For 15 years, from the time I was 16 until last summer, my 1950s RBs were the only kit I had. And of course I was gigging much more in my teens and 20s than I do now that I've got a busy job, a lovely wife, and a 15-month-old girl. I've played plenty of shows with those RBs, from parking lots to clubs, and they're in the same beautiful condition they were in when I first got them. I've always been careful with them, but I never felt the need to keep them in a glass case.
Looking back, this was probably reckless. I'm blessed to have them in such good shape after years of gigging with nothing but Nomad fiberboard cases to protect them. But I suppose it just shows how resilient these instruments are. They're made to be played out.
That said, fatherhood has activated my protective gene, so I'm anxious about taking the RBs out again and I don't want to push my luck.
I've arrived at a happy solution: I found a beat-up 1965 Ludwig Combo set for about $150, converted a 1966 Ludwig 12x15 marching snare with bowtie lugs into a matching floor tom, and rewrapped the whole kit. That kit cost only a few hundred dollars in total, and it has absolutely no collector's value -- but it's still a 1960s Ludwig kit, and it sounds like one. I'll still take good care of it when it's out for gigs, but now I've got a vintage kit that doesn't trigger spasms of fear and guilt when I think about taking it to a dingy club. Problem solved!
jonnistix, I'd love to hear some of your kits in action. I've seen the cosmetic work you do on these sets, and I'm blown away -- do you have any recordings you can share?
