I'm sure we all have certain rules that we follow when buying gear. It's a given that sound and performance would be high on the list, but do you ever relax those standards at times for specific gear? Here's my (brief) list:
Pedals. I am very picky about my kick pedal, I want it to be magic, and assist my foot as much as possible. But my hi-hat pedal just needs to pull the cymbals together. I don't need it to be ratio-articulated, or with a direct-pull link, or speed bearings. It's not like I need special action to play kick parts on it! So I choose hi-hat stands for their sturdiness and price. My local and touring hh stands are both cheapish Ludwig Pro models (Gibraltar style) that have been in my arsenal for maybe 20 years.
Cymbals. I want my crashes to have a nice decay and good harmonics, so they tend to be the cream of the crop. But I need different sounds from my ride, and decay and harmonics don't significantly guide my choices. Ping is my primary requirement there, and I often like a mid-line or budget model. Hats are another thing altogether, given that I typically play them closed. I don't need really sweet cymbals, when they're seldom heard on their own (I guess the bottom is never really heard by itself...) That's not to say that I seek dull or clangy cymbals for hats, but sometimes the lowest-priced models fit the bill perfectly. Sabian B8 or old cheap Ludwig Standard hats can sound wonderful, both are $40-50 on the used market... where I do a lot of buying.
Throw-offs! Above all, fancy, over-engineered, expensive throw-offs really perplex me. If I recall correctly, the throw-off engages and dis-engages the snare wires, and hopefully keeps the wires at the desired tension while engaged. It should also be fairly smooth (read: quick) to operate. That's basically it... right? I don't need special lever action, or detents for tension presets, or a bulky mechanism or pointy lever sticking out from the shell. Jeez, some of these things are just huge, and expensive too! Yes, the quality and design is there, but for me, the $69 throw-off does the same thing the $20 model does. I also pay respect to the drum brand. I'm not looking to change out the Dunnett throws on my Dunnett snares, and I also don't feel a need to 'upgrade' the cheapish P-85 throws on my Ludwig snares. I've had a couple become difficult to operate over time, and I replaced them with the same model.
Any others?
Bermuda
Pedals. I am very picky about my kick pedal, I want it to be magic, and assist my foot as much as possible. But my hi-hat pedal just needs to pull the cymbals together. I don't need it to be ratio-articulated, or with a direct-pull link, or speed bearings. It's not like I need special action to play kick parts on it! So I choose hi-hat stands for their sturdiness and price. My local and touring hh stands are both cheapish Ludwig Pro models (Gibraltar style) that have been in my arsenal for maybe 20 years.
Cymbals. I want my crashes to have a nice decay and good harmonics, so they tend to be the cream of the crop. But I need different sounds from my ride, and decay and harmonics don't significantly guide my choices. Ping is my primary requirement there, and I often like a mid-line or budget model. Hats are another thing altogether, given that I typically play them closed. I don't need really sweet cymbals, when they're seldom heard on their own (I guess the bottom is never really heard by itself...) That's not to say that I seek dull or clangy cymbals for hats, but sometimes the lowest-priced models fit the bill perfectly. Sabian B8 or old cheap Ludwig Standard hats can sound wonderful, both are $40-50 on the used market... where I do a lot of buying.
Throw-offs! Above all, fancy, over-engineered, expensive throw-offs really perplex me. If I recall correctly, the throw-off engages and dis-engages the snare wires, and hopefully keeps the wires at the desired tension while engaged. It should also be fairly smooth (read: quick) to operate. That's basically it... right? I don't need special lever action, or detents for tension presets, or a bulky mechanism or pointy lever sticking out from the shell. Jeez, some of these things are just huge, and expensive too! Yes, the quality and design is there, but for me, the $69 throw-off does the same thing the $20 model does. I also pay respect to the drum brand. I'm not looking to change out the Dunnett throws on my Dunnett snares, and I also don't feel a need to 'upgrade' the cheapish P-85 throws on my Ludwig snares. I've had a couple become difficult to operate over time, and I replaced them with the same model.
Any others?
Bermuda