5 reasons why Black Friday is the best time to buy an electronic drum set
Why it could be wise to wait until Black Friday to land a great e-kit deal
If you want to start learning the drums, or you’re an established drummer wanting to practice more, an electronic drum set is an excellent purchase, and one we’d recommend year round. Being able to work on your playing in relative quiet, or practice a set ahead of your next gig is so worthwhile, but the prices of e-kits can be a barrier of entry for some people. The answer is to make the most of the Black Friday drum deals landing this month, where previous experience tells us you’ll be able to grab a great deal on an electronic drum set.
And these deals aren’t limited to lesser-know brands or budget gear, either. For example, last year we saw Sweetwater knock a huge $300 off the excellent Roland TD-07KV and TD-17KV e-kits, Guitar Center slashed $60 off a special edition of our favourite beginner electronic drum set, the Alesis Nitro Mesh and the Roland TD-1K was also available for just $499, with a healthy $100 off. These kinds of discounts only happen during massive sales events such as Black Friday, so we’d recommend keeping an eye out for big discounts in the lead up to and on the big day (which is Friday 26 November, by the way).
We’ve covered the Black Friday music sales for many years now and we know it’s the best time to buy an e-kit. Here’s 5 reasons why...
1. The savings
Simply put, the savings you’ll be making on an e-kit this Black Friday will be larger than the savings you might make at any other time of the year. From past experience, we’ve seen most major retailers keep a few ace Black Friday bargains up their sleeve, and we expect to see that again this year, but potentially on another level as more brands and retailers get on board.
One of the biggest upsides to Black Friday is that, with it being so close to the end of the year, some manufacturers may be shifting existing stock at lower prices to make way for newly announced products - both Roland and Yamaha have launched new models this year. This enables retailers to deliver the huge discounts you see around Black Friday.
The world of electronic drums can be quite cost prohibitive at times. The technology, hardware and associated research and development associated with e-kits means it can be hard for companies to keep their costs down. This is why it’s more important than ever for you to find the best deal possible, and save as much money as you can - something which is usually a sure bet on Black Friday.
If you’re looking to start playing the drums, there’s no better time than Black Friday, too. You can get everything you need for a fraction of the full price, and going by what we saw last year, there are always brilliant deals to be had on beginner electronic drum sets from brands including Alesis, Roland and Yamaha.
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2. The competition
During Black Friday - and especially the Black Friday drum sales - the competition between retailers and brands will be high. Every online store will be fighting to provide the most enticing deals for you to enjoy - giving you myriad options when buying an e-kit. This kind of choice is brilliant as it means you’re not limited to one product from one brand or retailer. In our experience the Guitar Center Black Friday and Sweetwater Black Friday sales are the best places to land an e-kit bargain.
You’ll find the best Alesis electronic drum sets, the best Roland electronic drum sets and the best Yamaha electronic drum sets all with big cash savings - Black Friday is one of the only times throughout the year that this happens.
Sometimes the choice can be a bit overwhelming - but that’s where we come in. Our expert buyer’s guides and product reviews will help you cut through the noise to help you find the best electronic drum set for you.
3. Accessories will be on sale too
Black Friday isn’t all about the e-kit deals, either. Just about everything sees a price reduction around that post-Thanksgiving weekend, meaning you’ll be able to stock up on all the accessories you’ll need to make your drumming experience as fulfilling as possible, for way less than you’d usually pay.
When buying any drum set, you’ll need to take a look at what comes with the kit when you purchase it. Certain accessories, such as a bass drum pedal and drumsticks will be included with most lower-end e-kits, whereas drum thrones, amplifiers and headphones for drummers need to be bought separately. All of these extras are pretty essential when playing an e-kit, so we’d recommend making the most of the Black Friday deals and grab everything you need.
Many retailers offer massive bundle deals around Black Friday, in which everything you need to start playing is included. This not only saves loads of money, but also makes things much more convenient for you. Getting everything you need in one delivery means less time messing around, and more time playing your new e-kit.
4. You'll be able to get more for your money
One overlooked benefit of Black Friday is the ability to get your hands on a kit that’s way better than what you’d originally budgeted for.
New e-kits are launched every 2-3 years, but it takes far longer for the technology and features to become outdated. This means, as the prices start to drop around Black Friday, you can get hold of a killer e-kit that was maybe out of your budget-range at launch, but is now price-accessible. Who doesn’t want to pay less for top-level gear?
5. It's the perfect time to buy for Christmas
One of the best things about Black Friday is that it’s so close to Christmas, so it’s a great opportunity to fulfill the Christmas demands of your nearest and dearest with cool tech, fashion or - most importantly - gifts for drummers, at a fraction of the usual price. Last minute gift buying can be pretty stressful, and with potential stock issues predicted for the tail end of 2021, Cyber Weekend could be an ideal time to buy.
“I’m not getting any sound from one of my pads!”: 10 common electronic drum set issues and how to troubleshoot them
“What we get here is the essence of Alesis’ flagship electronic drum set, with all the great features, minus the stuff that is likely to be ‘nice-to-have’ rather than essential”: Alesis Strata Core review
James is a freelance writer and former Junior Deals Writer at MusicRadar. Before writing, James worked as a guitar salesman at a local music store, so he knows a thing or two about matching people with their perfect instruments. James also has experience working in other areas of the music trade, having worked for the online music distributor, RouteNote. James is a guitarist, bassist and drummer and has also toured the UK and Europe with his old band Hypophora.
“I’m not getting any sound from one of my pads!”: 10 common electronic drum set issues and how to troubleshoot them
“What we get here is the essence of Alesis’ flagship electronic drum set, with all the great features, minus the stuff that is likely to be ‘nice-to-have’ rather than essential”: Alesis Strata Core review