Congratulations !! hope this is of help to your article.
When and how did you get into vintage drums?
I saw Gene krupa and Buddy Rich on TV I knew I wanted to be a drummer when I was very young. I started playing guitar in 1964 right before the Beatles invasion, After that night on the Ed Sullivan show with the Beatles, The guitar took a back seat to the drums. I went into the Jr High band program and was the Head drummer in our drum section of 5 of us. went through the High school band program and then college.
Why do you like vintage instruments?
It comes from the history of the instrument and it's place through History. I like the construction of vintage drums. materials, and the factories that produced them, and the people. The tone of vintage instruments and playing them.
Do you like nostalgia and vintage items in general, or do you just prefer vintage drums for some specific purposes (which?)?,
Yes I love the nostalgia of all vintage items, Musical instruments etc.
What is the aspect of vintage drums that you like the most (collecting, historical research, restorations, playing, etc.)? All of the above they are all one and the same to me, But I love playing them the most.
Do you consider vintage drums a hobby, a business, or a science field? Or something else? A business, a living history lesson, and yes a science field.
Do you have any stories from the vintage drum world or this forum you'd like to share?
My vintage drum beginning started with Not so Modern drummer which precedes this drum forum by many years. This forum the VDF is in my opinion the best vintage drum forum on the net. As in all of society their are good people and bad ones you know whom to associate with and whom not to. I restored a large 1930 Radio king kit back in 1998. It was owned by Buddy Harmon who is the most recorded drummer to date, Buddy got this kit according to his son in the late 50's, It took me 2 years to restore it. I was playing at a large club here in my home state, One of the roadies of the club came up to me and asked could his father play mt drums, I replied does he play drums? the roadie said he may have built these drums, I told him yes please I'd love for him to play them. We played our 3 sets that night. The roadie walks up to me after the show with his dad who is in his late 70's the Older fellow is crying, he tells me I may of had painted the duco paint job on my kit. I told him these are 30's not 50's models. The old fellow laughed and said hell I would be a 100 to of painted this kit. He did play my kit and he left thanking me. As he was from the Old Slingerland plant.
How do you feel about the community and the market and what do you think is to become of it?
I think as a whole vintage market it is down and has been for sometime. When I 1st got into vintage drums prices were higher, of course there are some drums that are and will not be affected.
What else would you like to let „outsiders“ know about vintage drums?
It bothers me to no end to see original drums altered, with the attitude they are my drums I can do as I see fit, No they aren't someone owned them before you someone will own them after you. ! We as in all material items are merely renting them.
