Yessir I sure do remember Pete Jones music! Took lessons from John Jr. for many many years and remember walking upstairs to sit down at the Remo practice pad kit and how my jaw would drop when Jr. would tear it up!

Remember the beautiful red sparkle Ludwig downbeat kit that was always on display but never for sale? And the champagne sparkle Ludwig snare?

Bought my first set from that store. Loved the place. Great memories. Sometimes I drive up to Baker St. and get out of the car and just walk by the storefront, close my eyes and remember it as Pete's place.

Have played a few gigs with Paul Cartwright (Tim's son) and the singer in my band is the niece of Ed. Ed has done some amp tune up for our guitarist (singer's husband) in the past.

Growing up, I learned the hard way about vintage drums. I traded two vintage snares to Tim for newer gear because "I just had to have more cymbals" sheesh. Anyway one was a 70s Ludwig Snare with with the Blue duco finish, the other was a much deeper 60s Snare (Don't remember the brand) but it has the Blue Duco finish to but the paint was chipping some.

Both times tim looked at me with that evil grin and says "Are you sure?"....lol He knew I would regret it later. But that's how you learn.

And don't forget the cabnetts in the Drum area with the glas sliding doors and that always had vintage Rogers spare parts even into the 90s. It was amazing.

How is Paul Cartwright doing these days? So sad what happend to Tim, I should have known something was up with Tim when he showed up to play music for the CompUSA opening with no hair.

Great memories brotha! I do remember those cabinets of Rogers parts! Also, the Snider household was like a Rogers museum.

I haven't talked to Paul in quite some time... He scored a gig with Crosby Loggins (Kenny Loggins' son) and they're based out of Santa Barbara now. Last I heard he was doing good.

Columbus (Ohio) Percussion does a great job. They installed a Tama post and bottoms on some Slingerland concert toms in 1982. I haven't lived there in almost 20 years, but they did a very good shipping job for me in 2010.

I lived in Santa Barbara for several years and was a regular at Mike's Drum Shop. I bought my red Yamahas from Mike along with some of my best cymbals. Mike had some health problems and sold it, but it's still around with a whole garage full of cymbals. I still try to stop by when I'm up there.

I don't know if the Drum Circuit is still in San Luis Obispo, but I enjoyed stopping in when I lived there briefly.

I was fortunate to call West Coast Drum Center in Santa Ana my home store until the economy took it out a few years ago. Good bunch of guys.

It seems silly to drive all the way up to LA from Orange County, so I rely on Sam Ash for staples such as sticks and heads. The service and knowledge is better at Sam Ash, but GC is closer. I would still prefer to shop at a local drum store or book store.

Get this. I walked into a store and wanted a set of floor tom legs. They had what I needed, so I took the package off the wall and went to the cash register to pay. I pulled out a twenty dollar bill and the young gatekeeper idiot drone asked me for my phone number. I responded with "I'm paying cash, why on earth would you need my phone number?"....he, stammered and hummed and hawed a bit to recall whatever nonsense the management had taught him to regurgitate in order to blow sunshine up my nose and assure me it was OK, we do this to everyone........he actually refused to sell me the parts for cash because I wouldn't give him my phone number. I walked out, and his jaw dropped and he appeared stunned that someone took exception to his track and trace and surveillance info harvesting program. I'm seeing this more and more, everywhere, and the saddest thing of all is that the people working in these joints lack the intellectual capacity to even understand that our founding fathers fought and died to protect us from this very type of nonsense. Needless to say, I don't shop there anymore, I'm sure they could care less, and what does it matter? All the floor tom legs are coming from the same distributors, and civility is dead and gone long ago. You bet I miss the small stores......and most of all I miss people with a kind heart and good mind looking out for each other and watching your back.

Houston, TX has a vintage drum/guitar shop called Rockin' Robin's. The service in there is great. They sell drums, banjo's, guitars, you-ka-lay lees, amps AND surf boards!! You should see their collection of vintage Black Beauty snares!!! You can check there site on the web.

i used to work at what would be considered a mom and pop store. it closed a year and a 1/2 ago. i knew where everything was in that store, wether it was drums or not.

recently i bought a large lot of parts to resell, and there's 2 NOS pedals that need parts, so unfortunately i had to call g.c. to get prices on the parts.

i don't dislike g.c., just the way they have things set up and the rules (i worked there for a short time) and the lack of personality. not to mention now having to pay retail.

this kid also went right to the computer to see if a store had them. i told him he would have to order the parts (which by the way he had no idea what i was talking about even after giving him the part numbers)

i called another g.c about the parts too. as of today, its been a week and both stores haven't called back with prices.

i always called my customers back within 2 days max.

I have to go in my local GC just to see if there are any used Vintage Gear. If I call they have a girl that works in the drum area and asks "Is that a Drum?" and then says "Let me see if we cary that brand"

aaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

Nope you are not the only guy that gets botherd by that. That why i started a small drum shop in my home town cause the drumers were going out of town to buy and get theire stuff serviced. i'm far form being the biggest shop but we are growing due to our service. and the big box store forgot all about service , and 9 time out of ten the guy's who sell at them places don't even play the drums. so why bother with a place like that it all about (GIVE ME YOUR MONEY) and not your name

I miss Drums Only! (eclamation mark was in the name) Vancouver BC Canada.

Ray Ayotte opened that store in 72 I think it was. You could walk in there and Ray would spend time chatting personal or business whatever. He always had something going on .....like organizing some really very close-up and personal drum clinics...with the likes of Louie Bellson and Ed Shaugnessy etc. Those were fun and exciting times! He was getting a big name but always had time for his customers. I could show up and help mail out letters in the office for instance - it was great just to help out and hang out there. I dropped in one day to pick up some drums and WOW....Carl Palmer and Greg Lake were in the store! I was going to their concert that night but was completely blown away to see them in the store....Greg Lake running around with a Drums Only! tee shirt on....hardly recognized him with his short haircut. I loved going in that store and miss it dearly.

As years went by..and Ayotte Drums took off....I was really sad to see the end of Drums Only!

Fun times in that ole drum store on Kingsway.............