Columbus Percussion

A great local drum store. Store employees are knowledgeable and willing to spend time with their customers. It sometimes takes a bit of time to get their attention, but once you have it, they are pretty helpful. When I bought my last drum set there, the employee I spoke to helped me to understand the differences in the kits I was considering (e.g., are the hoops die-​cast and why should I care).
The shop puts on drum clinics periodically and a drum daze (several well known drummers and educators) once a year.

Hmm, I could have sworn that I reviewed this place last summer, but apparently not. Anyway, I’ll keep it short and sweet. If you’re here reading reviews, that means you’re probably a drummer. If you’re a drummer, and you live in Columbus, then you probably know about this place. If you already know about this place, then you know it’s one of the best drum shops in the country (up there with Vic’s, DC of Portsmouth, Drummer World, Memphis, etc). And for those of you who consider Guitar Center a good place to buy drum equipment, well, you may already be a lost cause.
So what’s the point of this review? If you don’t know all these things, and you’re looking for a place to buy anything percussion related, then look no further. Columbus Percussion is a great shop, with a great staff. There’s really nothing more to say. It’s perfect.

I’ve been going to Columbus Pro for the past 15 years. Anymore, I won’t shop for drums or gear anywhere else. The staff is not only insanely knowledgeable, but they are not commission based, which means they are interested in selling you what you need, not what will make them the most money. The owner actually comes out of the office and helps, and they treat every customer the same regardless of skill or age. Honestly, this is not only THE best drum store in town, it’s one of the all around best stores in town. The prices are low, the service is enthusiastic and kind, and the selection is massive.
The hidden secret at Columbus Percussion is Chris in the workshop. The man knows everything about every drum and can fix your gear no matter how badly you’ve mangled it. He’s gotten me cheaply out of a jam on more than one occasion, and can help track down that lost, missing, or vintage piece you’ve been missing.

My boyfriend’s picky brother is big into drumming, and he swears by this place. He asks for gift cards to Columbus Percussion for every gift-​giving holiday. This year, we indulged him by actually getting him one. My boyfriend used to drum as well, and he’s always been impressed by Columbus Percussion. I don’t know a thing about drumming, but I was impressed that the store was stocked to the brim and that the drum sets came in lots of colors. :o)
The walls are lines with drum pads signed by famous drummers, all giving high praise for a music store dedicated solely to pads, paddles, cymbals, and the like. Lots and lots of accessories. Apparently they have more than you need. A guys’ heaven.
When we went, there were two people working. The one was with a customer, explaining the difference between this and that and sharing a general love for drumming. The other was out of sight. We had to stand around unacknowledged for a bit, but after doing whatever it was he was doing, the second worker came out of the back and took very good care of us. They take customers’ names and add them to their sales database, assumingly for store credits and perks. We bought the gift card under Edan’s name (the brother), so he’d get some extra whatever. You can buy gift cards in any denomination.
Nice guys. Big store. They don’t care at all if you clang around.

I walked out of Half-​Price books and happened to notice Columbus Percussion on the way to my car. I looked a couple times before it completely registered that, yes, this store is exclusively percussion. No trumpets or guitars. No harmonicas or oboes. Just stuff to hit with other stuff. A mecca for teen angst and mid-​life crisis. I fall somewhere in the middle. And there was a place for me too.
You can’t really travel with a drum set. So my huge Tama Rockstar drum set is now scattered among friend’s houses and ex-girlfriend’s basements. That basically means I don’t have drums anymore. So the whole percussionist vibe has completely left my personality. It was rekindled, though, as I walked into this store.
Stacks of drums. Badass drums. Half ass drums. Shiny metal ones and little wooden ones. The three guys in the store broke into an impromptu air drum performance, hitting counters and snapping to the music without realizing it. I asked the price for a black set of Gretsch drums. $ 650. Killer price. I started figuring out how I could swing that, ignoring the fact that I have no place to put or play them. He sweetened the deal by informing me that with the purchase of a kit, you get a lifetime free labor warranty. Anything breaks, comes undone, whatever, they fix it for free. And you get a free lesson as well. My pride probably wouldn’t allow that, but it’s a nice gesture.
Having decided on the drums, the cymbals, the sticks, and maybe a stick bag, I walked out of the store empty handed. But damn it was really nice living that little fantasy for a minute.

All I have to say about my first visit here is WOW! Never in my life would I have imagined there were that many different ways to hit an inanimate object to make noise! The cymbals! The snares! The millions of other doohickies that would make Neil Peart cry! It’s all here!
If you’ve ever had even the vaguest interest in becoming a drummer, there’s absolutely no way you can walk out of Columbus Percussion without having a dream or two of being a superstar behind the kit implanted in to your psyche. The sheer volume of drums and drum-​related items here is mind-​boggling. To think, there are people absent-​minded enough to settle on what they’ve found in the drum room at Sam Ash or Guitar Center! Those fools! Although I’m not a drummer, I’m a musician nonetheless and have astronomical levels of appreciation for the craft that this store supports. Just check out the pictures I’ve posted for proof, will ya? The cymbal selection spans an entire wall, there’s a whole room devoted to snares and kick pedals, and the electronic drum section (my personal favorite, of course) is nothing short of spectacle. Throw in an expert sales staff that puts up with the endless throbbing headache they must endure day in and day out and you’ve got yourself one hell of a store.
I’ve always had my eyes on a Roland SPD-​S drum sampler, and it was little surprise that they had one set up and ready for me to play to my hearts content. What’s more was that it was used and was discounted a great deal from its sticker price of over $ 500. Unlike the aging gearheads at Guitar Center, the dude that helped me knew everything there was to know about it, MIDI implementation and all. If that reference is above your head, just know that it’s the dorkiest of dorky programming systems for electronic musical instruments that’s been around since the 80’s. He even dropped the names of a few bands that used the device as well. Rock!
I could’ve been bummed that there wasn’t a whole lot else here besides drums, but then again that would’ve detracted greatly from the overall selection and experience here I’m sure. Columbus Percussion is the DEFINITIVE one-​stop shop when it comes to drumming, period. Depending on where you’re coming from, a trip to either of the big box stores on Morse Rd. that deal in instruments is a complete waste if percussion is what you’re looking for. This is the motherload, my friends. Grab some ear plugs and enjoy! \m/