Average age of your gear / How long do you hold onto gear

bearblastbeats

Senior Member
I've been known to hold onto gear for only a few months/years. Oftentimes trading in for something different as I find variety to be the spice of life.

I see some people post how they've had some gear for their entire life/career.

My current Stage Custom or my dads old Ludwig. I've had probably the longest.

My oldest gear would be the Slingerland (1970) follow buy the Ludwig (1976). I've had the Luddy in my possession for about 12 years now.

Curious to see the general consensus on this.
 
My current setup is only around three years old with my Crosstown HW being less than a year. Pretty much anything prior to that was a decade old at a minimum. Still had my DW 5000 HH stand from the 80s, my throne and several cymbals stands, BD pedals, etc. All got replaced starting three years ago. Check with me if I'm still alive and playing in 20 years. All will likely still be the same stuff then.
 
I buy gear I want to keep, not to try out / sell / trade.
I've been playing for 14 years and recently sold a kit and a couple of snares because I hadn't used them over 7 years and they were just taking up space and collecting dust.
No intention of selling more.
 
I’m a “buy right, buy once” person. Or, at least, I try to be.

When I bought my Sonor Force 3000 c.1995, I was convinced that the German build process was flawless. In 2004 the hex-rod hi hat clutch broke and a replacement cost $180 + 4 month wait (because they had poor USA distribution back then). I also struggled to tune the mounted toms correctly. When the opportunity arose for me to sell the kit, I sold it.

Then I went to every shop in my area and evaluated all the major brands. In addition to good looks and sound, wanted mounted toms that tuned easily and good parts distribution. I bought a Tama Starclassic and still own/use it. I’ve never felt the need for anything else.
 
Some guys are wheelers and dealers and some guys buy stuff to keep it forever. I am a little in the middle. I started playing drums in 2008 when I was around 15 years old I have sold a lot of stuff over the years to fund new stuff. Once I got a Tama Silverstar (decent kit) I sold my beginner stuff. Then when I got my Ludwig classic maple after gigging the Silvestar for like 6 years I sold it. I have also bought and sold quite a few snare drums over the years. If I buy a snare and end up not liking it or using it much I usually sell it to fund a different purchase. I never really felt attached to any of my old gear up until I got the Classic maples. I will keep the luddies forever because they are special to me. I bought a Yamaha Maple custom absolute for $1000 dollars once, gigged it and recorded with it for 2 years and then sold it for $1800

Usually when I buy a cymbal it stays with me for the long haul. I have a few cymbals and some Tama roadpro hardware that I have had for over 10 years now. I like mixing and matching cymbals to much to sell any. Over the years I have built up a Sabian collection of crashes ranging from 17"-21" rides from 21"-24" and a couple sets of hats. I plan on keeping them all and expanding the collection.

I have got to the point now where I will really only buy something if I think I will be keeping it forever. I used to buy cheaper versions of things I really wanted but now I save up for longer to get what I actually wanted in the first place. Sometimes I buy gear with the intent to flip it but that is usually guitars and basses that I find for cheap.
 
First Sonor kit around for 32 years, still have my Paiste sound edge hats from 1971 and a sound creation dark ride from that same era. A camco pedal from around 1970 some cowbells that my father used on the road in the 40s . A bunch of Ludwig hardware from the mid seventies. And my favorite, a pair of regal tip wooden handle brushes that I use regularly from the early seventies.
I’m sure there are more items but if it works why replace it. If it doesn’t work of fit with what I’m doing it goes away.
 
Some guys are wheelers and dealers and some guys buy stuff to keep it forever. I am a little in the middle. I started playing drums in 2008 when I was around 15 years old I have sold a lot of stuff over the years to fund new stuff. Once I got a Tama Silverstar (decent kit) I sold my beginner stuff. Then when I got my Ludwig classic maple after gigging the Silvestar for like 6 years I sold it. I have also bought and sold quite a few snare drums over the years. If I buy a snare and end up not liking it or using it much I usually sell it to fund a different purchase. I never really felt attached to any of my old gear up until I got the Classic maples. I will keep the luddies forever because they are special to me. I bought a Yamaha Maple custom absolute for $1000 dollars once, gigged it and recorded with it for 2 years and then sold it for $1800

Usually when I buy a cymbal it stays with me for the long haul. I have a few cymbals and some Tama roadpro hardware that I have had for over 10 years now. I like mixing and matching cymbals to much to sell any. Over the years I have built up a Sabian collection of crashes ranging from 17"-21" rides from 21"-24" and a couple sets of hats. I plan on keeping them all and expanding the collection.

I have got to the point now where I will really only buy something if I think I will be keeping it forever. I used to buy cheaper versions of things I really wanted but now I save up for longer to get what I actually wanted in the first place. Sometimes I buy gear with the intent to flip it but that is usually guitars and basses that I find for cheap.
That's how I approached my early career as well.

My first kit was a Peavy something or other which I traded for a Pearl Export and one of those B8 cymbal packs and some used zildjians. Then onto a used 1st gen Yamaha Oak Custom, then to a Gretsch Renown Maple, N&C Walnut.. All Sold.

