10 Best Acoustic Drum Sets for Beginners (October 2026) Complete Guide

The best acoustic drum sets for beginners are the ones that arrive complete — drums, hardware, cymbals, throne and sticks in one box — so you can start playing on day one instead of chasing parts across three stores. Our pick for most beginners is the Gammon Percussion Full Size 5-Piece Complete Adult Drum Set, which pairs real poplar hardwood shells with a genuinely complete package and holds tuning well enough to grow into.

That matters more than anything else in this category. A first kit has one job: survive a year of regular practice without warping, rattling or making you want to quit. Everything below — shell thickness, bass drum diameter, whether the snare is worth keeping — is filtered through that lens. We read the specifications, checked the buyer feedback and weighed the parts lists against each other, then we flagged what you will want to replace first.

A few honest limits up front. Nearly every kit in this group comes with cymbals and heads that underperform the drums themselves, and that is normal rather than a defect. If you are working in a flat with thin walls, the practical pick is at number 8 because it is the only one with built-in practice mute pads. If you already have hardware and cymbals from another set, the Yamaha at number 7 is the one to look at.

Top 3 Picks for the Best Acoustic Drum Sets for Beginners 2026

Best Acoustic Drum Sets for Beginners in 2026 at a Glance

1. Gammon Percussion Full Size 5-Piece — Best Overall Acoustic Drum Set for Beginners

The reason this kit sits at the top is simple: it is the rare entry-level pack where nothing important is missing and nothing included is actively bad. The 22 x 16 inch bass drum, 14 x 5-1/2 inch snare, 12 x 10 and 13 x 10 mounted toms and 16 x 16 floor tom are a standard, sensible adult configuration that will not need replacing in year two.

Shells are genuine poplar hardwood with high gloss finish, triple-flanged hoops and chrome details, which is a step above the thin laminate you find on the cheapest kits. Owners consistently describe it as a real beginner instrument rather than a toy, and the rating distribution backs that up, with 73% of ratings at five stars.

It ships with a double-braced snare stand, crash and ride stand, chain-driven hi-hat stand, padded throne, a pair of sticks and a drum key. Out of the box you can assemble it and play, and the drums are fully adjustable in height, which matters if you are still growing or setting up in a room with a sloped floor.

The weak link is the metal. Reviewers report the included hi-hats and crash ride cymbal sound poor, and those are the first things most owners replace. Smaller niggles: five-lug rack toms mean each tuning turn moves the pitch further, and bass drum spurs have been reported as a touch short, letting the drum creep forward during hard playing.

Who this kit suits

A beginner who wants a full-size kit that will not need replacing within a year, and who plans to play in a room where noise is tolerable. The full-size shells mean a child starting around age eight has room to grow into them rather than graduating out of a compact kit in a year.

It also suits anyone who wants the complete box. If you have already bought hardware and cymbals for a previous kit, the spend here is wasted, and you would be better served reading the Yamaha section further down.

Who should skip it

Skip it if you are practising in a shared home with thin walls. Nothing in this kit reduces volume, and the 22 inch kick drum is the loudest voice in the room no matter how you tune it.

Also skip it if you are a very large player. The throne is reported to wobble for players over roughly 150 pounds, and the supplied pedal is chain-driven rather than belt-driven. Both are cheap to sort later, but it is easier to know now.

2. Best Choice Products 5-Piece — Best Value Acoustic Drum Kit for Beginners

This is the one to buy when the goal is a complete, playable setup for less than the cost of a single good cymbal elsewhere in the guide. You get a 23 inch bass drum, 14 inch snare, 10.5 and 12.5 inch rack toms, 16.5 inch floor tom, 14 inch ride, 12 inch hi-hats, a kick pedal, cymbal stands, a stool and sticks.

The distinguishing feature against the kit above it is adjustability. Tom suspension angle, seat height and cymbal height are all adjustable, which is genuinely useful for a first kit because beginner setups change as posture improves. Owners frequently mention the wood shells sounding warm and resonant once they are properly tuned.

At 77 pounds it is also one of the lighter complete kits here, which makes a two-person assembly less of a chore. Recurring praise in the reviews is that it arrives with all parts present and well packaged, something that matters when a package is missing a lug or a stand clamp.

