Drum thrones aren’t exciting at all and I understand that. I used to think like that too.
Why would we waste a couple of hundred dollars on a drum throne when we can get a shiny new cymbal or replace all of our drum heads?
The truth is, even though they aren’t exciting, they are one of the most important parts of a drum kit, and exactly where you shouldn’t cheap out.
There’s an old saying that you should always spend more on the things that separate you from the ground.
Shoes, beds, and sofas are good examples. For us drummers, it’s the drum throne.
A good one provides comfort and stability while allowing us to play for longer periods. That is especially important if you play in long studio sessions or live gigs.
Feeling comfortable and stable has a direct correlation with the quality of our performances.
Plus, avoiding back pain is something your future self will always be thankful for.
While that seems obvious, a shockingly big percentage of drummers choose to ignore it. They either play on cheap drum thrones or don’t use a drum throne at all (plastic chairs, anyone?).
They might want to save money, and in that case, I would rather play with $2 drum sticks than with a cheap drum throne.
Or they simply never tried a really good drum throne, and therefore, don’t know better.
But, since you are here, I’m assuming you’re ready to avoid that mistake, am I right?
I hope so! And now that we’ve discussed the importance of a good drum throne…
Here are the best drum thrones currently on the market:
Budget Drum Thrones
Considering that the high-end drum thrones go for the same price of a decent quality cymbal, and any drummer has multiple cymbals in their set, I don’t see a reason to buy a cheap drum throne.
They usually:
- Start to squeak and get worse as they age;
- Don’t have a height adjustment feature, or if they do, it works poorly or breaks in half a year;
- Have smaller seat surfaces, preventing you from sitting in a secure and comfortable position;
- Include thin seats which are uncomfortable, especially the longer you play.
- Don’t have a backrest to provide comfort, reduce the risk of back and neck pain by improving your posture.
But if you don’t currently own a drum throne, or you do, and you think even a cheap one will be a huge upgrade compared to your current situation, here are the best budget drum thrones (under $100):
Specifications:
- Material (Seat): Vinyl with foam
- Shape (Seat): Saddle
- Sizes (Seat): 15.5″ x 13.25″ x 3.25″
- Height: 18″ to 24″
- Legs: Double Braced
The Gibraltar 6608 includes a motorcycle type of seat made of vinyl and foam for increased comfort. Vinyl is quite common for drum thrones and the motorcycle seat is a matter of personal preference.
That is neither a pro nor a con, some drummers prefer round seats. There’s nothing I can tell you about that, just test it yourself and find out what works for you.
The seat is large enough for most folks but if you’re taller than 6’2” and weigh more than 240lbs, this might not be the best throne for you.
In terms of height, the available adjustment ranges from 18” to 24”. As long as you’re a relatively average height, that is (usually) enough for you to play with your legs at a (or slightly above a) 90º degree angle.
The 6608 also features a memory lock so you can easily set it up at your ideal height after you tear it down for storage or transportation.
The base has three double-braced legs which is a good improvement in terms of stability and durability in comparison to cheap drum thrones.
Let’s end with the best: the price! You can buy this throne for around $60 in your regular music store.
You shouldn’t go for anything cheaper than this. You’ll be hugely disappointed if you do, as they lack in terms of build quality and available features.
The only downsides are the fact that it’s not as comfortable as the premium drum thrones and the memory lock requires a drum key to be adjusted, but for $60, this is by far the best you can get.
Specifications:
- Material (Seat): Vinyl with foam
- Shape (Seat): Round
- Sizes (Seat): 13.75″ x 3.75”
- Height: 20” to 26”
- Legs: Double Braced
I have one in my home studio, and I admit, it’s honestly one of my favorite drum thrones, especially if you’re on a tight budget.
It has a 13,75” round seat made of vinyl and memory foam, and the 3,75” height guarantees maximum comfort for extended periods.
There are three double-braced legs with non-slippery feet, strong enough to hold big drummers and not moving an inch.
My favorite part is the manual spindle/threaded height adjustment. To change the height of the seat, just rotate it and once you find the sweet spot, use the memory lock to guarantee it stays at the ideal height.
That’s the most durable mechanism when compared to the usual hydraulic with a lever or extended pole design (similar to cymbal stands) that tend to fail after a few years.
If needed, you can also add one of Gibraltar’s Universal Back Rests to force a correct posture and prevent back pain.
There are also two additional versions of this drum throne, the 9608M and the 9608MB. The 9608M is the same as the 9608, but with a saddle type of seat instead. The 9608MB is the same as the 9608M, but with Gibraltar’s Universal Back Rest included.
