Music is a conversation and for musicians, that continues off stage too. Playing or not playing is not the important part to me. I see newbies wander in here, looking for information, often excited about their find. And they are always treated well and given the benefit of years of collecting knowledge. Music right now needs support like that; to keep it in focus; to keep it valuable. So often now it's taken for granted. But here, nothing is taken for granted. Drums are a work of art to me. If I couldn't play I'd still want to look at them and talk about them. As has been said, there are no wrong opinions about this and I feel I know more about all of you from this conversation. I wish you good health to enjoy your collections and your music, whatever direction they may take. pk.

You're right, I've owned several different kits over the years, but I wind up selling them to get another. Personally, I'd rather sell it to someone who will use it, rather than having it stacked up in my rehearsal room. That's one reason I'm trying to sell my Rogers snare, I recently acquired a Gretsch snare that works for me better than the Rogers. Sure I could keep it and start a collection or use it occasionally and maybe I will.

"I reject your reality and substitute one of my own!"

Clapping Happy2

I have been playing drums since I was five years old. 57 next month. Dang time flys. I have played music for a living most of my adult life except for a couple of years as a special Education Teacher. I had never owned more than two sets of Ludwig drums and a partial Camco set until four and a half years ago. My first nice Ludwigs were destroyed in a club fire, the second set I bought after the fire in 1980 and played that one which is in my studio now. Then I stumbled on to this site. I had some nice GonBop Congas and one had split and I had some help from a member here and fixed and refinished them. They are beautiful. Then I completed my Camco Bass drum and tom. Then thought I would try my hand at fixing up a set and found a old PDP set I striped the wrinkled wrap and found some nice wood underneath. I refinished all the shells and lacquered them. I was hooked. I now have twelve nice sets. A couple collectors grade and some really fine players kits. I kept finding nice Vintage American, English, and German sets on CL for near nothing and restoring them. I appreciate and gig each set. Playing in different venues of different sizes and music from jazz to rock,blues,soul, I have a set for every type music and space allowance. I have no more room though for another set. I will set one up I am thinking about selling but just can't. When i rehab a set it is like one of my children. He probably doesn't remember but Vintagemore 2000 was the first person I had private message conversation on here with when I had a late 30's Slingerland tom someone gave me from CL, and he was giving me some info about it. I watched and listened and have learned so much and it has been a wonderful hobby and experience to find and work on these classic old drums I now own. I know I am going to have to thin the heard one day and already know which sets will be the last to go, but for now I am enjoying playing each and every one of them. And I don't have a lot compared to a whole lot of the members here. I actually don't have a lot of money in all the sets either. I could sell a extra cymbal or pedal or something I got with a set and reduce my investment even more. I just know the joy I got, and get out of working on these drums, then seeing the results and beauty of these exquisite instruments.

So thanks Vintage Drum Forum and it's members for giving me the bug, it did not take a lot. Like a duck to water. Unfortunately My wife doesn't feel the same way but she tolerates it.

I enjoy every aspect of these old drums. I love the thrill of the hunt. I still feel like a kid at Christmas when I answer a CL ad and get to see something for the first time. I love bringing neglected drums home and disassembling them to inspect and see what needs to be done. I really enjoy the repair and cleaning/polishing to bring them back to tip-top shape and the amazement from my kids when they see something so dirty and forgot about turn into a thing of true beauty. Once I finish with the clean up/resto, I get the pleasure of playing them as long as I want and experiencing something that I might not have been able to otherwise.

The best part of it all is when I pass them on in a trade or a sale to someone who truly is happy to receive them and knowing that my efforts will help preserve these great old drums for another 50 years!

I toured extensively in the 90s with my one and only trusty old Pearl BLX kit. Never thought of buying anything else until I stumbled on an old 60s Pearl kit which I cleaned up and played. That was 2007 and I've been hooked since. Focusing the collection has not been an issue until recently but I have space limitations and those limits have been met and exceeded. I have kits that I've never played out but I still like having them. But if something new comes in that i want to keep then something has to go to make way. I have been able to buy and sell, making enough along the way to pay for the kits and snares I've kept, keeping it a cheap enough hobby. And i still play quite a bit. But call me strange but I'm also happy just looking at them, especially the old Radio Kings i bought off this forum recently. Just beautiful, and I played them at a gig on the weekend too.

I've sold off a few kits since I started collecting, I keep it to a core of 3 kits now, I justify it by them all being different sizes and use the one that suits the gig, I've managed to fool myself into believing this is a sensible approach.

As for snares I have one for rehearsing which allows me to justify that one, one for home practice, 2 that I gig regularly and the rest get an airing when I'm in the mood for a change.

Collecting is a mild form of insanity but there you go. Don't even get me started on cymbals.

I'm glad you started this BLOG. My mind is now more open to all the imput on this subject THE FOCUS OF YOUR COLLECTING (hmmm.... I'd like my wife to use this title to start a blog on a Coach handbag forum)Laughing H

I used to be big into RC Airplanes and guns. Both were WAY more expensive than drums. Cymbals are my other area of weakness although I am down to just 3 sets.

I only have one drum kit. I couldn't fit a second one. So I've decided to collect 14" high hats. Light, nest easily, take very little space.

Now I just have to give up buying ride cymbals and crash cymbals. :)