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There’s nothing quite like playing on a drum kit that was built in the USA. US drum companies tend to get all the best materials and have higher-quality design processes. The end results are always high-end drum kits that sound and look incredible.
If you’re in the market for a dream drum set, getting a US-made one may just be one of your best options. There are a few brands that purely make drums in their US headquarters, while other popular brands only make their top-tier drums in the country.
I’ve picked out some of the best American-made drum kits to show you, and I’ve compared them according to their sound quality, value, build quality, and overall performance.
Contents
What are the Best American Made Drum Sets?
| Image | Recommended ProductsProduct | Features | Price |
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Best Vintage-style Drums
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Best Maple US Drums
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Best Walnut US Drums
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Best Large US Kit
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Best Affordable US Kit
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How I Tested and Selected the Best American-Made Drum Sets
American-made drum sets tend to have amazing tonal quality, so they’re often used as studio kits in a lot of recording studios.
I’ve been able to play several US kits while tracking albums with different bands, and I used that experience to compile this list.
When testing these kits, I compared tonal quality to see how they all sounded. I did this by jamming on each kit for a good amount of time, trying out different tunings and muffling setups.
However, the main thing I checked for was features, as I feel as though that’s the main thing that sets US-made kits apart from others.
I inspected the rims, lugs, bearing edges, and tom mount designs. When playing, I tried to see how these affected the performance quality of each drum set.
In-Depth American Made Drum Set Reviews
Gretsch Drums USA Custom Drum Set
Gretsch Drums USA Custom Drum Set Review
Gretsch has a long history of making top-quality drums in the US, and the USA Custom is the top kit that the brand has to offer. This drum set blends modern drum design with old-fashioned touches, giving it a strong vintage appeal.
The shells blend maple and gumwood, with each shell having six plies. You get traditional tones out of the maple that are warm and rounded, but the gumwood offers slightly drier sounds.
I thought that the overall shell mixture made the Gretsch Drums USA Custom Drum Set sound similar to how the top-end Gretsch kits sounded in the early days of rock ‘n’ roll.
To dry the tones out even more, Gretsch has put die-cast hoops on all the toms. These also add tuning stability and reliability, further adding to the high-end feel of the kit.
The final thing to mention about the shells is that they have 30-degree bearing edges. These perfectly fit in with the maple/gum combination and die-cast hoops. The end product is a set of drums that sound punchy yet dry enough to never need too much muffling.
In terms of aesthetics, the kit has Gretsch’s golden round badge. This is reserved for the best kits that the brand makes.
Just note that you’ll need to purchase tom mounts separately when getting this kit to mount the rack toms to cymbal stands.
Pros
- These shells blend modern punchiness with classic warm resonance to get the great Gretsch sound
- 4mm die-cast hoops dry the sounds out and add a lot of tuning stability
- Iconic 30-degree bearing edges offer the classic Gretsch sound
- Incredible build quality
Cons
- Tom mounts don’t come with the kit when you buy it
DW Collector’s Series Drum Set
DW Collector’s Series Drum Set Review
The DW Collector’s Series needs no introduction. These kits have been at the top of the drumming world for decades, and it’s a dream for many drummers to own one.
I’ve been able to play countless drum sets over the years, but the DW Collector’s Series will forever be one of the best sounding and feeling kits I’ve ever played on.
They’re custom-made in DW’s California factory, and every Collector’s Series drum kit has something highly unique to offer.
The one we’re looking at here has gone through the brand’s 333 shell layup process. Each shell has a combination of nine short and long that have been staggered to create powerful low-end sounds. The process alleviates tension on the drums to achieve this.
The shells are made from North American hard rock maple. Maple drums typically have balanced frequencies, but the 333 process makes these drums sound a lot larger and more booming than I expected before playing the set.
For hardware, the kit has the brand’s True Hoops, which are triple-flanged counter hoops that offer pristine quality.
Each shell has DW’s True-Pitch tension screws, which make tuning the drums a breeze. They also do a great job of sustaining your tuning settings for a long time.
