Don't look at me, I'm hideous

[The SunDog]

Can't imagine owning seven drum sets, but not a place to set them up. I have two. One I bought as a stopgap when I was refinishing my DW Collectors. I believe in owning better gear, not more, especially not more mediocre stuff. It's for work and sound and appearrance are extremely important to me. At this point everything I own is pricey, to say the least. A Collectors kit, two Collectors snares (one maple, one brass), a Ludwig Hammered Bronze piccolo, 19" and 20" Artisan crash cymbals, 16" and 18" HHX stage and Manhattan crashes, 18" HH thin china, 21" HH raw bell ride, 14" AA fusion hats. I gig this kit and I don't feel one bit guilty about rolling with $10,000 in drums and cymbals.

 

[wildbill]

IMO, guilt is a useless emotion if you've done nothing wrong.

You've done nothing wrong.....

Bwa ha ha - squandering precious resources.
Destroying the earth through mining to extract metals necessary for cymbals and hardware made by third world slave children.
Never enough - never enough - more, more, more!!!!


LOL

 

[paradiddle pete]

Buy a harmonica............

 

[WallyY]

I've had the same one set now for 30 years and there wasn't more than a couple months that I didn't play them.
Until a few months ago I had but two snares.

I don't like owning too much "stuff".
It bugs me that if I should die unexpectedly, other people will have to dispose of all my silly chattel.

I like the concept of "If you can't display it, you probably shouldn't own it".

 

[Thunder 42]

Not there yet. Still buying, taking delivery later this week as a matter of fact. I did just sell two snares and two cymbals and that felt good...until I spent it on more gear, and that felt even better. Haven't set an upward limit but may end up doing it some day.

 

[Dr_Watso]

I rarely buy new gear, and feel oddly attached to the gear I've been playing for "x" number of years. I'm never really looking to replace my kits or cymbals once I get the sound I want. Next time I'll be cymbal shopping is when one of my old zils gets cracked or stolen or whatever.

Do those of you who go through gear more feel you're always after the perfect sound, or you just like lots of toys as options, or what?

 

[mmulcahy1]

I'm always on the prowl for good cymbals at a really good price. That's about it really. I only have one drum set, but I do have three snares... only one of which is my goto snare while the other two sit in cases.

 

[Midnite Zephyr]

I rarely buy new gear, and feel oddly attached to the gear I've been playing for "x" number of years. I'm never really looking to replace my kits or cymbals once I get the sound I want. Next time I'll be cymbal shopping is when one of my old zils gets cracked or stolen or whatever.

Do those of you who go through gear more feel you're always after the perfect sound, or you just like lots of toys as options, or what?

I think when I was buying my first AAX Sabian crashes, I was looking for that perfect crash sound (to me) that was in my head.

 

[Altar]

Do those of you who go through gear more feel you're always after the perfect sound, or you just like lots of toys as options, or what?

I can answer for myself. As someone that plays with a good number of musicians and works in a recording studio, my goal is always versatility and consistent quality. I buy and sell quite a bit, because I'm looking for a solid collection of drums that will adapt to anything I throw at them. Right now I'm at one kit, a couple snares, a couple(crash) rides, hats, and a stack. A couple more snares, another kit, a huge kick, bunch of cymbals, and I tell myself I'll be done lol.

 

[Tommy_D]

I resemble this thread.

With all the gear I own, I have tried my best to not overlap too much. I have 5 kits and none of them use the same wood. Their configurations range from 4 to 7 pieces with drums that range in sizes 8-16" toms and 20-24" bass drums. Snares range from 13-15 inches, steel, brass, free floating, maple, birch, walnut, beech, stave, ply, rerings, etc... Of all the cymbals I own, none of them sound like the other one. Most everything I have purchased has been paid off in full right away or has been paid off in a couple months time, so Im debt free on all my drum purchases.

I think it would be a problem if I went in to debt for all the gear I own. Or if I somehow wasnt able to meet my other financial responsibilities because I had to acquire more gear, then I have a problem. But thats not the case. Yes 5 kits and enough cymbals and hardware to outfit all 5 at the same time is a bit crazy. Add in 2 top of the line electronic drum modules and enough cymbals and hardware to deck out 2 A2E conversions and its still crazy, but its not a problem.

I am thinking of cutting back though.

 

[drumming sort of person]

I kinda did become a professional drummer

That is no small feat right there; Especially in this day and age. Please feel free to post links to any stuff you've played on.

 

[JustJames]

Money is only good for using.

One of my brothers visited me recently, and took a look through my music room. It's set up for band rehearsals, with a drum kit, bass rig, PA, guitar amplifiers and guitars. "Hmmm," quoth he, "Do you think you might have a problem bro?"

I grinned.

And then reminded him that he spends more on beer than I spend on music gear.

If you're using the stuff you buy, I see no issue.

As you were.

 

[Headbanger]

I now have enough gear that my mother has started warning people not to give away or sell anything to me. And she only visits my house once or twice a year, but apparently my GAS is so bad that it's bothering people who don't even live with me.

