My first drum was a Acrolite that i still have from 5th grade school band. Two years later my parents bought me a blue sparkle US Mercury (12, 16, 20, 14) for $80 from a local judge. I added a '57 Ludwig 13 & 22 a year later. Wish I'd kept the Luddies...
Years later I ran into the judge when I was summoned for jury duty. When I brought it up, he thanked me again for buying them....
I'll find a pic somewhere...
I envy your cool stories and drums.
In 2007, me and my friends started a band and because I had a tiny djembe, I was given the position of a drummer. Soon they convinced me to take lessons and within a few months, I knew I needed a drum set. Too bad I knew so little about drums then. I could have bought a used Amati kit and be happy, but I spent ridiculous amount of money on practically new Stagg kit wich turned out to be totally sad piece of junk. Of course, at first I was crazy happy about it, but within two years I sold it without regrets and bought Sonor Force 2007, wich I've been using happily ever since.
Here they are. Don't even ask me about tuning and hardware maintenance.
[IMG]http://img5.rajce.idnes.cz/d0502/5/5725/5725235_2d79f649cd336d54903e84e971dc2b8b/images/IMG_1153.jpg[/IMG]
First kit: Gretsch Playboy. Still have it. Here is a pic after it survived my teenage years attempt to strip and refin. Wrap was yellowed and previous owner had assaulted the BD with a hack saw and drill to mount a Ludwig mount. Wish I had lef the covering on the snare and tom. 14" FT I never did unwrap and I am glad of that.... 16" FT I acquired with cracked and faded MBP and was the main reason I thought to strip and refinish. Back in the 80's drum wrap just wasn't available anywhere and it made sense at the time.
[IMG]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii289/thebeebe5/Gretsch%20first%20kit/Img_0005.jpg[/IMG]
Same kit (mostly; bought another WMP 3 ply snare exactly like my original one) re wrapped in Precision Drum Co. antique WMP. I have since finished the BD and added the bottom hoop to the 14" FT. All the chrome on the original snare, BD 12" and 16" tom was re chromed at a friends chrome shop back in FL. Original hardware was horribly pitted. Not just chrome loss; serious heavy die cast flaking....! Bass drum was repaired with a patch from a lost cause 20" Gretsch 6 ply and is unnoticeable from the outside. I think it turned out fine and I am glad I still have it. It's pretty much been claimed by my 10 year old son though....
[IMG]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii289/thebeebe5/Gretsch%20first%20kit/drums-flowers-firstdaypreK010.jpg[/IMG]
I have the rods for the BD if you want to put a head on it.......
What size is that FT without a head?
It would sound SO much better with one on it!
Here`s mine !!
77, Sonor sound machine, only drums I`ve owned and still have,...Loud son b*tches,...Photo is from early 80`s I think,..or mabe 79 !!
My D506 got stolen and I`ve yet to replace it with a Centennial one,..if I ever find one again !!
Man, I'll never forget my first! Sure, I know that she could never claim to be beautiful in the classic sense but, to a skinny fourteen-year-old kid, she was amazing. I wish now that I had taken pictures. The first time we got together, I truly believed that we'd always be soul mates. To this day, I often think back...Ooops! Sorry. You guys are talking about drums, right? Wrong memory! I 'm getting old.
Brian
[IMG]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii289/thebeebe5/Gretsch%20first%20kit/drums-flowers-firstdaypreK010.jpg[/IMG]
What IS that cymbal?!
You could build a beach bar under it.....
What's the size, and can you post some more pics of it?
I have the rods for the BD if you want to put a head on it.......What size is that FT without a head?It would sound SO much better with one on it!
Thanks for the offer blairndrums. I have the drum completely assembled now with the propper logo BD head. This pic is 7 years old....
Interesting thing to note: This must have been an early Playboy drum. 10,000 range SN and the t-rods didn't have the washer spacer welded onto the rods to allow the "T" handle to clear the hoop. Gretsch used a washer-spacer-washer config on this one. One day I'll set the kit up and make pictures....
That is a 26" 50's block logo Zildjian....
[IMG]http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii289/thebeebe5/26%20inch%2050s%20Zildjian/IMG_0997.jpg[/IMG]
Here leaning against a 22" Gretsch..... Doesn't look as big like when it shades a 20" BD. I tried to mount it on the Gretsch cymbal holder on the BD but it kept falling over.....
Kidding!!!