There aren’t too many drum kits that are better than Collector’s Series kits. The drawback is that they can get seriously expensive. All Collector’s Series drum sets cost anywhere between $5000 and $10,000, depending on their shell makeup.
Pros
- Highly unique shell creation process to bring out extraordinary tonal quality
- Noticeably good craftsmanship
- The 333 shell layup process sets this kit apart from other high-end US kits
Cons
- One of the most expensive acoustic drum kits on the market
Noble & Cooley Walnut Classic Drum Set
Noble & Cooley Walnut Classic Drum Set Review
Noble & Cooley is an incredible drum company that has been producing high-end drum sets for over a century. While the brand mostly makes custom kits to order, their Walnut Classic Set is often readily available in a few music stores.
These drums have walnut shells that give them more low-end tones than you’d get from most other sets.
After playing this kit, I got the feeling that the dark vintage sound would work incredibly well in musical styles where drums need to have more resonance.
For that reason, I think this is one of the best kits for jazz on this list, but there are plenty of drummers who love using it for rock too.
One of the best hardware features of the Noble & Cooley Walnut Classic Drum Set is the CoolMount that holds the rack tom. It’s a clever design that stops you from needing a drum key or wingnut when placing it. You simply rest the rack tom on an L-arm, and it smoothly locks in place.
The drums have 2.3mm flanged hoops with a black coating. The contrast between the hoops and the natural satin finish makes the kit look very eye-catching.
This set is a bit more niche than the others on this list, making it highly sought-after by drummers who are looking for something that sets them apart.
Pros
- Warm drum shells that offer plenty of resonance
- Great option for jazz and classic rock styles
- The CoolMount tom mounting design is highly innovative
- Beautiful finish and hardware color
Cons
- It would be great if it included a snare drum, but the best snare drums are very expensive
Ludwig Classic Maple Pro Beat Drum Set
Ludwig Classic Maple Pro Beat Drum Set Review
Ludwig is another household name in the drumming world, with some of the brand’s kit’s being made in the US. They split the production processes, having their lower-end drums and hardware manufactured in China.
The Ludwig Classic Maple is arguably the brand’s most popular drum set, as many professional drummers use it as their go-to option for gigging.
I’ve recommended the Pro Beat version of the set here, as I think it has enough variety to compete with the rest of the kits on this list.
The standout features that I love about this set are the larger drum shells, having a massive 24” kick drum, a 13” rack tom, and a 16” floor tom.
This kit has maple shells that make it sound warm yet very bold. The larger nature of the shells causes them to boom throughout venues from the resonating low-end sounds.
The brand uses Radio Frequency Shell Technology to make the shells, which ensures that all the plies are equally placed. This enhances the sustain and durability that you get.
I highly recommend this kit if you need something big and powerful to play heavier music. It won’t be your best bet for softer styles, though, as the large kick drum can get overwhelming.
Pros
- Huge tom and bass drum sounds that are powerful and effective
- RFST shell technology increases the drum kit’s tonal stability
- Excellent hardware quality
- Great drum kit option for heavier styles of music
Cons
- Large drum sizes lower the kit’s versatility
SJC Custom Drums Providence Series Drum Set
SJC Custom Drums Providence Series Drum Set Review
SJC are custom drum makers that mainly cater to drummers in the rock, punk, and metal world. However, their kits sound great for most styles. While the majority of SJC kits get custom-ordered, the brand offers a few ready-made sets that you don’t need to wait to get.
The SJC Providence Series is one of those sets, and it’s one of the most affordable US-made drum kits available. That doesn’t mean it’s inexpensive, though. It just costs a bit less than all the other kits on this list.
The set has maple shells that offer warmth and balance in the tones. The toms have six plies, while the bass drum has eight plies for a stronger and punchier sound.
The 45-degree bearing edges also add a good amount of resonance.
In terms of hardware, this kit has SJC’s low-mass hoops. I find that these hoops open up the sound a bit when I play around the kit, which is great.
One thing to mention about this kit is that the hardware that holds the shells together felt noticeably inferior to what I played on the other high-end US-made kits. The sounds are fantastic, but the kit just didn’t feel as luxurious in its build quality.
