Buying Guide

Are you afraid to go back there? Are they playing the triangle with a screwdriver again? This buying guide will give you confidence in ordering quality items for your percussion section. It is broken down into Elementary, Middle School, and High School. You can trust that these items will serve your musical purpose and your budget at the same time. There are many choices out there and many fine brands to choose from, these are just some options that we know you will enjoy.

Sticks and Mallets

Sticks and Mallets Elementary Middle School High School
Concert Bass Mallets Liberty One LBG General Bass Drum Mallet Encore Payson B1 Sostenuto Brown Bass Drum Mallet Vic Firth Tom Gauger TG04 Bass Drum Mallets - Rollers (pair)
Concert Snare Drum Sticks Vic Firth American Custom SD1 Drumsticks - General Vic Firth American Custom SD1 Drumsticks - General Vic Firth Symphonic Signature Snare Drum Stick - Tim Genis
Suspended Cymbal Mallets Zildjian Cymbal Mallet - Black Vic Firth Becken Cymbal Mallets - Soft Yarn Malletech Orchestra Series (ORMSC) Medium Suspended Cymbal Mallets
Timpani Mallets Liberty One Medium Timpani Mallets Vic Firth American Custom Timpani T1 - General JGpercussion Joseph Pereira JP1 Bamboo Timpani Mallets
Drum Set Sticks Vic Firth American Classic 5A Drumsticks Vic Firth Signature Series - Dave Weckl Drumsticks Vic Firth Signature Series - Peter Erskine Ride Wood Tip Drumsticks
Bell Mallets Liberty One LLB Lexan Birch Bell / Xylophone Mallets Innovative Orchestral Series OS5 Full Rattan Glock Mallets Innovative James Ross IP906 Brilliant Bright Xylo/Bell Mallets
Xylophone Mallets Liberty One Scholastic Series Medium Xylophone Mallets Malletech Orchestral Series OR39R Hard Rattan Xylophone Mallets Malletech Bob Becker BB34 Medium Rattan Xylo/Bell Mallets "Becker Blues"
Vibraphone Mallets N/A Innovative Fundamental Series F5.5 Medium Vibraphone Mallets - Rattan Balter Pro Vibe Series Rattan 23R Medium Blue Cord
Marimba Mallets N/A Innovative Soloist Series IP240 Medium Birch Marimba Mallets Vic Firth Robert Van Sice Marimba Mallets - Medium
Gong Mallets N/A Vic Firth Soundpower GB4 Gong Beater - Medium Encore KG1 King Gong Gong Mallet
Chime Mallets Weiss Chime Mallet - Rawhide Vic Firth Soundpower Chime Hammer Grover Chime Mallet - Medium 1.5"
Brushes Liberty One Retractable Nylon Brushes Innovative WBR1 Medium Wire Brushes Vic Firth Heritage Brush
Triangle Beater Weiss Loop End Triangle Beater Black Swamp Select Triangle Beater Set (3 with Case) Grover Alloy 303 Deluxe Triangle Beater Set With Case - TBD

Instruments

Instrument Elementary Middle School High School
Concert Bass Drum Ludwig Concert Bass Drum Pearl Concert Bass Drum - Concert Series Yamaha Grand Series Concert Bass Drum with Stand - 36x22
Concert Snare Drum Ludwig Supralite Snare Drum - 14x5.5 Majestic Concert Black Series Snare Drum - 14x6.5 Maple Black Swamp Pro 10 Concert Snare Drum - Maple 14x6.5
Crash Cymbals Sabian 16" B8X Band Cymbals Zildjian 18" Classic Orchestral Selection Med Light Cymbal Pair Sabian 19" HHX New Symphonic Viennese Cymbals
Suspended Cymbals Weiss 18" Traditional Cast Suspended Cymbal Zildjian 18" Classic Orchestral Selection Suspended Cymbal Zildjian 18" K Constantinople Suspended Cymbal
Timpani Ludwig Standard Fiberglass Timpani Yamaha Intermediate Series Smooth Copper Timpani Adams Professional Generation II Hammered Copper Timpani
Bells Musser 2.5 Octave Classic Bells (M645) Yamaha 2.5 Octave Concert Band Bells (YG250D) DeMorrow 2.5 Octave Orchestra Bells
Xylophone Majestic 3.5 Octave Padouk Xylophone Adams 3.5 Octave Soloist Synthetic Xylophone Yamaha 3.5 Octave Acoustalon Symphonic Xylophone
Vibraphone N/A Musser 3.0 Pro Vibraphone Adams 3.0 Octave Concert Vibraphone
Marimba N/A Adams 4.3 Oct. Concert Padouk Marimba Yamaha 4.3 Octave Intermediate Acoustalon Multi-Frame II Marimba
Drum Set Pearl Roadshow 5-Piece Drum Set with Hardware and Cymbals - 20" Bass Drum Yamaha Stage Custom Birch 5-Piece Drum Set with 20" Bass Gretsch Catalina Maple 5-Piece Shell Pack - 22" Bass Drum
Throne Liberty One Double Braced Drum Throne Gibraltar 6608 Moto Style Vinyl Drum Throne Roc N Soc Drum Throne - Nitro w/ Original Seat - Black (NR-O-K)
Tambourine Rhythm Tech RT1011 Tambourine - Black with Brass Jingles Black Swamp 10" Overture Series Double Row Tambourine - TDOV Grover 10" Double Row Tambourine - T2/GSPH
Triangle LP 06" Triangle Alan Abel 06" Symphonic Triangle Black Swamp 08" Artisan Triangle
Maracas Meinl Lightweight Plastic Maracas - Black Meinl Plastic Maracas - Black LP Maracas - Professional (LP281)
Shaker LP Rhythmix Egg Shakers (Pair) - Black LP Rock Shaker - Black (LP462B) LP Shake-It
Wood Blocks LP Jam Block - Lo Pitch Red (LP1207) Black Swamp Rock Maple Woodblock Grover Wood Blocks
Claves LP Aspire Claves Ludwig Claves LP Clave - Grenadilla (LP261)
Congas N/A LP Aspire Wood Conga Set with Stand Meinl Marathon Classic Series Congas - Coffee Burst
Bongo Meinl Free Ride Series Mini Bongos - Natural Meinl Headliner Series Bongos - Vintage Wine Barrel LP Generation II Bongos - Comfort Curve Rims
Wind Chimes LP Bar Chimes - Concert 25 Bar Single Row (449C) TreeWorks Tre35 Classic Single-Row 35 Bar Chime TreeWorks Tre35db Classic Double-Row 69 Bar Chime
Cowbell (High) LP Black Beauty Cowbell LP Mambo Cowbell Pearl Primero 6" Cowbell (PCB6)
Cowbell (Low) LP Rock Cowbell LP Mambo Cowbell LP Rock Ridge Rider Cowbell
Temple Blocks LP Granite Block Set (LP1210) Blocks Temple Blocks - Set of 5 Black Swamp Temple Block Set - 5 Blocks (TBSET5)
Sleigh Bells Weiss Steel Sleigh Bells Ludwig Sleigh Bells Gon Bops Sleigh Bells
Castanets LP Castanet Machine Black Swamp Overture Castanet Machine Epstein Castanets - Grenadillo 2 3/4" - Pair (7G)