Best 12" Toms for Recording 2026
Professional 12" toms for recording use - perfect sound and reliability
Last updated: January 14, 2026 • Next update: January 21, 2026
#1
⭐
4.4/5
(49 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
7/10
Gretsch Drums 12"x08" TT Renown Maple VP
Pop
Recording
Rock
Key Feature:
• Standard in most drum configurations
✓ PROS
- • Excellent balance of pitch and body
- • Great for all musical styles
✗ CONS
- • Tuning affects other drums in kit
- • Common size may lack uniqueness
Gretsch Drums 12"x08" TT Renown Maple VPTom TomSize: 12" x 08"7-Ply 100% maple wood shell with 30°...
⭐
4.4/5
(49 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 463730
$351
#2
⭐
4.6/5
(39 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
7/10
Gretsch Drums 12"x08" TT Renown Maple -SOP
Jazz
Standard Setup
Recording
Key Feature:
• Wide selection of models available
✓ PROS
- • Excellent balance of pitch and body
- • Great for all musical styles
✗ CONS
- • Common size may lack uniqueness
- • Tuning affects other drums in kit
Gretsch Drums 12"x 08" TT Renown Maple -SOPTom TomSize: 12" x 08"Renown MapleRN1-0812T SOPWrap...
⭐
4.6/5
(39 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 410130
$362
#3
⭐
4.5/5
(3 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
8/10
Gretsch Drums 12"x08" TT Renown Maple -GN
Rock
All Genres
Standard Setup
Key Feature:
• Wide selection of models available
✓ PROS
- • Great for all musical styles
- • Most common rack tom size
✗ CONS
- • Common size may lack uniqueness
- • Tuning affects other drums in kit
Gretsch Drums 12"x08" TT Renown Maple -GNTom TomSeries: Gretsch Renown12" x 08"RN2-0812TGNDrum...
⭐
4.5/5
(3 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
8/10
Art. 452581
$362
#4
⭐
4.6/5
(12 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
8/10
DW PDP 12"x08" CC Tom Walnut
by
DW
Standard Setup
Pop
Jazz
Key Feature:
• Standard in most drum configurations
✓ PROS
- • Wide selection of models available
- • Great for all musical styles
✗ CONS
- • Tuning affects other drums in kit
- • Quality varies significantly by manufacturer
DW PDP 12"x08" CC Tom WalnutTom TomConcept Classic SeriesSize: 12" x 08"Shell material: Maple...
⭐
4.6/5
(12 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
8/10
Art. 590402
$340
#5
⭐
4.5/5
(51 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
6/10
Yamaha 12"x10" Recording Custom SOB
by
Yamaha
All Genres
Pop
Jazz
Key Feature:
• Wide selection of models available
✓ PROS
- • Great for all musical styles
- • Wide selection of models available
✗ CONS
- • Common size may lack uniqueness
- • Tuning affects other drums in kit
Yamaha 12"x10" Recording Custom SOBTom TomSize: 12" x 10"6-Ply shellShell material: 100%...
⭐
4.5/5
(51 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
6/10
Art. 595376
$703
#6
⭐
4.4/5
(54 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
9/10
DrumCraft Series 6 12"x08" Tom Tom SWB
by
DrumCraft
Standard Setup
Jazz
All Genres
Key Feature:
• Standard in most drum configurations
✓ PROS
- • Standard in most drum configurations
- • Most common rack tom size
✗ CONS
- • Tuning affects other drums in kit
- • May need careful positioning to avoid sympathetic vibration
DrumCraft Series 6 12"x08" Tom Tom SWBTom TomSeries 6Size: 12" x 08"Shell material: Maple /...
⭐
4.4/5
(54 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
9/10
Art. 523568
$171
#7
⭐
4.5/5
(3 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
9/10
DrumCraft Series 6 12"x08" Tom Tom SBB
by
DrumCraft
Recording
All Genres
Standard Setup
Key Feature:
• Wide selection of models available
✓ PROS
- • Wide selection of models available
- • Great for all musical styles
✗ CONS
- • Common size may lack uniqueness
- • Tuning affects other drums in kit
DrumCraft Series 6 12"x08" Tom Tom SBBTom TomSize: 12" x 08"Series 6Shell material: Maple /...
⭐
4.5/5
(3 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
9/10
Art. 543473
$175
#8
⭐
4.9/5
(47 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
9/10
Sonor 12"x08" AQ2 Tom Tom TSB
by
Sonor
Recording
Standard Setup
Pop
Key Feature:
• Excellent balance of pitch and body
✓ PROS
- • Great for all musical styles
- • Excellent balance of pitch and body
✗ CONS
- • Quality varies significantly by manufacturer
- • Common size may lack uniqueness
Sonor 12"x08" AQ2 Tom Tom TSBTom TomColour: Transparent Black (TSB)Shell material: 7-Pile high gloss...
⭐
4.9/5
(47 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
9/10
Art. 433398
$244
#9
⭐
4.5/5
(24 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
8/10
Pearl Crystal Beat 12"x08" Tom #730
by
Pearl
Jazz
Standard Setup
Recording
Key Feature:
• Most common rack tom size
✓ PROS
- • Standard in most drum configurations
- • Wide selection of models available
✗ CONS
- • Tuning affects other drums in kit
- • Quality varies significantly by manufacturer
Pearl Crystal Beat 12"x08" Tom #730Tom TomColour: Ultra Clear (#730)Seamless acrylic 6 mm shellChrome...
