Drum Throne Reviews for beginners and experienced drum players.
Introduction
Getting skilled at playing the drums requires you to hard day in and day out. And that is why you also need a comfortable drum throne. Like most drum-related components, your choice of a drum throne has to meet your requirements.
Buying a new drum throne requires you to weigh the pros and cons of various options available in the market. There are few variations available when it comes to buying a drum throne; there’s no right or wrong choice — be it round versus saddle style, soft versus firm, and spindle versus hydraulic.
Every brand comes up with something new to attract drummers, by adding new twists to throne design. So you will also find a traditional round-top design throne with a hook-and-loop fastener strip for keeping sticks, towels, or a cup holder within reach (these and other high-end accessories are a necessity for the more experienced musician).
In general, a good drum throne has to offer increased level of comfort and playability. Here’s a complete guide on drum thrones.
Comparison Chart
- ROC-N-SOC Nitro Throne: Bicycle design (saddle-style)
- Gibraltar 6608 Heavy Duty Throne Moto Style
- Pacific 700 Series Drum Throne
- On Stage DT8500 Guitar, Keyboard, Drum Throne
The Top / Best Drum Thrones
Here, we have listed some of the best drum thrones available in the market currently.
Like most products, more expensive products are usually of a better quality, are sturdier, look better and have a better finish.
ROC-N-SOC Nitro Throne
The ROC-N-SOC Nitro Throne is a bestselling throne and quite popular with drummers everywhere. Its comfortable, easy to adjust, stable, fits big butts well.
The seat is bicycle design (saddle-style), which some drummers find more comfortable than the traditional rounded design. The height of the seat is adjustable from 18″ to 24″. The seat is made from vinyl and has a stiffer playing surface. Instead of a tightening mechanism to lock the height of the seat, a lever helps raise/lower the seat (as on an office chair). The “heavy bracing” enhances the overall durability of the throne. Dimensions: 24.5 x 20.5 x 16 inches, Weight: 14.8 pounds
The ROC-N-SOC Nitro Throne is a great option for drummers looking for a high quality, solid, comfortable drum throne.
Gibraltar 6608 Heavy Duty Throne Moto Style
This a medium weight double-braced tripod throne with height that adjusts from 18″ to 24″, and has top grade foam (vinyl covered) for maximum comfort. It comes with a memory lock to lock in height position. The almost 4-inch thick motorcycle seat is covered in vinyl material and utilizes the X brace seat mount (Double braced seat is durable and won’t bend or break from overuse). The only con with the throne probably is that the memory lock has to be adjusted with a drum key, which some drummers find to be a bit more cumbersome than the adjustment mechanism you’d find on other thrones.
Pacific 700 Series Drum Throne
Pacific Drums and Percussion 700 Series Drum Throne is comfortable, strongly built and allows height-adjustment. Most music instruments and accessories can range from very low to very expensive, and that is to cater to a wide range of audience. Most beginners and intermediate level musicians usually choose for budget instruments that are functional, serve the purpose, and not necessarily very fancy looking.
In case you are looking for an affordable drum stool, then have a look at the Pacific Drums and Percussion 700 Series Drum Throne.
- Suitable for beginning or intermediate drum players
- You may even use it when playing video games like Rock Band
Pros: Solid and sturdy, Comfortable seat, Quick and easy to assemble/breakdown, looks attractive, swivels
Cons: Basic Throne, May not go low enough for some, No fine height adjustment
How is it built?
The best part about this drum accessory is that it is not only strong and well-built, it is very comfortable to sit upon, and very easily height adjustable.
The seat is actually a medium-sized round seat but it is very nicely padded.
What other features does it provide?
This drum throne comes with double-braced legs, which is required for excellent stability. The rubber feet are provided with non-skid material so that it stays in place, which is an important factor for any drum stool.
Another convenient feature is that the legs fold easily for convenient storage and portability.
Here are the main features of the Pacific 700 Series Drum Throne:
- Nicely padded medium-sized round seat
- This drum throne comes with double-braced legs, which is required for excellent stability.
- The rubber feet are provided with non-skid material so that it stays in place, which is an important factor for any drum stool.
- Legs fold for convenient storage and travel
- Bolt-through height adjustment
How does it fare overall?
Overall, a high quality drum seat. You can use this accessory to play drums, or for playing video games like Rock Band. It is basic but good drum stool. Its affordability makes the Pacific 700 Series Drum Throne quite suitable to beginning and intermediate drummers.
ROC-N-SOC Tower Saddle Seat Stool
The Roc-N-Soc Tower Saddle Seat Stool is a great throne designed for players of various musical instruments, its designed for guitar players, bass players, keyboardists, and percussionists. Its well-built, sturdy, stable and comes with a really wide seat that is very well padded, making it really comfortable for players to sit on it for a longer time. The saddle seat may take a little while to get accustomed to, but it does offer several advantages.
- PROS: Double support ring adds more stability, many players prefer their seats to move a bit so the swivel feature is indeed helpful to them. Just turn it upside down and you get space to fit in your stands, pedal boards, etc. that you can place on the dolly to transport stuff to and from venue to vehicle.
