The essential piece is always the one you can't afford at the time!

It's kinda like everything else I would assume. One man's trash is another man's treasure. What this drummer likes, the others may not. Stick with what you personally enjoy and you won't go wrong.

No. It is strictly personal. As soon as one states that every collection should have a Supra ... seven hundred sixty three people will refute the logic. So, collect what you enjoy and play what you collect. It is and ever shall be a heart thing.

I am in a similair situation as you. I am trying to compile a collection of the workhorse snares of the different manufacturers. I figure this will give me a baseline to personally judge all others, based on my own ear, for my own uses. I pretty much got this list from reading this site for a couple years and taking the most popular, at least most talked about, snares from it. My punchlist for this is:

Sound King

Acro

Supra

Powertone

Artist

Pioneer

maybe a Jazzfest

maybe a Hollywood Ace

There are omissions, obviously, but I don't wish to spend huge money for this endeavor. It is more for a sound comparison than a portfolio.

I figure owning these snares will give me enough of a range of vintage snares to forumulate my own opinions on what sound is desirable.

Hopefully this helps???

toodles

drumhack band2Laughing HStorm Trooper:DD' Drummer

Whatever strikes your fancy. But what is actually available and affordable is a whole different story. If I see a deal somewhere I grab it, I try to steer clear of eBay unless I absolutely have to have something.

I also try to steer clear of eBay...for multiple reasons. Honestly get whatever is affordable, that you personally think is cool or that you would enjoy, and test it out. Everyone has different tastes so to say something is THE ONE for everyone simply don't work.

For example, some people steer clear of MIJ kits. I really like mine so far...so where someone would tell you to stay away from Star or Pearl, I would buy em if they were affordable.

Thanks for all the input. I've been curious after seeing many people's collection either through pictures or in displays in person. It seems like people have a Ludwig Acrolite, a black beauty or sound king, and a Pioneer or Jazzfest.

I have used eBay a few times on strange looking drums that the person did not know what they had. I got a Gretsch Junior Pro and a Super Sound King because the seller just listed a drum they found in an attic or garage.

you could also look at it this way. For a snare collection. A Steel, Aluminum, Brass, and wood snare. Sizes from 6" 1/2" x 14" to 5" x 14".

I always try to collect drums/kits that have something special about it. It may simply be a killer deal - then you really should snag it up, and decided later to keep or to flip for a profit. But as I said - generally I only keep unique and 'special' drums.

For example, I was searching for a flip recently and came across a Majestic (MIJ). This is in great shape (no rust) and had a wrap color I have never seen before (Please let me know if you have seen this before and what color they called it). Also, Majestics are special in that their lugs are offset. So, I decided to keep it, though once I sell off the peripherals, the drums themselves will be FREE. Ya gotta love that!

See the attached pic of my recent score!

Have fun!

John

You may want to separate your collecting into two categories: Player drums and Collectible drums...

Mike Curotto