A new kit is a big milestone for any of us, and while 2020 saw plenty of finish revisions, we're focussing on new additions here. From mini-kits to reissued curios to some great-value workhorse kits, here are the drum sets you rated most highly this year.
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Tama Superstar Classic Exotic
Tama’s Superstar kits pack one hell of a punch at a workhorse price point. Here, we’ve seen the Superstar Classic Exotic return to its roots with that retro Tama badge, 100% maple shells and some monster configurations such as the 7-piece, pictured above.
Mapex 2020 Saturn
Coming in at a close second-place, the 2020 revision of Mapex’s outstanding Saturn kit packs a lot of features from the Design Lab, including Mapex’s Nodal Line Air Flow Venting Scheme and SONIClear bearing edges for easy tuning and punchy resonance.
Yamaha Stage Custom Hip
If you’ve had your head buried, you’ll have missed the boom in down-sized kits in recent years. But Yamaha joined the party for 2020 with the Stage Custom Hip, a 20”/10”/13” plus 13” snare configuration. But that floor tom also doubles as a second snare! All-birch shells and a range of great finishes? No wonder you guys loved it.
Tama Club Jam Flyer
A different take on the micro-kit format, the Tama Club Jam Flyer features a 14” bass drum, 8” and 10” rack/floor toms, and a 10”x5” snare. But while it might be tiny, it sounds anything-but, making this the perfect kit for little people, or a grab-and-go kit for when gigs start again!
Vox Telstar
Vox brought back the Telstar, complete with ‘melted’ bass drum for 2020. Not only that, but it’s built by Sakae, the revered brand that Vox’s parent company, Korg now owns. We’d love to see the same treatment applied to Staccato drums…we think.
