Simmons Drums: Who Makes Them, Are They Good, and Which Kit to Buy

If you walk into a Guitar Center looking for an electronic drum kit, the first kits you see at the friendly end of the price range are usually Simmons. The name has a real history behind it, the kits look good on paper, and the prices are often lower than the Roland or Yamaha kit next to them. That combination makes a lot of people ask the same two questions: who actually makes these, and are they any good?

I have spent a lot of time reading Simmons manuals, spec sheets and owner feedback, and this guide puts all of it in one place. You will get the short history (it is a good story), the honest answer on who owns the brand now, where you can buy the kits, what the warranty covers, and a lineup table of every current and recent model with links to our full reviews. Everything here comes from manufacturer pages, manuals, retailer listings and owner reviews. We did not test these kits in a studio.

The short history of Simmons

Dave Simmons and the hexagonal pads

Simmons started in England. Dave Simmons was building electronic drum sounds in the late 1970s, and while working at Musicaid in St Albans he developed the SDS3, a four-channel drum synthesizer, followed by the two-channel SDS4. According to the brand’s own history page, he showed early pad designs at the British Music Fair, and the hexagon shape won.

The kit that made the name was the SDS5, usually written SDSV, launched in 1981. Simmons calls it the first fully electronic drum set. Drummer and producer Richard James Burgess worked with Dave Simmons on it, and the honeycomb pad shape came from mock-ups that also included triangles and bat-wing shapes. The hexagon won because the pads fit together neatly around a drummer.

The SDSV sound, that synthetic tom “pew” and the gated, electronic snare, became part of the 1980s.

The 1980s peak

The company moved fast in those years. The timeline on the official site lists:

• 1983: SDS7, a modular rack system that added digital sampling on EPROM chips and rubber-skinned pads. The early SDSV pads had hard polycarbonate surfaces that were rough on wrists, so the move to rubber mattered.
• 1983: SDS8, a cheaper analog-only desktop brain.
• 1984: SDS1 and smaller kits and pads (SDS 200, 400, 800) aimed at acoustic drummers who wanted to add electronics.
• 1985: SDS9, a hybrid digital and analog brain that Simmons describes as the first drum kit with a built-in MIDI interface.
• 1986: SDS1000, a slim MIDI-equipped rack unit.
• 1987: SDX, a high-end system with zone sensing, pad layering and a built-in sampler. Only about 250 were made.
• 1988 to 1990: the Silicon Mallet, the Trixer brain and mixer, and acoustic drum triggers.

The artist list from that era is long. Wikipedia names drummers and bands including Duran Duran’s Roger Taylor, Spandau Ballet, Def Leppard’s Rick Allen, Phil Collins, Neil Peart, Bill Bruford, Depeche Mode, Prince’s drummer Bobby Z (Rivkin) and Danny Carey, among many others.

Decline and closure

By the end of the 1980s, many drummers went back to acoustic kits, and Japanese makers, Roland and Yamaha especially, were building cheaper and more practical electronic drums. Simmons shifted toward triggers and MIDI gear in the 1990s, and the original company closed in 1999.

The Guitar Center relaunch

The name came back in the mid-2000s, but not with the original company. Guitar Center relaunched Simmons in 2006 with kits like the SD5K, SD7K, SD7PK and SD9K. Sources disagree slightly on whether the trademark was acquired in 2005 or 2006. The US trademark record I checked (serial 77059144) was filed in December 2006 and lists the owner as GTRC Services, Inc. of Westlake Village, California, which is where Guitar Center is headquartered. It covers electronic drum kits, drum pads, amplifiers and related parts, and it is still live.

That relaunch was not friendly at first. A 2011 digitalDrummer report says Guitar Center registered the trademark after the original registration lapsed, while Dave Simmons’ UK company still claimed the original designs and goodwill and opposed some of Guitar Center’s filings abroad. The same report and later coverage describe those early relaunch kits as Chinese-made budget kits, some of them rebranded designs from a large OEM.

The story changed in 2017. digitalDrummer reported in August 2017 that Dave Simmons was now working with Guitar Center, and that the brand was moving away from rebadged budget kits toward its own designs. Press for the SD2000 kit that July said it marked his return to product development and sound design, including curating the vintage Simmons sounds in the new sound library. That vintage content is still in today’s kits: the Titan 50, for example, has preset kits named after the SDSV (1981) and SDS7 (1983), sampled from the original hardware.

