We’re Guitar Center customers, too. We get why you’re here—from being inspired by your musical heroes to the electrifying pursuit of the sound and vibe you’re after.
So, it should come as no surprise that when we were presented with this “best of 2025” staff picks article, we clamored for who got to write about what. In this article, you’ll get to hear from industry veterans working various roles within Guitar Center’s Marketing department, from marketing analysts to content producers to some familiar voices on the writing team.
Without getting too sentimental about 2025, let’s rip right into our top drum gear picks of the year.
Gretsch Catalina Club 4-Piece Shell Pack in White Satin Flame
Michael Molenda, Article Content Producer:
It’s the wrong drum brand, incorrect configuration and not-quite-right finish, but I still love my Gretsch Renown 57 in Silver Oyster Pearl when I envision myself crafting beats as “pretend Ringo.” With its compact 18x14" kick drum, the Renown 57 is a great size for gigs with my Surf Monster band, because tiki lounges and surf music bars can sometimes be tight fits.
Shop Now: Gretsch Catalina Club 4-Piece Shell Pack with 22" Bass Drum in White Satin Flame
But I really miss the boom of a bigger kick drum, so the Gretsch Catalina Club 4-piece shell pack with an 18x22" bass cannon is like a holiday gift all year round. It struts a stunning White Satin Flame finish and gives me two rack toms mounted on the kick drum—my preferred method for positioning toms.
I can’t wait to annoy my bandmates with an additional rack tom to dive into more complex fill fusillades, and it won’t hurt to keep bass players honest with a louder, more impactful bass drum. (“Hey, are you locking with the drums, or what?”) The Catalina Club is going to look fabulous on the bandstand, and it’s going to sound mammoth. Bring on the big waves.
Slingerland Drum Relaunch
Dustin Hackworth, Sr. Manager of New Product Marketing:
So, Slingerland has been through a lot in its 150-year history. Some of the old ones are really cool (see: the denim jean kit), but the majority of the used market is full of … well, duds. Poorly constructed shells, shoddy hardware and more, largely due to the change in ownership in the ’70s. Those production issues led to years of brand name degradation—outside of a few choice models, Slingerlands aren’t really known as the quality drum brand they were back in the ’60s.
Shop Now: Slingerland Shell Packs & Snares
These new kits, now made by DW, feel a bit like meeting your grandma’s new boyfriend. They’ve got vintage soul but with … hardware that actually works? Beautiful, high gloss finishes and steam-bent reinforcement rings? No mystery rattles, no weird quirks you have to pretend you love? Nope—just a solid, classy drum line that knows exactly what it’s trying to do: timeless, classy and built for people who actually play.
Collectors have been all over them, but even regular gigging drummers are actually starting to take these out. Not something most folks felt comfortable doing with older Slingerland kits.
So, here’s to the new Slinglerand drums: May you ever reign as the classy, well-built drums you were once known for.
Ludwig Heritage Cherry Shell Pack
Michael Molenda:
I was 100% in love with this kit after hearing “Ludwig” and “Fab Shell Pack.” Do you think I might be a Ringo Starr fan? The Guitar Center-exclusive Ludwig Heritage Cherry kit isn’t dressed up in Ringo’s Beatlemania-era Oyster Black Pearl finish—it’s rocking a custom Resolute Blue—but it does feature his iconic Fab Four drum sizes: 22x14" bass drum, 13x9" rack tom and 16x16" floor tom.
That’s more than enough to inspire me to dig into some enormous, resonant grooves—especially as the Heritage Cherry comes with some very nice EVANS USA drum heads.
The only bit I don’t dig is the rack tom must be mounted on a cymbal stand. I prefer the positioning ease of having my rack tom mounted on the bass drum, like Ringo did in the ’60s. I totally understand why Ludwig chose the stand-mount option, because cutting a mounting hole into the top of the shell causes some drummers to recoil in horror. In any and all cases, this is a great kit for big beats, whether I’m playing rock, punk, pop or surf music.
Shop Now: Ludwig Heritage Cherry 3-Piece Fab Shell pack with 22" Bass Drum in Resolute Blue
Zildjian x Crayola Drum Sticks
John Fee, Content Video Producer:
A lot of brand mashups leave me scratching my head. I’m thinking Old Spice and Arby’s Meat Sweat Defense Kit, French’s mustard–flavored Skittles and KFC-themed Crocs. But every once in a while, two brands team up to make something truly inspired. There’s the Doritos Locos Taco from Taco Bell—my wife’s favorite—and now Zildjian and Crayola have teamed up to create the Zildjian x Crayola Pack: kids’ drum sticks and a practice pad.
Shop Now: Zildjian x Crayola Drum Stick Pack with Practice Pad
This holiday season, we got our six-year-old daughter Hazel a Simmons Titan 50 electronic drum kit. She loves going to Guitar Center, putting on a pair of headphones and banging on the electronic kits on display. Now that she has a kit at home, Hazel can practice in style with the Zildjian x Crayola Pack. The pack includes six crayon-themed sticks in a variety of colors, plus a practice pad, so Hazel can also perfect her paradiddles on the go.
Pearl 25th Anniversary Eliminator Bass Drum Pedal
George Van Wagner, Sr. Longform Creative Writer:
When Pearl launched the Eliminator kick drum pedal in 2000, it quietly (or sometimes not so quietly) changed the face of what a kick pedal could be. While other companies had toyed with interchangeable cams, Pearl was the first to develop a tool-less, quick way to swap cams and tweak the pedal's response. Combined with other features like the Power Shifter footboard and the overall modularity and range of adjustment, the Eliminator was the first kick pedal to enable drummers to customize virtually every aspect of a kick pedal to their personal preferences.
Shop Now: Pearl 25th Anniversary Eliminatory Bass Drum Pedal
For me, it's all about the smoothness of the chain drive and the fact that my feet can play heel up without restriction of movement or having to twist to some crazy angle to properly do the heel/toe dance.
With a gorgeous black powder-coat finish, the limited-run 25th Anniversary Edition of the Eliminator, both in single- and double-pedal form, is a tribute to a well-earned legacy. From blast beats with the double to subtle syncopations with the single pedal, the 25th Anniversary Eliminator really kicks, well, you know.
That’s a Wrap for 2025
Cue the ball drop festivities—2026 is upon us, and we can’t wait to see what’s next. In the meantime, head into your nearest Guitar Center store and see if you’ll come out with a new favorite toy of your own. And if you’re feeling extra determined to ring in the new year with a drum rig resolution, our expert Gear Advisers are at the ready to help you find the perfect fit for your needs.