable drummers who play Craviotto include:
- Ronnie Vannucci (The Killers)
- Jason McGerr (Death Cab For Cutie)
- Chad Cromwell (Neil Young)
Pearl Crystal Beat
Pearl Crystal Beat CRB524P/C 4-piece Shell Pack - Ultra Clear
Sweetwater Sound
Crystal Beat 4-pc 22K Shell Pk, Ultra Clear
Acrylic drums seem to be all the rage these days. Pearl’s Crystal Beat shells are acrylic but feature a frosted finish that is transparent, yet opaque.
Pearl originally introduced the Crystal Beat in 1973, but it’s not to say this is a reissue. Pearl modernized the drum kit, adapting to the demands of today’s drummers.
The kit projects well and features toms that are fat and punchy.
I’m not the biggest fan of transparent shells, so being frosted adds a nice touch usually not seen on standard acrylic drums.
Pearl also isn’t my favorite drum manufacturer, but I do respect the drums they make — they’re quality instruments. My biggest gripe is the hardware.
A&F Drum Company Copper 4-Piece
A&F Drum Company Copper 4-piece Shell Pack - Brass Hoops
Sweetwater Sound
Copper 4-pc Shell Pk, Brass Hoops
The A&F Drum Company Copper 4-piece shell pack is a one-of-a-kind drum set that features raw copper shells with single-flanged brass hoops and handcrafted heirloom copper shells.
It has hand-cut 45° bearing edges, an insanely unique look, and patented patina hardware. This lightweight four-piece shell pack includes an 8″ x 12″ tom, 14″ x 14″ and 14″ x 16″ floor toms, and a 14″ x 22″ bass drum, all made from thin, handcrafted copper shells and single-flanged brass hoops.
Remo stock heads sit atop the hand-cut 45s for superior sound quality, unplugged or miked up. A&F kits are handcrafted in Austin, Texas.
The A&F Copper kit is the most unique drum set I’ve ever seen. It looks both modern and vintage. But almost older than vintage. The Copper kit reminds me of something from the early twentieth century. Rad.
DW Design Series
Dw Design Series 4-Piece Shell Pack Black Satin
Guitar Center
This DW Design Series 4-Piece Kit in Slate Blue with chrome hardware contains one 22 x 18 bass drum, 10 x 8 in. toms, 12 x 9 in. toms and a 16 x 14 floor tom. The all-maple DW Design Series Drums deliver a full, resonate tonality that's well suited for a wide variety of musical applications. With...
To my knowledge, DW originally released the Design series back in 2013. The line targets intermediate to professional drummers, being much more affordable than the Performance or Collector’s Series drums.
Just like others on the list, the Design is a shell pack — no cymbals or hardware come with the kit.
Drum Workshop quality is all-around superb, as you’d expect. The company manufactures the Design shells in Taiwan (to keep cost done, I am assuming), but the quality doesn’t suffer.
The Design Series drum sets come in a variety of finishes:
- Cherry Stain
- Gloss White
- Black Satin
- Tobacco Burst
- Clear Acrylic
If you haven’t yet, be sure to read my full review of the DW Design Series.
Yamaha Live Custom Hybrid Oak
Yamaha Live Custom Hybrid Oak 4-piece Shell Pack - Natural
Sweetwater Sound
Live Cust Hyb Oak 4-pc 22"K Shell Pk, Uzu Natural
If there’s one thing about Yamaha, I love it’s their hardware. It’s robust and is one of the reasons while I use their hardware exclusively. You’ll find the same care and attention to detail on their drum shells.
The Yamaha Live Custom Hybrid is a five-piece shell pack that comes in a variety of finishes.
- Earth Sunburst
- Charcoal
- Ice Sunburst
- Natural
- Magma Sunburst
- Charcoal Sunburst
Each Live Custom Hybrid shell is handcrafted, featuring an inner phenolic resin ply. The plies give a purer fundamental pitch, enhancing dynamics for more punch and projection.
The outer plies feature a Japanese uzukuri-inspired finish technique — a brush scrubs the wood giving it a luxurious texture.
Ludwig Vistalite John Bonham
Ludwig Vistalite Zep Set 5-Piece Shell Pack With Lm402 Snare Drum Amber
Guitar Center
The Ludwig Vistalite Zep Set pays homage to the iconic Ludwig acrylic drums of the 1970s. With stunning, seamless 6mm acrylic shells, this 5-piece shell pack conjures the instantly recognizable Ludwig tone that defined a generation of drummers. The set captures the essence of John Bonham's...
Who doesn’t love a little Led Zeppelin? The Ludwig Vistalite Bonzo kit is a remarkable re-creation of the drum set John Bonham played on stage with his band. The Vistalite shells are acrylic in an amber finish — it’s the same kit you’ll see on stage in the live film The Song Remains the Same. The shell pack does include a Ludwig Supraphonic snare, as well.
- High-quality, durable Vistalite acrylic
- Snare stand included for mounting the rack tom
- Emulate Bonzo to your heart’s content
The amber acrylic used in the construction of the Zep Set shell pack is a nod to Bonham’s drum set in the Led Zeppelin film The Song Remains the Same. The eye-catching appearance of Ludwig’s Vistalite acrylic makes it one of the most desired drum kits around. The powerful, forward-sounding tones of these drums make them ideal for heavy rock and metal. The acrylic is incredibly sturdy—it will stand the test of time, if taken care of. The Ludwig Supraphonic snare is included, as well.
