Picking out your first drum set can often be intimidating and confusing. You’ll find many different options with varying levels of quality. If you’re really interested in learning the drums, many of these drum kits are virtually useless.
You need a drum set that is both affordable and durable. Today we’ll be putting the Gammon Adult 5-Piece drum set to test to see if it’s worth your money or if you should save for a kit with a more reputable name.
When I was a kid, my parents bought me a really nice Pearl Export Select Series drum set. I was really fortunate to have an instrument of that level of quality at the age of ten years old. Some of my other friends also played drums and had drum sets, as well.
When I would visit their houses, I played on their drums because… what kid wouldn’t—especially me since I play the drums. The kits my friends had were very similar to the Gammon drum set. And boy, in my opinion, the quality is severely lacking at this price point.
Still, I’m always curious about the manufacturing process of drum sets available on Amazon—where they’re made, the materials used in making, if they’re designed and built ethically, etc. So, even though I don’t have much, here’s what I found.
Digging In
Gammon Percussion appeared to be owned by a company called Musician’s Discount Warehouse—a company with very little online presence. I was only able to find them after visiting Gammon’s website, following that to their support page. Even on their support page, there’s no mention of the brand’s full name, only MDW.
But it gets more interesting. I looked up the Gammon Percussion trademark on the USPTO website and the apparent new owner is a company called Spohn Global Enterprises LLC, which also owns Mix Wholesale, a Florida-based wholesale manufacturer.
And wouldn’t you believe it? I found what I believe to be the exact Gammon drum set listed on Mix’s website—except it’s branded as an Ashthorpe (another brand available on Amazon). Sure, the badges look slightly different, but the lugs, hardware, and layout are identical. So I think these two drum sets are the same, if I had to guess.
The original Gammon 5-piece adult drum set used to look a lot different. Certainly a rebrand took place. And it seems like the Gammon kit is out of stock for now. I wonder if the Ashthorpe kit is replacing it for good. Have to say, though, I love the new branding of the Gammon, so hopefully that won’t happen.
It appears that MDW let their trademark expire and Spohn Global Enterprises LLC registered a new trademark in 2023, so it’s possible this is why we’re seeing a rebranding of Ashthorpe drum kits as Gammon drum sets.
How Does the Gammon Drum Set Sound?
Out of all the drum sets available in this price range, the Gammon drum set was a bit of a struggle to get to sound good. The kit is designed for an adult, however, and older child say 10+ may still get some value out of the drum set. Included are two cymbals, a throne, hardware stands, drum key, a kick pedal, and drumsticks. The finishes include black and silver.
I’d say this drum kit is designed more for practicing than anything—I suppose it would be okay for a student to learn on. The sound and tone of these drums is pretty terrible to my ears, so I can’t recommend it for any serious performance situation.
But if you slap some new drum heads on the kit, you can get it sounding good. The stock heads are Remo’s UT line, which are pretty thin—close to Diplomats to my ears.
Compared to similar drum sets sold on Amazon for around $400, the Gammon drum set is a good competitor compared to other similar valued kits, but really, most of these drum sets are going to sound mediocre at best compared to Pearl, TAMA, or Ludwig’s offerings.
How is the Quality of the Gammon Drum Set?
Due to the price of the Gammon drum set, you can’t expect the world from this kit. I don’t have experience with this drum set long term, but similar quality drums often suffer from loosening glue near the bearing edge and wraps that come undone.
The drum heads will wear out fast, so those will need to be replaced within six months if it’s played often. It all depends on how much you practice and how hard you play. Even if the heads are totally dead, you can still play them until they completely rip. The bass drum head usually goes first for me.
The drum throne is also a very weak point of the kit. One, it’s small and not sturdy at all. Making adjustments on it is pretty annoying as well, since you have to completely unscrew a wingnut and remove a bolt. If you get this kit, I really think you’ll want to upgrade to a different drum throne for comfort—else you’re going to feel it in your back and bottom.
My Verdict
While the Gammon drum set won’t be the best sounding kit in the world, it’s an okay starter set for any student or beginner. The shells are low quality, the hardware is okay, and the cymbals belong in the dumpster. This drum kit will at least last you until you are interested in getting better sounding drums, giving you the chance to see if you really will enjoy playing drums.
1 comment
chris bowser
i bought a gammon set years ago. i literally beat the snot out of these things. they took it.. i consider myself a good drummer. not a pro… i have replaced the cymbals to better ones of course i turned the originals to scrap… other than that i was really happy they took the abuse… i learned to maintain and tune and i am happy to say they are still here. i upgraded the throne. the heads are normal wear items so i wont elaborate on those.. no need to.. just like sticks.. i break them alot.. so what.. for the money i can not complain at all… i upgraded to the next level set but i am for sure keeping this set.. its really a good beginner set for the price. i say go for it.. just do a little upgrades as parts wear out..