The criticism is almost entirely about consumables rather than drums. Cymbals are described as thin and weak, the included heads as paper thin, and the throne as basic enough to bend or become uncomfortable over a long session. There are also scattered reports of bent parts or a defective hi-hat connector on arrival.

Who this kit suits

Someone setting an absolute ceiling on first-kit spend and wanting hardware and cymbals included rather than quoted as extras. It is also a reasonable first stop for a parent buying for a child, because the adjustment range covers a wide spread of player sizes.

Secondhand comparison shoppers should know that r/drums threads regularly recommend buying a used Yamaha Stage Custom or Tama Imperialstar as the smarter first purchase — a route we cover in the used section below.

Who should skip it

Skip it if the assembly process itself is a barrier. Several buyers report minimal or missing instructions, and a full kit build from flat parts is genuinely fiddly if you have never assembled drums before.

Skip it if you intend to play out loudly. The 23 inch bass drum is the biggest in this group, and with thin supplied heads it will be boomy until you swap them. Budget for a head change in your first month.

3. Ashthorpe 5-Piece with Remo Heads — Highest Rated Beginner Drum Kit

On ratings alone this is the strongest kit here, holding a 4.6 average with 77% of ratings at five stars and only 3% at one star. The shells are poplar hardwood fitted with 2.3mm triple-flanged hoops, and the configuration is a well-judged 22 x 16 inch eight-lug bass drum, 16 x 16 floor tom, 13 x 10 and 12 x 9 toms and 14 x 6 snare.

Owners repeatedly point to the sound-to-price ratio. The shells give a solid low-end and resonance for a first kit, and tuning is straightforward once it is assembled because a drum key is included and the hoop count is conventional rather than stripped back.

You also get 14 inch hi-hats, a 16 inch crash ride, all stands, a padded throne, sticks, chain-driven pedals and hardware. That makes it a genuine one-box purchase, and the 90 day limited manufacturer warranty is a real differentiator against generic kits in this tier.

One claim needs checking before you buy: the listing advertises Remo UT-series batter heads, and a number of buyers report the heads actually shipped were branded Ashthorpe instead. That is a labelling problem rather than a tonal one, but if branded heads matter to you, confirm on arrival.

Who this kit suits

Beginners who care most about how the drums sound and want the highest-confidence pick in the group. If you are comparing by rating and review volume rather than by price, this is the safest bet.

It also works for older teens and adults practising daily, because the hardware and hoop gauge are closer to a real gigging kit than most of the generic packs below it.

Who should skip it

Skip it if you need a second floor tom or a larger tom spread for a particular style, since it is a standard five-piece layout. And skip it if you play in a small room, because a full 22 inch kick and 16 inch floor tom is a lot of low end for tight spaces.

4. Ashthorpe 5-Piece Premium Brass — Best Spec Upgrade in a Complete Kit

This is the same idea as the kit above with a step up in component grade, and the two differences are worth paying for if your budget stretches. The bass drum goes to ten lugs instead of eight, and the cymbals are described as premium brass rather than standard brass.

The more valuable upgrade is the heads. Remo UT-series heads are fitted on both batter and resonant sides of each drum, whereas many kits at this level ship one branded head and one generic. Both-sided heads mean the resonant tuning holds better over time, which is exactly what you want on a kit you will keep for years.

Everything else matches: 16 x 16 floor tom, 13 x 10 and 12 x 9 toms, 14 x 6 snare, 2.3mm triple-flanged hoops, all stands, padded throne, sticks, chain-driven pedals and a tuning key. 77% of ratings are five stars.

Two practical warnings. At 95 pounds this is one of the heavier complete kits in the group, and reviewers describe assembly as a two-person job. There is also a one-star share of 6% here, among the highest of the ten, mostly tied to transit damage and assembly friction, so check the boxes on arrival.

Who this kit suits

Anyone who wants the best tone they can get without assembling a kit from parts. The both-sided Remo heads are the reason to pick this over the cheaper Ashthorpe, and they cost you nothing to fit later.

It is also the better choice for a practised beginner who knows they will keep playing. Buy the better heads once rather than replacing three heads in your first year.

Who should skip it

Skip it if you are buying alone on a strict budget. The weight makes assembly harder and the price premium does not come with a proportional jump in hardware grade, so you are paying mostly for cymbals and head branding.

Also skip it if you plan to swap cymbals within a year anyway. Buy the cheaper kit and put that money into cymbals instead — that is the trade most drummers make.

