Bad Tempered Clavier
Silver Member
A little while ago I was reading this article about the new kind of gadgets like smartphones and tablets; the author argues that such things have become these very delicate objects that some owners can be paranoid about scratching or damaging - and so worry more about their aesthetic value than any functionality - yet some people can find themselves relieved when such things that they own do get damaged. It's as though they can effectively stop worrying about that first scratch on the screen of their iPhone or whatever, because once the thing is no longer mint condition then one can stop having a heart attack any time anyone breathes on it the wrong way.
He summarises the point thusly:
This got me thinking about my drums: For years I had a fairly run-of-the-mill late '80s Pearl Export that never had any bags or cases and between moving house a few times and several hundred rehearsals and gigs it picked up its share of dings and scratches. This never seemed to bother me as any slight cosmetic damage never affected the sound or functionality of the kit in any way and besides it was never the prettiest of kits anyway.
However, when I bought my first high-end kit (brand new Yamaha RC) I was determined to look after it as best I could. I bought brand new hard cases for the drums and would never let anyone else play them.
Then one day my (then) band was packing up after a gig and as the guitarist moved his amp, his guitar, which had been leaning against it, slid off and the headstock crashed into my floor tom. It left a fairly long scratch in the lacquer - something that would probably cost as much as the drum itself to properly repair - but all I could really do is roll my eyes and figure: well, if I wanted to keep this kit mint-in-the-box I guess I should have left it at home.
So, is your kit hermetically sealed against any and all outside danger? Or are you happy to boot it down the stairs when you can't be bothered to carry it? How important to you is it that your kit is totally blemish free?
He summarises the point thusly:
The easiest way to eliminate the stress of maintaining a perfect record in anything is to fail: thereafter, perfection's no longer an option. "I was at someone's house when they accepted delivery of their brand new motorcycle," recalls one contributor to the community site Ask MetaFilter. "First thing he did was reach down and grab a handful of gravel [and] throw it at the gas tank: 'There, now I don't have to worry about that.' "
This got me thinking about my drums: For years I had a fairly run-of-the-mill late '80s Pearl Export that never had any bags or cases and between moving house a few times and several hundred rehearsals and gigs it picked up its share of dings and scratches. This never seemed to bother me as any slight cosmetic damage never affected the sound or functionality of the kit in any way and besides it was never the prettiest of kits anyway.
However, when I bought my first high-end kit (brand new Yamaha RC) I was determined to look after it as best I could. I bought brand new hard cases for the drums and would never let anyone else play them.
Then one day my (then) band was packing up after a gig and as the guitarist moved his amp, his guitar, which had been leaning against it, slid off and the headstock crashed into my floor tom. It left a fairly long scratch in the lacquer - something that would probably cost as much as the drum itself to properly repair - but all I could really do is roll my eyes and figure: well, if I wanted to keep this kit mint-in-the-box I guess I should have left it at home.
So, is your kit hermetically sealed against any and all outside danger? Or are you happy to boot it down the stairs when you can't be bothered to carry it? How important to you is it that your kit is totally blemish free?