- CONS: You get a shorter and taller version of this stool so pick up the appropriate one
- Suitable for guitar players, bass players, keyboardists, and percussionists
Key features:
- Large, well padded seat that is very comfortable to sit on
- Swivel seat for those who like to move a bit while playing
- 2 foot rings, you can keep your feet on the lower ring if you like your feet off the ground while playing
- Those who prefer keeping their feet on the ground can choose the shorter version of this stool
- 2 seat heights: short (26″) or tall (29″)
Overall, the ROC-N-SOC Tower Saddle Seat Stool is comfortable, durable, and has a nice swivel seat; suitable for keyboards, guitar, drums.
On Stage DT8500 Guitar, Keyboard, Drum Throne
The On Stage DT8500 Guitar/Keyboard Throne comes with a flexible seat designed to work for guitarists, keyboard players & drummers. You can easily adjust the height of the DT8500 Throne to find a comfortable playing position.
Sound Percussion Embroidered Drum Throne
The Sound Percussion embroidered drum throne is a serious heavy duty drum throne, ruggedly built yet comfy. If you’ve serious been looking for a serious heavy duty throne, that is not only rugged but also very comfy over a prolonged playing session, then you’ll seriously love this one. In terms of cost as well, it is still cheaper than most of the bigger names out there.
Pros: Strong & Comfortable, Inexpensive
Cons: : Limited Brand Recall
If you have ever owned a drum throne as a beginner, sooner or later down the line, you’ll start realizing the limitations of getting an inexpensive one. There is no doubt that the entry level ones do serve the purpose, but then they are not designed to provide maximum comfort. Besides, if you have a tall and bigger body frame, you are definitely not going to feel comfortable using those.
This is where the Sound Percussion embroidered drum throne is a delight.
How big is the seat, what are its dimensions?
This particular model is back17″W x 21″-27″H x 15″D, which means it is a bigger size than most thrones out there. The height can easily be adjustable from 21″ to 27″, which means most players are going to like it.
Who about its build?
It is definitely quite sturdy and the double-braced legs make it much more firm on the ground. The rubber feet chrome finish looks attractive and ensures it looks classy too.
For extra comfort, you have been provided with padded extra-wide saddle seat. That is what you really want in case you are a serious drummer!
Overall, the Sound Percussion embroidered drum throne is a great product and though it may not have a brand recall as some of the other names out there, it definitely is a rugged, heavy duty, and comfortable throne.
Beginners, who don’t mind spending a bit more on a quality product, so that you don’t have to bother about upgrading later on, should definitely consider the Sound Percussion Embroidered Drum Throne.
Cannon UP197 Drum Throne
This is a heavy duty double braced comfortable padded seat with a seat of 10-Inch diameter. The max weight that this throne can support is 150 lbs. Ideally suited for the beginner student, who doesn’t want to spend a lot on a drum throne.
Drum Thrones: Buying Guide
When you start playing any musical instrument, be it drums or any other instrument, your intention is just to get a decent music instrument, and then focus all your energy on learning that instrument. However, over a period of time you realize that you also need accessories to make it much more comfortable to play the instrument.
A drum throne is one such example; it’s an accessory that really helps you to be comfortable while playing the instrument. Remember, drums is one of the more physically demanding instrument out there, so a good drum seat will prevent fatigue and strain on you as you keep on belting out the beats.
Drum thrones are important accessories, some of the stools are very versatile stool, and with the backrest, they can be really comfortable. These can be very useful for multi-instrumentalists as well. Because these are height-adjustable they can provide good support in semi-standing or sitting position for playing different instruments such as guitar, saxes, etc., in addition to playing the guitar.
Better Ergonomics for Longer Playing Sessions
Professional drummers can play for hours, so the best drum thrones need to be designed in such a way that they not only offer comfort while playing, but also provide adequate back comfort and aids blood circulation.
So these need to be comfortable to sit on, for longer playing sessions.
The best drum thrones come with adequate padding, and backrest that allows you to sit there for hours.
Most ergonomic seats, designed for stage performers, also come in the shape of a saddle seat, which is more of an innovative design and remains to be seen how it gets lapped up by the various drum players.
There are thrones that come with backrest as well, which is very useful when playing for longer hours, and if you’re already having some sort of back problems.
Seating Style
There are two main types of drum throne seats:
- One that is styled after a bicycle seat
- The second is the more common style, modeled after a bar stool.
Its important that you try out both the styles to see which is more comfortable for you. Your experience may vary depending on your personal preference.
Drum Throne: Why Is It Called So?
These accessories are known as benches or stools, when you talk about other music instruments such as piano or the guitar. So why is this called a drum throne?
Though all the elements of any song are important to the music composer, there are many who feel that the rhythm / percussion section is more important. And so, though the exact origin is unknown, it implies that drummers are the most important element of any band, sort of GODS. And such exalted beings cannot be seated on chairs, benches or stools, and that is the reason these are called drum thrones.
Drum Seat For Experienced Players
As you become a better player, it is important for you to be really comfortable so that you can focus on your performance well. You don’t want to deal with a bench that slides as you play.
