you can't beat old ludwig snares, wood or supraphonic. i picked up a maple 5 1/2 x 14 from around '78 for $100 a few months back. sounds like my '64 slingerland on serious 'roids. ludwig does the rock sound very well... great volume. the supraphonics are also good, but not as deep... a little more "crack!"

and don't do the wallet thing unless you like a crappy, dead, wuss snare sound. in fact, for rock music in a decent sized venue at even mid volume, the last thing you'll want is anything choking or muffling the snare. especially if the guitar/bass players bring it...

remo emperors are durable, fine sounding batter heads for rock on any drum. zildjian a series cymbals, old ones, all day... big ones.

good heads (bottom ones too!) and tuning are so crucial, but if you know what the fuck you're doing, you can easily get a shitty kit to sound ok at the least...

there are numerous posts pertaining to drum tuning/basics all over this forum to search... good luck!

wallet with mucho gusto is good news..

you should pound the snare no?

the paiste signature series cymbals are great, i had a 20 inch (i think, it was a few years ago, 2nd hand) ride
it was beautiful, so rich, great bell. beautiful. strong and heavy if you wanted to hit it, but so many nice tones in it you could play it softly and it would sound great. i miss that ride.

OK...

just got it all!

I got a pair of new zildjian A Avedis 14" new beats.

a 22" sabian HH clasic ride (second hand)

and a new 14" worldmax black hawg deep brass snare.

paid £500 for the lot. I think it's a bargain, it being bought in london and all. bring awn the recording.