Which of these are the best? New ImpStar, RockStar, Forum or Export?

yenic

Junior Member
Here are my choices.. I'm buying my first set, and I want the best set and best deal possible.
I've done some reading on another drum forum and found that people like Tama and Pearl a lot more than some other brands for lower end gear so I might be leaving something out that you know is good, and if priced accordingly, please recommend it..


Tama Imperialstar 6-piece with Meinl HCS cymbals and hardware $800
http://drums-percussion.musiciansfr...h-Meinl-Cymbals-and-Free-10-Splash?sku=584310

Tama Rockstar 5-piece with Meinl HCS cymbals and hardware $800
http://drums-percussion.musiciansfr...5piece-Drum-Set-with-Meinl-Cymbals?sku=584108

Pearl Forum with cymbals and hardware $700
http://drums-percussion.musiciansfr...um-FZ725-5Piece-Standard-Drum-Set-?sku=491022

Pearl Forum with Zildjian ZBT cymbals and hardware $750 (doesn't mention the cymbals but that's what they give you)
http://www.rainbowguitars.com/drums...s-throne-hardware-wine-red-or-black/FZ725B/PL

Pearl Export (1998) with drilled drum mounting system 6-piece (one tom is ISS) with Zildjian K-Z hihat, Zildjian 18" rock crash, Zildjian A 20" ride, Tama throne and hardware with dampener pads and 3 new Remo tom heads. These are white, slightly discolored from sunlight. $500

I'm leaning towards the Export because I want to put my money into cymbals, and less focus on shells and hardware.

Originally I was going to spend near $1,400 on a Gretsch Catalina Ash + Zildjian A Custom cymbal pack + Sound Percussion hardware and throne.. but I want to stay as cheap as possible.. I love practicing drums but don't want to spend that much for my first kit.. but I need one TO practice on because my cousin who's mentoring me has a wife and child at his house and I'm thinking about playing/practicing everyday.. :/
 
Far and away you are getting the best bang for the buck (no pun intended) with the Exports, because of the cymbals it comes with. Unless the drums and/or cymbals are thrashed, that will do you very well for a first kit, and the money you save not having to upgrade cymbals can be used to replace all the heads if needed. None of the other sets you list come with cymbals that will sound even half as good.

'98 Exports were the best selling kits in the world at the time, and not for no reason. They were decently made, good-sounding beginner drumsets with quality that was truthfully more intermediate. They would not be an apt comparison to any intermediate kit today, but they would still be a great choice.

Make sure there's not any deep damage to the drum shells (i.e. cracks, holes, out of round, bearing edges thrashed, etc). On the cymbals, you should be looking for cracks, bent edges, keyholing on the center hole, or anything that has caused a bad sound.
 
I Know i sound like im beating a dead horse here but,I would STRONGLY look at the Yamaha Stage custom kit.They are the best bang for your buck out there IMHO.Shell pack 4 peice is around 400,and their mounting hardware on theses kits are the same as there high end lines.Look at a Yamaha you wont be sorry.They sound great trust me i know................Kevin
 
Here are my choices.. I'm buying my first set, and I want the best set and best deal possible.
I've done some reading on another drum forum and found that people like Tama and Pearl a lot more than some other brands for lower end gear so I might be leaving something out that you know is good, and if priced accordingly, please recommend it..


Tama Imperialstar 6-piece with Meinl HCS cymbals and hardware $800
http://drums-percussion.musiciansfr...h-Meinl-Cymbals-and-Free-10-Splash?sku=584310

Tama Rockstar 5-piece with Meinl HCS cymbals and hardware $800
http://drums-percussion.musiciansfr...5piece-Drum-Set-with-Meinl-Cymbals?sku=584108

Pearl Forum with cymbals and hardware $700
http://drums-percussion.musiciansfr...um-FZ725-5Piece-Standard-Drum-Set-?sku=491022

Pearl Forum with Zildjian ZBT cymbals and hardware $750 (doesn't mention the cymbals but that's what they give you)
http://www.rainbowguitars.com/drums...s-throne-hardware-wine-red-or-black/FZ725B/PL

Pearl Export (1998) with drilled drum mounting system 6-piece (one tom is ISS) with Zildjian K-Z hihat, Zildjian 18" rock crash, Zildjian A 20" ride, Tama throne and hardware with dampener pads and 3 new Remo tom heads. These are white, slightly discolored from sunlight. $500

I'm leaning towards the Export because I want to put my money into cymbals, and less focus on shells and hardware.

Originally I was going to spend near $1,400 on a Gretsch Catalina Ash + Zildjian A Custom cymbal pack + Sound Percussion hardware and throne.. but I want to stay as cheap as possible.. I love practicing drums but don't want to spend that much for my first kit.. but I need one TO practice on because my cousin who's mentoring me has a wife and child at his house and I'm thinking about playing/practicing everyday.. :/
I believe the RockStar is a step up from the ImperialStar, with the ImperialStar being a beginner level kit, and the RockStar being considered Intermediate. As for the Pearl Forums, I believe those are simply the newer updated versions of the Exports. Personally, I would go for that Export kit, simply for the cymbals and hardware included. You could probably re-sell the drums themselves for $500 and keep the cymbals and the hardware.
 
just get a shell kit of whatever one of those drums u can get for the cheapest price and then buy used pro level cymbals
 
if you are on a budget always buy used gear , but I must admit that the rockstar sound pretty good and that's a really good deal.
the cymbals are just cheap cymbals , I defenitly recommend to sell them inmediatly as new and buy some used pro cymbals , for the money you get from selling them you can at leats buy a pro ride and a hihat on ebay.

so for 800 you can end with a tama rockstar with two pro cymbals , and that's not bad at all , you will play those drums for years
 
I bought the 6piece Export. It's very nice, in GREAT condition. Looks brand new. All Pearl hardware, very heavy duty stuff. Awesome setup. I was pretty sure I was going with that setup, but wanted to post somewhere to see if I was on the right track first.

14" K/Z hats, A series 18" crash, A series 20" ride. No cracks, no keyholing (they all look nearly new to me). I feel lucky. I'm going to take good care of this set because it's obvious the previous owner did.
 
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