5. Eastar 22 Inch 5-Piece — Best Snare Tone in a Budget Kit

The most common complaint about entry-level kits is a weak snare, and this one solves it. Owners single out the snare for good bounce and clarity at this price, and several describe the whole kit as good enough to use as rehearsal room or small-stage backline.

Shell construction matters here too. It uses real poplar wood with an eight-lug iron bass drum structure, not laminate, and the vibration across the heads is described as even. The 22 x 16 inch bass drum, 12 x 8 and 10 x 7 toms, 14 x 5.5 inch snare and 16 x 16 floor tom form a sensible standard layout.

For heavier players this is the one to shortlist. The double-plate drum base and the stands are rated to 330 pounds, which is a genuine advantage if you are an adult who hits hard and you have been disappointed by wobbly hardware in cheaper kits.

It is also the only kit here with a 12-month product warranty from a brand with more than a decade in the instrument trade, which matters if your first kit gets carried up stairs by a teenager.

The drawbacks are consumables again. Kick drum heads are described as paper thin, the included hi-hats are reported as not usable, and the bass drum can sound boomy and over-resonant without added damping. Printed instructions are thin, so plan to follow a video walkthrough.

Who this kit suits

Beginners who practise on a snare and want to develop good technique on a responsive head, and larger adults who need hardware rated above the usual entry-level weight limit. It is a good rehearsal-room or practice-space kit too.

It is also a strong pick for anyone who wants a full-size kit they can move between rooms without a second person, which the adjustable throne and stands make easier.

Who should skip it

Skip it if you have never assembled a kit and want a smooth first build — the single-sheet instructions are minimal. And skip it if you are on a hard floor in a flat; an undamped 22 inch kick with paper-thin heads will be the loudest thing you own.

6. Ktaxon 22 Inch Poplar Kit — Best Budget Starter

This is the least expensive complete kit in the group, and the reason is not thin shells. The drums are 9-ply poplar hardwood with double-thickened heads, which is a more serious specification than the price suggests.

The layout is full size: 14 x 5.5 inch snare, 22 x 16 inch bass drum, 16 x 16 floor tom, rack toms, a 14 inch hi-hat and a 16 inch ride. Bass drum pedal, stool, sticks and hardware are all in the box, so it plays on arrival once assembled.

Adjustment is better than the price implies. The throne has five height positions, the snare stand is adjustable, and the hardware legs are double-braced stainless steel with anti-slip foot pads. Two people can typically have it together in under two hours.

Reviewers say it sounds better than expected once the heads are fitted and tuned. The rating spread is the widest of the ten, with 66% at five stars but a 9% one-star share, mostly from transit damage.

Who this kit suits

Beginners on the tightest budget who still want real poplar shells rather than laminate, and anyone who wants a full-size kit with room to adjust the fit as their playing develops.

It is also a sensible starter for a shared family where a second kit will eventually be needed — for a sibling, a partner or a child a few years behind you.

Who should skip it

Skip it if the snare matters most to you; owners describe it as the weakest-sounding drum in the kit, and the snare is the voice you will hear and develop on most. It also draws the largest share of one-star ratings in the group, mostly from transit damage.

Skip it if you dislike video-based assembly. Printed instructions are poor and most buyers relied on the installation video instead.

7. Yamaha Rydeen 5-Piece — Best Shells If You Already Own Hardware

Read the parts list before anything else on this one. Despite the listing photography, this package does not include cymbals, a snare stand, a throne or most of the hardware you need to play it. It behaves like a shell pack, and several buyers only discovered that after delivery.

If you already have stands, a throne and cymbals — from an earlier kit or a hand-me-down — then this becomes a genuinely strong set of shells. Owners describe the 6-ply 100 percent poplar as comparing favourably to higher-priced maple kits, a claim many of them repeat.

The hardware Yamaha does supply is the real thing. Genuine Yamaha tom ball and pipe clamps feel noticeably better than generic clamps, hold position reliably and resist slipping, and that difference is felt every time you adjust a tom angle.

Configuration is 20 x 16 inch bass drum, 14 x 13 floor tom, 10 x 7 and 12 x 8 toms and a 14 x 5.5 inch wood snare, with a Powerstroke P3-style bass drum head for a punchy, tight sound. The smaller 20 inch kick is also the friendliest in this guide for tight rooms.

