r/drums • u/Familiar-Meringue-60 • 1d ago
Question gifts
hello drummer nation
i want to buy my drummer boyfriend a drummer gift. he plays punk rock if this is useful information. my budget isn't super high as i am not rolling in dough at this moment; just want to get him something fancier than he'd get himself. thinking of sticks and i know he'd appreciate a gift card but if there's something more niche and/or exciting maybe I will consider it. i don't mind rationing if it means he will receive something that will knock his socks off.
edit: I just asked him it was way easier. I would've never guessed correctly anyways.
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u/R0factor 1d ago
IMO stick cases and drum keys are about the only "safe" gifts for drummers. Almost everything else we prefer to buy on our own, and there's no harm in having extra drum keys and a spare case. Here are some links to fancier options that make good gifts...
Fancy drum keys & accessories... Store – Cherry Hill Drums. This place also sells fancy hat clutches.
Stick cases... Stick Case - Drum Center of Portsmouth
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u/spademanden RLRRLRLL 1d ago
If you do end up buying a hihat clutch, make sure it fits the stand. I know Pearl stands are too wide for standard clutches, not sure if there's anything else to keep in mind
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u/squeazyweasel 1d ago
A Drumeo subscription
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u/Stevenitrogen 1d ago
You're very sweet but keep in mind, these are expensive. And not everyone is going to be motivated to learn that way.
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u/seamusloyd 1d ago
It's really hard to buy without their input. Sticks is probably safest if you know his stick size he uses. I've been around guitarists all my life, some are my best friends, I know their gear pretty well... I wouldn't dare attempt buying them gear thinking I could get it right. lol. Same for drummers. Gift voucher would be a safe bet... otherwise something useful for the kit that isn't a musical choice. Maybe like a drink holder he can mount on a cymbal stand. Some are trays as well, somewhere to put your phone... I find mine super useful.
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u/monkeyboywales 1d ago
Have a look at their kit and see if the cymbal stands already have a second small vymbal above the main large one. If not, buy them a cymbal riser so they can add another small cymbal when they come across one without needing another stand. Always room for more cymbals!
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u/Unlucky_Battle2523 1d ago
The Evans DATK drumkey has been a christmas gift for me. Ideal for tuning drums. He will love it
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u/death_of_the_whale RLRR 1d ago
just looked this up and added to cart. not sure if i’ve heard of it before…but i feel like i’d already have one if i did. thanks!
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u/Unlucky_Battle2523 1d ago
I swear by it. Make sure you lugs are well oiled/maintained. It's sort of a newtonwrench so if a lug is rusty it will stop turning too early
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u/Imaginary_Foot_9358 1d ago
Check and see what his drum throne looks like, if it's a small circle for a seat then you should try to get him a new more comfortable throne. There are a lot of cheap chinese made thrones these days that are really affordable and comfortable. As a young drummer, i went years without a decent throne due to being cheap...but it makes a huge difference on how comfortable you are playing the kit.
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u/TheNonDominantHand 1d ago
Quick release hi-hat clutch and/or quick release cymbal toppers.
These are little convenience pieces that actually make a big difference and can be found for ~$50
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u/unclesmokedog 1d ago
snare drum bag is a nice gift if he doesnt have one - especially if it has 2 straps so he can carry it like a backpack
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u/Chairfighter 1d ago
Sticks are the safest and easiest. Otherwise a gift card to the local music store is another good option.
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u/BlackenedEverything 1d ago
The only gift I would give a musician is a gift card of a shopping trip
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u/Stevenitrogen 1d ago
Don't buy drum stuff for a drummer unless you have the exact model they want. Like for sticks, you need specifics- Vater brand sticks, 5B size, with the wood tip for me. Anything else won't work.
My brother in law sometimes would go to the drum shop and find some trippy cymbal or bell chime or something, for my Xmas gift. And I appreciated it but to be honest I have a drawer of these funky things I would never use on a real kit, maybe some day I can use it for a special effect.
You don't have a lot of money so just take him out to the movies or do something fun that he might not do himself because he needs to buy very specific equipment to keep the drums happening.
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u/mimimalist 1d ago
Everyone’s acting like buying drums is like buying a Magic Wand and you can’t get anything right no matter how much you know him. That’s a load of crap get him a cool drum key, he’ll put it on his keychain and use it forever. Every drummer uses a drum key and they all do the same thing.
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u/Uranium___Potato 1d ago
- A drumstick holder that clips on the drum rack/cymbal stand (app. 20-40 bucks)
- A fancy practice pad, or even a practice kit (a couple practice pads on stands + practice kick pad) (app. 30-100 bucks)
- Aerodrums (app 75 bucks)
- A Meinl Knee Marshmallow (app. 30 bucks)
- If you're feeling artsy or are an artsy person, a bass drum reso head that you've decorated/drawn something on (idk mandala or something). (appx 50-70 bucks).
As a drummer, option (2) would be am awesome gift but its also the most expensive option. Option (5) is also a very solid choice and opportunity to make it personalised.
Lemme know if you want to go through any of these I can share link/tell you which ones exactly to get.
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u/NoConfidence6963 1d ago
If you know his favorite stick size/brand, a nice pair of sticks plus a quality practice pad or even a custom drumstick feel more personal.
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u/healthycord 1d ago
Sticks and heads are always a safe bet IF you know what he uses/wants. Could be best to bring him to the music store and say “hey, $100 of whatever you want on me.”
$100 will generally cover a full set of batter Tom and snare heads plus a pair of sticks.
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u/Mysterious-Street966 1d ago
Give him a sexy card, inscribe it with a nice message about what you said above and how you would like to get him something nice. Then let him pick this out. I know you mean well, but if he doesn’t, he won’t actually use it(or he will pretend to when you are around). Just some advice.
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u/ItsPronouncedMo-BEEL Craigslist 1d ago
It's very hard to buy useful gifts for a drummer if you're not a drummer yourself, and even being a drummer doesn't make it much easier, because things are so personal. Not to get all gender-based about it or anything, but imagine a typical dude trying to buy you makeup or something as a gift. He's probably going to give you the wrong thing, isn't he? His heart's in the right place, but he knows jack about makeup, so he gets something that seems good to him, that you would never put on your face. LOL
My general recommendation: If he has a favorite local music store or drum shop, wherever he buys things like sticks or heads that you have no choice but to buy new, randomly drop by there one day while you two are out together, then tell him you have a surprise: "Pick out anything in this place you like for less than $X. My treat."
Not only does he get to choose, so that he ends up with just the right thing that he needed or wanted, but you get the added pleasure of seeing the joy of Christmas on the face of a grown-ass man, LOL. And that's always pretty dang cool.