Best Drum Throne For Beginners in 2021

There is no point in getting a drum set without a drum throne. I mean, what’s the point? Although you might look hilarious playing it while standing up but it won’t really help in improving your drumming skills. That’s a given.

Unless you have some kind of adjustable chair lying around, it just won’t work.

I mean who plays the drum while standing? It’s not like you’re playing a guitar or something.

It’s like getting a multitrack recorder with no input / output.

I mean what’s the point right?

Drum thrones may not be necessary when playing electric drums (Especially at live shows) but for your classic drum set, you need something sturdy and comfortable to sit on.

The drum thrones reviewed here are pretty much all the same so it all depends on what your specific needs are at the moment (Bad back?) what level your drum skills are at.

That said, drum thrones today are divided into three main categories.

• Standard.
• Drum thrones with a backrest.
• Drum thrones with a split seat.

Let’s start off with the standard drum thrones . . .

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Gibraltar Drum Throne – Top Rated Drum Throne

One of the most comfortable drum throne on the list. Thanks to the super quality foam used on the drum seat on this one (Fairly thick at almost 3.5 inches). An adjustable throne (18 to 24 inches) and yes I know a lot of people joke about the shape of the seat.

They usually say things like “Hey! Did you steal that off a bike or something!?” – Trust me, that’s just how the shape is and it feels very sturdy when you are on it. A quality throne all around with double braced legs and nylon bushing where needed.

A great throne if you plan on sitting on your drum for long hours. As you can continue practice for quite some time and still stay comfortable throughout. This is a very important point for beginners as our mind is always tricking us to quit stuff when we feel uncomfortable. Hopefully, your passion for drumming and this comfortable drum throne will help you push through.

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Cannon Drum Throne

This drum throne is by Cannon. Don’t get it confused with the camera company that only has one ‘N’ in their name. However, just like the electronics brand, this Cannon drum throne is also a quality product. However, if you weigh more than 250lbs, you might want to try another one.

This is a great drum throne if you travel a lot as you can separate the seat from the shaft. This makes it very easy to carry around and therefore portable. As far as the main thing which is comfort is concerned, you can actually sit on this for a few hours and not have a care in the world.

One of the sturdiest drum throne here on our list, the Cannon UP197 is perfect for long drumming sessions. Not as liked as a Pearl drum throne but definitely up there in my top 5.

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Spectrum Drum Throne

This drum throne arrives ready to go which means no assembly is required. If you are on the heavy side (Sorry but I’m not referring to music here), this drum throne is for you. Although they say it’s heavy duty, I think they are pushing it with a statement like that.

Like I’m not sure if anyone over 300 pounds (After all, it is the weight limit) should use this throne.

That said, it’s does have a super solid build and is perfect for beginner drum enthusiasts. From the bottom to the top, the Spectrum AIL DT heavy duty drum throne can easily hold a lot of weight but as I just mentioned, don’t go too crazy.

I’ve heard of cases where you could hit the base of the seat easily if you are pretty overweight. For most of us, especially a skinny dude like me, this throne is just fine. The Spectrum AIL DT is also super comfortable and perfect for beginners who are dedicated to their craft.

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Topstage Drum and Keyboard Throne – Best Drum Throne For Heavy Drummers

This drum throne is good for drummers and keyboard players alike. TopStage really went out of their way to produce a quality drum throne that not only does the job, but it does it in style as well. This drum throne is also quite solid and can hold someone up to 250lbs.

One thing that is a little different and I kind of don’t like is adjusting this throne. The only way to do is by playing around with the three legs as the extension pole doesn’t move at all. Yeah a little bit weird . . .

That’s my only turnoff with this drum throne. Comfort wise, it does the job as well with a 2.25″ padded seat. Another thing to watch out for is this TopStage throne doesn’t have rubber bottoms on each leg. Not a big deal but you have to put a piece of carpet under it if you decide to place it on a hardwood floor.

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PDP Drum Throne

Now this is what I call a drum throne. It looks good, comfortable as any throne can be and is light weight too. Introducing PDP by DW. I have no clue how this brand came up with that odd name but I’m glad they put out this quality product.

