Who does this, really?

Bo Eder

Platinum Member
Today was the first day back with my show choir as we gear up a new show that will run from January to May. And as expected, I'm traveling about with the new Pearl Reference Pure kit (but I have to insist in using my trusty Supra snare drum). But with it cooling down a little here in sunny Southern California, I did a crazy thing: I used no hard cases, and just put the drums in the back of my open bed pickup truck and went flying down the freeway to get to rehearsal. I then proceeded to stack them on top of each other on my Rock n Roller cart to get them into the rehearsal hall. I have a small trap case already there that keeps a collection of hardware, so I really only show up with the drums, cymbals and sticks when we rehearse.

Of course, I wouldn't do this if it were raining. But it always struck me as odd that if you have an expensive-built-for-the-road drum kit, you do everything you can to baby those things. Then we turn around and buy a cheap Export- or Rockstar -type kit, and treat it like dirt, and wonder why it doesn't last as long? Today I decided to throw caution to the wind and just use the drums as I intend to and get my money's worth out of them. I'm not saving them to be sold later, I'm going to use them on a majority of my gigs now. So if they get scuffed up over time, so be it. For the money one spends on these high-end kits, they should be expected to take a few bumps and grinds, so if the weather is favorable, I'm gonna do it.

But for some reason, I can't bring myself to treat my Ludwig Classic Maples like that though. Those will get cased up and handled with gloves. Maybe I have some emotional connection to those. In fact, they are set-up in my computer office so I can practice on them. Who knows if they'll ever see another one-night-stand gig.

I know Larry used to leave his DW kit in his van 24/7 sans cases, and part of me wishes I had a van of some sort. But not having to pack everything up in its own case was quite liberating in a way. If I have any stories of my drums flying out of the back of the truck on the freeway without cases, it'll be entirely my fault ;)
 
Can't wait to see how this pans out, juz watch that updraft.
 
I get where you're coming from Bo, but I have to disagree with the premise that, just because a kit is built to a high standard, it's ok to transport it in a way that makes damage inevitable. Why are drums absolutely the only instrument of quality that are expected to take this treatment? Is it because we hit them that we think it's somehow a lesser instrument in terms of care taken? Would a guitarist do this, or a saxophonist, or a keyboard player? I think not.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting extra special care should be taken with drums above what is standard for transporting any other instrument, but putting an instrument in a case for transport purposes is a reasonable minimum IMO. Higher end drums are designed to take reasonable handling & general use commensurate with use on the road, not thrown in the back of a pickup truck. Next, you'll be telling me it's ok to bounce them down stairs to save the effort of carrying them.
 
I don't have any high-end kits but Mabel is the best of those I have, and she's my baby. I wouldn't dream of taking her anywhere without wrapping her up as best I can.

Marilyn, on the other hand, takes her chances as she's thrown into the car with very little ceremony. But then, I don't like her.

My snares (did I mention at all that I have a Guru padauk snare?) travel first class, in cases, on velvet cushions.
 
The compromise for me is to use padded bags, not hard cases. I like the Humes & Berg Galaxy & Tuxedo series - they both offer sufficient protection for gigging around town, especially if it's just drums in 1 vehicle. If your drums are going in a truck, van, or bus where a Marshall 4x12 or an Ampeg SVT bass head could crunch them, better to stick with hard cases.

I do have a 1989 Pearl Export kit (in Yellow Flash) that never gets bags or cases - just throw it in the car & go. It still looks good, except for some wrap bubbling, and that metal 6.5 x 14 Pearl snare that came with the kit is excellent! It's always good to have a beater kit, but I could never treat any drums roughly that were any more $ than Exports.
 
I have a cheap, relative I know, Yamaha Stage custom and I dont take them anywhere unless they are in Protection Racket bags. Its an instrument and I love my kit, that fact if was not expensive is not the issue. I spent my hard earned money on it and i cherish it.
 
I think I get where you're coming from on this.

If this particular set of drums got a small scuff or two, it wouldn't break your heart, and it's a pain to pack them up every time. More pain that it's worth to avoid a scuff or two.

If it's not raining, a bit of wind in the back of your truck is not going to hurt them. A cargo net or tarp will keep any from flying out.

If what it comes down to is keeping something museum-perfect for the next person who owns them, the heck with that.

There's some responsibility I feel toward my Slingerland kit and my '59' Barrett Deems, but that's because they are well-made and old, and I take a caretaker's attitude toward them. I'm part of their long history, and I don't want to be the person who messed up a nice old instrument. Having said that, with the wobbly-wavy bearing edges every drum had (probably that way from the factory, actually), I put the lot of them on the flattening table and then the router.