The upside is that the kit looked incredible. The two finish options are Obsidian Black and Calcutta White. Both look fantastic in contrast with the golden hardware.
Pros
- One of the most affordable kits that has been made in the US
- Incredibly appealing shell and hardware finishes
- Great tones with a wide tuning range
- Owning an SJC kit makes you part of a tight community
Cons
- The hardware quality of the kit is lacking compared to the other high-end US kits on this list
American Made Drum Sets Product Buying Guide
Getting a drum kit made in the USA isn’t an easy decision to make. The main reason is that most of them are very expensive, and you could get more for your money by getting a high-end kit made somewhere else.
However, there isn’t much that beats US-made quality, and I highly recommend looking at the options available to determine which deal is best for you.
What Makes US Made Drums a Good Buying Option
- High-end US drum kits use some of the best materials for their drums and hardware.
- US drum factories often have better quality control standards, leading to better products.
- High-end US drum kits mostly have incredible shell hardware.
- Knowing that you own a proudly US-made drum kit is something that many drummers love the sound of.
Features to Look Out for in US Drum Set
Shell Material
Shell material is always one of the key features to look at when buying a drum set. All US-made drum sets use high-quality woods to create the shells, leading them to sound as good as they can.
A good example is that most pro drum kits have maple as a shell material, but US-made drum kits use North American maple. Many drummers argue that it sounds slightly better. Some disagree and say all maple leads to similar sounds, but it’s one of the defining features that may sway you toward a US kit.
A few other materials that you’ll see on US kits are birch, gumwood, oak, mahogany, and walnut.
Here’s a quick summary of what tones those wood types offer:
Birch – Boosted high-end, leading to more aggressive and powerful sounds.
Maple – Good balance of frequencies. Maple drums are the most versatile kind.
Gum – Slightly reduced sustain, making the drums sound like ones from the 50s and 60s.
Walnut – Dark tonal qualities with a lot of resonance.
Oak – Low fundamental tones with a lot of projection.
Mahogany – Boosted low-end tones with warm mids and highs.
Shell Hardware
The shell hardware refers to the lugs, tension rods, rims, and mounting brackets that you’ll find on all the drums. When it comes to high-end drum kits, shell hardware plays a huge role in making the kits feel premium.
Cheaper kits have flimsier hardware that doesn’t add too much to the sounds or feel, while US-made kits have top-tier hardware that makes them feel very well-built.
The type of hoops used on the drums can alter how they sound, and the lug quality determines how well the drums can be tuned and stay in tune.
US-made kits also typically have shell hardware that looks sleek and appealing. Cheaper kits have finishes that determine how they look, while higher-end kits’ appearances are determined by their finishes and shell hardware. This often makes them look much better.
Shell Creation Process
All US drum kits have unique shell creation processes. With DW kits, you get the HVLT or 333 shell processes. With Ludwig kits, you get the RFST shell technology. Every brand has something unique, and it’s good to know how the shells are made so that you can see how they got their sound.
Some shell creation processes may sound more appealing to you than others, as they’ll lead to the sounds that you want from your drums.
When looking at US kits, look into all the details about how they were made. It will make you appreciate them more, and it often explains why the kits are priced higher.
American Drum Companies FAQs
What Drum Brands are Made in the USA?
The popular drum brands that make kits in the USA are Ludwig, Gretsch, Noble & Cooley, SJC, and DW Drums. These brands don’t make all their kits in the US, though. The beginner and intermediate lines are made in countries with cheaper resources and labor costs.
What is so Good About Drums Made in the USA?
All drum kits that are made in the USA form part of the brand’s high-end line of drums. You get guaranteed high-quality sounds and hardware. This has led drummers to believe that US-made drum kits are some of the best drum kits out there.
While this is true, it doesn’t mean they’re better than high-end drums made in any other country.
Why Are Drums Made in the USA Expensive?
Materials and labor costs are a lot higher in the USA, leading drum making to be pricier. Drum companies need to make a profit on the drums that they sell. This leads to higher-priced drum kits being put on the market.
