What is it?
Originally launched by German instrument manufacturer and distribution giant GEWA in 2009, the DrumCraft brand was surprisingly short-lived and faded from existence just a few years later. Revived and revamped by Thomann in 2022, the company now offers an ever-growing number of kits, standalone snares and hardware solutions.
Delving deeper into DrumCraft’s three main kit ranges available, we’ll start with the entry-level Series 3. Aimed at beginner to intermediate players, this option uses poplar shells, comes in three finish options and four size configurations (including a cute junior setup and even one with twin bass drums). The Series 4 is the mid-range lineup aimed at intermediate or price-conscious players. It offers five finish options, mahogany/poplar shells and three shell-pack configurations. Lastly, the Series 6 (we’re not sure what happened to Series 5) is the drum builder’s flagship range, which boasts suspension-mounted tom hardware, maple/walnut shells and six colour options.
The latest addition to the range, and the focus of our review, is the brand spanking new Urban Beats kit. Unlike the plethora of size and colour options available with Series 3, 4 and 6, the Urban Beats is a standalone setup with a fixed three-piece configuration of 20”x12” bass drum, 12”x8” rack tom and 14”x13” floor tom. There is also only one finish available, which is a rather fetching matt black wrap. Think along the same lines as the Ludwig Breakbeats, Sonor Jungle, Tama Club-Jam and Dixon Little Roomer compact ‘busking’ style kits – ideal for those looking for something more portable or a kit with a smaller footprint.
The Urban Beats shares much of its DNA with the entry-level Series 3, both of which are constructed using 7-ply poplar shells with 45-degree bearing edges, aiming to “deliver a warm tone that allows for a wide range of applications”. Both also feature the same chrome shell hardware, which includes triple-flanged hoops and DrumCraft’s P-shaped lugs.
In terms of price, the three-piece Urban Beats kit comes in at a mere £289 at the time of writing. An extremely low price for a brand new drum kit, no doubt, but do bear in mind (especially if you’re eyeing this up for a first drum kit) that you’ll need a lot more to get started than just the three drums included in this pack – most pressingly, a snare drum!
Despite the low cost, it’s a little surprising that the set does not include a snare, considering that every single one of DrumCraft’s other kits does come complete with one (as do each of the above-mentioned busking kits). In comparing the Urban Beats to the Series 3 studio kit which uses very similar sized shells (20”x16” kick, 10”x7” & 12”x8” rack toms, 14”x12” floor tom and 14”x5” snare), it becomes apparent that £170 more will not only afford the snare drum but also an extra rack tom, a bass drum pedal and hi-hat stand.
Check out the Thomann website for up-to-date prices on each kit. There are even standalone drums available as add-ons.
Performance
In the box, the bass drum and floor tom come disassembled and nestled one inside the other, while the rack tom is already fitted with drumheads and good to go. The standard of the shells is generally good, although we notice there are some imperfections to the bearing edges of the floor tom as we fit the provided Remo UC heads. The kit oozes class in matt black, which is contrasted beautifully by the shining chrome hardware. One slight gripe is that the joins aren’t very well hidden from certain angles.
Although there is no full hardware set included, inside the box we also find the floor tom legs with memory locks, a Yamaha-style ball-joint tom arm (which uses a thick tube to slide into the tom rather than Yamaha’s thinner hex style), a sturdy boom arm for mounting a cymbal alongside the tom arm from the drilled bass drum mount, plus a lightweight cushion for dampening the bass drum. This can be secured in place using the velcro strip, which affixes it directly to the inside of the drum shell, leaving some room for adjustment. It’s not quite big enough to make contact with both the batter and resonant head, despite the bass drum’s shallow 12” depth, so we opted for pushing it up against the batter head.
Considering the unported reso head and shallow depth, we’re pleasantly surprised by the thump emanating from the bass drum. It’s drier than expected and offers plenty of versatility at different tunings. It feels sturdy to play, too, thanks to the telescopic bass drum spurs.
The floor tom is relatively cooperative and it doesn’t take long to get a pleasing boom from it. The tuning range isn’t vast, but it works well in medium to higher tunings. This is fairly typical of the cheaper ‘factory’ Remo UC heads, which lack low-end and usually make tuning a trickier ordeal. It’s always worth factoring in better quality heads into the investment of a new kit as it really makes an enormous difference.
Verdict
Overall, Urban Beats is a good-looking kit which won’t break the bank. It's a potentially great option for beginners although additional hardware would need to be factored into the budget.
Hands-on demos
DrumCraft
Alternatives
Specifications
Price |
£289 |
Key features |
Configuration: three-piece shell pack Compact shell set for performances with limited space Shell material: Poplar wood Bearing Edge: 45 degree Lugs per drum: Bass drum: 16; rack tom: 10; floor tom: 16. Drum shells with matt black wrap finish Includes tom holder, Remo drum heads, kick drum pad |
Dimensions |
20”x12” bass drum |
Contact |