Besides, as a professional, you don’t want to use any cheap accessories when you have bought yourself the best drum-set. You want something that not only looks good, but is sturdy, and has a nice cushioned seat.
The best drum seat (for pros) should not just make it comfortable to be behind the drum set, it should also be ergonomically designed and needs to be heavy duty in structure.
Drummers Can Get Rough
There is no doubt that drummers can be pretty hard and rough with stuff.
They are beating on drums with sticks all the time, and it really is one of the most physically demanding musical instruments.
Not that you need all muscles to play this instrument, but it does require lots of energy to play and these guys can really get rough with things.
Thrones Need to Keep Pace
And with that much energy and body movements, the drum thrones also need to be strong so that they can cope up. Remember, drummers can easily play for few hours at a time. They are sitting on it all the time.
The only thing that should be soft ideally on a drum seat should be the seat itself. It should be well padded to give adequate rest to your lower body.
What Pros Need
This accessory is not only supposed to provide seating comfort, but it is also not supposed to move while playing. Because drumming involves lots of body movements, the seat can move somewhat.
So to ensure that it doesn’t move at all, you need something that comes with massive rubber feat for the best grip.
The better ones out there are height adjustable and can be used with other instruments as well, in case you are a multi-instrumentalist and play other instruments such as the guitar, flute, or so on. Most use their drum seats for playing Rock Band as well.
Drum Throne For Beginners
How important is a drum throne for a beginner? Well, most of the time it is a matter of how much you can spend.
Even while you are deciding which drum set to buy, cost will always play a factor, and you might settle for something basic, even though your heart might be set on something else.
It’s very important to keep things simple initially, and go for something that can get you started.
Any beginner who wants to learn to play a musical instrument gets something that is functional, begins with the bare minimum accessories, and begins learning. And that is a correct approach, as learning music can take some time; we are talking about a few months time.
So you don’t want to spend really big money and then think that you have chosen the wrong music instrument and you should be learning something else, or you totally give up on learning the drums.
Doesn’t happen with everybody, but there are always such cases. That is the reason you get something basic, learn it properly and then upgrade. By that time you are also in a better position to decide, just because you have the knowledge.
As a beginner, it is okay to use a wooden bar-stool or any other bench that you may have at home, to play the drums. If you are really short of budget, then you may skip it to start with, and use any existing stool or chair at home. But then, being comfortable while playing and maintaining the correct posture is very important for a beginner. But then the obvious disadvantage is that it can get uncomfortable and you just cannot change its height. Chairs usually don’t have a flat surface, can be tilted, and some of them can be too high. A bench, on the other hand, can be too low.
So if you are going to play only for a few minutes every day initially, then it is fine, but the moment you get to the point where you are practicing regularly for more than 30 minutes, then you should start considering buying one.
Also Read: How to sit on the drum throne and set it up.
A drum seat also helps you to maintain the correct posture while playing. And when it comes to posture, it’s the first thing music teachers tell their students – and that is to maintain the right posture while playing. It is important for any beginner to start on the right note, and incorporate all good practices.
Don’t think that only those who perform onstage need a drum throne. Anybody who is a serious drummer, including students should consider getting gone. As a beginner, if you don’t mind spending the extra 20-30 bucks, then I would say by all means go for it. If not, at least start saving and when you’ve a little more money, get a decent Drum Throne.
Best Drum Thrones
The best drum thrones out there that come in ergonomic designs and with cool features that make playing the drums for hours an enjoyable experience.
There is no doubt that a drum seat is an important accessory, but when you play professionally it is important for it to provide much more than just a plain seating advantage.
The better ones out there comes with a double braced tripod base, with a seat that can easily be locked or rotated depending on the players’ preference. The height-adjustment feature is available in most of the drum thrones.
The best brands out there offer the largest selection of drum throne parts for drummers & percussionists. The best drum thrones are usually designed to fit most configurations and work in almost every situation.
The top ones out there obviously have a very sturdy construction. In case you’re on the heavier side you definitely want to feel comfortable sitting on a chair, especially when you’re playing a physically demanding instrument such as drums.
The best drum thrones come with backrest which adds to the comfort, makes these look pricey, and are perfect for your living room / studio.
And these ones really help you to sit up straight, which is important for playing longer sessions. A good stool aids in a significant way to help you maintain the right posture.
The best drum thrones have features that pros expect them to have, such as:
- An overall structure that is second to none. They need to be incredibly well built.
- Needs to have a good grip on the floor.
- It needs to be very plush; needs to go with the image of a professional player.
- But what’s important is that sitting on the softy should be as comfortable as sitting on your couch at home.
Professional performances can last for more than couple of hours, and if you add the travelling part as well to it, you can appreciate what levels of stress your lower back would be subjected to. So it makes sense to spend a bit more and get one that comes with a back support; hopefully you may not experience any pain at all even after a 2 to 3 hours gig.
If you are on the heavier side, it makes sense to spend a bit more and go in for something sturdy. You need something solid and dependable, something that makes you confident while seated.
KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
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