Sonor Beginner Drum Kits: The Ultimate Buyer's Guide

So you, or someone you love, want to start playing the drums. Brilliant decision. It is one of the most fun and most addictive things you can do, and the kit you learn on makes a real difference to how much you enjoy those first few months.

Which kit suits a beginner is one of the questions we get asked the most, whether it is a parent buying a first kit for a ten-year-old or an adult finally scratching a lifelong itch. We are a team of professional working drummers, we carry the full Sonor beginner range, and helping people choose the right first kit is something we do every day. These kits are almost always all set up on the floor of our Fareham showroom, so you are always welcome to come and play them before you decide.

The range runs from the AQX, through the AQ1 and AQ2, up to the compact AQ2 Safari. Here is how they differ, what you actually get in the box, and which one we would point you towards.

First, a few things to think about

Answer these and most of the decision makes itself, before you even land on a particular kit.

The bit nobody tells you: poplar, birch and maple

Here is the thing most people do not know when they start out. The wood the drums are made from changes how they sound, and it is the main thing separating these kits. It is also, handily, the quality ladder across the Sonor beginner range.

The more you play, the more you will appreciate climbing that ladder. But there is no wrong rung to start on.

The Sonor beginner range at a glance

Always check the live product page for current availability, included components and finishes.

AQX vs AQ1 vs AQ2: the short version

If you are weighing two of them up directly, here is how they stack against each other.

Whichever pair you are torn between, bring it to us or give us a call, and we will talk you through the differences in plain English.

Sonor AQX: the easy way in

Pictured: Sonor AQX 22" Stage Drum Kit in Red Moon Sparkle with cymbals and hardware .

If you want the simplest possible start, this is it. The AQX is Sonor's newest entry-level range, and the AQX Complete kits are about as close to "open the box and play" as drums get. The Stage (22 inch bass) and Studio (20 inch bass) versions come with the lot bar sticks and a stool: poplar shells, a Sonor 1000 Series hardware set, and a set of B8 bronze cymbals (hi-hats, a crash and a ride). The poplar shells are warm and forgiving, easy to tune while you are finding your feet, and Sonor's clever TuneSafe lugs help the kit stay in tune rather than drifting on you.

Short on space? There are compact AQX shell packs too, the 18-inch Jazz, the 16-inch Jungle and the 14-inch Micro. These are shell packs, so no hardware or cymbals, but they tuck into a corner and still sound like a real kit.

It is the kit we point most first-timers and parents towards, simply because there is nothing else to buy and nothing to puzzle over. Fair warning: poplar is a learning shell rather than a pro one, and the stock heads are worth upgrading once you are up and running (more on that below).

• Have a look at the Sonor AQX 22" Stage Drum Kit in Red Moon Sparkle with cymbals and hardware .
• Tight on room? See the compact Sonor AQX 18" Jazz and Sonor AQX 14" Micro shell packs.

Sonor AQ1: birch shells, hardware in the box

Pictured: Sonor AQ1 22" Stage Birch Drum Kit in Piano Black with HS 2000 Hardware Pack , set up with the Istanbul Agop XIST IXCS3 Cymbal Set , which we recommend as a strong cymbal upgrade for this kit.

Ready to spend a bit more for a noticeably better drum? The AQ1 steps up from poplar to 100% birch shells, and you can hear it. Birch gives a sharp, focused, punchy tone with real projection, the kind of sound that holds its own in a band. It runs the same SmartMount tom suspension and TuneSafe lugs you will find much further up the Sonor range, so it is far better built than the price suggests.

Best of all, it comes with a full 5-piece 2000 Series hardware set and a double tom holder, so it is gig-ready straight away. It does not include cymbals, so factor those in, and we are happy to sort you a starter cymbal pack to match. You can have it as the 22 inch Stage or the 20 inch Studio, in finishes including Piano Black, Piano White and the lovely Caribbean Blue.

This is the one for the beginner who already knows they are hooked and wants a drum that sounds the part, as long as you do not mind adding cymbals.

• See the Sonor AQ1 22" Stage Birch Drum Kit in Piano Black with HS 2000 Hardware Pack . It is pictured with the Istanbul Agop XIST IXCS3 Cymbal Set , which we recommend with the AQ1.

Sonor AQ2: the all-maple step up

Pictured: Sonor AQ2 20" Studio Maple Drum Kit in Brown Fade .

This is where things get serious. The AQ2 is built from 7-ply all-maple shells, and maple is the classic choice for proper kits for good reason: it is warm, resonant and genuinely musical, it responds to how you play, and it records a treat. SmartMount and TuneSafe run right through it.

