rogers for over 40 years now ludwig and thats it not interested in overpriced under quality new stuff the 88 set I have now is the newest I have ever owned and next to my Clevelands it is the best sounding I have ever played..

I really really like my 60s Ludwigs...great sound...to me it's the classic sound. But I still really enjoy Yammie maple drums, the absolutes with the thinner shells sound great...not to mention their wood snare drums are great...love some from the signature series.

With cymbals I stick with Zildjian...A and K, both new and old pies.

I used to be very brand loyal, but not so much anymore. I really like my "new" '58 Slingerlands, but I'd love a vintage Ludwig, Leedy, Gretsch, Premier and/or Rogers kit...to name a few. I like my DWs, but I've been really wanting to get a Mapex Saturn Series kit. Every time I get the chance to play one I'm very impressed, especially with the bass drums. They sound like cannons, my DW kick has nothing on a Mapex Saturn, IMO. Thus, I've been half-heartedly trying to sell the DWs to afford a Mapex Saturn kit.

I'm still very loyal to Zildjian. I find some of the newer A's interesting, but mostly K, K Custom and the new K Constantinoples. I'm trying to complete a set of vintage Zildjians to play with my Slingerlands.

That being said, I'm upset with Sabian for redesigning their HHX-Treme crashes. I'm a big fan of Gov't Mule and Matt Abts, who is an amazing drummer, plays large (18 and 19 inch) HHX-Treme crashes. I really like the explosive, trashiness of them and was seriously considering purchasing a set. However, they aren't hammered as deeply as they used to be and the new ones sound like any other thin K or HHX. The deeply hammered pockets really set them apart from all others, but now they really resemble K Custom Dark crashes in appearance and sound. They've lost their distinguishing factor. I have a friend who had an older one and traded it a couple years ago. He's been wanting it back and the guy didn't want to let go of it, so he bought a new one back in December. I just talked to him today and he said it sits at home. He's very disappointed that it doesn't sound anything like the older ones.

My :2Cents:.

While I stated I predominately play Rogers...... and do own a few other brand snare drums, I should elaborate a little. Rogers were the first drums I played, and the only drums I owned for 25 years.

I have owned a few MIJ 60s kits, and still have one I just leave at the practice place. The others were gifted out to kids. Nearly a dozen Acrolites have been given away, mostly due to quality issues, but not in the Acrolite. The kids I gave them to, had no drum worthy of being called a drum, they were poor and couldnt afford it, or their parents had their heads up their asses and just couldnt see the kid pursuing music if they had to pay for it, but did not mind the idea otherwise. I owned an Ayotte Custom for 10 years that I bought used, and sold for what I had in it.

I have several Ludwig snare drums including a couple Supersensitives, one of which is a Black Beauty, a couple Supras, and currently two Acrolites.

The drums I ....hoard, collect, obsess over, lust after... however you want to put it... are Rogers, but I am not adverse to expanding my addiction to include Gretsch, Camco, Ludwig, or a host of other names. I just dont think I can afford to grow my addiction that much.

Sticking with the same brand of drums is like eating only one kind of food. BORRRRRRRRRING!

I like vintage Luddies, and would consider myself a "vintage Ludwig guy" over all, but I also like Slingerlands. I'm not *so much* of a Gretsch guy unless playing a jazz gig, then I like the choked sound of the round badges. In the studio, my DW kit shines, and the tuning range is unbelievable. As far as snares, I have bits from lots of companies: DW, Rogers, Slingerland, Ludwig, Craviotto, Leedy & Ludwig, and some custom builds. Mixing and matching is not a problem for me.

I've owned kits from just about every major American company that was/is old enough to have made drums that can be classified as vintage. It took me 20 years, but I came to the conclusion that all I wanted to own, collect, and play were Ludwigs.

As for cymbals, it's all Paiste for punk and harder rock, and Zildjian for retro/garage stuff and the jazz.

Since I found my 1976 Ludwig Thermo gloss finish on Bonham sizes Im just crazy about'em...theyve been rented three times already and last week I had to take my Old 1948 Radio Kings to church because I didnt feel like breaking up the Luddys...Man! those RKs sounded so sweeeeeeeet!!! Lower volume but killer tone...and when Im on the mood I give my LA era Camcos a swing too...and I have a set of Red sparkle Holidays too...just in case and guess what? they're awsome!!!!!!!!!!

Nice analogy! Although I like some of the "other" stuff, I stick with Ludwig and Yamaha. I find that I basically cover any ground needed with these...to get the sounds that I'm fond of...

Sweet, you need to post of pic of those 76 Ludwigs man!

Good choice on the drums!