Vintage drum purists might disapprove, but I own the damn things and I play them every night, and they sound a heck of a lot better with good bearing edges. Did it lower the resale value? Who cares? I cut period-correct edges, with an outside roundover. Even a Stradivarius gets a tune up every once in awhile if it's being played.

But they stay at home and what goes out are my CB700's. I am not going to abuse those just because they are my gigging drums, and originally inexpensive, but I rescued them from being dumpstered and they're wrapped in sparkle barstool vinyl. They are more rugged and more common. If one got run over by a truck, I'd get a replacement on Craig's List, wrap it in the vinyl, and be right back in business. I don't own a single drum case; the kit fits in the back of my car. I don't put my friends or my dog in cases when they ride back there, either.
 
I think I get where you're coming from on this.

If this particular set of drums got a small scuff or two, it wouldn't break your heart, and it's a pain to pack them up every time. More pain that it's worth to avoid a scuff or two.

If it's not raining, a bit of wind in the back of your truck is not going to hurt them. A cargo net or tarp will keep any from flying out.

If what it comes down to is keeping something museum-perfect for the next person who owns them, the heck with that.

There's some responsibility I feel toward my Slingerland kit and my '59' Barrett Deems, but that's because they are well-made and old, and I take a caretaker's attitude toward them. I'm part of their long history, and I don't want to be the person who messed up a nice old instrument. Having said that, with the wobbly-wavy bearing edges every drum had (probably that way from the factory, actually), I put the lot of them on the flattening table and then the router.

Vintage drum purists might disapprove, but I own the damn things and I play them every night, and they sound a heck of a lot better with good bearing edges. Did it lower the resale value? Who cares? I cut period-correct edges, with an outside roundover. Even a Stradivarius gets a tune up every once in awhile if it's being played.

But they stay at home and what goes out are my CB700's. I am not going to abuse those just because they are my gigging drums, and originally inexpensive, but I rescued them from being dumpstered and they're wrapped in sparkle barstool vinyl. They are more rugged and more common. If one got run over by a truck, I'd get a replacement on Craig's List, wrap it in the vinyl, and be right back in business. I don't own a single drum case; the kit fits in the back of my car. I don't put my friends or my dog in cases when they ride back there, either.

I can see your point but its not about keeping things museum perfect. I have one kit and it has to do everything. Its about preventing undue damage to a musical instrument so it keeps performing as it should, and lasts longer. So rather than having to repair or replace parts I transport them in bags. It also stops them rattling about in the back of the car and the handles make them easier to pick up.
 
Based on the number of drum sets I have seen and some nursed back to health, I'd say a lot of drummers carry things around without protection of any kind.

In some genres violence and abuse is part of the show. How the drums get to a show is moot. I wonder how many guitars Pete Townsend has gone through on stage, never mind how they traveled there.

Chrome is pretty tough. Wraps are tougher than natural finishes. You might not even see dings or scratches in some of them which have natural camouflage in their patterns.

Laying out a set in a truck bed is not necessarily opening them up to damage if the weather is stable.
 
Funny Andy should mention kicking down the stairs thing.
I used a set of Milestones on the road for a good 10 years, (later became Tempus). Those drums were indestructible and there was some icy slippery stairs at times where they did just get kicked down the stairs, in foam lined cases mind you, but still does not sound too good. The kit never let me down, they even worked in the rain and no harm was done. Lasted better wet than the rest of the band.

Nowadays, I just gig occasionally so I use my own car for transport. I have top of the line wood drums with nice finishes, but I load and carry them myself and often do not use the cases, mainly just to save space and make tear down a little quicker. They don't get banged into doors etc. But riding around freely in the back of a pick up is a little scary.
 
Cases complicate things too much for me. Not worth my time. My gig drums cost me less than 500. They serve me, I serve the music.

I will say that the only real damage I've suffered for the last almost 5 years going case-less is 1 bent hoop when my 10" tom fell off my 12" tom in the van and hit the van floor. My fault really, it got away from me. Whatever. Drums are tough. Not like a guitar. MY DW lacquer drums...you can't tell they went gonzo for 4 years.

My snare gets a case because of the strainer and wires. Life is easier without cases, and that trumps everything in my world. My van is my case.
 