This drum throne normally costs around $100 and I don’t see a single negative aspect about it.
For that price you get a sturdy, yet comfortable, drum throne that’s miles ahead of the competition.
Those are the only two options worth looking into if you’re on a budget and can’t afford to save for a little longer.
High-End Drum Thrones
Specifications:
- Material (Seat): Black Vinyl side and Cordura top with top grade foam
- Shape (Seat): Round
- Sizes (Seat): 13.75″ x 5″
- Height: 20″ to 26″
- Legs: Double Braced
This is pretty much the same as the Gibraltar 9608 with small, but important, differences.
The seat is 1.25” thicker than the one on the regular 9608, with Cordura on top and vinyl on the edges for increased comfort.
Cordura is a high-performance fabric technology used in many products, such as luggage, backpacks, trousers, and military wear. It’s known for being durable and resistant to abrasions, tears, and scuffs.
You adjust the height the same way you do on the regular 9608, with a manual spindle/threaded height adjustment and a memory lock to secure it in place.
The same backrest that’s available for the 9608 works as well with the 9608SFT, to ensure a correct posture and prevent back pain in the long term.
Rock-solid triple double-braced legs with huge rubber feet provide great stability and sturdiness, even for the big drummers.
This magnificent piece of hardware only costs $40 more than the regular 9608. Considering what it brings to the table, the price difference is well worth it.
Specifications:
- Material (Seat): Black vinyl sides with a velour top and heavy-duty high-density foam
- Shape (Seat): Round
- Sizes (Seat): 14.5″
- Height: 21.5″ to 28″
- Legs: Double Braced
Pork Pie drum thrones combine maximum comfort with unique designs you can’t find anywhere else.
The 14.5” seat always comes with a combination of two colors (e.g. black vinyl sides with red swirl top, or charcoal vinyl sides with leopard top) and high-density foam to reduce leg fatigue and overall discomfort.
If you’re not into those flashy styles, there’s also a black-on-black alternative with a crushed-velvet top.
This one in particular has a round seat, but there’re alternatives with similar styles and comfort levels, but with a saddle seat instead.
The base includes three heavy-duty double-braced legs that in combination with the thick comfortable seat provide strong support for the large drummers (many reviews of +220 pounds folks confirm that).
Just like the Gibraltar 9608, Pork Pie drum thrones come with a manual spindle/threaded height adjustment where you rotate the seat until you find a comfortable height – as we’ve seen before, it should last longer than hydraulic alternatives.
Speaking of height, it ranges from as low as 21.5” to as high as 28” and once you find what height works best for you, just lock it in place with the wing nut underneath the seat.
There are not many negative aspects about this throne, but some drummers consider it a bit too soft, so if you prefer firm seats, this might not be the throne for you.
Otherwise, if you’re looking for a luxurious, heavy-duty, comfortable drum throne and style is also an important factor, this is your best bet.
Specifications:
- Material (Seat): Vinyl, velour, and foam
- Shape (Seat): Saddle
- Sizes (Seat): 17″ x 15″
- Height: 18” to 24” / 23″ to 29″ (extended version)
- Legs: Double Braced
This is one of the best drum thrones on the market. “Why?”, you might ask…
It features a saddle seat that most drummers find more comfortable. The seat is 17” x 15” which is pretty big when compared to the 15.5″ x 13.25″ seat on the Gibraltar 6608.
The side of the seat is made of Vinyl and the velour fabric on top is available in many different colors: black, blue, grey, red, tan, and green.
If you’re not a fan of saddle type of seats, round, hugger (saddle, but thinner and longer), and square seats are also available.
The seat also spins freely to prevent spinal strain from body twisting while drumming.
The height ranges from 18” to 24”, which isn’t enough for tall drummers. Thankfully, there’s an extended version with a range of 23 – 29”.
If health is one of your main concerns and you want to prevent back problems, there’s a backrest available for this model (sold separately) to guarantee a good posture during long practice sessions.
You adjust the height with a gas lift, similar to the ones found on office chairs, and gas shocks allow the seat to bounce and reduce back fatigue.
Hydraulic longevity?
Hydraulic height adjustment methods tend to not last as long (no less than a decade, usually) but are way easier and faster to set up.
That shouldn’t worry you too much, as Roc-N-Soc provides replacement parts for every part of the drum throne so you don’t need to buy a new one if something fails.
