Are you looking for the best drum throne? We will help you make an informed buying decision.
Few things are more critical to drummers than where they sit.
Sure, the quality of the snares, cymbals, toms, and kicks is integral to being a good drummer but don’t underestimate the seat. Being comfortable and flexible while you drum is vital.
There are many things to hit, and it usually happens for a long time, so finding the best stool or seat possible should be high on the list for every drummer.
As the king of your drums, use this guide to find yourself the best drum throne.
Top 4 Best Drum Thrones:
| Image | Model | Price |
|---|---|---|
 | Gibraltar 9608MB Drum Throne (Top Pick) | Check Price |
 | PDP By DW 700 Series Drum Throne (Best Drum Throne for Beginners) | Check Price |
 | Cannon UP197 Drum Throne (Best on a Budget) | Check Price |
| ROC-N-SOC Nitro Throne | Check Price |
Gibraltar 9608MB Drum Throne (Editor’s Choice)
The Gibraltar 9608MB is a bike-style seat drum throne that is great for drummers looking for something substantial. It has double-braced legs – three – which will ensure that it doesn’t move around on you while you’re playing. And if that doesn’t do the trick, the heavy-duty rubber feet on the bottom will keep you grounded.
As a bonus, this seat has an attached backrest, so especially if you’re playing a more extended gig or perhaps need the support, you’ll get the backrest as part of the purchase, and it’s part of the seat. The most prominent feature about the backrest is that it swivels with the chair, so it’s like you’ve got yourself a nice big desk chair to use while you’re playing the drums.
This throne does have memory lock height adjustment, but there have been some complaints about it not going high enough – so if you’re tall, that’s something to consider. There’s also some concern about the ultimate comfort of the backrest.
It doesn’t cover a ton of room on the back, and most drummers don’t necessarily lean back while playing anyhow (they lean towards the kit). With only three legs, heavy-duty or not, you’re probably not going to be leaning into the backrest often.
Positives
- Cordura/Vinyl Seat
- Double-braced legs
- Huge rubber feet
- Memory lock height adjustment
- Attached backrest
Negatives
- Limited height adjustments
- The backrest doesn’t cover much room and maybe too far back for some users
Pacific Drums and Percussion 700 Series Drum Throne (Best for Beginners or Kids)
The 700 Series Drum Throne is what it is, and it’s not trying to be anything more than that. Perhaps that’s a good thing. You’re not going to break the bank with this seat.
And that’s what it is. A throne is probably too strong of a word for this product because it’s merely a drum stool. However, it’s affordable and exactly what you’d want to buy for a beginner or a kid. It has solid padding and non-skid rubber feet, so it will get the job done, but it’s just necessary at the end of the day.
If you’re playing long gigs, look for something else if you are a beginner who wants a decent drum seat that does adjust – although with a bolt – it collapses and doesn’t take up a lot of room. Nevertheless, it is a nice seat for the price.
Positives
- Affordable
- Good for beginners
- Medium-sized round seat with solid padding
- You can use it for things other than playing drums
- Double-braced legs that fold
- Non-skid rubber feet
- Ideal for kids or students
Negatives
- Height adjusts with a bolt
- Not a ton of support
- Not ideal for long gigs
- Not ideal for novice to expert drummers
- Not ideal for bigger people
ROC-N-SOC Nitro Drum Throne
The ROC-N-SOC Nitro Throne is a very comfortable and practical drum seat. It’s well made and is designed so that you can spend a ton of time on it. It has a cloth top that makes the seat feel good, but it also provides some breathing room while you sit on it.
The Nitro throne holds its height very well, so much so that you can compare it to a very nice office chair. The air-driven hydraulic pump makes it easy to move up or down at will, and once you settle in on a height, the throne is not going to move on you.
It’s built with a nitrogen gas shock absorber, so when you’re rocking out, the seat will bounce a bit with you, almost like having shocks in a truck.
It features a three-legged stand that is very stable and sturdy and has large rubber feet.
Positives
- Nitrogen gas shock absorber
- 18″ to 24″ seat height
- Bicycle design
- Heavy bracing
- Available backrest attachment
Negatives
- As with any three-legged seat, it doesn’t have a 100-percent balance. So especially when utilizing the shock absorber, you’ll have to make sure to keep yourself in control.
Cannon UP197 Drum Throne
The Cannon UP197 is the 700 Series’ cheaper cousin. It’s a little less flashy as well. It appears to have less padding on the seat and less stability, but again, it’s all about what you’re looking for.
It is undoubtedly a cheap seat. For the price of a few lattes, you can get yourself a good beginner stool with adequate padding and decent stability. If you’re playing long gigs or like to get into your drumming, stay away.
If you’re buying for someone merely looking to explore playing the drums, this is a good starter.
