So I'm down on Main St. (literally) rooting around pawn shops trying to find one more l-arm and I go in Uncle Sam's http://www.unclesamspawnshop.com/ and he has a pretty fair amount of percussion stuff including a cool TQ Sunrise Vistalite set and a 70's white Slinger kit up on the "marked ridiculously high priced so these will never sell shelf" and in the "drum room" there looks like mostly junk just stacked in loose order the requires very careful stepping to get through. Probably 20 snares and 5 mixed kits piled up on each other.
So I asked the young fellow working there, "Is this all the drum stuff?" he says, "Oh no, we got the attic and the bar full of drums but the owner never puts any of that stuff out anymore." He goes on to say, "He"s been in business 50 years and I bet there is stuff up there from the first day."
Well I'm getting a little giddy and just had to ask.. "Can I see the attic?" "Yeah.. I like going up there," he says..and follows with "but I don't know if it's a musicians dream or nightmare." (I'm not a musician so it was just interesting to me.)
So behind the counter, around a corner, down a little hall, and up the narrow stairs we go and yep the attic is FULL of drums and guitars and stands and cases and drums and guitars and stands and cases in huge jumbled pile that you literally have turn sidewise to walk through carefully placing every step.. a few easy to see Keystones and Black/Gold ovals.. Vistalites, Sparkles, Satin Flames, WMP, Solids, Ducos, Tiger Stripes, just a bunch of drums, I'd guess 20 or 30 old kits worth in various states of disrepair. I was just kicking myself for not knowing more about drums. Mixed in with the drums were probably 400 guitars hanging and piled among the various cases.
Alas.. no L-Arm sticking out of the pile but I have to say it was an interesting 20 minutes.. I'm taking my camera back to see if he'll let me snap a couple photos so I can research if anything up there is worth making an offer on.. and maybe try to find out more about this bar he mentioned.
If you're ever in Columbus, Ohio.. swing by Uncle Sam's on Main Street and ask to see the attic. Make sure you park close and walk fast.