 

[Stefan Brodsky]

I refuse to feel guilty, though my wife reminds me, every time I make a purchase. But after a long layoff from drumming, I began playing in earnest 16 years ago, and 10 years later (in 2010), finally retired an old Ludwig Club Date set, for a new set of high-end Yamahas. As we know, new drums don't come with anything, so I had to gradually replace old hardware, snare, and cymbals, which I've done since- culminating a few weeks ago, w/ a new Paiste Formula 602 20"Classic Ride. It's my 2nd Paiste, having bought a 2002 18" thin crash a few years ago along with a new pair of Zildjian Custom A Master Sound hats. The only oiriginal piece of gear still in use, is a 1971 Zildjian 16" Thin Crash. I don't have multiple kits, nor snares, just yet. I think I'm being reasonable. As our band guitarist says, it's the hobby that pays you back, albeit not as much as we'd like.

 

[Smoke]

As you were.

Sound military JJ.

Carry on. ;-)

 

[mikyok]

I'm dreading the day when we let our lockup go. Hopefully not soon as we're doing well out of gigs.

I have 4 kits, but they all sound different and 3 of them earn their keep. The 4th one will once it's refurbed.

My cymbal collection is growing a bit, good thing when I haven't broken one in 10 years but I suppose I have a cymbal for every occasion. My search for the holy grail of hats and rides has left me with lots of each and I've sold a few rides down the years.

You shouldn't feel bad if they pay for themselves, look at it as tools for your trade.

 

[Salty Dog]

I have been on this forum for about 4 years.. When I first joined I had 1 drum kit and an extra snare.. Now I have rooms full of stuff.. And after picking up a new kit tonight I finally feel a bit ashamed, a bit embarrassed.

I have put another kit up for sale in light of the new acquisition but shuffling things around and seeing how much stuff I have (but don't use), I finally realized how ridiculous I've become.

Everyone has their own idea about when something becomes a problem, or when enough is enough... I have the space, I bought the stuff at great prices and I can get my money back on most of the stuff.

And I kinda did become a professional drummer in that time.

But I suddenly felt a bit terrible tonight.. And I'm going to sell off a few things in light of this revelation.

Who else has had this feeling? What are your thoughts? What did you do about it?

This is going to sound ridiculous but it unintentionally worked for me; pickup learning a new instrument, I chose guitar since I had a great one at home already. I'm way too amateur to start geeking out about it so I'm totally focused on just learning how to play it, I took a lesson with a great teacher as a trial and this Fall I'm going back that's how much I liked it. And the great thing is it's that I still love the drums and appreciate them more when I get to play them. This doesn't mean that I won't get the new snare that I want but when I do it'll be because I need it and I won't be keeping the one that I don't.

 

[alparrott]

You know, there's no rule saying you have to be at any particular ability level of drumming in order to play a nice instrument, with all the doodads you particularly want. It's like saying that if you're not a racing driver, you can't own a nice, well-performing car. In the end, we all have to find our own comfort level between the money we spend and our perception of our ability that personally warrants spending that amount of money.

I'm not the best drummer in the world, or for that matter even the best drummer in town, but I take pride in my equipment, and I love owning nice gear that sounds good. Nice gear lasts longer, tunes easier and stays in tune, and doesn't break after hundreds of setups and teardowns. No matter what I perceive my ability level to be, those things are important to me and to those with whom I play.

I buy the tools that fit the need of what I'm doing, and I happen to enjoy using them. They aren't the best or the flashiest, but they are dependable, sound good, and work. So I very rarely have these feelings of guilt about having them... unless I'm not playing them as much as I think I ought to!

 

[Duck Tape]

There are more of you than I thought, I feel better now.

That is no small feat right there; Especially in this day and age. Please feel free to post links to any stuff you've played on.

I did say "KINDA" because I just play covers and do a little bit of session stuff here and there, but I do gig every weekend as well as have a day job. I have heard your fantastic playing so I don't think I'm going to wow you with my recordings.

What did you pick up and what are you selling? Let's hear about this collection Duck!

A collectors kit... Watching the classifieds like a gear obsessed idiot paid itself off because I got this kit PLUS a boatload of hardware (include air lift stuff) for what guys are asking for 3 pce shell packs around here. And I can't find a scratch anywhere.

I think it was the stands that triggered these thoughts... finding a place to put them in my little store room and seeing that I already had a bunch of stands that I don't use at all (as well as the stacked up drums). The drums I feel less guilty about because I use 2 of them for live stuff, one is big, one is small and they are both useful and get used. The Mapex Armory I got last week is going to have to go now.

I already put pictures up in the "what's your latest purchase" thread but here they are again.

 

[Jazz Man]

Ho MAN!!!

If I had the money and the space, I'd have a FULL BLOWN home recording studio with ALL KINDS of equipment.

As well as a full range of gear for touring.

So........don't feel TOO bad!!!