Its other trick is choice. The AQ2 comes in five configurations, each built around a different bass drum: the 22 inch Stage, 20 inch Studio, 18 inch Bop, 16 inch Safari and 14 inch Martini. So you can match it to your room and the music you love. It is sold as a shell pack, which means no cymbals, although we usually pair it with a hardware pack as a bundle to keep things simple.

If you, or your budding drummer, are in this for the long haul, the AQ2 is a kit to grow into rather than replace.

• See the pictured Sonor AQ2 20" Studio Maple Drum Kit in Brown Fade .

Sonor AQ2 Safari: maple in a small space

Pictured: Sonor AQ2 16" Safari Drum Kit in White Pearl .

Short on space? Meet the Safari, the AQ2's compact little sibling. It is built around a 16 by 15 inch bass drum, with a 10 by 7 inch tom, a 13 by 12 inch floor tom and a 13 by 6 inch snare, and a bass-mounted holder to keep the whole thing tidy. You get all the warmth and easy tuning of maple in a kit that happily lives in a small bedroom, a rehearsal room, or the boot of the car.

It is a shell pack, so no hardware or cymbals, but because it is part of the AQ2 family it shares the same shells and fittings as the full-size kits. In other words, it is a proper maple kit, not a toy that has been shrunk down.

Perfect for a teenager's bedroom, a tight rehearsal space, or anyone who wants a real kit without giving up half the room.

• See the pictured Sonor AQ2 16" Safari Drum Kit in White Pearl .

So, which one should you get?

If you twisted our arm:

Still scratching your head? That is exactly what we are here for. Give us a call on 01329 834012 , drop us a message, or better still pop into the showroom and have a play. We are drummers too, and we would much rather help you walk away with the right kit than the dearest one. You can also browse the full Sonor beginner drum kits range whenever you like.

One upgrade that takes any of these kits up a level

Here is a tip we share with almost every beginner once the new-kit excitement has settled. The quickest and cheapest way to make any of these kits sound dramatically better is to change the heads. The shells are great, but the heads fitted on entry kits are the weak link, and a decent set transforms the sound for not a lot of money. This is the single biggest upgrade you can make to the AQX, and it lifts the AQ1 and AQ2 too.

On the toms, a set of two-ply heads like the Evans G2 or Remo Emperors. Two plies give you a fatter, fuller, more controlled tone with far less of the uncontrolled ring you get from thin stock heads, and they stand up to a learner's enthusiasm a lot longer. Most of these kits take one of two packs:

• 22 inch kits (10, 12 and 16 inch toms): a G2 Rock pack. See the Evans G2 Rock pack .
• 20 inch kits (10, 12 and 14 inch toms): a G2 Fusion pack. See the Evans G2 Fusion pack, coated or clear .

Coated or clear comes down to taste. Clear heads give you a bit more attack and cut, coated heads are warmer with a touch more control. Every pack comes in both, so if you fancy a clear Rock pack or a coated set for a 22, just ask and we will sort it. (Compact kits like the Safari use a 10 and a 13, which is not a standard pack, so grab those as singles)

On the kick, an Evans EMAD. This is the one that makes people grin. The EMAD comes with two clip-in foam damping rings, so you can dial in exactly how much punch and thump you want without ever reaching inside the drum, and it turns a boxy stock kick into one that genuinely dominates. Match it to your bass drum:

• 22 inch: Evans EMAD 22"
• 20 inch: Evans EMAD 20"
• 18 inch Bop: Evans EMAD 18"
• 16 inch Safari: Evans EMAD 16"

A G2 pack on the toms and an EMAD on the kick is a small spend that punches well above its weight, and it is the first thing we would do to any of these kits.

After the heads, think about cymbals. Cymbals are where you will hear the next big jump. The B8 cymbals on the AQX Complete are perfectly good to learn on, but stepping up is one of the most satisfying upgrades there is, and the most personal too, because every cymbal sounds different. Rather than rush it, have a read of our Beginner Cymbal Buyer's Guide for what to listen for, and when you are ready, come and try some in The Cymbal Loft , our dedicated cymbal room and the largest cymbal showroom in the country. You can play them next to a kit like yours before you spend a penny.

Why buy from Graham Russell Drums?

We are the UK's largest drum store, and we are a team of professional working drummers, so the person you speak to actually plays. Our 5000 square foot showroom in Fareham spreads across two floors and has been called drum heaven by the drummers who visit, and it is home to The Cymbal Loft, the largest cymbal showroom in the country, where you can try before you buy. Come and see, hear and play any of these kits before you commit. We offer next day delivery on orders placed before 2pm, an easy returns policy, and finance so you can spread the cost.