The DW 700 has a nice seat diameter at 12″. Not sure if it’s too wide for kids but for most, that is really a good width on a drum throne. Overall, I would say this drum throne has one of the most comfortable drum seat. Which means you can bang on them drums for hours and hours without getting antsy.

One thing that DW can improve on is adjusting the height on this little bad boy. It requires a little bit of an effort but other than that, I like this one a lot. Not to say that you can’t achieve a proper drum throne height on this but they can definitely improve the mechanism behind it.

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Mapex Drum Throne

The Mapex double brace round top drum throne is a rock star in its own right. This is one elegant looking drum throne. It’s like if drum thrones made a luxury car, it would be this.

This drum throne is adjustable, it swivels, the cushion on the seat is like 4 inches thick. If you or your loved one is on the heavy side weight wise, then this drum throne is for you.

Sturdy, comfortable and stable. I love the swivel feature as it’s absolutely necessary to make those quick moves while you’re on a drum. However, if you’re a beginner, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. A good feature to have though and I wish all drum thrones come with the swivel feature.

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DW Drum Throne

Another quality product. The DW Drum Workshop 3000 series is for the drum enthusiast who demands the best. Like the Mapex, this drum throne has it all.

A nice thick seat, swivel capabilities and definitely built to last. The clear feature of this drum throne is that it’s adjustability range is quite long.

So whether you are tall or considered short, you shouldn’t have any issues getting your Lars Ulrich on. Also a lot of drummers swear by the DW so it’s definitely a brand that won’t let you down.

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Roc N Soc Drum Throne

If you like luxury and comfort in a bike seat shape drum throne, you will love the Roc N Soc Lunar Lift throne. This “Gas Lift” model series by Roc N Soc is literally carving it’s own niche within the luxury high-end drum throne market.

With a flexible height adjustability rate, this one is quickly becoming a favorite for most. Plus the seat is so comfortable that most people are also supplementing it as an office chair. I don’t know about you but hopefully, these offices allow you to play drums while at work as well. Now that would be pretty sweet. Anyways, long story short, The Roc N Soc really got it right with this “Gas Lift” series.

My only issue is the PR department made a bad choice by calling a drum throne “Gas lift”. That doesn’t sound right guys and I hope someone can remedy this situation fast. Incredible product, horrible name.

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Percussion Plus Drum Throne

A nice classical drum throne by the good folks at Percussion Plus. This one is designed for junior drum sets only.

So if you’re a kid or someone who likes to “lay low” on a drum throne, this is your pick. A nice comfortable drum throne which is highly enjoyed by kids of all ages. Note to self, comfortable for kids but not necessarily for adults. The foam on this drum throne’s seat is not as thick.

Great for shorter drummers as well. The Percussion Plus 300T Single-Braced Junior Drum Throne is easy to assemble too so you can get started right away.

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Pearl Drum Throne

Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, lo and behold . . . introducing the boss of all drum thrones . . . The Pearl D50. From a company that owns this space comes a drum throne that will make you feel like a rockstar as soon as you sit on it.

Although comfort wise I think DW and the Roc N Soc are still leading the race, as far as sturdiness and overall quality goes, you can’t go wrong with a Pearl.

I do encourage them to keep improving this product because there are some serious contenders in the drum throne market today.

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Mapex Drum Throne With Backrest – Best Drum Throne For Bad Back

A quality drum throne with a back seat, the Mapex T775 is making a good name for itself with drummers with back pain issues. With a 17” wide and a whopping 4” cushion, you’ll get the comfort you deserve while shredding the drums.

It has 4 legs to support you and a swivel so you can move around in comfort. A little on the heavy side but that is to be expected with a quality drum throne.

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Mapex T770 Drum Throne With Backrest

This is the T770 by Mapex. Not much different then the T775 other then the diameter of the seat is at 14”. Just like the other drum thrones with back seats in the T Series, this one also comes with a 4” cushion. I guess the only main difference is the seat width.

You still get the proper solid construction and the ability to move around while you play (Thanks to the swivel technology). Best part, this throne does a great job at keeping any kind of back strain at bay. Thanks to Mapex for another great choice in this excellent series of drum thrones.

