Welcome to the ultimate drum buyer’s guide: acoustic kits, electronic drums, cymbals, snares, percussion and more. Expert GRD tips to help beginners and pros choose the right drum gear and brands in the UK.

Drum Buyer’s Guide: Start Here

Welcome! This guide is your one-stop home for choosing drums and percussion—whether you’re buying your first kit or refining a pro setup. Bookmark this page; we’ll keep adding new chapters, deep dives, and tips.

Quick links

• About us – who we are, our showroom, and what to expect in-store.

• Finance – ways to spread the cost on eligible purchases.

• Visit us – address, opening hours, and how to get here.

• Latest Blog posts – special kits, events, masterclasses, and news.

What this guide will cover

• Beginner comparisons – acoustic vs electronic, what’s included, smart starter choices.

• Brand deep dives & comparisons – Yamaha, DW, Tama, Pearl, Mapex and more.

• Snare drum buyer’s guides – metals vs woods, sizes, hoops, and genre picks.

• Cymbal guides – ride/crash/hi-hat basics, effects, low-volume options, set-building.

• Wood & shell tone – maple vs birch vs hybrids, bearing edges, construction.

• Hardware & accessories – stands, pedals, thrones, cases, racks; what to prioritise first.

• Practice & quiet solutions – mesh heads, low-volume cymbals, pads, headphones.

• Maintenance & tuning – heads, intervals, common pitfalls.

• Recording & amplification – mic’ing basics, modules, EAD/E-drum essentials.

• Pre-loved buying tips – what to check when buying used; when to upgrade.

• Ownership options – finance, hire, and student purchase schemes.

Tags & navigation

You’ll see Tags on the right-hand side (e.g., Beginner, Pro, Electronic Drums, Snares, Cymbals, Buying Tips) to help you jump straight to what you need. There isn’t much there right now but it's Coming soon and we’ll keep adding tags as each new chapter goes live.

How to use this guide

Start with the section that matches your goal (e.g., “Beginner comparisons”), then follow internal links to the brand and product pages that fit your budget and style. Prefer hands-on advice? Come and visit the showroom, get in touch over the phone or message us through our email, Whatsapp, Facebook or Instagram.