I dont see a happy ending to this story.If they were that dumb to wreck everything,duct tape the drum,use orange crates,maybe they need to move into a nice happy place with padded,sound proof walls. Its a nice happy place with plenty of lithium and prozac...Sweet Dreams!

I certainly did dumb things starting out. I remember filling my kick drum full of newspaper and liking the dull thud. I reasoned if it worked for the kick it should work for everything. I filled my rack, floor and snare drum with newspaper. Ugh. I also recall suspending a microphone from a series of strings from the rafters in my basement so I could sing. I didn't own a mic stand of course.

One thing I can tell you is that a lot of kids are fascinated with speed metal and the various iterations thereof. What they are learning is a ton (and I mean a ton) of chops because that genre is nothing but incredibly fast. They also hit really hard as that is what their heros, with their endorsements do. I have seen quite a few kids playing that way. It is fascinating to see those kinds of chops but it is quite destructive to equipment. I have a friend whose son goes through cymbals like butter. I told him to quit buying them for him. They are not expendable. This is a genre that is not for the faint of heart and certainly no place for vintage gear. Tell him to buy one of George Lawrence and Joe Partridge's "Indestructo" snare drums. Good luck breaking that!

Eventually drumming as sport will evolve into drumming as music. Then these kids will hopefully be good musicians that can just happen to play 32nd notes between their hands and feet at 160bpm. Until then, leave the vintage gear alone.

The saga continues.

I immediately offered to sell him a snare stand and he said they keep breaking, AND he said he preferred the sound of the drum sitting on the tub. He said the tape kept it from falling off!!!

I offered to buy back the drum or trade it, NOT INTERESTED!!

So I agreed to prepare it for more torture. ouch.

I replaced the top head with one of those "Kevlar" marching snare heads. Some of the snares were snapped and had punctured the reso head. I replaced it with a clear ambassador. I cut an 8 inch circle from the old head and taped it on top of the top head. Replaced the snares.

I also swapped out the hoops with a set of double flanged cheapo's from another project and replaced the tension rod.

Then I begged him to get a snare stand, he finally conceded and bought a rock solid 80's Mapex that I had been hanging on to.

I also offered him a few free drum lessons, after his Dad told me that his school music teacher kicked him out of lessons and told him he'd never play drums or any instrument.

I understand why, he won't listen or do anything you ask him to do. He insisted on playing everything I tried to show him at full volume. I gave up after a half hour with no success.

He's def into speed metal and can do amazingly fast double bass pedal but the speed comes with heavy sticks and deadly blows.

I also gave father and son a lesson on tuning. The dad told me he fixes cars and thought you just crank the tension rods down until they won't turn anymore!! (P.S. 2 awesome stingrays in the garage, '68 and maybe '70)

So now I'm searching for a "concrete" snare for about 200-250 to trade for the Gretsch. Or maybe I get it back one piece at a time. Any suggestions?

I need something that will entice the kid because he gets what ever he wants.

A little help?

Wise words here.

That's basically my story: faster, louder, harder, heavier...and then I grew up and became musical. I have hope for this kid.

No doubt he's got skills but how much gear will he trash before he becomes musical and starts respecting the instrument? Especially with a dad who will dumps wads of cash on him.

Money can't buy you love, pops! Stop spoiling this brat (how old is he?).

Did you say this is a ten-lug snare? If so, I'm going to need the address of the drum's location and the drum's serial number, so I can do a Vintage Drum Abuse Intervention/Confiscation/Exorcism.

This story better get a happy ending.

B

PS - Buy this speed-demon a cheap, used, small snare (or something from this decade) and get yours back. See? You never should have sold it in the first place. I hold you personally accountable for that snare's well-being.

what a horror story! man if i had learned my lesson sooner i would be such a better drummer.. i was always too cocky to take advice and lessons.. now i suck and ive been playing for 16 years.

My music roots are rock and roll, and heavy metal 60's- 90's.

I play hard but haven't broken a head or really any sticks in years, well probably a decade. A former co worker of mine is in a band Embrace the End, you can look them up on YouTube. Their drummer plays incredibly fast but does not hit hard at all. Most new metal drummers use triggers on their kicks because they are hitting so fast and light it would sound like a fluttering.

Most death/hardcore/grindcore ect. Drummers are putting on a show, a lot like guitar players that look like they are passing a kidney stone during a guitar solo.

Maybe turning him on to the notion that these guys are playing fast and fluid not hard and sloppy. not hitting through the drums but rather on them with some "pulled punches" he might see the light.

As for the drum, its gone... Sorry to be the one to tell you so, but to you it's never going to be as nice as it once was, and if your are like me it's gonna kill you every time you look at it. Use that 400 toward a dream snare.

Best way to look at it is everyone else's SSB cob just went up in value.

The worst part to for me is I still need one for my rosewood set!CryBaby

Hopefully the kid will learn someday. As for the drum, let it go. Once you sold it, it was out of your hands. Use the money to buy another COB Gretsch. I know it's tough knowing what this kid is doing to a vintage instrument but it's his drum now. Hopefully when he's more mature he will realize his abuse to this drum and start taking care of it.

I appreciate all the advice and empathy, actually my drums are like my children except my drums have never told me to go f#** myself. I have a hard time letting go. When ever I do sell something I feel this irrational need to make sure it has a good home, and check in on it occasionally.

I don't think I'm alone here. I bought a snare from a guy a while back and he sends me an email every 6 months or so to ask how I'm doing and How the snare is doing.