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Rockville Drum Throne With Backrest

Compared to most of the drum thrones here, the Rockville RDS40 is truly unique in design. It comes with a unique foldable leg system and can be used as not just a drum throne but a seat that provides back support for keyboard players as well. Heck some even use it for practicing their DJ skills. Great product but for me, I like to sit on a throne.

Then again, I don’t have any back issues (Knock on wood) but it’s nice to see different options for people who do need them. I wouldn’t mind using this as a keyboard throne though that’s for sure. Hopefully when I get a bigger place. As far as comfort goes, it does the job and then some but I’m a little concerned about how durable it could be on just two legs basically.

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Percussion Plus Drum Throne With Backrest

I really like this one. It’s nice and compact in size and best part, it’s aerodynamically really sound. Props to the designers on this one. Also the rubber on the legs will keeps this drum throne from moving around. I would suggest just throw a little piece of carpet underneath the legs and that’s it.

Now to the main point, this Percussion Plus drum throne has good sturdy back support (I like that it’s supported by two metal rods) and if you’re a tall person, this is a good one. By tall I mean like 6’2 and 6’5. Percussion Plus did a great job here and I would love to see them continue to put out more quality products like this.

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Ahead Drum Throne With Split Seat

Reduce tail bone compression with this ergo kinetic split seat back throne by Ahead Spinal. This ‘G Saddle’ model (Which I must say is a pretty “gangsta” name for drum throne model). Most people seem to really love their seat and consider it one of the most comfortable drum seat around. The only thing I’m a little sad about is it has 4 legs. I prefer mine with three but I guess that’s just my personal choice. I mean I like my drum thrones to be sturdy but not too static.

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Carmichael Drum Throne With Split Seat

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The Carmichael throne is probably the most scientifically designed split seat drum throne on the market today. I’m very happy especially for people with lower back pain and other related things because now you have some real hope.

If you love something, then the last thing that should get in the way is your body. So great work by the Carmichael team. It’s made in the US too so for me, that is definitely an added bonus.

As far as the technicalities are concerned, this drum seat has a fairly common 15” diameter, a very nice comfortable seat and can easily hold up 300 lbs. I’m impressed. This particular model is also used by several famous drummers by the way so needless to say, with this throne you’ll definitely be in good company.

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Carmichael Drum Throne 201 With Split Seat

No products found.

This is model 201 from Carmichael drum throne team (Same as the model above). There is literally no difference between these two except this drum throne is a pound lighter and can only hold 250lbs.

It’s the same quality and literally the same product all around. I guess the Carmichael team just wanted to offer products with slightly different options?

Not sure how big of a difference these changes make but regardless, a great split seat drum throne indeed.

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Ahead Drum Throne With Split Seat

Ahead really outdid themselves with this split seat drum throne. It is literally designed by a doctor/chiropractor Richard Robertshaw (Yes he is actually both. Not one of those chiropractors who calls himself a doctor).

You know the phrase Ergo Kinetics? Well, Richard invented it. So if you want the best split seat drum throne with a nice funky look, this is it.

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Ahead Drum Throne G Saddle With Split Seat

Another killer split seat throne by Ahead. People who’ve used this one have reported literally no back pain. I guess we should thank Richard for it eh? Anyways, great thick seat and unlike most drum thrones, this one is four legged. As I mentioned earlier, I’m not a big fan of 4 legs but since this is a split seat, I think I won’t mind so much.

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Coocheer Universal Drum Throne

Well for starters, this drum stool is adjustable and that is always a great thing. Especially if you travel for gigs every now and then. The last thing you need on these little trips is a solid drum throne.

This comes with a nice aluminum construction so it is definitely durable. Great purchase overall for most but if you are super tall like 6’4 or something, you might want to check out a different drum throne.

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Griffin Saddle Drum Throne

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A fairly well-respected brand by drummers all over, Griffin has done it once again with this nicely padded drum throne with a backrest.

Although it was made overseas (What isn’t these days right ?), it’s an overall quality product and Griffin is still holding strong in the market.

Only downside is since these are kind of lightweight, you don’t want to travel with them. Easy to pick up of course but you would still need something more sturdy when placed down.

Most Griffin fans or just drummers looking for a quality drum throne with a backrest will be more than satisfied.

