Drumming mat / setup

[fd3]

Looking at
1 setting up drumming shed
1 revamping #1 son's bedroom

Shed for acoustic drums, electronic drums indoors.  What to look for in a drum mat? will any rug offcut do?  Anything in particular to look out for or avoid?   

[nicknack]

According to my drummy friends, any old bit of rug will do.

[yorkie]

Over many years playing tuba and/or bass trombone in just about every type of ensemble going, I can verify that pretty much any type of carpet can be/has been used. (Rubber backed carpet tends to slide less than fabric backed on wood or lino type floors.)

(I can also verify that drummers will get a bit mardy with tuba/bass trombone players who empty their instrument's water key over the aforementioned carpet...)

[Kim]

I can also verify that drummers will get a bit mardy with tuba/bass trombone players who empty their instrument's water key over the aforementioned carpet...

That's because everyone will assume they've been dribbling, see drummer jokes passim.

[yorkie]

I can also verify that drummers will get a bit mardy with tuba/bass trombone players who empty their instrument's water key over the aforementioned carpet...

That's because everyone will assume they've been dribbling, see drummer jokes passim.

But of course, how else would we know that the stage is level?

[road-runner]

1 setting up drumming shed
1 revamping #1 son's bedroom

The big kick/bass drum will creep forward as it is played for which the end of each drum leg is a spike that can dig into a mat - and often through the mat and scratch or dig into the floor underneath. Some drummers prefer to use the integral rubber feet that screw down over the spike, intended to reduce slipping on a bare floor.

The drum pedal usually has adjustable spiky bits underneath to combat slipping.

To ensure the bass drum and pedal spikes do not damage the drumming shed floor or the bedroom floor, I suggest a carpet offcut turned upside down, so the jute net that the carpet is sewn into is face up as it will act as the locking mechanism so that the spikes do not slide. Screw down the bass drum's rubber feet far enough so that the spikes cannot reach the floor. Similarly, check how far the bass drum pedal's spikes protrude.

[fd3]

Shed is nearly ready for setup.  Never assembled an acoustic drum kit.  Any suggestions of websites that talk you through it and any smart suggestions?

[road-runner]

Is your drumming son left or right handed?

[fd3]

Right.

[road-runner]

Try this video, quite probably in short bursts so that your son understands each step of the process.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-QdeS4EYdE

[fd3]

Parts missing:
Washer for high hat.
Stand for medium and thin crash
Legs for floor tom
Some stand/attachment thing for a 4th tom.

[road-runner]

Stand for medium and thin crash

You can find those sorts of things on ebay quite easily.

As for the crash stand, what a pity I will not be in the UK until next summer as I am trying to give away a cymbal stand. If your son doesn't have one by July I will bring this with me and give it to him. The cymbal is not included; it is just to demonstrate the stand.

[fd3]

Hi RR, so very generous of you to offer.  Your advice has been really invaluable. 
I'll sort something out before Christmas (currently waiting on a chance to measure how big mapex floor tom legs are ... need to be home before dark to get the micrometer on it), but we have a ~£500 drum kit for free, so <£100 on some final parts is okay.