Other big-name drummers who played Lugwig include Ringo Starr, Roger Taylor, Dave Lombardo, and more.
Gretsch Drums Broadkaster
Gretsch Drums Broadkaster BK-R424 4-piece Drum Set with Snare Drum - Satin Classic Maple
Sweetwater Sound
Broadkaster 4-pc 22"K Shell Pk, SCM
In conversations with drummers over the years, one company always seems to come up — Gretsch Drums.
Gretsch, while most notable for guitars, also manufactures drums, and has since the early days of his first music store in Brooklyn, New York (1883). German immigrant Friedrich Gretsch first made and sold drums, banjos, and tambourines.
Gretsch was a pioneer in drum making, credited with making the first drums produced with multi-ply shells. The Broadkaster series drums feature the classic look and sound of Gretsch — they’re open, warm, and wide-sounding. The shells feature 30-degree bearing edges, which optimize the transfer of vibration.
Wrapping Up
With my picks out of the way, what drum sets/shells do you think are the best? There are still a lot of companies and custom makers out there like SJC, A&F, C&C, Risen, and more. Do your research before investing in a new drum kit.
I hope this guide has helped you narrow your selection. Be sure to leave a comment down below, and don’t be afraid to ask questions if you have any! Thanks for reading.
I appreciate the time it can take to research the drums you researched in your article. But time and time again Odery Drums seem to come up in the argument for great drums and hardware. Why does Odery seem to be left out of the conversation when kits are reviewed?
Thanks
Bill
I get whole push back against pearl. I compare pearl to another company from another hobby of mine. In mountain biking specialized is the biggest and best most innovative company and there’s of course they get push back against them too. Pearl is superior to most the companies and the comment about the hardware, should be stated just the opposite. pearls hardware is far superior as well. nothing against the other brands and models but I doubt very seriously there is a better sounding kit than the masters music city custom. The other masters are incredible as well, the new masters wood combos So my suggestion is to not to exclude a brand just because it’s the biggest. Other drum companies use pearls hardware exclusively especially the racks. thanks for the review and keep on jammin out
Totally your own preference! I love Pearl’s shells. They make great drums. Over the years, I’ve just preferred Yamaha and DW’s hardware over Pearl’s.
Hi my name is Declan O Shaughnessy here is my story my dear father may he rest in peace played with the Tulla ceili band for 15 years and highlight were in Carnage hall in New York and London and all over Ireland my father played violin I am his only son and always was into music at a young age even without drum lessons I could play the hi hat to the snare drum and switch to ride cymbal with top cymbals with either single or double bass drums to pedal just by listening and hold the beat to my music which is rock metal or pop it is like my dear father gave me a great gift to use any ideas out there my dear friends when I go out and buy a drumkit cheers Declan O Shaughnessy 👍👍👍 best wishes and best of health to all 🤟🤟
Fantastic drum set review Nick. With a little bit of a controversial first pick, It is certainly true that ‘DW’ products lean on the expensive side. However, The consistency of DW, surely correlates with its popularity. Nick, your guide was a pleasure to read though, I was wondering, what type of shell finishes do you get a bang out of?
How come you never bring up Pearl Masters Custom line of drums. If they were included in the reviews I have no doubt that they would be listed as the top rated drum set. This is truly the best drum set Pearl has to offer…quality, sound, craftsmanship. There is no current drum manufacturer that comes close to this line from Pearl. Let’s quit with the affordability complex. When it comes to the best drums to offer musicians don’t care about price.
I have DW santos rosewood collectors with blacknickle hoops beautiful drums they are heavy to hold excellent quality but recently bought the TAMA STAR anniversary kit it’s a walnut kit walked int the shop and heard the salesman playing it and I bought it best kick drum ever half the price of DW and twice the sound I think all the top brands are awesome pearl Ludwig sonor Dw tama Yamaha and so on you got to buy good skins and no how to tune your drums that more important cheers
I’ve always loved Gretsch drums and regularly play a vintage Broadkaster kit from mid 60’s. (Round Badge)
Eventually I’ll buy a current Broadkaster kit. I’m glad this kit made your list.
I recently bought Ludwig Classic Maple, black oyster ala, Ringo. I had a kit like this when I was 12 that was used from Manny’s in NYC. I’d be interested in your review of the current Ludwig Classic Maple Fab kit or a comparison with the Broadkaster kit.
I appreciate what you do! Happy New Year!
I have a set of Pearl Masters custom with black diecast hoops for sale. Never left my recording studio, I believe there late 1990s. I bought them new.
I have a Ludwig Classic Maple kit, and to me they are the very best kit made. In my opinion, they also have the best sound, and really well made. You all know Jon Bonham was the best drummer ever, and he used nothing but Ludwig kits with an amazing sound like no other. And that say’s a lot.For me It’s Ludwig all day everyday for me.
Im a drummer myself and i like the drumset yall advertise hope i can keep up with yall editions.😍
Truth is any drum set will sound amazing with a good mixer and very good sound tech.
Sonor is not on the list, this can’t be a serious analysis.
I have a couple of Yamaha sets a 1983 tour series, and a 2005 hip gig. A Ludwig 1977 pro beat a pearl export and finally a platinum Pdp. They all have their own unique sound. The thing is convince. Consider weight, set up and break down. I suppose with that in mind the hip gig takes.