When you spend enough time with an instrument, your thoughts often turn to the people who are going to play it in the future. You know there will always be another generation to take up the banner and keep playing, but ensuring they have the necessary tools to do so can be a little up in the air. Or, more to the point, around the house.
Ludwig Questlove Pocket Kit
“I grew up in a household where my first drum set was a pot and a pan, a bunch of lampshades, and broken glass,” says Ahmir Khalib Thompson, better known to the world as Questlove. Most precocious kids chomping at the bit to start their careers as musicians face scant options. This is a two-fold issue: it’s not only in parents who don’t want to drop hefty funds on a professional kit, but also in that these kits are designed for adults. Reflecting on getting his first actual set, Questlove remembers, “I got my first drum kit when I was 7 or 8. And I was still way too small for it.”
With these two biggest obstacles, size and affordability, in his crosshairs, Quest has teamed up with Ludwig to tackle the problem with his new signature set: the Pocket Kit. Consisting of a 16” kick, 10” rack and 13” floor tom, and 12” snare, the Pocket Kit is tailor-made to blow the minds of the 10 and under crowd.
Explaining what he wanted when setting out to make this kit, Questlove recalls thinking, “What would three-year-old me or four-year-old me, Christmas morning, want to run downstairs and see? I’m trying to recreate that feeling for the two, three, four, five-year-olds of tomorrow.”
Far more than just a centerpiece toy on Christmas day, the Pocket Kits are professional instruments built for children. Whereas most smaller entry-level sets seem like an afterthought from a manufacturer, the Pocket Kits are made with the same exacting standards as Ludwig’s professional lines, just shrunk down for the kids.
The thing is, a kid is going to get into something and what better way than to have a good drum set around?”
In Black, Silver, and Wine Red Sparkle finishes, the Pocket Kit is definitely a slick package, but it’s more than just a pretty face. Each set is a complete kit in itself with all the necessary hardware, pedals, and even cymbals included. And, just to make sure the beginning drummer has absolutely everything they need, the Pocket Kit is rounded out with a six-part introductory video course covering everything from set-up to tuning to basic beats. Questlove wanted to make sure kids had everything necessary to start expressing themselves and use their pent-up energy in a positive way. ”The thing is, a kid is going to get into something and what better way than to have a good drum set around?”
While introductory packs for children are fairly easy to find in regards to guitar or bass, the drumming world has always been a little lacking when catering to the little ones. The Pocket Kit is an excellent option for an adult as an easily transportable set, but the main draw here is a complete instrument made available to the next generation. Questlove’s pretty excited about it. “Out of all the things that I’ve worked with, beyond records, beyond talk shows, beyond making books, I’m probably most proud of this creation right here.”
Ludwig Pocket Kit