Your equipment buying policies

I totally agree about the throw offs. Simple is great. I don't see the point of the fancy ones.

Mostly, stuff just has to work and sound good. Yes, I'm a gear nerd and own more than I need, but I don't see the point in having a ton of different cymbals and snares when a handful will cover most situations. A couple of snares, a couple of rides, and few different crashes will cover 99.9% of all gigs out there.

My main drum buying policy is have the money for a pair of shoes for the wife so she doesn't "notice" the new drum gear. lol
 
Cost, convenience and versatility are the main considerations.

I buy my sticks in bulk once a year and it saves me a fortune. I'm still trying to figure out a way to get heads cheaper.

If I'm looking for a certain piece of equipment that I know has been made for years I will scour the used market and try to get a gem. This approach has served me well but again it's common sense.

Always invest in quality cymbals.

Pedal wise I like the old school strap pedals my 80s DW5000 is going strong and the replacement Jojo pedal is holding up (unlike the original). I can't get on with chain drive pedals especially double chains, they've sacrificed feel and speed for power.

If I'm getting a new snare or kit I like to do a bit of homework first. Buying blind in a music store is not a good idea. Hardware has improved so much over the last 10/15 years you don't really have to worry too much.
 
Hardware has to be sturdy and stay where it's put, sticks have to be straight, cymbals must be heard before buying, heads must be consistent. Other than that, I will buy nearly any piece of gear and make it work in the context of my kits.
 
Mid range kit and hardware with great heads. Reliability is key for me, buy once and forget about. I tried lots of fancy expensive BD pedals, but use the cheap Yamaha that came with the kit. I hate pedals with fixed base plates, there is just something over engineered and bulky about them. I lightened the foot board by drilling it out and use a stronger spring and lightweight wooden faced beater. Its been my perfect pedal, so I modded another as backup. I use the hats a lot so I use a bright 12" pair with a lightened hi-hat stand. I like crash cymbals that go tish, not boing or clang and a ride with a good ping and bell sound. If they are cheap, as some of mine are then all the better.
 
I'm all in on eclectic, though in many ways it resembles the vaudeville pre-jazz set up. I make many of mounts and things. Some things have traditional drumset analogs and placement. For example I built a hihat stand for a pair of Chinese mini clash cymbals, and I have a zen singing bowl about where you would put a ride, a ceramic mini-djembe about where a floor tom would go, some temple blocks in lieu of toms. Gongs instead of crashes. I put an ocean drum between or on my knees when I want a snarish sound, sometimes a tambourine depending on the sound I want. More and more I give priority to vertical hanging types of percussion, as sort of a policy.
 
Value for money, condition (if used), sound, sizes and the finish can't be one that I hate. I probably will never buy a boutique kit or ultra high end Yamaha or DW. I think it gets to a point of diminishing return with regards to the dollar/sound ratio. There are so many great sounding pro kits in the under $2K range that I'd probably try all of those before I spent more. I can afford just about anything out there but I get more of a thrill getting a $750 used Tama SCP b/b kit to sound awesome than I would plunking down $5K for a high end (high priced) kit. Basically, I enjoy the hunt for really good used stuff. I'll buy new stuff if it's a really a good deal, or on sale etc.
 
Since I don't play out anywhere except church (they provide the kits), I can't justify spending a lot of money on what is essentially another hobby for me. After being laid off last year and taking a job that pays less than half of my previous salary, I don't have the financial fluidity to run out and spend $300 for another cymbal, or more hardware.

My kit is an old PDP CX kit with Zildjian cymbals and old single braced hardware (except for the one that hold the suspended floor tom). I found a Sonor SP473 pedal that I like for $24. I replaced the batters with Ambassador Xs and the resos with Ambassadors. The drums sound great, so I really have lost my G.A.S.

When I do need something, I have to save up to pay cash. I won't charge anything.
 
I guess my policy for about 25 years was not buying any!

I saved money to buy my first set at 17 and I didn't buy anything else until I turned 42. I replaced a broken throne somewhere during that time, but that was it. I had been thinking about a new set for a while, but what pushed me over the line was having my cymbal bag stolen after a gig. I went all-in and got new drums and cymbals.

I really got no excitement from gear as a young drummer. I was too obsessed with technique, I guess. I was as happy practicing on a pad, pillow or textbook wrapped in duct tape as I was on a drum. I think this was good for developing certain technique, but I was clueless about gear and couldn't tune a drum to save my life.

Nowadays, I don't really need anything, but I do have a few bucket list items I covet. I think a Gretsch bop kit is still in the cards for me at some point. I almost had a Guru snare but the damn Weird Al drummer snatched it up before I could get it! One day I'll have one of those, too.
 
I think the policy part is important. Many people don't have kits they want because they don't budget well, and/or aren't very creative with the resources they do have.
 
When I was younger, it was all about whatever I could afford. Sometimes people would give me crap about it. It became a good way to weed out people I'd rather not work with.

But when I got older and earned more, the budget opened up. And when the child support ended, oh boy! I went nuts-o for a while.

When the G.A.S. wore off, it came down to some questions.

Do I need it? If yes, then I pick it up. No question.

Do I want it? Do I like it? Is it a great deal? Can I swing it? That's where it becomes a decision requiring more thought. If the decision starts to appear emotional in nature, then I consider sleeping on it.

With most drums or cymbals, either I'll buy them, or my girlfriend [Junior] buys them for me. She knows what I like, and spent most of the 2000s setting up and tearing down for my gigs.

But when it comes to the RIDE cymbal, I have to run it by her. Specifically, the bell has to sound just right to her. That's the only place where she pulls rank, and I'm more than okay with that. Makes it easier for me.

These days, I'm pretty much set. But if something stands out and catches my attention, then my pocket starts burning.
 
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