If you are looking for a quality drum throne with a solid backrest, this Griffin model just may be the right drum throne for you after all.

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Roc-N-Soc Backrest

If you are a fan of innovation, check out this backrest by Roc-N-Soc. They already make really good drum thrones as we reviewed earlier but this is really a great invention.

You simply slide this backrest on top of a stool and voila . . . you just got yourself a drum throne with a nice backrest.

Most people absolutely love this drum throne especially the unique color combination. Some have been using it for a bit more than a year and besides the normal wear and tear, they are quite satisfied with it.

The Roc-N-Soc backrest is quite easy to assemble and fit on your favorite drum throne and you know what . . . hope you enjoy your new backrest.

By the way, this is not just limited for drummers, keyboard players really enjoy it too.

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Union 700 Series Drum Throne

Designed in the US, the Union 700 is another quality drum throne here on our list. Not many people have tried it but the ones that have, find this drum throne quite comfortable.

We recommend this for your kids or beginners but if you are playing and traveling most of the time, it’s best to invest in something which has better padding.

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Tama Ergo Drum Throne

Surprisingly, the Tama Ergo has one of the best backrests in a drum throne so far. This little wonder came out of nowhere and is quickly making it’s mark with drummers and even guitar players all over.

If you have back pain, the Tama Ergo really comes in handy.

Believe it or not, this drum stool with backrest is one of the most comfortable drum thrones out there. A severely underrated seat for sure.

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Tama Glide Rider Drum Throne

Well, aren’t we fancy? This Tama Glide Rider drum throne has a hydraulic height adjuster and provides a nice comfortable sitting as well. Do you know what’s the best part about having a hydraulic adjuster is? Well it allows you to really practice for hours because of the “bounce”.

This way, the energy created is released properly as well and you keep going a lot longer than you would on a drum throne that has no hydraulic feature. As they say, little things make a big difference.

Anyways, overall this is a great purchase for most buyers and is recommended for beginners and intermediates alike.

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Anatomy Of A Drum Throne

As mentioned right in the beginning, there are three main types of drum thrones today.

• Drum Throne (Standard – Most popular).
• Drum Throne With Backrest.
• Drum Throne With Split Seat.

However, if you understand these main parts that make up pretty much any drum throne, you should be good to go.

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Best Drum Throne Brands

Just like with most things, brand names actually matter a lot. After all, they represent quality and longevity. Two things that you should always consider when getting any kind of musical instrument (Or electronics in general).

Brand names are very important as you want to make sure that your drum throne in this case is of quality and would last you a fairly long time. After all, you’re going to be sitting on it for a long time.

Lucky for you though, there are a few really good drum throne brands out there. In fact that is just one of the reasons why drum thrones are my favorite categories. I love the fact there are so many quality companies putting out phenomenal products.. When lots of good companies compete, the consumer wins.

Here are our picks for the best drum throne brands:

Gibraltor Hardware

Big fan of these guys as they specialize in all kinds of drum parts and not just the thrones. I’m talking drum pedals, cymbals, rack systems the whole works. Basically they are one of the best drum throne makers on the market and their products are used by major drummers from around the world like Alan White (From the rock band “Yes”), Gospel drummer Calvin Rodgers and tons more.

Cannon Percussion

Another legend in the drum throne game, Cannon Percussion has been around since 1976. Their speciality is making quality replacement parts and accessories for drum sets such as hoops, hardware, drum bags and recently drum thrones.

Spectrum

We haven’t found much about this company but good news is their drum thrones have mostly good reviews. I wouldn’t recommend them at this point just because their are so many “proven” choices but if you want to go ahead, I won’t stop you either. Let’s see how their drum thrones perform in the upcoming years.

PDP or Pacific Drums and Percussion

A more of a newcomer in the industry (Compared to other drum throne manufacturers at least), Pacific Drums and Percussion have been in the game for almost 20 years (Started in 1999). So rest assured, the PDP team knows exactly what they are doing. Like most drum throne manufacturers, they started off with making drum pedals and other related drum parts and accessories.

Today they are making a great name for themselves in the drum throne niche. Based out of California, if PDP continues to make such awesome drum related products, they will be around for years to come.

