Here's an observation nobody here wants to hear ;)

Well, OK not trying to post negative stuff but I can see how it might come off that way. Not my intention.
Bo is posting an awful lot of this kind of thing lately...about how he sounds the same on everything and gear doesn't matter and using the same snare drum and etc etc. And yet Bo - you have umpteen sets and go through them like dirty laundry. It's kinda a downer.
Never mind, as you were. Sorry if I offended anybody.


That's Bo's function here.

It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it.

LOL
 
Looks like he changes snares sometimes.
 

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That's Bo's function here.

It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it.

LOL

For some of the less fortunate Drummers on here (most of us) I can see how these kinda threads are a downer. I get amazed how some threads go viral, I wanna hear all these wonderful kit's and Snare's everyone has on here, but mostly all I hear is talk. Im just saying I wish more people would show off there gear thru video's or sound clips.
 
For some of the less fortunate Drummers on here (most of us) I can see how these kinda threads are a downer. I get amazed how some threads go viral, I wanna hear all these wonderful kit's and Snare's everyone has on here, but mostly all I hear is talk. Im just saying I wish more people would show off there gear thru video's or sound clips.


Well, there's a 'What's your latest purchase?' thread in the general area:
http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116083
and there's also a 'Your Gear' section: http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=11
Edit: and lest we forget, there's the 'Your Playing' section: http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=12

Some of us just like to kid Bo about gear flip-flopping. He's a good sport and can take it.

.
 
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one thing people forget or don't know about the Stones, they were mismanaged horribly, and none of the members got a penny from any of their music before 1970 or so. All those early hits - 30 or 40 of them - not a penny. Keith still uses his main Telecaster Micawbur since the early 70's too.
All their early gear got stolen at one point. I remember hearing he has 2000 odd guitars, but he only uses the same few on tour. I wonder if that might have instilled a sense of tight budgeting into the Stones that you might not shake off, even after earning millions of dollars later - mostly from touring keep in mind. Or maybe they keep their favorites with them at all times so they know where they are!

I don't understand the need to have dozens of kits and snares. I've played for 30 years now, and currently own 2 kits and an e-kit. I've only owned 3 kits over the years before that, but I've always been one to keep things a long time. At one point I had 6 snares, but I found I always went back to the same couple so I'm down to just those 2 now. (Although I wish I'd kept a 3rd one, my old Free Floater I never should have let get away)

I'm too old to ever think recording is in my future, and if it was, the studio would probably have something nicer there anyways, so I'm not piling up stuff for the "studio" any more.

Guitars I understand the need to have more of, a tele isn't a Strat or a Les Paul. But having 15 Les Pauls, ok that I don't get. Same with the guys that appear on here sometimes with 8 Acrolytes. I understand collecting, but it seems pretty easy to switch into hoarding. Hell I have to fight the urge constantly, so don't think I'm knocking anyone.

But new gear is fun. And yes I think everyone is guilty of thinking this new _______ is the last piece, that will turn me into a great drummer.
 
I came to a realization last night as I was changing my front bass drum head to look like Charlie Watt's kit: Does anyone realize, that he bought that ONE kit, and he's been playing it with the Stones for over 40 years now?
He plays the same stuff since more than 40 years. Thus there is no need for some new gear. If a band doesn't evolve, but stays put in the 60's, then you can't expect Watts to change his style and develop into some kind of Simon Phillips. If he changes drums, the Stones probably wouldn't sound like they do since 40+ years.

;-)


Now, on a more serious note: We all here probably buy now and then more drums and other gear than we actually need. But that's okay, some people need different drums and cymbals to be flexible in their sound, like e.g. Ash Soan or Kenny Aronoff, others not. Some people need a long time to find "their voice", some not (some even don't care/know about a drumming-voice). Some drummers "voice" changes with time, which leads to gear-changes (See e.g. Erskine). Others, like Watts, never change their voice (for which he is known and beloved) and thus never their gear.

Stevie Ray Vaughan was also one of those guys who played almost exclusively one instrument till the end. That Guitar he custom-built WAS 50% of his voice.

I know that I do have too much stuff. Three drumsets, ten snares, five sets of cymbals... way more than I need. But I cannot get rid of my stuff - out of sentimentality. And some snares are simply a joy to look at... Stupid, eh?
 
Guitars I understand the need to have more of, a tele isn't a Strat or a Les Paul. But having 15 Les Pauls, ok that I don't get.


