Feeling a little lost in the drum department? With full kits, shell packs, snares, cymbals, hardware and bundles, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Let’s simplify things and help you find what suits you best.
In our guide, we'll take you through the ins and outs of buying a new kit, exploring what everything means and what to look for to make sure you find the perfect setup for your needs.
Whether you're looking for your first beginner drum kit or your dream gigging setup, you will undoubtedly come across the term 'shell pack'. You'd be forgiven for missing it first time - most of the time you'll see images showing a full drum kit with cymbals, stands, snare, and stool included. Read on to find out how to navigate the shell pack vs. drum kit conundrum - here's what we'll be covering:
Well, firstly it’s not just another name for a drum kit. The key thing here is what you get in the box. Here it is in a nutshell:
It's ready to go right out of the box - just add sticks!
No snare, cymbals, pedals, or stands - see the Pearl example below. So why choose one?
Generally speaking, choosing a shell pack givs you more control and flexibility to build a kit that matches your sound and playing style. But that's not all:
Generally a shell pack includes a kick drum, tom(s), and tom mount(s). f you check out any of our shell pack listings, you'll see a list of what’s in the box. Sometimes manufacturers use generic images featuring a full kit, but we'll always clearly label something as a 'shell pack', with more details in the description.
If you're not sure about which packs include what, contact the manufacturer or our in-house team for a quick answer.
This is where things get personal. You’ll be surprised how much a small tweak can impact your playing comfort and control. Watching how your favourite drummers set up their kits can also give you ideas - whether you’re chasing big arena rock vibes or tight jazz grooves.
Here are some quick setup and positioning adjustments you can try:
If you're near our Guildford store, you’re welcome to try out some different hardware and pedal combos. Sometimes there’s no substitute for hands-on experience!
At Andertons, we have more hardware to choose from than you can shake a (drum) stick at, and at first, the choice might seem a little daunting! So let’s try and demystify some of the jargon for you:
| YOUR GOAL | BEST OPTION |
| All-in-one, ready to play | |
| Custom sound and setup |
It really comes down to how involved you want to be. Want to unbox and start playing right away? Go with a full kit. Want to design your setup piece by piece? Shell packs are the way to go.
Whether you’re building your first setup or upgrading your current one, the choice between a full drum kit and a shell pack depends on your goals. The team at Andertons Music Co. is always happy to help you get it just right. Next steps:
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