Mapex Drums

Lamb of God, J Cole (His drummer Carlin White), BB King (Yup that’s THE BB King) and the list goes on. All of these drummers have one thing in common, they are all Mapex users. The most surprising part is Mapex Drums is originally from Taiwan but the quality of their products (Plus the artists who use them) speaks for itself. Founded in 1989 Mapex has done a great job in establishing itself as a true fan of drumming and music in general.

DW Drums AKA Drum Workshop

Hailing from California, DW Drums have been in the music and percussion making industry since 1979. They are in fact one of the oldest manufacturers of drum thrones. Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters / Nirvana) is actually a big fan of their products. Need we say more? These guys do it all. They make full size drum sets, pedals and everything in between. Phenomenal company.

Roc N Soc Inc

What I love about Roc N Soc is they are absolutely focused on making quality drum thrones and that’s it. At least the majority of their products are just drum thrones. They have some of their own unique designs like manual spindles, tower seats, the Lunar series and the Nitro throne that are all drum thrones but with their own special features.

In fact they were the first drum seat manufacturer to offer a “motion” throne. However, that’s not all. The Roc N Soc crew has been the first in a few other things and having really taken drum thrones and the comfort of drummers worldwide to the next level. Hey If you’ve been a successful drum throne company since 1987, then you must be doing something right.

Percussion Plus

Here we have our friends from across the pond (UK). Percussion Plus have been in the game since 1987 as well. They are known for making long lasting percussions (Glockenspiels, Xylophones, etc) and have recently thrown themselves into the world of drum thrones.

They say how you do anything is how you do everything so we expected quality drum thrones from these guys. Best part . . . we weren’t disappointed and hopefully you won’t be either.

Pearl

Isn’t this obvious? The king of drum sets (Depends on who you talk to) are making drum thrones as well? Now we all know and love Pearl but don’t worry, their drum thrones are available for people for all walks of life. Whether you are a rockstar or a struggling musician, you can definitely pick up a drum throne by Pearl. Now that’s a sign of a company that actually thinks about the customers needs. Bravo once again Pearl.

Rockville Audio

These guys are full on providers of all kinds of professional recording equipment and even car audio (Subwoofers anyone?). Nice to see this American company step in and take a stab at getting into the drum throne market. So far, they’ve been very well received by drummers and music fans alike. I also want to add that Rockville has one of the most coolest logos I’ve ever seen.

Ahead Products Inc

Now unlike the rest of the bunch here, Ahead is actually famous for their drumsticks. In fact their name stands for Advanced High Efficiency Alloy Drumsticks. Isn’t that neat? A company solely dedicated to create the best drumsticks in the world.

They hit the marketplace in 1992 and haven’t looked back. In fact they’ve since branched out into providing (You guessed it), drum thrones, mallets, snare drums. practice pads and other related parts to help percussionists do their thing.

Carmichael Throne

If you got lower back pain issues while drumming, these guys can definitely help you out. The Carmichael group might be the only one in the industry right now that is making drum thrones specifically for drummers who have tailbone pain issues, etc. Yes they supposedly make the best drum throne for drummers with back pain.

Their unique drum thrones (Split seat design) has really proven to be a life saver for drummers all around the world. As a beginner, you probably don’t know this but if you sit on a drum seat too much without proper support or the right posture, the long term effects can really hurt your back.

That’s why they say the fittest person in a band is always the drummer. After all, they have to be. The Carmichael Throne company has made it their mission to make sure your body doesn’t get in the way of your music and so far, they’ve been winning every year. Carmichael thrones also use the same technology for their office chairs as well. So if you have a bad back but love drumming, talk to Carmichael.

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What Is A Drum Throne?

A drum throne, also commonly referred to as a ‘drum seat’, is what a drummer sits on when they are playing their drum set. A good drum set throne has to be comfortable, have a little bit of a swivel to them (More of a personal preference but that’s what I like) and be sturdy. So it stays in one place most of the time.

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Does Split Seat Drum Throne Really Work?

Yes, they definitely do. They are used by people who have pain in their tailbone. The “split” supports each of the gluteal muscle and leaves a little bit of space for the tailbone. This allows the tailbone to be free and remain unnerved.

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How Far Should I Sit Away From My Drums When Sitting On A Drum Throne?

