Drums are a key instrument in any band and performance, as it helps set the beat and tempo of the song being played, and playing the drums means you are in control of almost all of the instruments on stage.
Feeling that control in you surely makes you feel like a king as well, and a king needs to have his very own throne, one he can sit comfortably in for hours on end.
Having played drums for a couple of years now, I’ve sat on many kinds of drum thrones, and found that the DW 9000 Series Drum Throne is the best one, thanks to its carefully crafted design for comfort and great durability.
However, you may find that it is a bit too much or even uncomfortable, as you may have different preferences from me.
For that reason, I’ve come up with a list of different drum thrones to help you choose from a good selection and narrow down your options!
I will also add a buying guide and a section for frequently asked questions in the last part of the article, so keep on reading to find out more.
Contents
Here are The Best Drum Thrones
- DW 9000 Series Drum Throne – Best Overall Drum Throne
- Roc-N-Soc Nitro Gas Drum Throne – Best Saddle Drum Throne for Pros
- Gibraltar 6608 Moto Style Drum Throne – Best Saddle Throne Under 100 USD
- Porter & Davies BC2 – Best Throne for Electronic Drummers
- Tama HT130 – Best Portable Drum Throne
- Ludwig Atlas Classic Throne – Best Drum Throne for Studios
- Pearl D790 – Best Round Throne Under 100 USD
- Roland Saddle Drum Throne – Best Saddle Throne for Tall Drummers
- Ahead Spinal-G Saddle Throne – Best Aesthetics Drum Throne
- On-Stage Stands MDT2 – Best for Gigs
Also Great | Editor's Choice | Budget Pick |
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DW 9000 Series Drum Throne
The DW 9000 Series Drum Throne is a round drum throne with a full 14-inch round top, coming with a pneumatic height adjustment that allows you to freely adjust your playing position with ease.
Round drum thrones can often seem basic and boring, but DW makes it special with the 9000 Series Drum Throne, as you can easily swivel around or stay put as you play, both of which you can achieve effortlessly.
Forget about your irrational fear of drum thrones toppling over with this seat, as the 9000 Series Drum Throne has four double-braced legs to ensure that there is more than enough support for you as you play for hours on end.
When talking about comfort, the 9000 Series Drum Throne is one of the best drum thrones to give you that aspect, as DW mixes different kinds of foam to make the throne firm, yet still easy to sit on, as a little bit of firmness is good for your back.
The drum throne by DW also comes with a pneumatic height adjustment, so you don’t have to waste so much time twisting knobs just to adjust the throne height, as all you’d have to do with the 9000 Series Drum Throne is pull on the lever and sit at the right height comfortably.
Pros
- Uses different kinds of foams for comfort
- Full 14-inch round top
- Pneumatic height adjustment
- Double-braced legs for durability
Cons
- The seat can be too firm for some people
Roc-N-Soc Nitro Gas Drum Throne
When talking about drum thrones, it’s hard to ignore the classier saddle thrones, which Roc-N-Soc has made to be a truly unique saddle throne to give you the best comfort so you can play for hours and still feel both your legs and your sensitive areas.
The most exciting feature about the Nitro Gas Drum Throne by Roc-N-Soc is its gas shock absorber, which gives the seat that slight bounciness you feel while playing, relieving loads of pressure from your spine and eventually reducing back pain.
The height of the Nitro Gas Drum Throne can also be adjusted from 18 inches to 24 inches, which makes an extremely large difference when you’re faced with different drum setups.
The drum throne by Roc-N-Soc also uses a hydraulic gas height adjustment mechanism so you can ditch your old throne which you can only adjust with knobs and screws for a drum throne that will only require the pull of a lever to adjust its height.
However, the tip of the saddle throne has been somewhat elevated by Roc-N-Soc, making it uncomfortable for some men as it places additional pressure on sensitive areas, but you can place some softer padding at the end to rid yourself of that discomfort.
Pros
- Gas shock absorber relieves pressure on the spine
- A hydraulic gas height adjustment mechanism
- Ergonomic seat design to reduce fatigue
- Adjustable height from 18 inches to 24 inches
Cons
- Tip of the saddle can feel uncomfortable for some men
Gibraltar 6608 Moto Style Drum Throne
The 6608 Moto Style Drum Throne by Gibraltar is another of the best saddle drum thrones made for those who are not only looking for comfort for their spine, but also for their extra-sensitive parts as well.
Gibraltar incorporates only high-quality foam into the 6608 Moto Style Drum Throne, ensuring that it is soft enough to be comfortable and firm enough to help support your spine and reduce back pain.
