My first and only kit is a Premier, they are hard waring and so good practice kits. My only beef with my kits are the symbols (hi-hat inclusive) as they are very tin sounding and not a great sound, the snare is also below standard BUT santa has been kind to me and so i have a Zlidjian crash and looking to upgrade me snare, hi hat and ride. For a first kit though, you cant go wrong with premier, relatively cheap and as i say the last the toms are awesome aswell as the foot drum. i cant comment on the guys who hate tama's having not played a tama set but pearl are very VERY nice from what i have seen. just my opinion mind you