The distance between your throne (While you are sitting on it) and the drums should be first measured by how far are you from the bass drum. If you can sit upright on your drum throne and still hit the bass pedal in a comfortable way, then the rest (Arranging the snare drum, etc) is easy.

So the rule of thumb is align yourself properly with the bass drum (The biggest drum in a drum set) and then you’ll be on easy street.

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How High Or Low Should The Drum Throne Be?

The optimum drum throne height in my opinion is when you sit on a drum throne, your thighs should be parallel to the floor or just above parallel. This is an optimum position because you can sit with good posture pretty easily and stay balanced.

When in this position, you can also move your feet around as necessary without straining your hips or anything of that nature. Finally, the best part about keeping your thighs slightly higher than parallel is your core stays on point.

Which means goodbye lower back pain. Basically, if you’ve achieved this position, you are now set to play the drum in a proper manner.

Now this is how you adjust your drum throne’s height.

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How Much To Spend On Drum Throne?

Since you’re going to be sitting on a drum throne pretty much all the time, I would suggest investing in something that has a nice thick cushion. 3” or above is ideal but it has to be over 2.5”.

From my experience, the thicker the cushion, the higher the price.

If you are spending more than your fair share than you better be a famous rockstar somewhere or you’re just throwing your money away. There are lots of drum thrones (Quality ones as well), that can be acquired by most people without breaking the bank.

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How To Adjust A Drum Throne?

This really depends on what kind of drum throne you have. Although most drum thrones come with a simple screw and lock setting, some can be slightly different.

The best thing here is to look at the instructions that came with your drum throne and go from there. This is how you properly set up a drum throne.

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How To Reupholster Drum Throne Seat?

You don’t. Just buy one. The amount of time that will go into reupholstering one is not worth your time. Especially if it takes you away from practicing and improving your drumming skills. If it’s just a little tear than just glue it back in it’s place but anything more should be completely replaced.

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How To Sit On A Drum Throne?

First thing is first and that is never slouch. If you adjusted your drum stool in the way I mentioned earlier, than you should be fine. Always sit with your back upright, your core tucked in and your thighs slightly above parallel to the ground. Slouching is the worst as it’s the leading cause of back pain or back related issues for a drummer.

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What Drum Throne Should I buy?

All you have to ask is how much do you plan to play a day? If it’s an hour or so, then any decent drum throne with a seat thickness of 2.5” should be fine.

If you plan to play for a couple of hours or so, get something with 3” thickness or more. Another thing I would add is drum seats have circular seat or a bike style seat. I’m okay with both but I prefer the circular seat. A good drum throne in my opinion just needs to be comfortable and sturdy. Especially if you are using it to practice multiple instruments like a guitar as well.

Good news is drum thrones overall usually fall in the ‘one size fits all’ category (Unlike when buying a microphone for example).

So you don’t have to stress too much to grab one. If the seat is thick enough, it’s adjustable and sturdy, most likely the drum throne will last for a while.

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What Is The Lightest Drum Throne?

In my opinion, most drum thrones are decent when it comes to their weight and to be honest, I don’t want a light weight drum throne. Reason is when you really start going at it, you want a sturdy drum throne that can hold your weight. You don’t want something light. Or you’ll look like a total tool falling off it. I mentioned a few drum throne in this list though.

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Why Are Drum Thrones So Expensive?

I don’t agree with this at all. It’s really just a matter of opinion. Most standard drum thrones are actually fairly priced if not too low. Also if you think about it, drum thrones are actually one of the most affordable parts of a drum set. Since a throne stool plays such as essential part, jut make sure you get a quality one so it lasts as long as possible. Now if you are referring to a drum throne with back seat or a split seat then they should be a little higher. After all, the good ones are designed by proper doctors in most cases.

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How to choose a ‘back friendly’ drum throne?

Choosing a drum throne’s height is something a lot of drummers struggle with. Especially to help with back pain that develops while drumming too much.

If you play drums, you expect to have back pain. This isn’t necessarily true as there are a lot of different variables that may or may not come into play.

Let’s have a look at some of the things you need to consider to avoid back pain while drumming.

