What piece of gear has spoiled you?

****Oddly, what has spoiled me is the following:

- Yamaha EAD10
- Custom Sensiphonics ear plugs
- Rock & Roller R8 cart

The EAD10 because it reduces what I need to bring to wedding band gigs, where space is tight, and also allows me to have a lower profile setup. At home, being able to not have to setup all my mics, do a video/audio edit for a video, has made life easier as well. And it has a click in there!

The ear plugs because of the fact that I like being able to hear things. Now, when in louder areas, my ears get super sensitive to not having them, so I carry the throw away 12 dollar ones, as a back up, but they are not as good as my custom ones.

The rock and roller cart has spoiled me, even with one or two gigs I cannot use it, I realize how much easier my load-ins are with the cart. After a 5 hour wedding, being able to roll my stuff out, as opposed to take 3-4 trips, carrying my stuff, has made my "day after" situations significantly easier.

****This is all pre-pandemic, when there were these things called "gigs". It was weird. people would get together, play the same song at the same time, sometimes they would improvise, and people would listen and even clap if the performance was deemed acceptable. It was crazy!
 
Hands down, it's the Tune-Bot which has spoiled me. My kits all sound professionally tuned now, and it's easy to keep them that way.

I tune friend's drums and rehearsal studio kits too, given the chance. Once you get used to great sounding drums, it's hard to ignore wonky, dissonant sounding kits which sadly, is most of the ones I encounter.
 
I don't really like playing a crappy snare, but the rest of my kit isnt something that would be considered special by most.

The general votes would go to:

1) My stick of choice. Colaiuta sigs.

2) My thrones(s). Roc'n'Soc cycle seat.

3) Practice pad. Xymox (Though I'm sure there are other alternatives out there today.)

4) L80s. When you don't have access to a kit, especially for longer periods, they make a lot of difference.
 
I don't have one specific item. I try to buy things that enhance the gear I already have. I kind of have this weird swirling vortex of gear that enables me to reach for something that will suit any situation. A drum/cymbal/hardware/stick/cases galaxy if you will. :cool:
 
Non-gear related it was having a Moeller specialist at uni so from the age of 19 I've been playing ache and pain free.

With drum gear it was my first big boy snare I got when I was 19, 2003 was a good year! It's a 1984 last of the Chicago era 402. It belonged to the guy from Neds Atomic Dustbin who are a local band (anyone remember the early 90s Levellers, Wonderstuff, Neds, Pop Will Eat Itself), he'd picked it up on tour in the US and used it in the studio. I paid £100 for it and still own it. Looks nothing like a 402, it's set the bar for every snare I've bought since, I've recorded it tons and still gig it all over the place.

This worldmax that's in the post has some standards to meet! Here's a pic of the old girl after I had to put a new strainer on and some fresh heads last year. I'd love to know how she ended up blue!
That snare was a steal!! Nice one! (y) :D Ps have you considered a DC hoop on the batter side? :unsure: ;)
 
Each and every piece of gear on my kit spoils me, that's the goal. I've never played a kit that sounded like I want it...except mine....because it's mine.

Nice toms on some kits (definitely not all) but there's always something that doesn't sit well with me, the snare or bass drum or cymbals/hi hats

With my kit, my cymbals, toms, kick, snare, throne, sticks, footpedal, heck even my 2 cowbells that I chose that are an octave apart....every single voice on my kit spoils me and IMO I feel as if I can't improve my drum tone anymore. I no longer am tempted by gear, I'm DONE BABY!
 
A couple things that I thank myself for purchasing every day .
Roc N Soc nitro tractor style throne with backrest- have had this at least 15 years and works perfectly - no back issues at all

Rock N Roller Cart - greatest purchase I have made - mine is going on over 20 years and still works perfectly

Beato Bags - I have owned pretty much every bag made and hard case and the Beato bags are the best combination of features to keep your drums safe and protected . Just superb bags and well worth the price .
 
I don't really like playing a crappy snare, but the rest of my kit isnt something that would be considered special by most.

The general votes would go to:

1) My stick of choice. Colaiuta sigs.

2) My thrones(s). Roc'n'Soc cycle seat.

3) Practice pad. Xymox (Though I'm sure there are other alternatives out there today.)

4) L80s. When you don't have access to a kit, especially for longer periods, they make a lot of difference.


