On the whole, beginner-friendly kits should set you back anywhere up to about $/£750. You might be thinking that it seems like a lot of money, and to be honest it is - but there are so many different parts needed to get playing. It’s not like an acoustic guitar or beginner keyboard where you don’t need any extras to start off.
You need a set of drums, cymbal stands, a bass drum pedal, cymbals, a drum throne and sticks at the very least, and that can add up. In terms of materials and tones, budget kits will feature cheaper, unfussy shell material such as poplar. Although it may be cheap, it can sound genuinely killer - so there’s no shame in rocking some poplar tubs.
If you’re an intermediate-level player, then chances are you might have found a snare and cymbals that musically speak to you. If that’s the case, then you can expect to spend up to around $/£1,500 to get a worthy upgrade from your starter kit.
For these prices, you’ll have a larger choice of tonewoods - options like bubinga, walnut and mahogany will start making an appearance, as well as potentially some more exotic choices. You’ll still have your ‘standard’ birch and maple kits at this price point, so no worries if you’re not a wild one. Those woods get used an awful lot - and it’s because they sound killer.
For the experts (or the financially well-endowed) you’ll be looking at kits north of $/£1,500. The possibilities are virtually endless here. This price bracket encompasses some properly sophisticated, exceptional drum making, using some of the finest materials, and flawless finishing in the paint booth.
For those people where money is really no object, you can really go all out. Companies like Drum Workshop, British Drum Company and Yamaha will particularly satisfy your needs for some truly staggering drums, both tonally and visually. For this money, you can also start creeping into the world of custom-made drums.