The Gibraltar 6608 Moto Style Drum Throne also comes with a memory lock for its height adjustment, ensuring that the seat remains at the same height despite using it for hours on end, as some seats have a tendency to sink lower the longer you stay on them.
Having a vinyl seat cover means that it’s easier to clean the saddle throne, as you can easily wipe it with a moist cloth and some soap, removing any dirt or nasty smells that can be pretty obvious on the seat.
However, the Gibraltar 6608 Moto Style Drum Throne is not exactly the most heavy-duty drum throne, as the neck where the seat and its axis meet can be loose and break apart pretty easily, so be careful and always keep it in check before you use it.
Pros
- Saddle-designed throne
- High-quality foam for comfort
- The vinyl seat cover does not absorb moisture
- Double-braced legs support heavy weights
Cons
- Seat neck breaks apart from pole after long-term use
Porter & Davies BC2
The BC2 drum throne by Porter & Davies is a throne unlike any other, as it has integrated components like transducers in the seat that allow you to connect it to amplifiers so you can feel exactly what the sound is like on stage.
The round drum throne is accompanied by a silent tactile drum monitor that acts much similar to a seat rumbler but is capable of so much more!
All of the music you hear coming from all the instruments will easily course through your body, essentially reducing the damaging noise that enters your ears and reduces sound bleeding off-stage.
However, you will have to buy a base for the drum throne as it only comes with the seat and drum monitor alone, which is better since you get to choose the base that suits your height and weight.
Pros
- Round drum throne with comfortable cloth
- An integrated transducer in the seat allows for “rumbling” effects
- Reduces incoming noise to drummers
- Reduces off-stage sound bleeding
Cons
- Does not come with a seat base
Tama HT130
The HT130 by Tama is a collapsible three-legged round drum throne made for players that are 4 ½ feet tall to 6 ½ feet tall, with rubber legs to prevent the entire seat from moving as you move around while playing.
Tama proudly lives up to their claim of having the HT130 as one of the most stable drum thrones in the market, as it truly allows you to move and spin around as much as you like without the seat getting loose or breaking off, providing you with utmost safety.
Speaking of safety, the HT130 by Tama comes with double-braced legs, allowing such a small seat to hold even heavier weights, making it one of the most durable round-seat drum thrones.
The HT130 was particularly designed to be completely travel-friendly, as you can easily collapse and “fold” the entire seat and pack it with you so you can play on any drum set you like at the comfort of your own throne.
However, you might find that the seat of the HT130 can be quite uncomfortable, as it is extremely soft and sinks easily, giving you an uncomfortable back the longer you play, so try to take breaks to take your spine off the pressure.
Pros
- Collapsible drum throne and travel-friendly
- 17.5 inches to 24.4 adjustable height
- Double-braced legs
- Stable build for moving around
Cons
- Seat can be too soft and cause back pains
Ludwig Atlas Classic Throne
The Ludwig Atlas Classic Throne is an astonishingly large and round drum throne suited for larger players or simply players looking for more seat space on their thrones, may it be for comfort or just how they really play.
The Atlas Classic Throne comes with a vinyl wrapping the sturdy foam of the seat, allowing the drum throne to remain stench-free as it no longer absorbs so much of the moisture that comes from your sweat or other excretions.
The foam used by Ludwig for the Atlas Classic Throne is of great quality, allowing you to have a firm and solid but still comfortable throne to sit on to protect your back by preventing so much pressure from being applied on your spine.
The height adjustment mechanism of the Atlas Class Throne uses a locking spindle, which means all you have to do is loosen a screw, spin the seat to your desired height, and lock it back in by tightening the screw!
Despite how easy it is to adjust the height of the throne, you might face some issues with locking it in place, as the screw that tightens it into place can be quite loose sometimes, so always ensure that it’s been secured to avoid any accidents.
Pros
- Spacious round seat
- The spindle-lock height adjustment mechanism
- Double-braced legs
- The vinyl seat cover does not absorb moisture
Cons
- The spindle lock can be loose sometimes
Pearl D790
Round drum thrones of high quality that cost under 100 USD are very difficult to come across these days, especially since a lot of brands claim to have extremely comfortable thrones that go above 100 or even 200 USD, which is why the Pearl D790 belongs on the list.
The D790 was designed to be extremely lightweight, which is why quite a lot of users confuse its weight with flimsiness, which is easily dismissed as the drum throne can easily last them years after hours of playing daily!
The seat is covered with thickly padded vinyl which also ensures its durability, as the material can be very hard to rip apart and can last for years.
Though it is important to know that the foam padding on the drum throne seat is not as thick as most, bringing the throne to the firmer side of drum thrones, which might be uncomfortable for some people, but extremely helpful for weaker backs in the long term.
