That's one gorgeous drum! May I ask a question? Why do you collect so many drums? I mean, is it an investment that you hope will one day pay off big? Where do you store 600 drums? Do you play them? Are they insured? Not being a collector or having any desire to be one, I'm just curious to how the collectors mind works. ExcitedBowing

Outstanding snare!! Thanks for letting everyone see.

Can't speak for Mr. Curotto, but I like having an example of all variations for whatever has caught my fancy. The search for a missing item can take years and when found a few moments of joy then back to the search for the next missing bit.

Creighton

Q: Why do you collect so many drums?

A: I like to collect sets of snares e. g. 4x14, 5x14, 6.5x14 6 lug Black Beauties...4x14, 5x14, 6.5x14 8 lug Black Beauties...4x14, 5x14, 6.5x14 10 lug Black Beauties... The same thing in 15" shells etc. I also like to collect the many different finishes that were available, some very rare and some common.

Q: is it an investment that you hope will one day pay off big?

A: Not really thinking of them as an investment even though they are to a certain degree. I just love to collect them. It's just a hobby, albeit a very serious hobby. If the drums bring in some extra money in my later years then cool but if these drums were worth $1.50 tomorrow I would obviously be disappointed but I can honestly say that I still had a blast collecting them.

Q:Where do you store 600 dru ms?

A: Check out the latest Drum! Magazine. It's The History of the Snare Drum issue. You will see the inside of my home. I store about 200 snares on custom Plexi-Glass shelves in the entry way of my home. Another 40 or so in what would normally be a dining room. The rest are in custom cabinets in my garage.

Q: Do you play them?

A: No, I don't play vintage drums, I play modern day drums. I just collect vintage snare drums. My vintage drums are set up as they were 80, 85, 90 + years ago i. e. calf heads, gut/silk-wound/Snappi snares and all original hardware. They sound like crap but that is the correct and authentic sound.

Q: Are they insured?

A: Yes they are.

Mike Curotto

Thank you Mike! One more question if you don't mind, are you a married man? If so, you must have the greatest wife in the history of great wives. Cool1

Yes, married for 26 years, yes, my wife is very cool about my collecting but I pay for it in other ways. She doesn't question how or why I collect but she still thinks I'm nuts. She does make an ocassional observation but mostly limited to: "that drum is ugly or that drum is pretty" She does vicariously enjoy any notoriety that may come my way. I'm sure that if I didn't already play drums and teach drums, in other words another profession, that I wouldn't be able to get away with this situation.

Mike Curotto