Low class unknown drummers

Bo Eder

Platinum Member
Kinda bugged today - but I saw a MusiciansFriend ad on Facebook for the new DW Jim Keltner snare - very cool instrument donning his signature sunglasses. But of course, on FB, people can comment. And this is where sometimes your comments say more about you than about the drum being shown. One person said he had to Google who Jim Keltner was and that definitely didn't warrant the price for the drum.

That bugged me because this person didn't even know who Jim was, or who he's played for, and probably didn't realize he's been listening to Jim on ALOT of recordings coming out of Los Angeles at least since the early 70s. It further bugged me on the product because a lot of boutique snares are in that $1100-1300 range anyway. So an additional $200 doesn't seem unreasonable for a signature snare from DW. Alot of DW's regular snares cost upwards of $800!

So 1), do some research and know who the pioneers are because really, you're standing on their shoulders whether you like them or not. And 2), know your market and what things should be going for. You don't have to like them or the product, but at least show some respect. Actually, show respect on anything. There's so little of that in cyberspace. Too many idiots just spouting off stuff without knowing what they're talking about. I try to be better about that stuff, but sometimes you just shake your head.

Was I wrong to bring this up?
 
No, not wrong. It's a cool marketing gag to bring up a signature Snare. 200 Dollars more for this gives probably 10 Dollars to Jim each.
Of course in reality he plays something different - cool....
Bernhard
 
No, Jim Keltner is Unique and Truly one of the Greats.
 
No, not wrong. It's a cool marketing gag to bring up a signature Snare. 200 Dollars more for this gives probably 10 Dollars to Jim each.
Of course in reality he plays something different - cool....
Bernhard
In reality, a van probably pulls up with two guys, and they unload a kit and maybe a dozen snares for Jim to use when he shows up!
 
Had a similar incident.

My wife saw Simon and Garfunkel in 2004, I told her how lucky she was to see Jim Keltner on drums.....she replied who?

Thankfully she's not a drummer :). Jim Keltner is drumming royalty!
 
I think the thread would be better named "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" since Jim Keitner isn't a Low Class Unknown Drummer-just the FB commenter is. Hey the title would fit me.-yeah I'm low class-actually no class is better. People say a lot of crazy stuff on FB and YT-it's flake news.
 
I was watching a documentary....I’m thinking it was called code 2600 or something like that. It was about the history of computers, the telephone company and hacking, etc. one of the things that stuck out was the birth of forums. Originally, you had to have skills to even connect to a forum, so only real enthusiasts could join. Then came AOL and suddenly, the forums were loaded with know nothing jerks. I’d have to add to that and say then came FB and the IQ dropped even more. Today, everyone is an expert and no matter what you say, there are others who agree, so stupid never gets flushed out as it once would. Can’t imagine the waters becoming less muddy as we move forward....or is it backwards?
 
Azheat you'd think with so much information and easy access that we would be heading towards enlightenment, but it seems it's abused and we are entering a new Dark Age it seems.
 
I was watching a documentary....I’m thinking it was called code 2600 or something like that. It was about the history of computers, the telephone company and hacking, etc. one of the things that stuck out was the birth of forums. Originally, you had to have skills to even connect to a forum, so only real enthusiasts could join. Then came AOL and suddenly, the forums were loaded with know nothing jerks. I’d have to add to that and say then came FB and the IQ dropped even more. Today, everyone is an expert and no matter what you say, there are others who agree, so stupid never gets flushed out as it once would. Can’t imagine the waters becoming less muddy as we move forward....or is it backwards?

People used to say it was a lack of information that made us stupid. We have access to so much information nowadays from our own homes and I swear people are getting dumber.

I'm The Slime is such a prophetic song!
 
I think it´s great that a legend like Keltner finally has a signature drum - it´s a kind of lifetime award that´s been long overdue.

OTOH, I think it´s ugly and overpriced. So there. :p
 
Well, maybe the person googled Jim and learned a little something. Who knows?