The 4.1 average is among the lowest here and the 15% one-star share is the highest, but owners who understand what they bought are enthusiastic. The rating is about expectations, not about the drums.

Who this kit suits

Beginners who already have hardware and cymbals, or who are assembling a first kit deliberately and want good shells to build around. It is also the most sensible pick for a small practice space, since a 20 inch bass drum takes up noticeably less floor space.

It suits anyone who values brand parts availability, since Yamaha hardware and heads are easy to source for the life of the kit.

Who should skip it

Skip it if you are starting from nothing. This is the single most likely kit in the group to leave you with unusable drums on day one, and the total cost once you add hardware, cymbals and a throne erases the saving.

Skip it if you want a finished set in one box. Buy a complete kit instead and put your money into cymbals rather than shells.

8. Donner DDS-520 — Best for Apartments and Shared Walls

This kit wins on a feature none of the others in the guide offer: built-in practice mute pads on the batter heads. You can drop a pad onto individual drums when you need to practise quietly and pull it off for full-volume playing, which is a real answer to the noise complaint that pushes people toward electronic kits mid-purchase.

Shells are also among the thickest in the group at 6-ply 9mm poplar hardwood with a hand-cut 45 degree bearing edge. Owners describe the tuning as easier than on kits that cost more, and the extra shell thickness gives the heads a longer life.

Build quality shows up in the details. The stands are 22-gauge riveted double-legged plated stands rated to 330 pounds, and the bass pedal beater is upgraded for high rebound. The snare and both rack toms arrive with baffles installed and heads on, so there is less assembly before your first hit.

Configuration is 20 x 16 bass drum, 14 x 5 snare, 10 x 7 and 12 x 8 rack toms and 14 x 16 floor tom, with quiet low-volume cymbals, two rack tom holders, cymbal, hi-hat and snare stands, a pedal, throne and a pair of maple sticks.

Two things to plan for. The throne is the weak link and most buyers replace it immediately, and the bass drum remains the loudest voice even with the pad engaged, so it is a solution rather than a silent instrument. Expect gold sparkle in the black finish that the listing does not mention.

Who this kit suits

This is the one to buy in a flat, a shared house or a home studio where volume is a negotiation. The mute pads are the reason, and no other kit here solves that problem in hardware.

It also suits anyone who wants to progress quietly before playing at full volume, since you can move from pads to full kit without changing instruments.

Who should skip it

Skip it if you are a single person moving into a new place and are not sure where the kit will live. At roughly 99 pounds it is one of the heaviest complete kits here, and you will need a second person to carry and assemble it.

Skip it if you want the deepest brand parts support. The warranty information is thin, so the reassurance of a two-year major-brand warranty matters more to some buyers than the mute pads do.

9. Pearl Roadshow 5 Piece Complete Rock Kit — Best Recognised Brand

This is the pick if the brand name is part of what you are buying. Pearl is the most widely recognised name in this roundup, and the two-year limited manufacturer warranty is a genuine differentiator — none of the other kits here offers more than a 90-day or 12-month window.

The layout is the standout feature. You get six drums rather than five: a 22×16 bass drum, 14×6.5 snare, 12×9 rack tom and both a 14×14 and a 16×16 floor tom. Two floor toms give a fuller, more useful arrangement for learning than a standard five-piece.

It is completely genuine as well. You get double-braced height-adjustable stands with die-cast tier joints, a dual chain bass drum pedal, a 16 inch brass crash ride, 14 inch Hybrid hi-hats, a throne, two pairs of maple sticks, a stick bag and a Pearl drum poster. Nothing needs a second purchase.

Shells are 6-ply 7mm poplar hardwood with a hand-cut 45 degree bearing edge and triple-flanged steel hoops. Be aware that 7mm is thinner than the 9mm shells on the Donner, and that cymbals and hardware are basic entry-level spec despite the price.

Who this kit suits

Beginners who want parts availability and resale value to matter over a five-year horizon, and anyone who plans to keep this kit after the beginner stage. The extra floor tom also suits players moving toward rock or metal sooner rather than later.

It suits households where a second player is likely, because a second floor tom is easier to share with a sibling than to add later.

Who should skip it

Skip it if your budget is firm, because it is the most expensive kit in this guide and its components are not proportionally better. Owners themselves say the brand and completeness justify the cost, not the tone.