The modern timeline

From the official history page and press releases:

• 2012: SD1000 kit and the DA50 and DA200S drum monitors.
• 2014: SD1500 kit.
• 2017: SD2000 mesh kit, SD350, SD550 and the Simmons Signature Sound Library.
• 2019: SD600, the first Simmons kit with Bluetooth MIDI, plus the SD1200.
• 2022: the Titan platform launches with the Titan 20 and Titan 50 (on sale by December 2022).
• 2023: Titan 70 announced in August as the new flagship.
• 2024: Titan 50 B-EX, an expanded Titan 50, announced in August.
• 2025: Titan 75 appears at retailers (used units are listed as 2025 models).
• 2026: Titan 90 announced in late June as the new flagship, marketed as a Guitar Center exclusive.

Who makes Simmons drums today?

Short version: Simmons is Guitar Center’s own electronic drum brand. The trademark belongs to a Guitar Center company, the press releases come out of Westlake Village with Guitar Center contact details, and the June 2026 Titan 90 release says plainly that the kit is “available only at Guitar Center.” In practice Musician’s Friend, a Guitar Center company, sells the Titan 90 too, and Music & Arts, also Guitar Center owned, is the third main Simmons retailer.

Who physically builds the kits is a different question, and Simmons does not say. Wikipedia describes the relaunched brand as built around affordable Chinese-manufactured kits, and that matches what you would expect at these prices. Most budget and mid-range e-kits from every brand are made in China. What matters more for you is who designs the sounds and stands behind the warranty, and for current kits that is Simmons itself (US phone support, a two-year warranty, sound libraries recorded for the Titan series).

Dave Simmons’ name still carries weight in the sound design story. The Titan 50 sound page says its vintage electronic sounds were sampled from original Simmons hardware by Dave Simmons, while the acoustic drum samples were recorded at London Bridge studio in Seattle and mixed by Don Gunn, with cymbals from Istanbul, Zildjian and Paiste.

Where Simmons kits are sold

The official product pages link to the same three stores again and again:

• Guitar Center (stores and guitarcenter.com). This is the home of the brand, and the Titan 90 is marketed as exclusive to it, though Musician’s Friend carries it as well.
• Musician’s Friend (online, same parent company). It also sells Simmons kits through Target’s online marketplace, where the listings say “sold and shipped by Musician’s Friend.”
• Music & Arts (also Guitar Center owned).

A few product pages also link Woodwind & Brasswind. In Canada, Long & McQuade carries Simmons kits.

What about Amazon? Searching Amazon turns up listings for several Simmons kits, including the Titan 20, Titan 50 Expanded, Titan 70 and the older SD350. I could not open those listings to confirm who the seller is, so treat them with care. My advice is simple: buy from Guitar Center, Musician’s Friend or Music & Arts. Prices are usually the same or better, sales are frequent, returns run 45 days on the listings I checked, and you avoid any question about warranty coverage on a marketplace purchase.

Simmons kits go on sale often. Deal sites regularly show Titan 20, Titan 50 and Titan 70 discounts, so if a kit is not on sale this week, it likely will be soon. Guitar Center also sells open-box, blemished and used Simmons kits, which is how a lot of older models like the SD600 change hands now.

The Simmons lineup in 2026

Here is every kit that matters, current and recent, with its status as of November 2026. “Current” means it is listed on simmonsdrums.net’s electronic drum kits page and sold new by Guitar Center or Musician’s Friend.

A few notes on that table. The Titan 50 is still on the Simmons website, but Musician’s Friend now marks the plain five-piece Titan 50 as discontinued, and Guitar Center showed it sold out when I checked. The Titan 50 B-EX, which is the same module and pads plus a fourth tom and a second crash, was in stock with plenty of inventory. If you want a Titan 50 new, the B-EX is the one you will find.

The Titan 70 is also still listed by Simmons and was in stock at Musician’s Friend, but the newer Titan 75 is very close to it. The main difference, according to DrumSpy’s Titan 75 review, is the snare: a 12-inch snare on its own stand instead of a 10-inch rack-mounted one. If both are in front of you at similar prices, the Titan 75 is the newer kit.

Titan 20: the starter kit

The cheapest current Simmons. You get mesh drums, Bluetooth audio and MIDI, USB audio and a practice mode that scores your timing, but the kick is a trigger pedal with no pad, so you cannot use a real kick pedal, and the 8-inch snare feels small fast. It is a fine first kit for a kid or an adult who is not sure drumming will stick.

Titan 50 and Titan 50 B-EX: the sweet spot

The kit most people searching for Simmons end up looking at. The 10-inch dual-zone snare, a 6-inch mesh kick pad that takes a single or double pedal, 187 sounds and a 2×2 USB audio interface are the highlights. The hi-hat behaves closer to open and closed than a smooth range, the cymbals are single-zone and the included kick pedal is basic. Buy the B-EX: it adds a fourth tom and a second crash and is the version still in stock.

