How to pick a drum kit

[GoMan]

Whattup guys. I am doing an English paper right now and the topic is something like the effect of the media and ads on consumers choice on products....

So i decided to do drum products. A lot of companies seem to be selling an ideal... like being a rock star or being like your favourite player instead of the actual product itself...

Zildjian has ads that have the set up of a featured artist in MD and it says "set yourself up like...." and theres ofcourse the vic firth sticks ads where it says "do you have the right tools for the job? Zoro does... Zoro signature sticks" or whatever... The pearl export kits say something like start here go anywhere featuring some metal drummer saying "these are great drums ... i wish this was my first kit ..." when actualy pacifics cost about the same but have all maple or birch shells.... or whatever ...

For example in my area, alot of people want to get Tama drums just because they are tamas and they seem to be hardrocking. I guess they have seen rock stars play them or soemthing.... one of my drummer friends actualy said... "yeah i dont wanna get a Tama... theyre too hard rocking. But i dont wanna get yamahas either.... theyre too jazz... like too Gadd you know?" where i replied... WTF!?

So im supposed to be taking like a surveyish thing. Please help me out... it would be great.

1) how do you currently choose drum products? Do you pay attention to ads or the drummers who are on the endorsement list of the company? (or i should say would you make a purchase based on that fact?)

2) If you have owned other kits in the past how has the way you choose drum kits to buy changed?

3)What do you think about ads you seen in modern drummer or other publications (when i said that they are trying to sell fake ideas and ideals instead of advertising the features of the product itselt... do you agree?)

Thats all that I can think of right now... if anyone can give me suggestions on more questions or improve my current ones please help with that too.... (i suck at these kinda things)

Well thanks alot guys. Hope to see some replies by you.

[PocketPlayer]

1) how do you currently choose drum products? Do you pay attention to ads or the drummers who are on the endorsement list of the company? (or i should say would you make a purchase based on that fact?)

--Yes I look at who is endorsing. My main objective is to HEAR first prior to purchase, either by an artist or in a drum shop.

2) If you have owned other kits in the past how has the way you choose drum kits to buy changed?

--Hasn?t. Same as above.

3)What do you think about ads you seen in modern drummer or other publications (when i said that they are trying to sell fake ideas and ideals instead of advertising the features of the product itselt... do you agree?)

--Sometimes they are. Artists influence younger buyers, no doubt. Advertising works or it would have not lasted so long. It?s up to the buyer shop wisely. Word of mouth seems huge for musical products.

[Randy walker]

Back as a kid, looking at ads with my fav drummers such as Steve Smith, Vinnie, Bozzio and the cymbals, drums they used stuck in my head. Those ads would be cut out and stuck on the walls of my room.
But, in the end, it came down to what sounded good to me, I don't use Firth sticks, I don't use SONOR drums, I do have Zildjian cymbals and at the time, early 80's, my setup was a mimmic of Smith's even the Pang cymbal.........Johnnie D, MAKE THE PANG AGAIN.
But, saying that, because Jeff Porcaro and Carlos were such a huge influence on me, I have a complete set of Paiste.
Zildjian used to have this really kewl book, must have been like 300 pages of drummer setups and I would stare at that for hours.
Ads have a very strong effect on what a kid buys and companies know this, but ultimetly it comes down to what fits best for you in terms of sound and feel.
Just because Audie Desbrow (greatwhite) plays Aquarian, they might not sound/feel right to your ear, so you try Evans or the 'other' brand. Same for stics and cymbals and especially drums.

[troutbrooke]

1) I may be turned on to new stuff from other drummers, or by noticing something in a store, but rarely from advertising these days.

2) When I was starting out, I just got what I could afford. After playing a few years, I tended to try to get what my favourite players were using. Now, I try to get what I feel sounds the best, is manufactured well, and is priced appropriately.

3)I don't pay attention to the ads at all anymore. I just tune them out, really.

[XNavyDrummer]

My thinking has been that if I have the same gear as the drummers that I enjoy listening too, then at least I can't say that my sound isn't happening due to the equipment that I'm playing. In this way my concerns are more on my playing technique than the equipment.