Whenever you buy used instruments there are certain questions you need to ask. Also, patience is a must because each instrument has had a unique history and selecting one will involve looking at dozens of instruments. Buying drums has some unique considerations.

Ask yourself first, how come you’re buying used? If you want a cheaper set because you’re a beginner, then that’s fine. Perhaps you don’t know if you’re going to take to the instrument and before you invest in a more expensive set you’re giving it a trial. Drums are an expensive hobby, especially if you don’t know if you want to do it. But drums take a lot of physical abuse and you have to look carefully at what you’re buying.

Assess each drum to see the condition of its head. The best thing to do is go with someone you trust who knows about these things, but more likely you’ll be listening to salesmen pitch. Take it with a grain of salt because their job is to sell you something, but frequently you’ll find there’s a disproportionate amount of honest music salesmen. They’re usually musicians themselves who care about music, and they’d have a hard time lying boldface about a crap instrument. Not always, but usually.

When you play, take the atmosphere into account. If it’s a big open space with carpeted floors the sound will get lost and muted. Perhaps there’s other people buzzing around and you don’t feel comfortable rocking out a huge solo. Consider the differences in where you’ll be playing. Also, go with a reputable company. Should you have any problems there’ll be replacements and technicians familiar with the gear. This is especially true if you’re going to buy off the internet-they have a lot more to lose from being dishonest in their initial assessment, and they’ll vouch for their gear in policy way better. The cost of a well-established company may be offset by being used. Also, make sure the nuts are there for all the cymbals and hi-hats, as well as all the tuning lugs. Buying a group of 2-3 cymbals at a time may be a more inexpensive way to go about it. If possible, buy your set together as this will surely make it more inexpensive. Generally, you’ll find serious musicians take better care of their instruments, so buying one from them means you’re more likely to get a valued instrument rather than something that’s trying to be discarded for whatever money they can get. If you’re buying your second or third set then really make sure it’s a marked improvement on your current gear.

The key is to really check a lot of instruments, even if you see one off the bat that has your attention. It’ll be there after you’ve seen some more and you’ll have a better idea what the market is like for pricing and quality purposes. Some people take years to buy their baby…it’s a process! But it’ll all be worth it when you’re all set up with the right instrument and a price you can afford.

Author Bio: Long & McQuade’s Musical Education Center offers piano lessons Ottawa and piano lessons Waterloo. When trying to learn a musical instrument be sure to visit the professionals at Long & McQuade – one of Canada\’s largest music stores.

Category: Recreation
Keywords: music,entertainment,computers,leisure,lessons,instruments,music,education,hobbies,recreation