I don't think you're minimizing the importance of vintage drums in the least. Like yourself, I also have more of an emotional and sentimental attachment to drums from about 1966 to around 1975. I've purchased many vintage kits of that era (Ludwig, Rogers and Slingerland) to relive my youth! It's cost me quite a bit of $$$. In all honesty, I don't play any more! All these kits are taking up space at both my house and my girlfriends house! Do I love to LOOK at them? You bet! But, I don't actually play them. As I write this, I'm currently thinking about obtaining another Slingerland kit. I need serious help!!

Still, these kits do bring back a place and time in music that can't be duplicated. I know that many of these kits have lots of issues, such as quality control from drum to drum. Still, the kit's I've obtained have been well made and sound great. I do plan to list some for sale on this forum in the not-to-distant future and hope they will find a good home from those that will PLAY them!

Mark

Nothing wrong with that! How many guys have vintage cars which they seldom drive? How many grandma's have vintage china displayed in hutches which never gets used? I have a wife who, for some reason, bought a state-of-the-art stove which sits unused in the kitchen on display. Who knows why we become attached to objects which we never use?

I think Quality issues initially drove musicians to vintage drums. By the 80's many of the manufacturers had lowered the quality of their drums, & were on their way out of business. The shells became thicker & heavier, the lugs got thinner, some wraps were put on poorly, self tapping screws were being used to attach lugs (this is all documented in the Ludwig, Slingerland, Rogers & Gretsch books). Drummers realized that the drums of the 50's -70's were well made & really holding up . Even drums from the earlier eras were holding their integrity, including some very fancy & beautiful designs (engraving), & even though tube lugs had engineering weaknesses they were visually appealing). There were more brass shells, solid shells, brass hoops, tight wraps.

However, at a certain point in modern times manufacturers began making high quality drums & hardware. There is now an explosion of quality mass produced & boutique instruments. So perhaps there is not the same rationale for having "Vintage" equipment in the 21st Century as there was in the 80's- 90's.

well put.

Yes SirCoffee Break2

Good point! I THINK I feel a little better! LoLoLoLo

A very good point. Some of the product coming out from late DW, Craviotto, C&C is killer. Yamaha have been benchmarking for decades now although the split from Sakae could prove interesting. Sakae are now making their own drums. Sonor are unshakable over quality. New Gretsch have got their act together. We live in interesting times. I still love my old birds though. I still get a feeling that the newbies are still trying to emulate those old shells.

Here is my answer to a similar question on a different thread.

I like a little bit of all of em! I love the real early stuff, pre-1925. That old wood just has a sound and look all its own. I love the 40's drums because of the Big Band era and the WWII drums. I also like some of the newer collectible stuff too. I play a 90th Anniversary Ludwig, Top Hat and Cane set and I just scored a Gretsch 125th Anniversary set, in Cadillac Green, new in the boxes. I play everything from Count Basie to Heavy Metal. I cut my teeth on Big Band music so it is my favorite to listen to and to play.

Very true about the quality dip in the 1980s. I have always thought this was because some manufacturers started cutting corners to compete with the imports. I distinctly remember being at Manny Music on 48th st and looking at the new sets of that time and being very Unimpressed with them.

I was glad I had a 1960s Round Badge Gretsch!!

You all are forgetting the wood! it was the old growth maple that made so many drums sound super it is no longer available. can not be grown again in 2 lifetimes...