Do you still have your first snare, drum set, or cymbal?

striker

striker

Well-known Member
I was watching Stewart Copeland's clip the other day, and he still owns that old but famous Pearl Snare that he recorded some of the early hits.
I also asked Danny Seraphine at the Las Vegas drum show if he still has his Slingerland drum set, and he said he does.




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The only thing from my first drum set that I have is the hi hat stand that I still have is the DW hi hat stand that I bought (in '92) to replace the ancient flat base stand that came with the kit when I got it. That stand is still going strong now.
I will carry the mental scars from dealing with abused, ancient Ludwig hardware forever.
 
I still have the kick, two toms and some hardware from my first set, and I’m trying to get rid of them to save space. I did record them on video a while back:


…that was apparently sixteen years ago, sheesh! I’ve since sold the Acrolite and most of the cymbals, which I kind of regret.
 
I still have my Ufip china 20”. Probably from late 70’s, bought it in 1995. (I purchased my first kit in 94, Tama Rockstar)
Paper thin, beautifully dark.
 
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Yep, I’ve still got it all.

The Pearl Export I’ve not used in years, it stays in its cases, but the steel snare sounds pretty good after some mods I’ve made, so occasionally gets used still.

Wont sell any of it due to sentimental reasons. One of my daughters will get the Export should they ever want a full size kit.
 
I got my first drum set in 1969. All of it is long gone. I do not remember what the cymbals were. Peace and goodwill.
 
I still own part of a crash cymbal from my childhood - the bell cut out of a 16" Pearl CX-300 crash - and one of my first professional cymbals, a 19" A Zildjian medium-thin crash purchased in 1989. I have an original K Custom I bought new in 1991 as well.

I don't have the actual first snare I owned, but I did recently just purchase a 1960s-vintage Ludwig Pioneer in blue duco finish that is essentially identical to that snare - actually, in slightly better condition than that snare was in 1987 when I bought it.
 
Only thing I have from my first kit is the snare stand and it's done and continues to do gigs 23 years on. Single braced Tama. The kit was a Tama Rockstar that's long gone.

I still have my first splash cymbal 10" A Brilliant. Still a wonderful cymbal. Bought that with the rockstar.

I still have my first proper pro level snare drum that's just turned 40 this year which is my 402 and it's been with me for 21 years.
 
I bought my first drum set 30 years ago this year, and I still have it, the snare, the hats, and the crash cymbal I bought with it. I still use the hardware that came with it regularly. The drums and cymbals are on a shelf in the basement.
 
I still have my first hi hats 14" Avedis Zildjian 884/910
pre new beats or just a early 60s matched pair
top has a lotta miles on it they still work good
 
My first kit was a CB MX series kit, with an Adams double bass pedal and a set of Sabian B8s…of course I don’t have it any more! 🤣

The oldest gear I have is one of the cymbals I bought to replace those B8s, an A Zildjian 18” Med Thin Crash, bought used in 1998. Well, except for a guitar amp I bought in 1996 (a TubeWorks TD-742).
 
I have my Ludwig Supra 400, my 18" Zildjian crash/ride, and the 13" tom and 20" bass drum from my first Slingerland set. I sold the 14" tom a long time ago.

None of this gear is gig-worthy. The cymbal is cracked, the snare has long been retired with flaking chrome, and the tom and bass drum have been stripped of that champagne sparkle finish I never liked. They're in pieces.

A while ago, I told my wife I was going to sell the shells and hardware, and she talked me out of it. They sit unused in the basement. I also have a 16" Slingerland tom shell, and a 22" BD shell I bought later. Precision Drum wanted about $1000 to do a ground-up restoration on the 13/16/22.
 
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I still have my first "real" kit which was a 5 piece Maxwin by Pearl stencil kit in Wine Red that my parents gifted me for Christmas back in 1987.

My Maxwin kit is basically an Export kit from back then, which were known for their legendary durability and affordability. Everything's basically the same except for the badges, and the Maxwin by Pearl logo on the BD's reso head.

I know that I still have the 14" "Pearl brand" Hi-Hats that were included with the kit. However, the (17" or 18") Crash/Ride that was also included with the kit developed a crack along its edge, and was "retired from service". LOL!
 
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First snare was an MIJ from the early 70s(not an MIJ fan, sorry), first cymbal was a cracked Zildjian we got from the Garfield Cadets, first kit was an mismatched MIJ, all gone and don't miss any of them.

First "name" kit was 5-ply Slingerlands. Still have them, just gigged them a few weeks ago!


Dan
 
I have the stands from my second 1st new set a 71 Premier- all Lokfast- 2 cym stands snare stand still in use;
have my first Gretsch set a 66/67 Prog Jazz red pearl 20/12/14/brass/ I found in 1975.. hasn't budged nor shown wear in 50 years
and I Use it
Just bought another 1966 Gretsch aqua satinflame 20/12/16 below that look like they spent most of their life in somebodys living room.

here with the 71 Lokfast stands the 66 Aqua today (with a 70 snare drum) 60s cymbals +one newer A Custom flat

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hoping to get those out this summer but didn't happen
that snare like my other 4160 is so crisp sensitive cutting and satisfying as all my Gretsch are for me.

Otherwise I took the Red 66's out for two gigs
03 BK's peeking out there still looking for a gig
I should get up off my arse

1965 year wood wmp snare is back where it tonally belongs with the 03 'wood' set..

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I like die cast hoops
I like Packard's
 
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yep...my dad's 55 Ludwigs, 50's era Zildjians and 62 Supraphonic

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still use it in my country/rockabilly and jazz bands. The pics are of the jazz band set up...

and still have and use the 20" Zildjian A Rock Ride I got for my 8th grade graduation present in 84...
 
equipmentdork said:
First snare was an MIJ from the early 70s(not an MIJ fan, sorry), first cymbal was a cracked Zildjian we got from the Garfield Cadets, first kit was an mismatched MIJ, all gone and don't miss any of them.

First "name" kit was 5-ply Slingerlands. Still have them, just gigged them a few weeks ago!


Dan
Click to expand...

oh man Garfield Cadets....big time history there!!!
 
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