One of the most asked questions is: "Which drum should I buy?" Difficult question, since there are different
budgets and different requirements. Anyway, I will try give a few hints, which are, of course, my personal
opinions.

What not to buy?
Let's start with drums that cannot be recommended: Drums that come from unknown sources and drums that have industrial skins or frames. If you look into ebay and even in some music shops (even in Ireland) you will often find drums that are imported from Far East countries, which sell for 80€ or less. The skin is very hard most of the time and the drums are missing everything that you want even from a beginners drum: nice bass, clear middle area and poppy high notes. Often you find a celtic design or a Guinness Logo on these "drums". These are good enough to hang on a wall, but nothing else. Nobody knows where the skins come from and with which chemicals and under what circumstances (wages, keeping of the animals, working conditions etc.) they are produced. The Problem is that even over in Ireland you might find this type of drum even in shops that praise themselves very high. I have seen many disappointed faces during my workshops, when people had a comparison to a quality drum, which wasn't much more expensive than the cheap drums they bought. But the sound and the tonal variation differ a lot.

What to buy?
What makes a quality drum? Good sound, proper workmanship, long lasting. The main influence is of course the skin. Most of the time it's goat skin, sometime calf or kangaroo. Even emu has been tried. The curing of the skin is something that takes time, which is reflected in the price. The skin should be soft and hard and scratchy. Often you find tape on the outside to dampen some of the overtones. Sometimes the tape is replaced by a skin ring inside the drum. I personally prefer outside tape, since it gives more room for your left hand. Also, tape is easier to adjust to the individual sound of the skin and can be replaced easily if necessary.