Pros
- Extremely lightweight and durable
- Thick-padded vinyl for durable seat covers
- Stop-lock height adjustment for easy height configurations
- Thick rubber feet for stability
Cons
- The seat can be too firm for some
Roland Saddle Drum Throne
The Roland Saddle Drum Throne is made for the especially tall drummers, given its tall and adjustable height and double-braced legs that ensure it can handle great weights that most thrones can’t.
The manual spindle height adjustment of the Roland Saddle Drum Throne requires only the twist of a few knobs and the seat itself, allowing the seat to be adjusted from a minimum height of 20 inches to a maximum height of 27 inches, making it great for even drummers above 6 ½ feet tall.
The Saddle Drum Throne by Roland is cushioned with a generous amount of comfortable and firm foam, relieving pressure from your back to give you a comfortable feel while you play for hours.
However, you might find that adjusting the height of the drum throne can be quite annoying if it keeps getting adjusted, especially since adjusting it can be tiresome as you would have to turn knobs loose and tighten them again.
Pros
- Made of thick comfortable foam
- Durable textured vinyl top
- Double-braced legs
- 20 inches minimum height and 27 inches maximum height
Cons
- Spindle height adjustment can be annoying
Ahead Spinal-G Saddle Throne
The Spinal-G Saddle Throne by Ahead earns the title of Best Overall Drum Throne thanks to its unique and very well-thought design, making it the drum throne that relieves the most pressure off your spine.
The split in the middle of the seat of the Spinal-G Saddle Throne may throw you off, but it is actually the feature responsible for relieving the pressure of your spine, as it won’t push up on it.
This split is also responsible for maintaining airflow in your legs and your sensitive areas, keeping you cool as you play on for as long as you like.
Pros
- Split in the seat relieves pressure off the spine
- Split in the seat allows airflow
- Double-braced four legs for durability
- 18-inch memory foam for comfort
Cons
- It takes time to get used to the split channel
On-Stage Stands MDT2
The On-Stage Stands MDT2 drum throne is one of the best drum thrones that you can bring to gigs thanks to its small build, which in spite, is still totally durable and reliable for the everyday drummer.
The three-legged MDT2 comes with double-braced legs, which allows it to carry even 200-pound drummers with ease, soothing your worries about the small and flimsy-looking drum throne.
The MDT2 comes with a height-adjustable steel shaft with a screw that you can lock in place to prevent the seat from sinking into undesired heights.
However, the seat of the MDT2 is only 11 inches wide, which might be too small for quite a lot of players, but an advantage for those only using the MDT2 as a drum throne they can bring to gigs or different places.
Pros
- Double-braced legs
- Rubber-covered feet for stability
- Height-adjustable steel shaft
- Flame-retardant leather covering
Cons
- An 11-inch wide seat can be too small for some
Buying Guide
There are way too many features that can come in a single drum throne, which is why I’ve made a list of all the necessary things you need to know before buying one.
Firmness
The firmness of the drum throne determines exactly how you’ll feel after hours of playing, as the throne of right firmness will relieve pressure from your spine and keep your legs from feeling any fatigue.
Having a drum throne that is too firm will put too much pressure on your spine and will leave you with back pains, while having one that is too soft will probably ruin any sensation in your legs, so test the thrones out before actually buying it.
Size
Size matters, as it also determines how much of the throne you can actually sit on, so try to go for the wider drum thrones as these are the ones that can provide complete coverage for your glutes, supporting most of your torso and keeping you in good posture.
Stability
Playing the drums requires a lot of movement, as you may have already known, so opt for a throne that is stable enough to keep you in place as you play the drums.
Strength
It doesn’t matter how light you are, strong drum thrones that can withstand more than 100 kilos are essential to any drummer, as this is a sign of durability and shows that the throne is really made for anyone to sit on.
Comfort
It all boils down to how comfortable you are on your throne, so go for the design and firmness that will help you play at your best and most comfortable, as any king of the stage should be.
FAQs
Will my legs sweat from vinyl drum thrones?
Vinyl is very similar to leather, and black vinyls do a much better job at absorbing heat from the light, so you are bound to feel some sweat from your legs and see a butt mark left on the seat of the throne.
Are saddle thrones better than round thrones?
Saddle thrones are made for better ergonomics, with a goal of giving you a better muscular health outcome the longer you play the drums, but you always feel that same comfort with a round throne, so it is totally up to you.
Editor’s Pick
There are so many kinds of drum thrones in the market, each of which have different features, from round thrones to saddle thrones and different height adjustment mechanisms.
As such, I found that the best drum throne is the DW 9000 Series Drum Throne, as it gives me utmost comfort and while still being able to hold my weight.