But, if it does worry you anyway, you can buy the Roc-N-Soc Manual Spindle which is pretty much the same throne, but with a manual spindle/threaded height adjustment instead.
To conclude, if you want a reliable drum throne with different seat sizes and colors available, focused on your health and comfort, the Roc-N-Soc Nitro is the best you can get for less than $200.
Premium Drum Thrones
Specifications:
- Material (Seat): Velour and memory foam
- Shape (Seat): Saddle
- Sizes (Seat): 18″ x 15” x 4.50”
- Height: 18” to 24”
- Legs: Double Braced
The Ahead Spinal G is a drum throne as much as it is a “medical equipment”. How so?
The biggest difference is the gap in the middle of the seat, designed to allow your coccyx to hang naturally instead of being compressed against the seat.
Thanks to that feature, it’s suitable for drummers with existing back problems or someone that wants to prevent back and shoulder pain with a long-term investment.
Besides that, you can choose between the round and the saddle seat, and between black, black sparkle, or red color.
The height ranges from 18” to 24”, which might be a bit too short for tall drummers, and you change it with manual spindle/threaded height adjustment.
If that doesn’t sound like enough, there’s also a version with a backrest. Between that and the gap in the seat, you can play for hours without worrying about your physical health.
The base is made of four double-braced legs (if you think less is more, some versions only have three), as strong and as stable as you need it to be.
Overall, this is a great drum throne with many health benefits. It might be a bit too bulky to carry around, but is that more important than protecting your health? I don’t think so.
Specifications:
- Material (Seat): Special Foam Combination
- Shape (Seat): Round
- Sizes (Seat): 14”
- Height: 20″ to 27.5″
- Legs: Double Braced
If you’ve heard of the DW 9000 bass drum pedal, you know that DW 9000 hardware series is their top of the line and this drum throne is no exception.
The DW 9000 drum thrones include a 14” round seat, but there’s a version with a saddle-style seat.
It’s made of a Special Foam Combination that provides superior comfort for every drummer.
To increase the comfort and help with your posture, DW provides a backrest that works great with both Airlift models (sold separately).
Similar to most office chairs with a pneumatic system, you adjust the height with a lever on the side of the throne.
If you’re worried about the longevity of the pneumatic system, DW 9000 series include two versions (round and saddle) with a manual spindle/threaded height adjustment.
Sadly, you can’t add the DW’s backrest to those two versions, so if you want a seat with a backrest you should stick with the Airlift ones.
The Airlift versions include four double-braced legs while the Workhorse ones only include three, and neither lack stability.
In the end, every single one of the four drum thrones in the DW 9000 series has an insane build quality and provides great comfort, but… they are kind of expensive for what they offer.
Specifications:
- Material (Seat): Imitation Leather
- Shape (Seat): Round/Saddle
- Sizes (Seat): 20.9” x 19.5” x 13.1″
- Height: 20.28” to 26.18”
- Legs: Double Braced
The seat doesn’t look like any other on the market, as it’s a hybrid round-saddle type of seat.
It’s really wide and goes as high as 26”, so it’s enough for most large and tall drummers out there.
A manual spindle/threaded height adjustment lets you choose your comfortable height, and a regular wing nut locks it in place.
The throne’s threaded rod has a specially designed Nylon Bushing at the bottom to prevent side-to-side motion within the base.
Unlike the previous drum thrones where a backrest is only optional (and sold separately), the Tama HT741B includes a padded backrest.
Tama’s backrest is fully height and angle adjustable, providing the support you need no matter how you sit.
For transportation purposes, you can fold the backrest itself onto the seat without disassembling.
Supporting the seat, there are four double-braced legs with a low center of gravity, providing rock-solid stability, no matter how much you move while drumming.
The worst part about this drum throne is the price, as it’s the most expensive one on the list.
Therefore, it’s a really good drum throne with all the necessary features, but, wouldn’t one in the $100 -$200 price range do just fine?
Wrapping up
I’ve owned some, I’ve tested a few and I honestly think these are the best drum thrones on the market right now.
They offer maximum comfort and insane stability, allowing you to make the best out of every session.
There are round seats, saddle seats, and even hybrid ones. Some thrones offer flashy designs or just the basic black on black.
You can even pick between bases with three or four legs, and $50 to $300 thrones, so there’s always an option for everyone.
It’s up to you to define your priorities and what fits your current style and needs.
Just make sure you don’t waste your money on sub-$50 drum thrones, because if you do, in half a year you’ll be checking this same list looking for a much better alternative.