In contrast it seems to everyone else, my drums never leave the cases except at gigs- I have no practice space at home and we rehearse at a studio where there is a basic kit provided. I would never dream of transporting my drums without cases (Protection Racket and Ahead soft cases actually). They have landed out of the back of vans and cars on gravel and hard roads with no adverse effects and I have always adopted that approach regardless of the value of the kit- my early premier, my later Rockstar Custom and My current Mapex Saturn. I have no issue with wear and tear- shit happens- usually due to inconsiderate guitarists, but I do try and maintain the instrument that I have spent a significant amount on over the years in as good a condition as I can. You never know when your situation might change and you may need to cash in on your investment...
 
No Sir, don't like it... Even when I was hauling around exports I always had bags for them at least. Just because they're premium, rock solid quality drums is no reason to heap abuse upon them, simply because they can take it?!?

They'll get their battle scars - it's inevitable... but when it's in your power to protect them - please do so. I wouldn't want to see ANY drums rolling down the road unprotected in the bed of a pick-up truck. That would bring me to tears just as easily as those Sarah McLaughlin (sp?) abused dog commercials.

Just my 2 cents -- they're yours to destroy how you see fit! ;-)
 
Tie them together with rope.
That way when they all fall out, they'll drag behind your car like tin cans and we can all say congratulations.
 
I never bought cases. Waste of time and hassle to me. I throw my gig kit into the back of the open truck and go. If it's raining, I throw a tarp over the top.

To me, they're tools to make music. I don't haul around my nicer kit much, but even when I do, they don't get cased up.
 
But it always struck me as odd that if you have an expensive-built-for-the-road drum kit, you do everything you can to baby those things. Then we turn around and buy a cheap Export- or Rockstar -type kit, and treat it like dirt, and wonder why it doesn't last as long?

For the money one spends on these high-end kits, they should be expected to take a few bumps and grinds, so if the weather is favorable, I'm gonna do it.


I think you are justifying your choice with false logic. The extra cost of high-end drums isn't necessarily because they are "built for the road."

On the other hand, I'm perfectly OK with your choice. They are YOUR drums, after all.

For the record, I've never lost a drum out the back of a pickup, but I have arrived at a gig with my uncased drums covered in frozen fog and snow. After allowing them to warm up and then wiping them down to remove moisture they were fine.
 
I have to weigh in on this. Not to argue, just a differing point of view.

Regardless of the cost or long term purpose of the drums, it's in my DNA to take care of things. I actually like bags and cases and have a lot of them - for every instrument I own.

It does not bother me in the least to take the few minutes to pack things away. 99% of the time, I play a four piece kit - it's not that hard or time consuming to do.

It's not just what they look like to me - I gig with these. I am in show business and outward appearance matters. Not to mention, kept in bags, they will last longer and perform better mechanically (I have seen others break strainers, break heads, etc when using no bags). Even carting gear around in my car, they will get banged up - actually costing me money. How do I know? Because I didn't have bags a long time ago.

The thought of barreling down the highway with a set of Pearl Reference drums banging around in the back of a pickup makes me shudder. Really. Ugh.

How many guitar players throw their beloved Strat or Les Paul into the back of a pickup with no case and drive from gig to gig like that? It's no different…

I have seen too many drum sets that look like they were tied to a bumper and driven around for a while. And Bo - you are THE LAST person who should be treating those drums that way - you are too fickle. You have proved time and time and time again that no drum kit will ever stay with you long term.

Just my 2 cents...
 
I guess this has sparked the 'case or no case' controversy. Sorry. I promise - when the weather looks on the downside, I will use my cases. But if the weather is beautiful (as it often is here in SoCal), I'll make the call whether to use the cases or not. Heck, if I had a regular car, or a small van, I could get away with not using cases. But my choice to keep an open bed truck trounces not having cases. It was just really cool to back up in our loading dock, and instantly get the drums to the stage and set up in ten minutes flat!
 
I'm sure the drums can handle the bumps and bruises of gigging, however giving them some sort of protection, even if its just blankets wrapping around them, will prolong their use and allow you to spend more time gigging and less time waiting on parts to come in for repair.

Cheap kits will also withstand gigging and you can protect or not protect them. If you don't want to fix them after they get damaged because it costs too much, you just go to the nearest music store and buy the one off the floor for your next gig. That's the good thing about cheap kits.

Something like a Reference Pure probably needs special ordered parts that take weeks to get. If you don't take care of it, it may get damaged and be out of commission for a month while you wait for a replacement lug to come in.

In my opinion, you should take care of your instruments as they are what pays the bills. If you made money plowing driveways, would you not get your truck tuned up before the season starts? If you were a professional athlete, would you eat crappy food and smoke a pack a day? Its your tool to do your job. I believe its something that should be taken care of.
 
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