Pearl Rhythm Traveler 5-Piece Drum Set w/Hardware and Cymbals

 A super little set
Pearl sells the Rhythm Traveler set as a practice set that can, in a pinch, be used as a regular kit, and supplies two sets of heads for that purpose. I bought mine as a replacement for a big 1970s set of Slingerlands that took up too much space in my house, and were a pain to lug around for the occasional playing I did outside the house. (I'm mainly a guitarist and bassist, but I still like to play around on the drums, and I like to keep a set at home for jams).

I tried the practice heads, but didn't like them; they don't feel much like real heads, although a lot of people do like them. Personally, I'd rather practice on a single pad. I don't care for the neoprene cymbal mufflers, either, but again, they do work.

The supplied heads are on the cheap side too, but do give a good indication of how the drums sound- which is to say loud and resonant. There's a lot of tone here. I plan to replace the stock heads with some more highly damped ones, but as supplied, these drums won't sound bad in a rock gig.

The hardware isn't as heavy-duty as Pearl's top stuff, but it is of uniformly high quality. It's certainly a step up from a lot of cheap import sets that sell in the same price range. I do have some concerns with the cymbal stand that also serves as a holder for the 14" tom; using my 22" heavy ride, it's hard to get that tom out from under the cymbal.

Pearl also supplies a set of cymbals, but these are strictly beginner pieces. The 14" hats aren't awful, but they're not exactly K Zildjians, either. The 16" is a tinny sounding crash- not even a crash/ride- making it an odd choice to supply with the kit as the only ride cymbal. If I was a beginner that's the first thing I'd replace. I have some nice old Zildjians, so I'll be passing these cymbals on to a deserving kid, I suppose, but they're still better than the cymbals that came with my first set of drums.

For me, the is a great little set that doesn't take up room at home, is easy to move, and with a little tuning, can sound better than a lot of bigger drums. Add a set of triggers and it would make a great electronic kit. It's also a decent practice set (although you can get a plain practice set for half the price), a good quality beginner's kit, and an excellent second kit for a drummer who already has cymbals, and is looking for a decent sounding set they can leave at the practice site or set up on a tiny stage.

Most of all, what you get with the Rhythm Traveler is excellent value for the money; good drums and good hardware at a very good price. I'd recommend them without reservation for anyone looking for a good compact set.

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Followup: After reading the remarks of another reviewer, I replaced the tom heads with Evans Hydraulics, and added a felt damper to the bass. All produced huge improvments. Now when you hit the toms you get a satisfying deep sound instead of the ring the standard heads produced, and the bass has more bottom and less ring.