Went through a few dozen zildjians, Paistes and Meinls, but now I'm settled in with my Istanbuls.

I'm still keeping a eye out for a classic maple on a good deal, but I'm currently happy with my equipment. Might add a china in the future but have now real need for it.
 
My half sister has a 1980 Slingy Spirit kit that was mine in like 1982 or so. I havent seen it since 1993.

I bought an 80s Pearl kit in 1993. I built the thing up to a 10 drum shell bank. I had it until 2010. It was supposed to be my forever kit. Thank you not so great recession.

In 2013 I bought a now 50 year old Pearl Wood/Fiberglass kit which I still have.

In 2017 I bought a brand new Pearl Midtown which I still have.

I dont like to sell gear. I will sell guitars first if I must sell something.
 
I've been drumming about 20 years. I like to buy, try and sell mostly used gear.
Believe it or not I keep a spreadsheet.
I've been through 75 cymbals, 11 different drum kits and 20 snares.
The last 8 years I've settled on about 5 great cymbals, LM400 and RadioKing snares, a vintage Slingerland Kit, and just recently picked up a Taye Studio Maple for only $100.
That will be "it"......I think.
 
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I had my Yamaha Maple Custom for around a decade - then my Stone Custom Kit for like 7 years (I still have it) and I anticipate having my Gretsch kit as my primary for another decade or so with shell banks rather than a new kit.

Cymbals are a little different - I had a set of Zildjian's that would kind of grow and evolve for about 15 years and I've had my bosphorus now for like 9....Honestly between me you and the trees through I've been talking to folks other than bosphorus....while I love the cymbals - their US support sucks for Artists. Which is why I'm comfortable talking about searching for a new brand...I doubt they care haha.
 
My newest gear is all less than 2½ years old. I slowly put together a Crosstown HW setup that lead into putting together a set of 2002s. When I unexpectedly came into some money, I was able to splash out on a new Classic Maple shell pack and an LM402.

My other kit is 15 years old (Ludwig Classic Birch) along with a set of Giant Beats from '05.

I buy to keep, I don't like being beholden to a hypothetical buyer. I have had to sell drums before for money needs and I've done some cymbal trading and gifting over the years, too.
 
The kits I kept are from 1982, 2008, 2013, 2016, 2019

Eames, DW, Guru steambent ash, Guru segmented walnut, Guru segmented maple (just kick and snare) respectively
 
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My primary kit I've had since 1981, or most of it, TAMA Imperialstars. I swapped out a couple drums a year or two after I got the kit. The kick, floor tom and one rack tom are still from that kit. I still have the hats, ride and one crash from when I first got the kit, as well, all Zildjin. I've swapped out and added a few different cymbals over the years. I use that kit most of the time, nearly every weekend. (I have a smaller kit that I do use occasionally in tighter locations.)

I even still have two of the original TAMA Titan boom stands that came with the kit, tho I no longer lug those beasts around any more. I still use the Titan snare stand tho.

I'm not much of a wheeler-dealer, so I tend to hang onto stuff (too much, and for too long, heh) I have traded a little gear with a local used gear dealer tho.
 
Longest I’ve kept a cymbal: 36 years. Zildjian K ride. Still own, never use, should sell.
Longest I’ve kept a kit: 20 years. GMS 8 piece. Still own, never use, should sell.
Longest I’ve kept hardware: 19 years. Gibraltar Rack. Don’t use but refuse to sell for sentimental reasons. (Surprisingly, the wife asked me to keep it.)

Just for funsies and this thread made the memory pop back into my head:
Shortest amount of time I’ve owned a kit: Less than 48 hours. Bought a Fibes kit. (This was pre-internet days.) Hated the goofy tom mounting bent hex arm thingy and took it back for a full refund. Had such high hopes for it too.

I’ve gone through an astounding amount of gear since 1986. Not searching for anything specific; just seeing what each brand had to offer. If a particular piece of gear wasn’t going to work for me for whatever reason, I’d move it along to someone who hopefully would use it.
 
I also approach purchasing gear as a lifetime investment. That being said life happens with a family and family always comes first. I’ve sold my first three kits to take care of my wife and kiddos. But I still have a few cymbals from the 1980s and I’ve been able to hang onto a few snare drums I’ve acquired along the way. My current line up of drums and cymbals should be my gear for life.
 
Ya know?..ive never owned a kit where every drum was happening. Trouble can come with any size drum and I've sent my share to either Precision drums or Orange County drums for surgery. Even Kenner drums once. Nothing ever came back to where I jumped for joy. For any reason with any kit it can either be sold..traded..or thrown over a cliff for all I cared. My current Renown kit 10..12..16..18x22 has yet to be gigged but if the 12 isn't happening and the 16 is just to flappy at low tunings I'll dump those cylinders of junk like all the others. If they are all OK? It WILL be my last kit. I have been known to go 10 years without dumping a kit for some reason but I hope to God I don't end up putting this kit into a bonfire. 🔥. I can't begin to tell you how drums can totally suck.
 
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