Skip it if you are buying purely on sound. The hydraulic-style hardware feel and entry-level cymbals do not match the price once you hear them next to a mid-tier kit.

10. VEVOR 5-Piece 22 Inch — Best First Drum Kit for the Smallest Player

This is the one to look at if a small player is starting out and you want a kit that is physically manageable. At 66.1 pounds it is the lightest complete kit in the group, which means one person can carry it and a child can help with assembly.

Adjustability is the quiet strength. The throne has four height levels, and the carbon steel stand adjusts for both height and angle with rubber feet that grip the floor without scratching it — a detail many kits skip.

Configuration is a 22 inch bass drum with pedal, 14 inch snare, 10 and 12 inch toms and a 16 inch floor tom, with thickened PET drum heads on poplar shells. Owners report the shells handling continuous play without complaint.

The reason it sits at the bottom is evidence rather than specification. It shares the lowest average rating in the group at 4.1, with a 55% five-star share against 66 to 77% elsewhere, a 14% three-star share, and the thinnest evidence base at 101 reviews. The cymbals are also the smallest in the group, at 8 inch hi-hats and a 10 inch suspended cymbal.

Who this kit suits

A younger beginner, or an adult who wants a kit they can move between rooms alone. Its category sales rank of number 6 in Drum Sets makes it one of the more popular kits in this roundup.

It also suits anyone living somewhere with hard flooring, since the rubber feet are designed to protect it.

Who should skip it

Skip it if you want to progress quickly. With the smallest cymbals and the most polarised rating distribution, this is more of a stopgap than a kit to grow with for several years.

Skip it if you want certainty. At 101 reviews the feedback base is thin, and the vague included-components listing means you may need to confirm what hardware actually arrives.

What to Look for in a Beginner Drum Kit

• Buy a complete package, not a shell pack. Shells alone need pedals, stands, cymbals, throne and sticks.
• Check the snare is included and decent. It is the weakest link on most entry kits.
• Prefer real poplar, birch or maple shells. Avoid thin laminate for a first kit.
• Look for 6-ply or thicker shells. Thicker shells tune more easily and hold pitch.
• Match bass drum size to your room. 18-20 inch suits small spaces, 22 inch suits rooms.
• Favour brands with real parts support. Heads, hoops and hardware stay available for years.
• Confirm the hardware list before paying. Retailers sell the same model with and without it.

That last point catches people more often than any other. The same model number can appear as a shell pack, a drum-only bundle and a full package, sometimes with identical photography, so compare the included components line by line rather than the product title.

New vs Used: Which Is Smarter for a First Kit?

Used is usually the smarter buy, and this is the strongest piece of advice that comes back again and again across drumming forums. A used Yamaha Stage Custom or Tama Imperialstar found locally in the three-to-five-hundred range is repeatedly described as the best overall first purchase, because a used mid-tier kit beats a new budget kit on every spec that affects playing.

The trade-off is effort. Used means inspecting the shells for cracks around the bearing edges and lugs, checking the hoops for warping, running the bass drum pedal and confirming the snare wires are not seated into the shell.

1. Look around the bearing edges and inside the shells for any hairline cracks.
2. Check the bass drum pedal action and replace the beater if it is rounded.
3. Confirm both rack toms still hold their mount position under pressure.
4. Ask whether the throne and stands are included, and check them for wobble.
5. Budget to replace the heads regardless of condition.

If you would rather not inspect hardware, buying new is the safer path — and it is what most first-time buyers on r/drums recommend, with Pearl, Tama and Yamaha named most often as reliable starting brands for exactly that reason.

The Two Upgrades That Matter Most: Heads and Cymbals

Cheap shells with good heads and proper tuning beat expensive shells with bad cymbals, and almost nobody buying a first kit understands this before they hear the difference. A fresh set of drum heads on a modest kit transforms it, and it is the cheapest meaningful upgrade available.

Replace the batter and resonant heads in your first few months. Reviews across this group repeatedly describe supplied heads as paper thin, and poorly tuned out-of-the-box heads are the reason so many beginners conclude their new kit sounds bad when the shells are fine.

Cymbals are the second priority and the larger spend. Consensus across drumming forums is blunt that cheap brass cymbals always sound poor, and the common recommendation is to hunt for used Zildjian A or Sabian AAX cymbals rather than buy new entry-level brass. That single swap does more for a first kit than upgrading the drums themselves.

