Did you ever ignore one of your kits only to ask "what was I thinking"?

Jasta 11

Jasta 11

Well-known member
So for the last year and a half I have been gigging my Pearl kit that i cut down to shallow concert toms which can nest and 22"bass. I love the sound. Before that i was using my Ludwig Jazzette 18" bass drum along with a snare and occasionally 12 and 15 inch mounted and floor toms. No issues with tone or sound, they both sound great, but I sometimes look for portability in and out of gigs when i decide what to bring. All of this time I have been ignoring my favorite drums stacked in the corner. so last week I brought out the 3-ply Ludwig's ( not all of them, its 12pc. double bass octa-plus) A nice 24 inch bass drum, 14 inch mounted and a 16 floor tom. For whatever reason, I have been neglecting to bring these out. The band immediately made comments about the sound, and look, silver sparkle always looks good under colored lights, and they were blown away by the bass drum. So for now, this is all I am going to be playing. What was i thinking not playing these all along?
Has anyone else stopped playing a kit and left it abandoned in a corner?
 
C.M. Jones

C.M. Jones

Well-known member
I'm a one-kit-at-a-time drummer, so I've never stored a set away and resurrected it for later use. When I want a new kit, I buy it and sell my previous one as soon as the new one arrives. This process allows my former kit to cover a portion of the new one's cost. In a sense, I never really pay full price for a new set because I always have a trade-in of sorts, though I have, on occasion, given kits away instead of selling them.

Have I ever parted with a kit and asked, "What was I thinking?" Not really. I have fond memories of prior sets, but I don't mind being without them. I'm happy as long as I'm drumming.
 
A

adamosmianski

Senior Member
My first ever kit was a pre-owner Rogers Big R. It didn't have any bottom heads, but had holes for lugs. It was a great starter kit until I got something "cooler". I've since resurrected it and love it even more than I did before. I'm still in the process of hunting down a few of the right kind of beavertail lugs. I can't wait to get it all finished.
 
wraub

wraub

Well-known member
I only have one drum kit, but I have definitely done this with basses.
I tend to play my #1 the most (go figure), but every now and then I'll open a bass case and see how whatever is in there is doing. :D
I'm usually pleased enough to keep it. But, I still have my #1.
 
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Bozozoid

Well-known member
Every kit I'd owned and ditched/traded was an I'm glad I don't own them anymore situation. I'm in constant search of the Holy grail yet it is NEVER to be found. I'm sometimes so fed up with drums that I'm in an they (all) suck frame of mind. I have! however regretted in hindsight not offered to buy kits I've sat in on. There have been 3 in my lifetime looking back. Please..call me an idiot..it would fit.
 
yammyfan

yammyfan

Senior Member
I mothballed my 2nd generation Stage Custom Standard kit for a while in favour of my current Stage Custom Birch and Gretsch Renown kits. I recently set up those older Stage Customs and was blown away by how good they sound. I would be a fool to sell them.
 
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C.M. Jones

C.M. Jones

Well-known member
wraub said:
I only have one drum kit, but I have definitely done this with basses.
I tend to play my #1 the most (go figure), but every now and then I'll open a bass case and see how whatever is in there is doing. :D
I'm usually pleased enough to keep it. But, I still have my #1.
Click to expand...

The #1 inevitably rises to the top, thereby getting the majority of use. That's why I've never felt compelled to keep a #2. I avoid owning things I don't use.
 
Al Strange

Al Strange

Well-known member
I own two kits, one for gigging, and one for studio/rehearsals. My gigging kit is so that I’d be comfortable with a kit share should it be needed. As for “baby”; I’m not having anyone touch her but me...as for abandoning her, ”nobody puts baby in a corner.” 😁 (y)
 
Rotarded

Rotarded

Senior Member
I rotate between 3 very different kits, depending on venue/gig. A Stainless kit, a vintage 3ply Mahogany, and a modern Maple. If I haven't played one in a while, I am always pleasantly reminded why I bought/love that kit.
 
Jasta 11

Jasta 11

Well-known member
Interesting situation I didn't think about, getting rid of a kit to get the next. I bought the Pearls new and still have them but the Ludwigs were passed down to me so i want looking for a new sound or moving on, that certainly is a factor when getting another kit, it just wasn't one in my situation.
 
wraub

wraub

Well-known member
My #1 bass is that for a number of reasons, but my others all have justifications for staying.
There's passive 4 string basses with different strings and pickups, setup for different things; active 5 string basses (fretted and fretless); and a DIY acoustic guitar to bass conversion (done for fun, no resale value).
Different tunings, strings, different sounds, different looks (I was actually questioned a few times by bandleaders when they saw a 5 string bass), etc.
I always side with function, and all do get used... each instrument I own excels at different things.

Except my #1, it's always perfect. :)




C.M. Jones said:
The #1 inevitably rises to the top, thereby getting the majority of use. That's why I've never felt compelled to keep a #2. I avoid owning things I don't use.
Click to expand...
 
Swissward Flamtacles

Swissward Flamtacles

Member
O

Otto

Platinum Member
I think you said what you were thinking pretty well...Portability.

If only playing for money was really about the best sound and quality of art possible per your own stringent tastes!

I am lucky to say that I have been able to pursue my own satisfaction in the sound I create and unlucky to not be rich enough to justify the cost of multiple kits.
 
Winston_Wolf

Winston_Wolf

Platinum Member
It happens quite often to me. I've been building up a shell bank for quite a few years, so I have several different toms and bass drums to pick from even though I usually set up roughly the same two-up two-down configuration.

It always seems like whichever drums I switch to I immediately think "why wasn't I already playing these" because they sound great...and just a little different from what I had been playing. Then I switch back, and the same thing happens all over again.

I do the same thing with snares too, just a little more often since I rotate between snares more often.
 
Jasta 11

Jasta 11

Well-known member
Winston_Wolf said:
I do the same thing with snares too, just a little more often since I rotate between snares more often.
Click to expand...
Im afraid to play my Black Panther snare because im loving my Ludwig LM400 so much. I know if i play it i will be like " what was i thinking"!!!!
 
Darth Vater

Darth Vater

Senior Member
I have 3 kits and only have room to set up 2 at a time. I try to rotate them around and when I do, I realize that I really like all 3.
 
A

adamosmianski

Senior Member
CommanderRoss

CommanderRoss

Silver Member
C.M. Jones said:
I'm a one-kit-at-a-time drummer, so I've never stored a set away and resurrected it for later use.
Click to expand...

Same here. I've built small footprint kits that are meant to only come out when the gig warrants it. Otherwise, I play the main one all the time.

C.M. Jones said:
Have I ever parted with a kit and asked, "What was I thinking?" Not really. I have fond memories of prior sets, but I don't mind being without them.
Click to expand...

I've done this with snare drums. Sold or gave away some that I wish I'd kept, but the ones I have are great & I'm good with that.
 
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