Cmdr. Ross
Platinum Member
Before the COVID, I frequented a local buy/sell/trade shop we have in town. They advertised guitar, electronics & band equipment repair, but nothing for drums.
So I asked the manager how I could get in on being a drumsmith for them.
I restrung a few djembe's & fixed about a half dozen snares all to their satisfaction before the warehouse guy asked if I had time to come down to his shop.
I got to their warehouse thinking he had more for me to fix, when I saw 4 pallets of drum kits in various condition. I saw a few gems in the stack, but he wouldn't let me take it apart to see the rest.
I asked him what he was going to do with these & he said he'd sell them to me for $100 a pallet.
So needless to say, I came home with 4 pallets of drums for $400.
In them were drums from Tama, Slingerland, Sonor & Ludwig. Hand drums from Remo, Toca & Tycoon & hardware from almost every brand.
Don't get me wrong, it's not like I had SQ's or Starclassics here. Most were beginner lines & the hardware was clearly sitting in a garage for quite sometime.
But the opportunity to hone my drumsmithing skills by problem solving the issues they had was golden! I learned a lot about how I can fix drums & work the wood to make what's cheap sound good.
I sold 99% of what was there to those looking to get into drumming as well as keeping a few pieces for myself. My rolling toolbox of parts & hardware accessories is full & many of them have helped me with future gigs.
So my question is: Has anyone here been to an estate or garage sale and scored on what was quantity over quality but you bought it anyway?
So I asked the manager how I could get in on being a drumsmith for them.
I restrung a few djembe's & fixed about a half dozen snares all to their satisfaction before the warehouse guy asked if I had time to come down to his shop.
I got to their warehouse thinking he had more for me to fix, when I saw 4 pallets of drum kits in various condition. I saw a few gems in the stack, but he wouldn't let me take it apart to see the rest.
I asked him what he was going to do with these & he said he'd sell them to me for $100 a pallet.
So needless to say, I came home with 4 pallets of drums for $400.
In them were drums from Tama, Slingerland, Sonor & Ludwig. Hand drums from Remo, Toca & Tycoon & hardware from almost every brand.
Don't get me wrong, it's not like I had SQ's or Starclassics here. Most were beginner lines & the hardware was clearly sitting in a garage for quite sometime.
But the opportunity to hone my drumsmithing skills by problem solving the issues they had was golden! I learned a lot about how I can fix drums & work the wood to make what's cheap sound good.
I sold 99% of what was there to those looking to get into drumming as well as keeping a few pieces for myself. My rolling toolbox of parts & hardware accessories is full & many of them have helped me with future gigs.
So my question is: Has anyone here been to an estate or garage sale and scored on what was quantity over quality but you bought it anyway?