Who is making the Vinnie sticks these days?
 
I wish I could say the EAD10, but for me it was just a frustrating mess. It would be killer in the traditional 5pc setup, but 1U/2D and the ride was super hot and the 2nd ft non existent. Add LV drumming to the mix and the problem amplified. Their LV firmware helped, but not enough. Not sure I would have kept it without the LV stuff. The whole 1U/2D thing was far ti imbalanced to work. It would be the bomb on a traditional 5pc with elements in distances where the EAD was designed.

For me my Roc-n-Soc Nitro Round greatly improved my balance over the tractor seat. Swapping from the DW5000 HH stand to the Mapex Falcon. Far more responsive than the 5000. I later replaced this with the Yamaha CrossTown and playability remained the same. The 5000 just has a feel I don't get along with. The Mapex Falcon pedal finally ended my quest for the perfect pedal. Later I discovered the Yamaha FP6100 and 7200 series pedals with their blatant simplicity is what I liked. Couldn't really tell the difference between them and the Falcon, so went that rout. I just don't think of the three contact points anymore like I used to. Just sit and play.
 
Who is making the Vinnie sticks these days?

Nobody, for along time.

I went a bit crazy when they discontinued the Zildjians, so I have about 50 pairs of those. I have a few Vics, but not many. Think the ones I have on my pad and the really worn out pair on my kit are the last ones, but I have a bunch stored with a relative in New Jersey and I believe they're a mixture. I don't remember. They're there really just because the seller wouldn't ship outside the US.

I doubt they'll ever get made again, so I'm planning on making my own. Reality is that I'm pretty well set for at least 10 years though, so there's no rush, which is good. I don't have the time nor the will to get involved in that right now.
 
Nobody, for along time.

I went a bit crazy when they discontinued the Zildjians, so I have about 50 pairs of those. I have a few Vics, but not many. Think the ones I have on my pad and the really worn out pair on my kit are the last ones, but I have a bunch stored with a relative in New Jersey and I believe they're a mixture. I don't remember. They're there really just because the seller wouldn't ship outside the US.

I doubt they'll ever get made again, so I'm planning on making my own. Reality is that I'm pretty well set for at least 10 years though, so there's no rush, which is good. I don't have the time nor the will to get involved in that right now.

That's what I thought.

I found a new pair I had stashed away of the Zildjian versions in an old hardware case and I felt like I'd found the holy grail haha.

New pair of pad sticks!
 
Bass drum bags. Why didn’t I know about these bloody things years ago? My shins and knuckles are no longer black from carrying my bass drum in a stupid hard case. I’m quite sure the Hardcase used to weigh more empty, than it did with a drum in it..
 
My DW Remote HiHat.

It is my main HiHat...allows me to use an alternate setup that has become fundamental to my playing.

...a close second is my Axis Dbl Pdl.
 
I’ve always just upgraded as I go. Gone from an okay kit with okay cymbals, to a great kit with great cymbals.

My cymbals are probably what spoils me the most. I’m obsessed.

14.25” K Custom Hybrid hi-hats
20” HHX Evolution ride
18” AAX Freq Crash
16” AAX Concept Crash
And then an assortment of splashes and a China that I mix in and out according to my caprice.
 
Birdland sticks by Bopworks
the smallness of these give a whole different timbre to every instrument. And with a long taper they rebound off the slightest touch.
They are still making them, but you can't order enough for free shipping now. $15 for a pair is steep for me. So, I am slowly getting used to Vic's maple 5As. But it's not the same, spoiled.
 
I'm weird about my throne, spent a decent amount and I take it almost everywhere I play because I guess it's spoiled me and life is too short for bad thrones.
 
My Porter & Davies throne. Or as some of my band mates call it, the butt packer. Without it, it feels like the bottom end drops out of the kit. I don’t practice with it, but at gigs it makes every groove feel so much better. I can relax because I don’t feel the need to stomp on the bass drum.
 
My Porter & Davies throne. Or as some of my band mates call it, the butt packer. Without it, it feels like the bottom end drops out of the kit. I don’t practice with it, but at gigs it makes every groove feel so much better. I can relax because I don’t feel the need to stomp on the bass drum.
I've got to try one DD. Thanks for bringing that back into my thoughts.
 
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