Author Topic: Been a LONG time...  (Read 1322 times)

Been a LONG time...
« on: February 29, 2016, 04:12:43 PM »
Have always been weird about ekits, until I borrowed my friends crappy Simmons.  Knowing there are sets out there like the Alesis and Roland stuff, I quickly realized I need to get an ekit!  I did percussion about 30yrs ago and like many others, it's in my blood.  It feels good to actually be getting back into it.  On my short list are the Alesis DM8 or DM10 kits.  It's all about cost and getting something that looks and feel like an acoustic but is quieter and more versatile.  Looks like the mesh heads are the way to go though.  Might start with the mylar and convert to mesh.  Not sure yet. 


Offline AlanK

Re: Been a LONG time...
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2016, 08:24:03 AM »
Hi Curly, welcome to the forum. I'm from a similar history, played as a young teen into my mid twenties, then had to give up the acoustic kit due to marriage, apartments and family life. Was always in the blood and I missed it like nothing else, but I left in the 80's and knew nothing about electronic options. 25 years later I stumble upon my buddy's kid's kit in the basement at a party, sit in on a jam, and it's back in the blood and I had to get back in! I found out ekits were popular.. started off with a super cheapy Rockstar type kit that I modded out but out grew it quickly. I spent a year or more watching Alesis kits prices.. decided it was the DM10X or nothing (couldn't afford a flagship Roland or Hart etc).. I am SO glad I went for the 10X at the time, as it had the snare on it's own stand, larger tom sizes so it felt like a real drumset, and more cymbals. But the mylar gave me carpal tunnel within a few weeks, and was loud, so I meshed it out.

I would definitely wait it out, get a sale on the DM10X Mesh or one of the newer Alesis sets if the price comes down to your range.. you'll want mesh for sure, so whether better to wait for a sale on the already meshed kits or get a DM10X and do it yourself.. but I truly think if you settle for the DM8 you'll outgrow or regret it quickly. At least to me, half the joy I get out of my set is that it looks and feels so much closer to an acoustic set but is 1/8th the price of a similar setup in a Roland. I was lucky that the DM10X was priced at about 1500, but went on sale for 200 off, and then there came a 300 dollar rebate from Alesis, so at 998 it was a steal. That was still more than I'd planned to spend, but that 300 extra or so was worth every dollar.
DM10X with Addictive Drums 2, Pro X hi-hat, 4 crashes, foam cone conversion w Roland mesh heads, Laurin Drums snare and kick, Mapex P710W double kick pedal, Mapex 2 legged hi-hat, Behringer 8 channel USB mixer, Tascam 144MK AI, Samson Expedition Escape powered speakers

Re: Been a LONG time...
« Reply #2 on: March 27, 2016, 09:21:04 PM »
I agree 100% with what you said. I want the better module and I want a set that looks and feels more like an acoustic set, just because.  I probably will wrap the shells with veneer too as I am a wood nut!!  Run a custom furniture business here in Maine afterall.  Lol!  wildcherrywoodworks.com and on FB too.  Made Cajons before and felt mallets on the lathe too!  Considered building a drum kit, but I like the ekit idea now and with the mesh heads, I think it's a perfect fit.  The cheap Simmons I am using like you said, gripped me hard back into it!!!  Lol!  But being 43, I probably am not going to be upgrading frequently, so want something decent.  I have lot's of guitarist friends around who want to jam too, which should be fun!

Re: Been a LONG time...
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2016, 05:47:58 PM »
I got into this at 43 myself.  I did a $300 experiment to see if I would get into drums or end up with a fancy coat rack, and a month later I went straight for the DM10X Mesh.  I got infected with a bit of a disease, and I have tricked my kit out with all top-of-the-line Gibraltar stuff, and maxed out the available inputs with extra cymbals.  I haven't added this up, but if I were ever foolish enough to do that, I would probably gasp in shock at how much I have invested in this crazy thing since January.

I have mixed feelings, and I'm really glad I didn't go with anything cheaper.  I can't really be disappointed, knowing that this is as good as it gets.  I didn't spend $7,500, and I have more goodies wired to this thing than is possible even with the top end Roland flagship.  Life is pretty good, really.  The hi-hat still frustrates me though.  >:(

Re: Been a LONG time...
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2016, 09:01:18 PM »
Do you have the hi hat stand setup?   I was curious how that worked.  The hi hat pedal on this Simmons crappy one is hard to use.  I don't like it at all.  But my friend got what he paid for.  HAHAHAHA!!!!  Looking very forward to the DM10 mesh deal.