Titan 70 and Titan 75: more zones

This is where Simmons gets more serious about feel: dual-zone toms, two crashes with choke, a 12-inch three-zone ride (bow, bell, edge) with choke, 314 sounds and two extra pad inputs. The Titan 75 swaps the rack-mounted 10-inch snare for a 12-inch snare on its own stand. If both are in front of you at similar prices, take the 75. My Titan 75 review has the full breakdown.

SD1250: the big kit

The biggest pads below the Titan 90: a 12-inch snare on a stand, two 8-inch and two 10-inch dual-zone toms, a 12-inch hi-hat, two 12-inch crashes, a 14-inch three-zone ride, 750 sounds and a color screen. Two catches. It does not come with a kick pedal, and the Simmons page contradicts itself on Bluetooth audio (its FAQ says Bluetooth MIDI only), so do not count on streaming music to it.

Titan 90: the 2026 flagship

Announced in late June 2026, it is the first current Simmons with a moving hi-hat: the 12-inch TruMotion hi-hat with edge, bow and bell zones and a magnetic sensor. Add triple-zone 12-inch crashes and 14-inch ride, four 10-inch dual-zone toms, 672 sounds, 100 kits, five faders and sample import. The press release says “available only at Guitar Center,” but Musician’s Friend, Guitar Center’s sister store, sells it too. The hi-hat stand and kick pedal are not included, and it is too new for meaningful owner feedback, so I am treating it as promising on paper and nothing more yet. The Titan 90 review goes deeper on the hi-hat and what is missing from the box.

SD600 and SD350: discontinued but still around

The SD600 came out in 2019 as the first Simmons with Bluetooth MIDI, with dual-zone toms, a 12-inch ride and a mesh kick tower. It is a good used buy at the right price, and my Titan 50 vs SD600 comparison shows when it still beats a new B-EX. The SD350 from 2017 is an older entry kit with rubber cymbals and a beaterless kick, only worth it used and cheap. Musician’s Friend marks both discontinued.

Older models you will see used

Used listings are full of older Simmons names: SD5K, SD7K, SD7PK, SD9K, SD1000, SD1500, SD2000, SD300, SD500, SD550, SD200, SD1200, SDXpress and SDXpress 2. They are all discontinued. Manuals for many of them are still on simmonsdrums.net. Before buying one, check that the module powers on, every pad triggers, and the multi-pin cable is intact, because replacement parts for old models can be hard to find.

Are Simmons electronic drums good?

For the money, yes, mostly. Here is where they do well and where they fall short, based on specs and the patterns in owner reviews and published reviews.

What Simmons does well

Pad sizes for the price. Simmons tends to give you bigger pads than rivals at the same price. A 10-inch dual-zone mesh snare on the Titan 50, a 12-inch ride on the old SD600, a 12-inch snare and 14-inch ride on the SD1250. Engadget’s beginner kit roundup singled out the SD600’s 10-inch snare and 12-inch ride as larger than most kits in its test.

Mesh heads across the range. Every current Simmons kit uses dual-layer mesh on the drums, including the cheapest Titan 20. Mesh is quieter and feels closer to a real drum than rubber.

Bluetooth and USB audio. The Titan 20 through Titan 75 stream audio over Bluetooth for play-along, handle MIDI over Bluetooth for apps, and act as a 2-in, 2-out USB audio interface. That last one is useful if you want to record into a computer with a single cable.

Sound for the price. DrumSpy’s Titan 50 B-EX review rated value at 4.8 out of 5 and praised the long sample decays for the price. The Titan sounds were recorded in a real studio with stereo room ambience, and the Simmons vintage kits are a fun extra no rival has.

Expandability. Most Titan modules have two extra trigger inputs, and expansion packs exist for the Titan 50 and some older kits. That gives you a growth path without a new module.

US support. Simmons runs US phone support (details below) and backs current kits with a two-year warranty. The author of DrumSilent, who owns several Simmons kits, wrote that Simmons sent replacement parts quickly at no cost when they had minor issues.

Where Simmons falls short

Hi-hats. This is the most common complaint. On the Titan 50, reviewers describe the hi-hat pedal as closer to on/off than a smooth open-to-closed range, and DrumSilent notes the Titan 70 hi-hat has no foot splash and a slight lag when opening and closing. Only the new Titan 90 has a moving hi-hat. If you play a lot of hi-hat detail, this matters.

Cymbals. On the cheaper kits the cymbals are single-zone, so you get one sound per pad. The Titan 50’s ride bell is a velocity switch rather than a separate zone. The three-zone ride only arrives at the Titan 70 and above.

