What is the Best Drum Kit?

Recently someone asked me what was the best drum kit to buy...Pearl? Tama? Yamaha? Ludwig? I paused for a moment realizing of course that the answer is both simple and complex. Short answer: The best drum kit is the one that allows you to achieve your desired sound and performance requirements while staying within your price range. Right now, the best drum kit for me is a Yamaha custom stage advantage. I have been playing in oldies bands in small clubs and bars in recent years and find the kit to produce a good quality sound in that environment. And the kit is a reasonably priced mid-range kit. With a decent set of cymbals I am good to go. Right now, that is the best drum kit for my purposes.

There are alot of factors to consider when buying drums: budget, size of venues, desired sound, style of music, wear & tear, recording, construction, type of wood, etc, and the list goes on and on. And of course there are huge differences from the beginner to the seasoned pro.

What kind of kit are you using? Why did you choose it, and how will you use it? What were you looking for? This is an excellent opportunity to share your thoughts on the process of buying a drum kit. Please share your comments and experiences and also vote on the poll to the right on the type of kit you are using right now.

Let's make this a learning experience for young and old.