bo, how many expensive drum kits do u have?
Sorry, I realize as I've been posting when someone has a question on a particular drum or cymbal, I recall owning it too.
Technically, I only own one high end kit at a time. Right now it's a Tama Starclassic Bubinga Elite with a Stewart Copeland snare drum.
But through the years, about every two or three years, I sell the old one and get a new one. I've owned alot: Slingerlands, Ludwigs, Tamas, Yamahas, Gretsch, (two) DW kits, Rogers. A friend loaned me a Taye kit for an event, and I even had Pro Drum Shop in Hollywood build me a custom Ringo-style kit out of Slingerland parts I had. I just finished my stint with the Sonor Force 3007 - my first mid-level kit, weird, huh?
It's not a given that the drums automatically go away for the new ones in a certain amount of time. It depends on the color. I want to draw attention to myself, but not so much the drums, so anything dark is good, and will probably stick around longer than most. The new Tamas are gun metal grey. But I've noticed if it's bright or too much of something, it doesn't look good in all situations, so that skews my thinking too. I learned my lesson when I showed up at a wedding in black and white tux with a natural maple kit, that in the pictures, looked yellow under the stage lights. The bride must've hated that drummer!
But I do treat them like clothes sometimes. I almost feel ashamed of it because most people here buy what they like, and they like it
forever. If I was buying a grand piano for my house, that's one thing. Drums on the other hand, well, they're tools to me. Lovable tools.
My stint with MIDI from the early '80s 'til about the mid '90s saw me playing Roland Octapads, the Zendrum (folks loved it, you play it like a guitar), then that TD-10. I don't hate electronics, and I realize they're tools just like anything else, it's the maintenance and upkeep (and possible spares) you have to keep up with if you use them on pro gigs. You do not want your Octapad to break during a hi-level recording session (not that I've done any of those), an there's no way to fix it while the clock is ticking, so what do you do? You have another one ready to go - at the cost of $700! It was frustrating when that stuff started to break down. Mics and drums are built better for what they do!
So, does this make me a gear whore? I suppose, but at least I can play 'em! (No offense to anyone, just a statement. You know how you meet people so into what they own, and you find out they're not playing any gigs? That's what I mean.)
Sorry for the long answer to the short question - I hope I didn't derail this thread.
No electronics for me!