Included pedals and hardware. The kick pedals that come with Simmons kits are basic, and reviewers recommend an upgrade. Some kits use plastic joints and wing nuts. The SD1250 and Titan 90 do not include a kick pedal at all.

Kick noise. Kick towers and pads thump through floors. That is true for every brand, but DrumSpy specifically flagged the Titan 50 kick as loud for neighbors. If you live in an apartment, plan on a rug or riser.

Retailer lock-in. Because the brand belongs to Guitar Center, you have fewer places to shop, and resale prices are lower than Roland or Yamaha. On the other hand, the frequent sales mean you rarely pay full list.

Long-term data. Simmons modules do not have the decade-long track record that Roland modules do. The Titan line is only from 2022. That is not a known problem, just less history to judge from.

Simmons drum kit reviews: what the ratings say

I pulled the star ratings from Musician’s Friend listings in November 2026. They are small samples, but they line up with the broader pattern.

DrumSpy scored the Titan 50 B-EX 4.2 out of 5, with high marks for playability (4.5), connectivity (4.4) and value (4.8), and lower marks for build quality (3.6) and noise (3.5). That is a fair summary of the brand as a whole: strong value and features, average hardware.

Warranty and support

The warranty

Simmons kits carry a two-year limited warranty for the original owner from the date of purchase. The warranty page and the Titan 50 manual both state it covers defects in workmanship and materials under normal use. It excludes incidental and consequential damages like lost time or data. Keep your receipt and register the kit on the Simmons product registration page.

Note that the two-year term is the manufacturer’s. Musician’s Friend listings mention a two-year warranty for guitars and basses, which is a separate thing, so do not confuse the two. Guitar Center also sells its own protection plans if you want longer coverage.

Getting help

• Phone: (888) 621-4008, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MST. After-hours messages get a call back the next business day.
• Contact form: on simmonsdrums.net/contact-us.
• Manuals: downloadable PDFs for current and many older kits on the Simmons manuals page.
• Replacement parts: order through the contact form or by phone. Non-warranty replacement pads can be bought from authorized dealers.
• Faulty pad troubleshooting: the Simmons FAQ says to try a different cable first, then reset the module, and only then request a warranty pad.

Apps and sound packs

The Titan kits work with the Simmons Drums 2 app for editing kits, mixing and practice tracking. The app is clearly on iOS. Some Simmons pages also mention Android or link to Google Play, while others only mention iOS, so check the store on your phone before you buy if you use Android. Newer kits include a Melodics offer with 40 free lessons.

The Titan 50 also supports downloadable Titan Packs that replace the factory sounds. Simmons lists three: Pop-to-Rock, Jazz-Fusion and the Top 25 pack that ships with the kit.

How Simmons compares with other brands

Simmons and Alesis

Alesis is the brand most people cross-shop. Both sell budget and mid-range kits built in China, both lean on Bluetooth and mesh heads, and both are cheaper than Roland and Yamaha. Alesis is sold almost everywhere, including Amazon, while Simmons is mostly a Guitar Center family brand. Simmons often gives you bigger pads at the same price, while Alesis kits like the Nitro Max ship with BFD sounds and a Drumeo trial. Our Simmons vs Alesis comparison goes through it brand to brand, and the Titan 50 vs Nitro Max page compares the two kits beginners ask about most.

Simmons and Roland or Yamaha

Roland and Yamaha cost more at every level, and their entry kits often have smaller pads or rubber cymbals than a similarly priced Simmons. What you pay for is module quality, trigger detail, hi-hat feel, long-term reliability and resale value. A Roland TD-02KV or Yamaha DTX402K will feel more refined in small ways, while a Simmons gives you more kit for the money. Our ranking of electronic drum brands puts all of them side by side.

Which Simmons kit to buy, by budget

This is not a full ranking, just a quick map of the current range.

Whatever you buy, set aside money for a decent throne, headphones and possibly a better kick pedal. If you are new to drums and not set on Simmons, our list of the best electronic drum sets for beginners compares Simmons with every other brand.

My take

Simmons today is not the 1980s company that built the SDSV, and it does not pretend to compete with a high-end Roland. It is a Guitar Center house brand that gives home drummers a lot of kit for the money, with real mesh heads, good pad sizes, Bluetooth and USB audio, and a two-year warranty backed by US phone support.

If you go in knowing the hi-hat and pedals are where corners get cut, a Simmons kit is a sensible buy, especially on sale. Start with the Titan 50 review if you are a beginner, and step up to the SD1250 or Titan 75 if you already know you are going to keep drumming.