I guess the only way I damage my drums is by not lubing up the tension rods. Other than that, I handle them carefully, store/transport them in cases, make sure not to over-tighten tom mounts/bass drum spurs/cymbal stands, and make sure I prevent tom and snare rub at all costs. I've only broken one cymbal in my time (B8 crash that I bashed for my first 3 years...) and one bass drum head (the beater came off, and the beater shaft went right through the head upon the next strike...).

only time I ever broke equipment was in Marching Band in High School..

Since then I've fixed numerous issues with drums that have come into my life.

No significant damage for me, just lots and lots of little bangs over time. Gotta play them though.

Patrick

When I first started my teacher had a 1967 set of Rogers which I was allowed to play for a good two years. And there was an old K stamp Zildjian from the 50s that had a two inch crack in the lathing. There were two cardinal rules.....

Nothing touches anything it isnt supposed to touch in the set up.

If you break that cymbal we are done.

That taught me a great deal about how not to damage stuff.

I never really damaged my Ludwigs but I feel I overdid the maintenance of them. Sounds weird doesn't it, but I cleaned the inside of the drums also and managed to erase the date stamps. They are 68-69s but I sure wish they still had those stamps. Back then I never realized their importance.

Tom

Oh, this is a fun topic. Nice one O-Lugs.

Ok, I admit it. When I was a kid I was quite careless when it came to caring for my drums (a mid 90's Sonor). For 15 yrs I transported this kit and all stands without cases and crammed them into cars/ vans that were too small and scratched them doing so :(. The drums were dropped. They were run into by overly excited bass players. My guitar players used to stand on and jump off of my bass drum. There are still Converse tread marks on that poor old Sonor. I've cracked cymbals that deserved far better treatment and hit the drums as hard as I could. I've over-tightened snare lugs and snare strands. Finally, I have never cleaned or lubed any peice of that poor kit.The next time I fly home to NY I should treat that old Sonor kit with some TLC, give it a good cleaning, and thank it for all it has put up with over the years. It has more than earned it.

James

My original 1969 Acrolite, has developed stress cracks on a few of the lug holes. it saw heavy, heavy! use for many, many , years!, so It's retired now the1966 model acrolite now takes the jobs!

Ive never really had any major damage to my drums.More like lack of preventive maintaince.My snare straps broke a couple of times in the middle of songs.Thank GOD I wasnt wearing cowboy boots when it happend.Shoestrings did come in handy for moments such as this.

Woo. Let me count the ways. Started in '62 with a Hollywood Ace snare that went though pep band and school orchestra. Broke both heads within three years from pure zeal and barometric pressure. Added to kit so that by junior high sock-hopper stage, had a cracked floor tom (thank you, audience participants) and a ripped bass head. (Didn't realize the mallet had flown off the pedal. Who knew?) Shreaded a 10" Zeldjian crash with mere enthusiasm and cracked both -- BOTH -- side of the original 12" HH set due to metal fatigue.

Clincher came much later after a college gig, when we all had retired for refreshment following a strong Xmas show. Came out around dawn to find it had snowed four inches and there was the kit, sans cases, sitting in the bed of the truck. Looked like a miniature bobsled run back there.

Afterstory: That was 1974. Bought cases that week and followed up with decades of kindness. That set is sitting upstairs right now and, save for one rod on the floor tom, no rust. Just some chrome dings and, like me, a little yellowing on the WMP. And, yeah, several new heads. Like a good woman, you prove you're sorry, they forgive.