Positives
- Cheap
- Small footprint
- Good for kids
Negatives
- Instability
- Lack of quality cushion
What to Look For When Buying the Best Drum Throne
Comfort is Key
Comfort is absolutely the No. 1 thing that matters when picking up a good drum throne for yourself. It’s called a throne for a reason – you’re supposed to feel like a king when you sit on it. That means quality matters. That means details matter. Everything from how it feels when you sit on it to how it handles when you play matters.
You can roll up almost everything underneath this point into the comfort category because it is that important.
As a drummer, you will most of the time not sit down for a quick song, get up, and move on with your day. However, you’re going to be spending a ton of time on the seat, whether it be practicing, jamming, or playing a gig, so you best find yourself a seat that’s comfortable and that you like sitting on.
Nothing else is as important as that. You have to feel good when you sit on your throne. You have to feel like it can support you when you’re sitting, reaching, pounding, crashing, and, yes, sometimes even dancing.
It all boils down to comfort. Can you spend hours – and hours – sitting on your throne?
If you can’t answer yes to that question, it’s time for a new drum seat.
Support
Listen, it’s okay to admit that you need some support once in a while.
Musicians aren’t generally world-class athletes, but they don’t get their fair share of credit when appreciating the physicality that goes into it – especially drummers. People don’t realize that sitting and playing drums for hours can be taxing on the body. Not only is it a workout – you’re probably going to sweat – but it can be hard on the back.
The young guns out there may not have to worry about this as much, but certainly, there’s no shame in looking into support for older drummers.
A good backrest is becoming more common in drum seats, so go ahead and get one if you need one. It can add minutes, if not hours, to your set, and it could perhaps even add some time to your life.
It’s not just the back, though. You want to make sure your throne can support you.
If you’re a bit on the bigger side, make sure that you can jam out on your seat without it wobbling on you or feeling like it’s going to snap in half. If you’re a bit smaller or shorter, does the seat adjust high enough?
And if it does, does it have a hydraulic pump, or is it the type of seat with a manual spindle? How much effort are you willing to put into going up and down? So that’s another question you have to ask yourself.
How many legs does your throne have? Maybe you want something sturdier, so you’re going to have to look for more legs, or at least pay attention to how they’re made. The more legs and structure they have, the harder they are to move around, though, so that’s another factor to keep in mind as well.
Move down to the feet and realize how important those are. You want feet that grip the ground with their treads because the last thing you want to be doing is slipping around your practice area or stage.
Lastly, consider the seat itself. That’s where you’re sitting, so this is where you need to turn your focus. There’s so much variety in drum seats, but lately, the saddle style seems to be popular. They’re a bit more comfortable than the classic circle or bike seats, and they add a bit more support.
Durability
You’re a drummer. Let’s face it. You like to make noise and smash things. So what does that mean for your drum throne? The more durable it is, the better.
Ideally, you want your seat to last far longer than any of your drums or cymbals do. Unfortunately, those are the things that get pounded on every day by you, so your seat should have a far longer life than they do.
For the traveling drummer, durability is even more critical.
Set up, tear down, pack away, and do it again. Throw in the seat’s wear and tear being sat on hundreds upon thousands of times, and there’s wear down to consider.
Portability
Speaking of traveling, if you plan to hit the road or take your drums out of your room, make sure that your throne can come with you. Sometimes it’s as simple as making enough room in the back of the van, but some thrones have compressible legs much like a music stand, and that will make it much easier to get from Point A to Point B.
The last thing you want to do is use a folding chair for your gig because you couldn’t fit your drum throne.
Design
Musicians want to sound good at all times, but we all know they want to look good as well. Being a musician is just as much performance as it is art, so why not take a minute or two to consider your drum throne’s design and look?
Does it look like it belongs at the front of a high school teacher’s science lab? Perhaps it’s time to upgrade to something a bit sleeker.
What’s it made out of? Memory foam is pretty popular nowadays, and there’s sure nothing better than sitting back down on a seat that remembers how to fit with you.
And, of course, there’s the actual design. Most drummers like to keep it simple, but there are so many ways you can spruce up your throne. Maybe it’s a custom color scheme or a different texture? A pop of velvet or leather on top of the seat would look pretty cool. And how about having a holster for your sticks or refreshments?
The long and short of this point is simple: You don’t have to have a boring old seat. If you’re going to go all out for a drum throne, make it a throne.
The Takeaway: the Best Drum Throne
The ROC-N-SOC Nitro Throne is fit for a king, and it wins our title for best drum throne. Of course, you’re going to spend a bit of money on it, but everything from the cushion to the nitrogen gas shock absorber is worth it.
It doesn’t come with a backrest, but those can sometimes be restricting and irrelevant for drummers. But if you need one, there is an attachment available, so this is an excellent product all-in-all.
As a bonus, if you’re choosing between the two cheaper seats for a kid, beginner, or student, go with the Pacific Drums and Percussion 700 Series Drum Throne. It knows what it is, and it’s solid and what it does. Plus, it’s only ten more dollars than its competitor on this list, and for that, you get a bit more quality and comfort.