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just about drum thrones. It’s also how do you arrange your pedals. To minimize or even eliminate back pain, make sure you place your pedals near the snare drums as wide as possible.

This will help you align your back properly and keep your spine straight to avoid any injuries. Especially after long periods of drumming.

What is the importance of a drum throne?

Drum thrones may not be the most glamorous piece of gear in your drumset setup but without a doubt, they’re the most important.

You want to get yourself a drum throne that’s comfortable for you to sit and play on.

Let’s go ahead and start from the ground up and talk about the throne base.

When you’re looking for a throne, you want to make sure that you get something that’s got a nice sturdy base.

Preferably that’s double braced or something. These kinds of drum thrones will help you support your weight comfortably and distribute it to the ground as well. After all, you don’t want to get a throne where you’re sitting and it starts rocking back and forth. A stable base is a must on a drum stool.

This may lead you to getting a throne that’s a little bit bulkier. Although it might add some weight to your hardware bag, in the long run it’s a great idea. Just remember comfortable and stability will keep you injury free for the longest time.

Now what about the height adjustment? As a beginner, you can get away with a basic drum throne but once you start getting good, invest in a drum throne that allows you to adjust its height.

There are three height adjustments systems that are available on drum thrones these days.

Spindle based
Hydraluic
Wing Nut

With a spindle base throne, it’s kind of like a piano stool where you set it to a certain height and you can spin the top of the throne and it’ll go up and down. Nothing special but it works.

Hydraulic thrones on the other hand are gonna be kind of like office chairs where you pull a lever and the hydraulic system inside the throne actually causes the seat to move up and down.

This mechanism will let you adjust your throne a little bit more quickly.

In some people’s experience though, hydraulic thrones sometimes feel a little bit too bouncy.

Again, it’s all a matter of personal comfort. The only thing that matters is you have the ability to adjust the height.

Last but not the lest, thrones that adjust their height by a wing nut usually tend to be on the cheaper side. Beginners should be okay with this one.

Now another major thing you should look at is how comfortable the seat’s padding is. The softer / firmer the better. After all, you’re going to be sitting on it and balancing your spine as well.

The lower end drum thrones out there are made of some pretty cheap materials. It’s basically like sitting on a thin layer of plush foam or something over top of a few layers of cardboard.

Yeah . . . it’s not the most pleasant thing. Does the job but again, not recommended for intermediate or professional drummers. Trust me, you’re definitely gonna feel it when you sit on it for three hours a night. Not the best experience I can tell you that much.

When you’re looking for a throne with good padding, you want something that’s gonna be nice and plush. Something that gives you a lot of support but you don’t want it to be too soft.

After all, you don’t want to be “sinking” into your drum throne and get even more uncomfortable. You want something that’s right in the middle that’s gonna feel nice, firm and sturdy and give you good back support.

One more factor to consider when you’re looking for a quality drum throne is it the shape of the seat.

Do you want a round throne or do you want a motorcycle style seat?

Most prefer a round throne but if you gigging on a regular basis, you might want to look into a motorcycle style drum throne. Also, people who have bigger frames and are a little bit heavier, they tend to steer more towards the motorcycle style drum thrones. As it provides a slightly wider seat and also just the shape tends to cushion and pad your backside more when you’re sitting on it.

You just want to make sure you’re getting something that you’re gonna be comfortable playing on for three to five hours a night depending on what your gig situation is.

So take these guidelines with a little bit of a grain of salt. I just want to make sure you are making an informed decision.

How to choose a ‘back friendly’ drum throne?

Choosing a drum throne’s height is something a lot of drummers struggle with. Especially to help with back pain that develops while drumming too much.

If you play drums, you expect to have back pain. This isn’t necessarily true as there are a lot of different variables that may or may not come into play.

Let’s have a look at some of the things you need to consider to avoid back pain while drumming.

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just about drum thrones. It’s also how do you arrange your pedals. To minimize or even eliminate back pain, make sure you place your pedals near the snare drums as wide as possible.

This will help you align your back properly and keep your spine straight to avoid any injuries. Especially after long periods of drumming.

Sources:

• The 10 Best Drum Thrones
• What You Need to Know About…Drum Thrones
• How to Position Your Drum Throne for Ergonomic Use