Contemplating the dubba-dubbas....

Bo Eder

Bo Eder

Platinum Member
Those of you who know me know I'm not a big kit guy and I currently don't have a need to learn how to play double bass.

That said, I couldn't pass up this deal on the 'bay for a left-footed set of DW double pedals to add to my Starclassics. And although the groove remains king to me, I think I'll give it a go and see what I come up with. Couldn't hurt right?

But I'm always impressed by big kits and players like Billy Cobham and Simon Phillips, and my all-time kid favorite, Brian Downey (Thin Lizzy). I have an opportunity to add to my existing Pearl EXR kit (10/12/14/16/22 and snare) another bass drum along with additional 10 and 14 toms in the color I already have. This being the Christmas season, I wonder if I shouldn't just go for it and have a completely separate huge kit just for fun. Maybe I'll start a '70s Fusion band or something where it's totally expected that I overplay - wouldn't that be different in this day and age? I know the Exports are discontinued, so this may be my only chance to actually add to my EXR kit with the same drums. It sounds like fun - would you?
 
If it were something I had wanted to do and had the cash and the proper drums, I would do it.
 
GRUNTERSDAD said:
If it were something I had wanted to do and had the cash and the proper drums, I would do it.
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Well, I remember being 10 and seeing pictures of Billy Cobham and folks like that. Drooling through drum catalogs and wishing for the day I'd have a big kit. Of course, it never came to fruition as I grew up and learned how to make money with as little gear as possible. But here I am just about 35 years later contemplating the idea - not sure if it's a need, or even a want, but something intriguing. Perhaps I'm thinking more in terms of meeting potential players and clients who want to see a bigger kit, which would be a plus because obviously, just having the 5-piece Starclassics doesn't impress when the potential band wants to see more. I recall Steve Smith talking about how Jean-Luc Ponty wanted him to have a bigger kit when they actually went on the road the first time, and he was in a position to at least deliver the look when asked. I can deliver the look for pretty cheap if I do this (I'd certainly suck at playing double bass for a while and will probably only be playing a rack and floor tom in the process ;)
 
If you want to lug it around then by all means go for it.
 
I'll say go for it, Bo. You only live once, and it's almost christmas. I am understanding that you'll keep the Starclassic Elite, right? So you'll have a kit for all type of music, fusion, jazz-rock and more, including "Gothic Metal". (you just need a wig and some make up)...:))
 
Hey Bo, I was down in your area yesterday. Thought about you, but really wouldn't have had the time to meet up anyway.

To your point:

That was my intention a few years back. I'd have the mega kit at home all set up where I'd leave it, and the 5 pc ready to go for gigs.

But after awhile, the mega kit just got pushed to the side and stacked, and the 5pc is set up all at times (and occasionally is a 4pc).

Although I always have my double pedal set up cause I'm just that kind of guy.
 
DrumEatDrum said:
That was my intention a few years back. I'd have the mega kit at home all set up where I'd leave it, and the 5 pc ready to go for gigs.

But after awhile, the mega kit just got pushed to the side and stacked, and the 5pc is set up all at times (and occasionally is a 4pc).
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Nah! Bo ...don't listen to DED (just kidding...)

Here's some motivation/persuation for you http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FuKs4buY6U

Now go for it :))
 
100% totally go for it !​
Get your double-bass on. Especially if you've never had double kicks before. My first pro-level kit (1980) had twin matched 22x16 Ludwig clear Vistalite kicks. I ran those puppies until the double-pedal technology got to a point where it wasn't worth carrying that second kick. About 1995, I surrendered my double-kicks for the double-pedal. My look, 1 rack, two floors, two kicks. Ray Phillips .... my muse.​
And especially if you have a chance to add to a kit you already have. DO IT ! (as Nike would say). It's a no brainer. Pull the trigger. I wound up with 14 clear Vistalite drums ... 'cause I just kept adding on, when matching drums came by me, for a good deal.​
 

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Thanks so far. Yeah, I managed to snag a great double pedal to have with the Starclassics. And since my Starclassics are a custom color, it'll be really expensive and a long wait to be able to add any more drums to that kit. So I guess this is really a "last chance" type of question for the Pearl EXR's. They're a discontinued line in a pretty cool color (black strata), so when they're gone, that's it. I'm not going to want to pay more money than they're worth to add drums to that kit later on down the road, so there are these shops that have left-over stock to sell for relatively cheap.

Actually, the seller I've been talking to sounds like he'll accommodate me because I told him I already had a 10 and 14 tom, so would he just sell me the bass drum? Then I asked him if he'd sell me a bass drum and a 7x8 tom to round out the tom collection instead of having to have two 10" toms. So this could get so cheap I might as well.

I like these EXRs - I can carry them around without cases and not freak out, and they've been pretty tough so far. So if I actually did gigs with all of them, throwing 'em all in the back of my truck doesn't seem to be too much work. I'll wait and see what the seller's answer is about just getting the two drums. I've never had an "Animal" drumset, so it sounds like fun ;)
 
harryconway said:
100% totally go for it !​
Get your double-bass on. Especially if you've never had double kicks before. My first pro-level kit (1980) had twin matched 22x16 Ludwig clear Vistalite kicks. I ran those puppies until the double-pedal technology got to a point where it wasn't worth carrying that second kick. About 1995, I surrendered my double-kicks for the double-pedal. My look, 1 rack, two floors, two kicks. Ray Phillips .... my muse.​
And especially if you have a chance to add to a kit you already have. DO IT ! (as Nike would say). It's a no brainer. Pull the trigger. I wound up with 14 clear Vistalite drums ... 'cause I just kept adding on, when matching drums came by me, for a good deal.​
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Yeah Harry - that's what I'm talking about! I might have to grow my hair long too ;)
 
If you are in a financial position to do it, go for it and don't look back!!
 