I lost the "Well, if I have never heard of him, then he must not be that great" attitude a long time ago. Sort of reminds me of the conversation between Lucy and Schroeder where Lucy says that Beethoven wasn't so great because he never got his name and face on a bubblegum card.
 
Perhaps the person is younger and Jim is not relevant in their world. Assuming they have been listening to Jim on tons of recordings since the 70s doesn't hold water. Perhaps this person only listens to hip-hop. We don't know them or their story.

If not knowing all the past drummers and the songs they played on makes one low class, count me in. Between work, home, and trying to even out my doubles, I don't have time for all that history. Besides, the past is just that. I can only go forward, so I like looking in that direction.
 
Perhaps the person is younger and Jim is not relevant in their world. Assuming they have been listening to Jim on tons of recordings since the 70s doesn't hold water. Perhaps this person only listens to hip-hop. We don't know them or their story.

If not knowing all the past drummers and the songs they played on makes one low class, count me in. Between work, home, and trying to even out my doubles, I don't have time for all that history. Besides, the past is just that. I can only go forward, so I like looking in that direction.

It's one thing to not know of a drummer (have no clue who this is myself), it's another to go out of your way to announce publicly that you don't think that this person that you've never heard of doesn't deserve a signature drum.

DW can make a signature drum for the CEO's nephew if they want to, just don't buy it if you don't like it.
 
Perhaps the person is younger and Jim is not relevant in their world. Assuming they have been listening to Jim on tons of recordings since the 70s doesn't hold water. Perhaps this person only listens to hip-hop. We don't know them or their story.

If not knowing all the past drummers and the songs they played on makes one low class, count me in. Between work, home, and trying to even out my doubles, I don't have time for all that history. Besides, the past is just that. I can only go forward, so I like looking in that direction.

So I guess you’ve never heard the phrase, “how do you know where you’re going if you don’t know where you been”?

I know I’m specifically talking about music and drumming and hey, you can do it however you want to. But if you apply what I’m talking about to everything, I suppose you like inventing the wheel every time you need one?
 
People not knowing the history and speaking like experts is definitely not new. But social media comments are just awful and create a whole other problem. There's not enough value there to offset the toxicity. Some media outlets have started disabling comments. Only a tiny, unrepresentative slice of readers actually post comments, so it paints a distorted picture of what public opinion actually is.
 
Bo - it kinda looks like a clown snare. It has colored stripes, and a rendition of sunglasses and a California license plate. It's $1,495. For that much money I can find a Craviotto or N&C.

Is the "Low Class" Drummers thesis that far off? To put it another way: is attaching the name of "Jim Keltner" to this snare worth a premium? Signed by John Good and numbered, only 250 will ever be made. Is it worth the premium?plvqzkshomqulkabclyv.jpg
 
Yep if you don't know the past you may keep repeating it rather than discover a future. Believe me I know. I have plenty of "rural" friends in South Georgia who drive $80,000 dollar trucks (usually in the fields/woods where it gets all scratched to hell). It's difficult for me to want to spend that much money on transportation-but that's just me (I also wonder where they get the money?). I'm glad it makes them happy but I just don't understand it. But I don't have to so no bother.
 
My favorite part of that Keltner snare is the use of the small lugs... if I could get a whole kit with those lugs I might be veeeery tempted.

Back to the topic at hand, though; people on the internet always talk a bigger game than they usually have the skills and/or knowledge to back it up. Ignorant people are everywhere, and you have to learn to just ignore them, I guess.
 
Yep if you don't know the past you may keep repeating it rather than discover a future. Believe me I know. I have plenty of "rural" friends in South Georgia who drive $80,000 dollar trucks (usually in the fields/woods where it gets all scratched to hell). It's difficult for me to want to spend that much money on transportation-but that's just me (I also wonder where they get the money?). I'm glad it makes them happy but I just don't understand it. But I don't have to so no bother.

Yup, there are tons of hobbies out there that I don't understand the appeal. If someone wants to spend $600 on a golf putter, be my guest. I'm not going to get on any sort of forum and tell whomever what a rip-off it is. Life is short, and it's so difficult.

Anything that can bring anyone happiness is good in my book (as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else in the process).
 
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