⭐
4.5/5
(24 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
8/10
Art. 531657
$417
#10
⭐
4.5/5
(14 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
8/10
DrumCraft Series 6 12"x08" Tom Tom SBR
by
DrumCraft
Jazz
Recording
Standard Setup
Key Feature:
• Most common rack tom size
✓ PROS
- • Excellent balance of pitch and body
- • Standard in most drum configurations
✗ CONS
- • Quality varies significantly by manufacturer
- • Mounting requirements for rack setup
DrumCraft Series 6 12"x08" Tom Tom SBRTom TomSize: 12" x 08"6 SeriesShell material: Maple /...
⭐
4.5/5
(14 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
8/10
Art. 543472
$175
#11
⭐
4.4/5
(18 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
7/10
DrumCraft Series 6 12"x08" Tom Tom SB
by
DrumCraft
Pop
All Genres
Recording
Key Feature:
• Wide selection of models available
✓ PROS
- • Great for all musical styles
- • Standard in most drum configurations
✗ CONS
- • May need careful positioning to avoid sympathetic vibration
- • Common size may lack uniqueness
DrumCraft Series 6 12"x08" Tom Tom SBTom Tom6 SeriesSize: 12" x 08"Shell material:...
⭐
4.4/5
(18 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 523566
$175
#12
⭐
4.5/5
(41 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
7/10
DrumCraft Series 6 12"x08" Tom Tom BVB
by
DrumCraft
Recording
Rock
Standard Setup
Key Feature:
• Most common rack tom size
✓ PROS
- • Wide selection of models available
- • Most common rack tom size
✗ CONS
- • Mounting requirements for rack setup
- • Common size may lack uniqueness
DrumCraft Series 6 12"x08" Tom Tom BVBTom TomSeries 6Size: 12" x 08"Shell material:...
⭐
4.5/5
(41 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 523565
$160
#13
⭐
4.5/5
(2 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
7/10
Yamaha Stage Custom 12"x08" TT -HA
by
Yamaha
Standard Setup
Pop
All Genres
Key Feature:
• Great for all musical styles
✓ PROS
- • Wide selection of models available
- • Standard in most drum configurations
✗ CONS
- • Quality varies significantly by manufacturer
- • Mounting requirements for rack setup
Yamaha Stage Custom 12"x08" TT -NWTom TomSize: 12" x 08"SBT1208-HA6-Pile100% birch wood shellShell...
⭐
4.5/5
(2 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 410098
$164
#14
⭐
4.6/5
(22 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
7/10
DrumCraft Series 6 12"x08" Tom Tom BP
by
DrumCraft
Standard Setup
All Genres
Rock
Key Feature:
• Excellent balance of pitch and body
✓ PROS
- • Great for all musical styles
- • Most common rack tom size
✗ CONS
- • Quality varies significantly by manufacturer
- • Mounting requirements for rack setup
DrumCraft Series 6 12"x08" Tom Tom BPTom Tom6 SeriesSize: 12" x 08"Shell material: Maple /...
⭐
4.6/5
(22 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 523563
$160
#15
⭐
4.9/5
(28 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
9/10
DW PDP 12"x08" CC Tom Ox Blood
by
DW
All Genres
Rock
Standard Setup
Key Feature:
• Excellent balance of pitch and body
✓ PROS
- • Excellent balance of pitch and body
- • Great for all musical styles
✗ CONS
- • Tuning affects other drums in kit
- • May need careful positioning to avoid sympathetic vibration
DW PDP 12"x08" CC Tom Ox BloodTom TomConcept Classic SeriesSize: 12" x 08"Material: Maple...
⭐
4.9/5
(28 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
9/10
Art. 590398
$340
How to Choose the Best 12" Toms
Budget Planning
- • Under $200: Entry-level
- • $200-$500: Intermediate
- • $500-$1000: Advanced
- • $1000+: Professional
Quality Check
- • Sound clarity & tone
- • Build materials & finish
- • Hardware durability
- • Overall craftsmanship
Key Features
- • Your musical style
- • Skill level match
- • Intended use case
- • Brand reputation
Frequently Asked Questions
Key factors include build quality, sound characteristics, playability, brand reputation, warranty coverage, and value for money. Consider your musical style, skill level, and intended use to find the best match.
Budget depends on your needs and experience level. Beginners can find quality options for $200-500, intermediate players should consider $500-1500 range, while professionals often invest $1500+ for premium features.
Higher-priced 12" toms typically offer better materials, craftsmanship, and performance. They're worth it if you're serious about music, perform regularly, or need professional-grade features.
Top brands combine quality, innovation, and reliability. We evaluate brands based on build quality, sound performance, durability, and customer satisfaction to recommend the best options for different budgets.
Both have advantages. Online offers better prices and selection, while stores allow hands-on testing. We recommend researching online first, then testing in stores if possible. Many online retailers offer excellent return policies.