Man, you jumped ahead of me, quick ... I added a Cobham link .... I'll throw it down again. Cobham was the man .... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P-EBcF1u9Y&feature=related​
Then you get a bad-ass ride to haul your drums in. Of all the drum haullers I've had over the years .... this was the fastest. 1974 Ford Ranchero GT ... 400 cubic inches ... insanely fast.​
 

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IDDrummer said:
Now THAT is ride with style. Nice, Harry!
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Man, those were the days ... the only "downside" to that ride was fuel consumption. That was one thirsty ride, with a big ol' 4 barrel on it. But comfort .... it was built on the Gran Torino chassis, and had a cloth bench seat. Like going down the hi-way, sitting on your favorite couch .... at 120 mph.​
 
harryconway said:
Man, those were the days ... the only "downside" to that ride was fuel consumption. That was one thirsty ride, with a big ol' 4 barrel on it. But comfort .... it was built on the Gran Torino chassis, and had a cloth bench seat. Like going down the hi-way, sitting on your favorite couch .... at 120 mph.​
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Yes, I had a '69 Chevelle SS with a 396. Wasn't that great a drum hauler, but I can relate to the rest of what you said, oh yes!!
 
Bo Eder said:
It sounds like fun - would you?
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I would and I did, adding the bass that gave me a double bass PDP X7 kit.

It's overkill in the first degree, takes up way too much room on any floor, and I don't know a thing about playing double bass. But what a great stand for the couple more toms I also grabbed - and at about the same price.

Looking forward to the pix.
 
harryconway said:
Man, you jumped ahead of me, quick ... I added a Cobham link .... I'll throw it down again. Cobham was the man .... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P-EBcF1u9Y&feature=related​
Then you get a bad-ass ride to haul your drums in. Of all the drum haullers I've had over the years .... this was the fastest. 1974 Ford Ranchero GT ... 400 cubic inches ... insanely fast.​
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Looks like it should be a movie about race relations with Clint Eastwood ;)
 
Bo Eder said:
Looks like it should be a movie about race relations with Clint Eastwood ;)
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Yeah, that's the car/chassis. ID mentioned the 396 Chevelle, which ... Chevy's drum hauler would have been the El Camino. Same chassis as the Chevelle. Indeed, if a Ford and a Chevy were at the same red light, side-by-side, you more than likely had a race. If no cops were around.​
So, are ya gonna jump on the "extra" kick ?​
I certainly don't "need" any more drums (with 4 acoustic kits), but whenever a matching drum crosses my path, I usually pull the trigger, if it's a size I don't have. My Ludwig 6 ply family, is by far the largest. 12x8, 13x9, 14x10, 14x14, 16x16, 18x16, 26x16. The only drum I'd add there, is if another "matched" 26x16 came my way. My Yamaha RC's, 12x8, 14x14, 22x16. What I want there, is a matched 16x16. One will eventually show up. My Gretsch RB's, 13x6, 16x16, 20x14. I'm collecting "parts", right now, to put together a 22x14. And my RMV's ... they need a kick drum. One will show up, someday.​
I got my sights on 1 more kit ... and it'll be orphan drums put together. By this time tomorrow, I'll have pulled the trigger on the kick. And the rest of the drums .... it's a waiting game, but they'll eventually all show up. I'm building a new drum room, and I'll "need" a kit to go with the room.​
The garage, next to the steel doors, ain't gonna be a garage much longer.​
 

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harryconway said:
Yeah, that's the car/chassis. ID mentioned the 396 Chevelle, which ... Chevy's drum hauler would have been the El Camino. Same chassis as the Chevelle. Indeed, if a Ford and a Chevy were at the same red light, side-by-side, you more than likely had a race. If no cops were around.​
So, are ya gonna jump on the "extra" kick ?​
I certainly don't "need" any more drums (with 4 acoustic kits), but whenever a matching drum crosses my path, I usually pull the trigger, if it's a size I don't have. My Ludwig 6 ply family, is by far the largest. 12x8, 13x9, 14x10, 14x14, 16x16, 18x16, 26x16. The only drum I'd add there, is if another "matched" 26x16 came my way. My Yamaha RC's, 12x8, 14x14, 22x16. What I want there, is a matched 16x16. One will eventually show up. My Gretsch RB's, 13x6, 16x16, 20x14. I'm collecting "parts", right now, to put together a 22x14. And my RMV's ... they need a kick drum. One will show up, someday.​
I got my sights on 1 more kit ... and it'll be orphan drums put together. By this time tomorrow, I'll have pulled the trigger on the kick. And the rest of the drums .... it's a waiting game, but they'll eventually all show up. I'm building a new drum room, and I'll "need" a kit to go with the room.​
The garage, next to the steel doors, ain't gonna be a garage much longer.​
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I think I'm gonna to pull the trigger. The seller got back to me if I just wanted to bass drum, for only $189 with free shipping and it's new in the box. I emailed him back and said I also wanted the 8" tom and an arm to mount it with. Once he gets back to me with a price, I'll go for it. I'm guessing it'll be cheap because he's already asking $269 for the bass drum, with a 10 rack and a 14 floor (both of which I already have), so I'm gonna take a guess and figure I'll be spending about $225? Sounds about right, or less. We'll see what he says tomorrow.
 
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