Father's day gifts for a drummer?

May 19, 2018 9:47 AM

This will be my husband's first father's day and I want to get a surprise gift for him, a new snare drum. But should I?

I know he wants one, I just don't know if there's a specific one he wants. There's a brand he's mentioned before--that he bought a drum throne from--and they have well-reviewed snares at about $250-300. Is buying him a snare he didn't pick out a bad idea? I'm not a drummer, but seems like a more personal choice than other parts of the kit.

posted by disaster77 to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (9 answers total)

Not a drummer either, but yeah, this can get pretty personal. Put it this way - on festivals when different drummers are all sharing the same drum kit, the usual is for each drummer to bring their own snare drum, kick pedal, and cymbals. Gift certificate is probably the way to go unless you can figure out specific brand and model. (And yeah, buying a throne is not the best guide - there are plenty of drummers who like one company's hardware but not their drums, or like their toms but not their snares, or whatever.)
posted by soundguy99 at 10:08 AM on May 19, 2018 [5 favorites]

Agree that this is pretty personal. Another option is to buy local from a music store with a good return/exchange policy so that you can take a guess but with low commitment.
posted by rdn at 10:39 AM on May 19, 2018 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Since it's his first father's day, buy him a baby toy drum with a gift certificate for his snare on it. That way drummer dad also gets to share his thing with the kid.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 12:26 PM on May 19, 2018 [14 favorites]

Does he play with a band? If so, ask one of his bandmates to get the answer for you. Have one of them ask him at band practice and then report back to you.
posted by kevinbelt at 1:36 PM on May 19, 2018 [1 favorite]

Go to the music store and buy a good snare. As a Dad, I'd totally appreciate it.

And if it's the 'wrong one', he can always go exchange it.

But if you rock it, then he's playing YOURS forever. So just go buy it.
posted by rich at 2:41 PM on May 19, 2018

For people that take their music seriously an instrument is an intensely personal thing. I would never buy a pro level instrument for myself without playing it first. If I were in this position I would rather go on a group shopping trip where I could find the exact thing I'm looking for.
I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today!'s baby toy drum idea seems like a winner for father's day.
posted by Television Name at 5:37 PM on May 19, 2018

My husband is a drummer. He would never, ever tell me I got the "wrong" piece of equipment for him as a gift, because he would hate to hurt my feelings. But I also wouldn't get him a piece of equipment because I've seen the amount of research he does before buying stuff for himself. It's a very personal purchase.

I like the idea of the baby snare and gift certificate. You could even just write in a card that you want to buy him the snare and give him a budget (or not).
posted by cooker girl at 7:29 PM on May 19, 2018

I agree with the idea of the baby snare and (depending on how you deal with money) either a gift certificate or a formal offer to set aside a day to go shopping with him (or do childcare while he does shopping) for the drum he wants. (I'm in the market for a new guitar amp and that's what I'd want.)
posted by rustcellar at 7:47 PM on May 19, 2018

Agree that he'd probably want to pick a snare for himself. If you are open to something other than a drum, let me suggest what I personally have been gazing longingly at and wishing I could justify buying for myself. Tackle Instrument Supply makes beautiful stick cases and cymbal/drum bags that are keepsake-level (especially the leather items). Maybe he would like something from there?
posted by oakroom at 12:12 PM on May 21, 2018