How many kits is too many.

pcastag

Senior Member
I just rose up to 4, sonor delite, newport and phonic, yamaha club custom. Only three snares. All of the kits are so unique and sound so good I can't really depart with one. Am I a drum hoarder?
 
Nah, you're just passionate about the sounds you need to produce! I can't believe you don't have at least ten snares ;)

BAM!

Yeah, if you're passionate about the different sounds from the different kits, then you are "justified" in having them, either as a player or a collector. I agree with Bo: you need more snares. And cymbals. LOTS of cymbals.

If it gets to the point where you can't find a use for all of your kits, and some of them just end up sitting around, and you're not "collecting" them, then it's time to let some go. As for me, I have 5 kits right now. One of them is sitting in a studio (3 day session...), one of them is sitting at my church (my "gift" of letting them borrow my set until they can afford to buy it), one of them is sitting in the pit at a musical I'm playing for the next 4 weeks (along with my timpani, one of my xylophones, and one of my glockenspiels...), one of them is sitting in cases, ready to go for 2 gigs this weekend, and the last one is set up for teaching in my studio.
 
Depends on how much storage you have, haha. I definitely need more space for my two kits. I think having two or three accessible kits makes sense. I think having more snares, sticks, and cymbals is just as important, and usually more varied in sound.
 
Nice Sonor choices! The Club customs are great too.

You do need more snares.

Your problem is not great. Check out Bermuda's kits in the Ludwig thread and check out my signature.
 
One can never have enough drums and cymbals.
I currently have 6 kits, 8 snares, and 12 cymbals.
My collection is considered to be small.
 
Yeah, I've had lots and lots of different snares, I just found two that are so awesome I really can't see myself playng anything else. My 17 year old son has three snares as well so in reality we have six in the house.

Sonor phonic rosewood reissue- 5.75
Delite square badge- 5
craviotto oak - 4x12
ludiwig pioneer nob- 5
premier vintage mahogany - this is a sleeper, great sounding drum!
PDP single ply maple.

My kit that doesn't get much use is the newport, had it set up for a practice kit, but since I bought the club customs I have my delites set up for practice, club customs and phonics ( in jazz sizes) go out depending on the gig.

Well as least I'm not alone!
PC
 
I'm not really playing a 'set' as such. I have a different bass drum from the toms I use and the snare is one of Andy's fine snares. I have too many drums because they're not all being played but I know that they all serve differing purposes and situations rather than just buying the same thing over and over (sound like anyone?). In sets I probably have three and a half although some are shells that need renovating. If we count bass drums, four, snares three and four 'main' cymbals aside from odd splashes I have and an effect crash covered in rivets.

I like a lot of different sounds. In fact, only two of my cymbals are the same make and they're both in the 'effect/specific/esoteric' category. Snares? Three, one currently in playing condition.
 
Having multiple kits with different sizes/configurations isn't really a problem, assuming there's a need for a variety of sounds.

Having multiple kits that are alike might ber considered excessive, unless you're a collector. And in that case, you can't have too many!

I do some collecting, but my primary local working kits are based around 7 kicks and 13 toms of different sizes/materials. They're all the same finish, so I can mix'n'match, and go from bop to Bonham.

Bermuda
 
I do some collecting, but my primary local working kits are based around 7 kicks and 13 toms of different sizes/materials. They're all the same finish, so I can mix'n'match, and go from bop to Bonham.

Bermuda

I did the same thing, sort of, ending up with two large kits in the same finish, but different wood. I can mix them up and use them as I please with hardly any notice at'all.

To answer the question ... one more than I currently own (although I want one more, believe me).
 
IMO - it's too many when you have sets you don't use.

I have multiple similar sets, but I mix and match them for different configurations.

Collecting as a hobby is a different story. I can sort of understand it, but think it would be better if those kits (or pieces) were used by someone instead of just sitting in storage - YMMV.
 
In my case, have 3 different finishes.

Mainly, I use 3 different colors with the same configuration. One kit is a little smaller (amount of drums) for one particular band.
Mine are (now) all the same make and wood, but I've already tried other stuff. What I have now is what I've liked, and kept coming back to.
Don't know if that would be considered hoarding, but it's nice to have the color options, and I have the space.

In your case, I'd say it's not hoarding at all, because your kits are different from each other.

On accumulating snares, if you are collecting something special/limited etc..., you're collecting for personal enjoyment, kind of like an art collection.

For "non-collectible" snares, it's cool to have a few different sound options available.

I think after 4 or 5, unless someone does a lot of different stuff, and records, it's not necessary to have a bunch of snares. I still wouldn't call it hoarding at 10 or 15 if someone really enjoys a good snare drum, even if something doesn't get played much.
At the least, IMO, anyone who plays out should have 2 snares--and bring both to gigs in case something fails. That's just being prepared and professional for your band, or whoever hired you IMO.
 
I love drums, and I love different sounding drums. I have a Ludwig 6 ply kit, a Ludwig Vistalite kit, a 80's Premier Baron set, a Gretsch Round Badge kit, a Yamaha Recording Custom kit, and an RMV kit. And a Ludwig Club Date project ongoing. And I'm adding a Gretsch 26" kick, to my Round Badge set (another project).​
As long as it makes you happy, I don't see the harm. Happiness seems to be a scarce commodity in this world, today.​
 
The thing to think about is Do I use them. Are they getting played. You know whether or not you have too many before you even ask. THe other thing to think about is the fact that you can't own every sound there is. Buy'em and stack'em and on and on and on? Make yourself a nice big pile of drums and cymbals,and then what? When will you really play all that stuff for all it's worth?
 
It depends on if you ask me or my wife....hehehe.

Like others have said, as long as they have a purpose (whether they're for different gigs, sounds,. configs, collecting, etc) and you aren't losing the roof over your head or food off your table (at least not too much!) then you're golden.

Also like others have already mentioned, it is impossible to have too many snares and cymbals!!!
 
i agree with youse guys. i have three complete sets, and they are are completely different from each other, and they all get played a lot. i'm thinking about number four. you bet i am. and you do need more snares.
 
I had three sets and earlier this year decided it was time to sell off one. Two just sitting around in bags with my long term projected view of gigging didn't make sense to me.

I currently have two that are identical in sizes and colors but doesn't matter to me since it's what I prefer. I only keep two because I'm lazy and don't want to take one set up and down the few times a year I need to gig.

If sometime in the future I end up in the position of needing to leave a practice kit someplace, the secondary market is continuously flooded with options.

Only have two snares as well. Both wood but slightly different depths. Looking to add a third sometime in the future when I can afford one of Andy's Guru's.

Cymbals on the other hand.... well... I'm not in Bermuda's league but by many standards I have way more than I should or need. Since they take up such little space to store, I don't mind. Plus, having the palette of sounds to swap in and out (which I occasionally do) is nice.
 
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