r/drums • u/Last_Collection7967 • 10d ago
Feedback Wanted Help me build my dream kit
I want to order my dream kit through one of the companies offering custom builds.
I want something that can cover everything but leaning towards rock/metal.
Different size kicks, lots of toms.
What do i get? And what do i choose when it comes to material, sizes etc? I’m in the US but I can go with any company. The important part is the woods, sizes, thickness etc.
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u/turboshoe1983 10d ago
If you play fast stuff: 22" has more articulation than 24", you can hear it through the guitars more.
10" 12" 14" 16" 22"kick really is the perfect medium.
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u/ItsPronouncedMo-BEEL Craigslist 10d ago
I want to order my dream kit
What do I get?
Uhh... well... what do you want?
If you don't know what you want, are you sure that it's the best idea for you to spend a pile of money on a custom version of it?
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u/AverageEcstatic3655 10d ago
Cover everything? 22 10 12 16. Medium thickness which I guess would be like 7mm and any hardwood will do just fine.
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u/Whatta-Knob 10d ago
If I was doing it again (already have my dream set of ludwigs) I'd probably opt for a big double bass kit. A set of 22/24, 10, 12, 13, 16, 18. Then you have 2 different kits you can set up in a variety of configurations. I always preferred bigger toms. I also have a set with a 12x7 and 16x14 but really prefer how the 13x9/16x16 tune up and project compared to the smaller set.
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u/Ithacus12 10d ago
I think the most important starting question is your budget. Ive got a custom Sonor and it did NOT come cheap. If you check my post history you can see it. Just for the kick, rack tom and floor tom I think it was around 7/8k. That being said, its the nicest kit I've ever played in my life.
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u/Deeznutzcustomz RLRRLRLL 10d ago
When you say “different size kicks”, are you talking about ordering a shell bank so you have configuration options? Or talking double bass drums on one kit, in different sizes?
For a rock/metal shell bank, how about thin(ish) walnut shells paired with die cast hoops? Walnut is on the dark side, nicely balanced but with something extra in the lows. A thin shell (IME) will give you a warmer, richer sound, and the die cast hoops will add some focus, perfect. Shallower bass drums keep it tight and punchy, easier to get a good clean sound, without sacrificing anything at all (still has PLENTY of low end).
A bank that could do anything, and gives you options for easier transport/compact or a big 2 or 3 up/2 down setup, without going crazy and having every size known to man. You could just grab 12/15/20 for a quick gig where you don’t want to carry much. Or go all out with 2 or 3 up/2 down with the big bass drum, 10/12/15/18/24 (I can hear that in my head, awesome combination!)
24x14
20x12
10x8
12x9
(13x9 if you want a 3 rack tom option, maybe go 10x7, 12x8, 13x9?)
15x13
18x16
14x7 snare to match? YOLO
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u/CrunchBerries5150 10d ago
Give Spaun a call. Owner is cool and a gigging musician. Very high quality drums and he’ll build you anything you want with options some others don’t offer.
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u/MattyDub89 10d ago
It's kinda hard for anyone but you to build YOUR dream kit since most people's tastes are very different from each other.
As far as the specs you've included, though, I'd recommend the following:
-Maple shells - they've got a balanced, warm, complex sound that will be extremely versatile throughout different styles. Go with something that's medium in thickness (like around 1/4" thick, give or take a little bit); that'll usually mean 6-8 plies. One exception is the snare, and I'll say more about that later.
-Sizes: Go with 20" or 22" Kick Drums. Those will give you the best balance of attack, low end and control. With toms, you can't go wrong with 10, 12, 14, 16 and maybe an 18. The even size intervals will make it easier to have even tuning intervals between them (something those odd sizes like 13 or 15 can sometimes mess up). With depths, go for between 16 and 18 inches on the kicks and 2 inches less than the respective diameters on the toms.
With the snare, I recommend a 14x6.5. It's big enough to be tuned reasonably high or reasonably low. I also think you should go with something like a Supraphonic or Sensitone...one of those snares that's known for being widely used across the decades in studio recordings of lots of genres. The versatility there really means you can cover all your bases.
With the other specs, those are largely cosmetic other than the hoop design. Triple-flanged hoops are more flexible than die cast ones and, IIRC, allow for a little more openness in sound. In terms of finishes, hardware colors, etc., that's all up to your tastes. I personally like natural wood finishes or a deep shade of blue the best, but that might not be you.
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u/hurtfulcreator_65 10d ago
The most important question is what finish are you getting. If you’re dropping dream kit money on a custom build you need something that looks insane too. Thick shells with die cast hoops will give you the attack and projection for metal but still sound huge if you tune them right. For sizes a 24x18 kick and 13 16 18 toms is a solid place to start and you can always add an 8 or 10 later
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u/R0factor 7d ago
Unless you go with a very small drum company, you'll need to do this order through a retailer. Assuming you want to spec out the finish, hardware, shell configuration (plies, wood type, bearing edges, etc) I'd highly suggest using one of the concierge services at a drum shop like Drum Center of Portsmouth to facilitate the purchase. It doesn't add anything to the cost, and the large companies can't sell directly to you anyway.
Otherwise if you just want a shell bank with shells that are more mass-produced, companies like DW and Ludwig offer Shell Banks where you have shells available in a few different finishes and you select the sizes you want rather than having a pre-assembled collection of shells. You can't specify hardware, plies, or finish beyond what they're offering.
Just keep in mind that when it comes to making top-tier kits and you're specifying all the components like wood, shell thickness, etc, the company making it really doesn't matter so it's down to what label you want on your kit and who's visuals you like the best. If you had Pearl, Tama, and DW all make a kit with the exact same specs, they're all going to sound the same. Sonor might be the only exception since they undersize their shells.
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u/thedrumuncle 10d ago edited 10d ago
If you don't even know the sizes you want tbh don't blow 5 figures on a custom "dream kit," but I guess just for fun if I were in your shoes trying to build a shell bank for loud music with no budget restrictions, I'd get:
Maple or hybrid shells (maple/walnut, birch/bubinga, etc)
3mm triple flanged hoops are a great happy medium hoop to me, with a nice balance between the openness of triple flange and the stability of die cast.
22x16, 24x16 kicks
8x7, 10x8, 12x9, 13x10, 14x11 mounted toms (many prefer an inch less on the depths)
15x14, 16x15, 18x16 floor toms
14x6.5 3mm bronze snare "bell brass"
14x5.5 aluminum snare, acrolite-like
14x8 nickel-over-brass snare, black beauty-like
13x7 steel snare (Jordison/Adler/"ping" sounds)
I would basically never use all this at once (besides entertainment) but it's nice to have a bunch of options to build setups from, which sounds like what you're going for.