My Boutique brands journey

RickP

RickP

Gold Member
I have always had a fondness for the underdog which may explain my fondness for boutique brands . I have owned quite a few boutique manufacturer drums and thought it might interest a few of you with my thoughts on some of the brands .

Noble and Cooley - I developed a friendship with the Jones family and loved the history of the drums . They are well made and have some unique features like the Cool Mount . They literally do not make a bad drum IMHO . The Jones family is not as involved with the Company anymore . The new regime has kept the quality going and that is a good thing . I have owned both Horizon and CD Maples kits and about ten of their snares over the years . IMG_0570.jpeg
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INDe (Independent Drum Labs) - Josh Allen is a genius IMHO. His hardware designs and philosophy on drum builds are just fantastic . I am a big fan of you could not tell already . He really gets what a good gig kit requires . His drums are lightweight , sound fabulous and have reliable fittings . The only thing I wish he would do is a nice gloss lacquer finish . IMG_0562.jpeg

Summit Drums - Gary Posey specializes in steambent drums . He makes snares and kits . He gets some beautiful boards in exotic woods and his workmanship is top notch . He does very nice oil finishes . He made me a steambent curly maple kit in short stack sizes that was great for tight spaces and rehearsals . He does regular size drums as well . One of the nice things wi TM Gary is he allows you to pick out the wood you get your drum produced from . He will put any hardware on the drums you want . The shells are lightweight and stable too . IMG_0573.jpeg


TRS Custom Drums - Seppo Salminen is a long time drum builder and restorer . He does superb lacquer finishes and bearing edges . He has done work for Neil Peart and Charlie Watts along others . I consider him one of the finest painters and finishers in the industry IMHO . He has a few drum lines so I am sure anyone can find something that would work for them . IMG_0569.jpegIMG_0559.jpeg

Whitney Nesting Penguin Drums
These may be the lightest and best designed nesting kit of any ai have experience with . I have long searched for drums that were portable and sounded great . I have had nesting kits from a number of brands and most of them were just too darn heavy or they just did not sound very good . The Whitney is he exception . A nested kit weighs less than 35lbs including the provided padded Ahead drum bag . The included quickframe os genius - it keeps the footprint small and allows for a quick repeatable set up .
I have owned two kits and darn it I wish I still had them . They are incredibly fat sounding drums that are so quick to dial in . Sure they look different but I have never owned a drum set that people has asked about more than these .

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Those Whitney Nesting Penguin's are phenomenal! I'd love to sit down behind those babies!
What's your feeling about Varus?
 
I have 8 snares from gary (Well, 3 not still delivered, so, 5 at home...) and 2 from Indé, no kit. I think AVA Drums, for the quality of a Stave drums is phenomenal as well...
 
Some beauty kits here, Rick! Wow!

If you were going to go the boutique route again, is there a brand or brands you would want to get next? If so, why?
 
Rick, I am just boringly conventional, in that it's always been drums from a major manufacturer, be it modern or vintage. Different strokes. Actually, I really like the Kings Custom snare drum I recently bought. The builder is Jason Reyes in South Jersey. He buys pre-made shells and hardware, and does the rest. Very nice quality and looks all around at a very fair price.

I worked with a drummer for a short while when I had my band, and he had a set of Whitneys and liked them. I could never get used to the way they looked. Likewise, I could never accept short stack drums. There's no question about Noble & Cooley's quality, and I like the Radio King style lugs on the TRS set, as well as the Blue Burst finish.
 
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I feel the same way, but it’s that resale that keeps me from pulling the trigger. There are a few small-shop brands I’d love to try out though.
 
Resale is the killer. I love getting custom instruments but you have to swallow the pill that you’re paying a higher than average price and you will never recoup more than half of that if you decide to sell.

Of course there’s always somebody saying “I don’t buy to sell, I will keep these always” and good for them. But sometimes we need the money, sometimes we really have to downsize, sometimes the custom stuff doesn’t deliver on our dream of how it should sound etc. and then you’re stuck with a too-expensive disappointment.

I still get custom made things now and then, but only if I decide to swallow that pill.
 
I had a Baltimore Drum Co. set (from new) for a few years.
GMS might be considered one of the first boutiques


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bongoman said:
Resale is the killer. I love getting custom instruments but you have to swallow the pill that you’re paying a higher than average price and you will never recoup more than half of that if you decide to sell.

Of course there’s always somebody saying “I don’t buy to sell, I will keep these always” and good for them. But sometimes we need the money, sometimes we really have to downsize, sometimes the custom stuff doesn’t deliver on our dream of how it should sound etc. and then you’re stuck with a too-expensive disappointment.

I still get custom made things now and then, but only if I decide to swallow that pill.
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This is definitely the truth.
I got to play a Varus once & loved them, but they're clearly outside my budget x10.
Were I to get one, I'd be in this boat. Mainly because what I heard when I played them might not be what I hear when I get them to my house or another stage.
Then I'm stuck with that "Too-expensive disappointment".

So I stick with what I know & love & just dream about what could be if money were no object.
 
bongoman said:
Resale is the killer. I love getting custom instruments but you have to swallow the pill that you’re paying a higher than average price and you will never recoup more than half of that if you decide to sell.

Of course there’s always somebody saying “I don’t buy to sell, I will keep these always” and good for them. But sometimes we need the money, sometimes we really have to downsize, sometimes the custom stuff doesn’t deliver on our dream of how it should sound etc. and then you’re stuck with a too-expensive disappointment.

I still get custom made things now and then, but only if I decide to swallow that pill.
Click to expand...


I have scratched the Boutique itch and got it out of my system . Pretty doubtful I will go that route again . It was fun owning these kits over the years but I will stick to the majors now .
 
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