Nice set, beater set, which goes where?

Say you have two full kits - one is a beater, the other is a masterpiece. What do you do for gigs?

  • Keep the pride and joy at home and away from the abuse of the road. The beater kit goes to gigs.

    Votes: 10 30.3%
  • The beater is at home for practice and the nice kit goes on the stage.

    Votes: 4 12.1%
  • Depends on the gig (aka the boring, responsible answer)

    Votes: 19 57.6%

  • Total voters
    33

dkerwood

Silver Member
Say you have two full kits - one is a beater, the other is your pride and joy. What do you do with them?

A) Keep the pride and joy at home and away from the abuse of the road. The beater kit goes to gigs. Of course, this means you never get to show off your masterpiece.
B) The beater is at home for practice and the nice kit goes on the stage. Sure, it picks up road rash, but it's so much more fun to play!

What say ye?
 
Say you have two full kits - one is a beater, the other is your pride and joy. What do you do with them?

A) Keep the pride and joy at home and away from the abuse of the road. The beater kit goes to gigs. Of course, this means you never get to show off your masterpiece.
B) The beater is at home for practice and the nice kit goes on the stage. Sure, it picks up road rash, but it's so much more fun to play!

What say ye?
My first "pro level" drum set was my ONLY drum set for quite a few years (20+, actually) ..... so there WAS no beater kit. It saw a lot of gigs, and when I finally moved it along ..... I made WAY MORE money than I paid for it. Funny how the used/vintage market is;)

Once I sold the Vistalites, all my current kits, I've bought used. Certainly some "a little more used" than others. But everyone of 'em can be taken out. For quite a few years, my go to "beater kit" was a Yamaha Recording Custom. 'cause an RC will pretty much work in every situation.

I wouldn't ever own a kit I'd be afraid to take out.
 
Well guess what! My pride and joy kit goes to the gig.
Why? Because I'm 71 years old and I don't want to let someone else use my pride and joy kit for gigging.
Come on, how many years do I have before I can't lug drums around to gigs anymore?
I have been keeping my pride and joy drum kit at home for many years. That time has passed.

.
 
I don’t really think of my drums in those terms. I have two primary kits, but I think of them more in terms of an A and B, and that has more to do with their sound and configuration than any perceived value.
 
I picked option C. I don't have a cheap beater kit at the moment, I would like to have one but don't have the space to store it right now. I would always prefer to gig with my nice kit if it is a valid option, but at some venues we play, things can get a bit heated, less distance to the audience (my music tends to get people headbanging and starts moshpits, so it can be a hazard at times), I have to maybe share my kit with other bands, such things. It would have to be a kit with enough quality that I trust it will sound good and not break down though, maybe a Stage Custom or so. Might be wrong to call those beater kits, but compared to my Oak Hybrid, it is easier to handle dings and scratches, don't have to worry as much...
 
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For many years, my Stage Custom *was* my pride and joy, but also was my only kit, so it did everything and went everywhere. When I got my vintage Ludwigs, they were in serious player-grade condition, but because of the pedigree I never thought of them as a 'beater' kit. They do most of the work these days, and the Yamahas only tend to come out for specific gigs that call for that sound, or if I've got the Ludwigs set up somewhere for a theater or studio gig.
 
For this reason, I need a beater kit

The pride and joy is the dedicated studio kit. I don’t even have cases for it (when I did, I took her outside once last year)

I was thinking of getting a custom case, but with a tag of 1900,- I held off from that idea for now.

But this beast is being used on an almost daily basis, so no museum piece here.
 
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I’m not exposing my Prem Gen X to kit share gigs, drunk punters etc, but for the right gig I would deffo take them out. My Pearl Export will be my go to beater kit, for which I have built a decent shell bank 2x22”, 10”, 12”, 14”, 16”. I’ve also got a nice selection of snares which are all suitable for gigs… :) (y)
 
Well guess what! My pride and joy kit goes to the gig.
Why? Because I'm 71 years old and I don't want to let someone else use my pride and joy kit for gigging.
Come on, how many years do I have before I can't lug drums around to gigs anymore?
I have been keeping my pride and joy drum kit at home for many years. That time has passed.

.
WEll said !!
 
This is what I have now. I want to perfrom with my main kit as much as possible, and this is one reason why I chose a wrap finish. However, if the gig looks too dicey or too small, I have a second kit that is basically a smaller/cheaper version of the main one. The second kit usually gets used for practice and rehearsals too.
 
If I know only I am going to play the kit then I will bring out either my Recording Custom's or my Pearl Masters Redline. For tours & kit share then I will use my Premier Projector & that is by no means a 'beater' :)
 
both of my kits are "valuable"...both are worth a decent amount of money, and both get used all the time. On the road and at practice..

I guess that relegates my electric kit to the "eater" kit status, cause it only gets used for practice...and it is pretty cheap compared to other electronic kits...
 
As long as the kit can stand up to gigging I couldn't care how much it cost.

Pointless having an instrument that you don't use. It's a bit spinal tap guitar collection scene!
 
I had a really nice DW kit that I was felt uneasy about taking to gigs, so I bought a “beater” kit to gig with. That beater kit turned out to be my favorite kit ever (1970 Ludwig Downbeat) and got me started on the road to exploring vintage drums.

I have since gotten rid of the “pride and joy” DW kit, and bought a few kits that I don’t gasp about when a sound guy knocks into them with a mic stand.
 
It totally depends on the gig.

Dive bars = beater kit
Upscale clubs = nice kit
Somewhere in between = judgement call
 
I'd play my pride and joy kit anywhere if it wasn't for kit sharing. I don't want other drummers bashing the hell out of the shells. by changing the config around or using a pedal without rubber clamps. But i'll lend anyone my beater, provided it comes back working
 
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