I was in a band who opened for a regionally-known band at the time. Between every 2-3 songs, one of the guitar players would go over to the side of the stage and trade out one Les Paul for another Les Paul. He did this for their entire set. He HAD to have at least 4-5 Les Pauls. Even though I'm not a huge gear-head, I could hear NO differences in tone between guitars. It was ridiculous.

I buy drum sets out of need more than want. And by "need," I mean I'm getting really tired of setting up and tearing down, so I have a drum set that stays at church, a practice drum set that stays set up at home, and one set in the cases ready to go right now. My practice kit and my travel kit share the same cymbals, but I only play with one crash, a ride, and hats. When I was younger, it was only one set for everything, but I was younger and had a lot more time and energy.
 
Guitars I understand the need to have more of, a tele isn't a Strat or a Les Paul. But having 15 Les Pauls, ok that I don't get.

Guitars have been my weakness over the past few years. I have 15 guitars, 5 basses, and an electric ukelele. 3 are Les Pauls. Some of them were guitars that I'd always wanted when I was younger. Child support payments went away, so I went nuts. Others are limited releases. Others I just liked.

There's something unique about each of them, from the features, to how they play, to how they sound, to what they can do. Single coil, coil tapping, piezo pickups, the list goes on.

Do I "need" all of them? Absolutely not, and I might even sell a few to pare it down.

I'd lost a ton of gear back in 2014 [long story], so part of this was re-building gone wild.

With drums, I have a lot of gear that I'll never use, including 3 rack mounts, a DW9000 remote hi-hat pedal, and some old 1970s Roto Toms. Also have more cymbals than I'll ever need, and yet might encounter a new one I like.

One of the pieces I did not lose was my TJS Custom Maple. It's not a standard sized kit, and I felt that I'd like one of those, so I got a used Gretsch.

No gigs coming up, or anything involving performance or special recording. I just record at home, for me. I take guitar lessons for me. And I figure, may as well play some of the gear that makes me happy, for me, while I'm here.
 
This immediately sparked in my remembories... Willie Nelson's guitar

willie-nelson-456-042012-1334929372.jpg
 
2e4e58263545d621c05a2148325fb698--telecaster-guitar-fender-guitars.jpg


Jeff Becks Fender Esquire

1896400421.icon


Stevie Ray Vaughans Custom SRV

cebc1a4aa4ff0c89f0152f08a4db470a--fender-guitars-fender-stratocaster.jpg


Rory Gallaghers Fender Stratocaster

article-2515157-19ADC34A00000578-526_634x422.jpg


John Rzezniks patched together (once broken) Stratocaster

frusciante-fender-stratocaster-1961-beat-up-red-hot-chili-peppers.jpg


John Frusciantes Fender Stratocaster


Compared to those, Charlie Watts drums (and other old-school drums) are still in prime-condition. ;-)
 
I was in a band who opened for a regionally-known band at the time. Between every 2-3 songs, one of the guitar players would go over to the side of the stage and trade out one Les Paul for another Les Paul. He did this for their entire set. He HAD to have at least 4-5 Les Pauls. Even though I'm not a huge gear-head, I could hear NO differences in tone between guitars. It was ridiculous.

It's neither ridiculous nor any great mystery. It's probably tuning. If you have a tech, and the axe you're playing is going out of tune, hand it off and get a freshly-tuned guitar. I don't think that's ridiculous at all.

The guitarists in the band I'm in bring 2-3 guitars to every gig for that exact reason - in case something goes wrong (like breaking a string) and so they can just swap out the axe instead of f*cking around tuning between songs.
 
Yupp, but there is more. The pickups can be different and this will alternate the sound, you could have different strings put on them, which will affect the sound and playability, the wood can be different which will result in a different sound.... and so on. There are many valid reasons for using more than one guitar. Just like using more than one snare and/or more than one cymbal. It's mainly about different sounds. And having a backup, in case anything goes boom.

The guitar player in my band also has three guitars at least at a concert.

I have tried to find famous beat up drumsets, that look as worn as those guitars above. Haven't found any. 8-|
 
These days, the kids get their instruments "relic'd."

BkLcpW4.jpg
 
Struggling to think of a drummer other than Charlie Watts who keeps with the same kit. Even Ringo moved with the times in the Beatles!

John Bonham used the same green sparkle Ludwig kit in the studio through 1970 to 1979 .
Nowadays ya, not too many.
 
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