Order of operations: heads first, then tuning lessons, then cymbals. The third upgrade is usually a throne, because the supplied seat is the most common comfort complaint on every kit in this roundup.

Shell Pack vs All-in-One Package

A shell pack gives you the drums — shells, hoops, lugs and mounts — and nothing else. You then need to buy a kick pedal, hi-hat stand, snare stand, cymbal stands, cymbals, a throne and sticks separately. That is at least six additional purchases.

An all-in-one package bundles all of it so you can play on the day it arrives. For a beginner, that is almost always the right call, because the difference in total cost between the two routes is smaller than people assume once hardware is priced properly.

The exception is the Yamaha at number 7, which is sold as a five-piece set while behaving like a shell pack. If you already own hardware it is the best-value shells in the guide. If you do not, add up the missing pieces before choosing it.

Choosing Drum Sizes by Playing Style

Bass drum diameter is the decision that shapes everything else, and it is mostly a question of room and style. Smaller kicks are easier to reach and sit lower under a stool, which is why they appear in compact and jazz-oriented kits.

• 16 to 18 inch kick: jazz, hip-hop, funk, and small rooms. Fast, controlled, low volume.
• 20 inch kick: fusion, pop, indie, and home practice where space is tight.
• 22 inch kick: rock, metal, gospel and R&B. More projection and low end.

Match kit size to player size as well. Buying a full 22 inch kit for a small player produces bad ergonomics and posture problems, which is a recurring complaint about first kits in the forum threads. If the player cannot reach the hi-hat pedal comfortably at a seated position, the kit is too large.

Acoustic or Electronic for a First Kit?

An electronic kit answers the noise problem that acoustic drums create in shared homes, and it needs no tuning. If you are in a flat with neighbours who object to a 22 inch kick drum, that is a legitimate reason to start electronic and move to acoustic later.

Acoustic still wins on feel and on the way a real shell moves air, and drummers who plan to play live eventually need those skills. If noise is your blocker rather than your preference, the Donner at number 8 is the middle path — its practice pads cut volume while keeping real acoustic playing.

How to Tune Your First Drum Kit

Tuning looks intimidating and takes twenty minutes. Start with every head finger tight — seated on the bearing edge but not tensioned — then work each drum in a star pattern, hitting every lug the same number of times before moving to the next.

1. Seat each head finger tight and check it sits evenly all the way round.
2. Work lugs in a star pattern, roughly one full turn per lug before repeating.
3. Think of each head as a clock face and aim for notes at the same relative position.
4. Tune the toms, then the snare, then the bass drum last.
5. Recheck everything after twenty minutes of playing as the heads settle.

Use the supplied drum key and do not over-tighten. Tension rods should feel firm and even rather than extremely tight, and a head that is too tight will not go back to pitch after a few minutes of playing.

If you are still tracking a total budget, our guides to beginner knife sets and kettlebell sets for beginners cover the same principle: buy the complete package, then upgrade one component at a time.

When to Move Up to the Next Kit

Most beginner kits last two to three years of regular practice, and the trigger is rarely the sound. It is almost always one of three things: you have outgrown the size, the hardware has failed, or your playing has moved to a style the five-piece layout cannot serve.

• Size: you cannot reach the toms or the pedal without twisting.
• Hardware: pedals, stands or the throne are failing under normal use.
• Style: you need a second floor tom, a different kick size or more cymbal space.

When that happens, upgrade one component at a time rather than replacing everything. A better set of cymbals and a new throne will make a five-piece kit last years longer than a wholesale swap, and comparing complete entry-level bundles the way we do in our beginner golf iron guide and cocktail shaker guide is a good way to see what a complete package should include.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The best acoustic drum sets for beginners are complete packages with real wood shells, and on that basis the Gammon Percussion Full Size 5-Piece is the pick for most people. It gives you full-size poplar shells, a 22 x 16 inch kick, a usable snare and every stand, cymbal, throne and stick in one box, which is everything a first year of practice actually needs.

Choose the Donner DDS-520 if noise is your constraint, the Ashthorpe with both-sided Remo heads if you want the best tone in the group, the Eastar if you are a large player who wants a responsive snare, and the Yamaha Rydeen only if you already own hardware. Add fresh heads in your first few months, cymbals second, and you will be playing a kit that sounds nothing like the one that arrived in the box.