I have had guys break a lot of things but I do not recall a stand. I think the point is that a lightweight flat base stand will not do what is required by a lot of guys these days. Hang a 13" rack tom off of a flat base stand and watch someone that regularly breaks snare drum heads (both sides thank you very much...ugh) topple that rack tom into your very nice, virgin kick drum and snare drum. All of a sudden a little heavier stand doesn't seem like such a big deal to lug around.

Still, for the purposes of this discussion, use what is right for your application. You mileage may vary. Man if you are playing a combo jazz gig, it would be silly to use anything but (unless you are using a virgin kick. Ha!)

It`s no myth that the double braced and counter weighted hardware far exceeds the performance of the vintage and modern hardware for me and the weight they gotta support !! I just wish I could afford to upgrade right now or I would !!

A small cymbal or other related thing,...those thin flat base stands slide right into place in the tight spots !!

I need both, cuz I don`t like cages !!

When I play my late 50s kit, I use the Slingerland and W&A hardware in this picture. It's not flat, but it's old and looks cool. I use 1400s with my Ludwig kit and the flat-based Slingerland hardware with my 60s Slingerland kit.

However, if I'm playing an outdoor gig, I'll usually play a mid-90s Mapex Mars Pro kit with modern, double-braced hardware. I've seen wind carry off a 1400 with an 18" crash before at an outdoor festival.

Lynn

I use both depending on the gig. I have DW 6000 which are great, but if I'm doing a gig with restricted space I'll use vintage, the one thing I have done is to buy a light weight Yamaha throne as my pork pie one weighs a ton.

I've gone vintage but single-braced (Camco) so I guess that's somewhere in the middle though I'm trying to get another flush base cymbal stand so I have a choice. Even using vintage single-braced stands (two cymbal stands, one hi-hat, one snare) it's starting to feel very heavy so might well go flush base sooner rather than later.

A chiropractor I know who works on lots of drummers tells me the injuries he's seeing most are not related to playing but to lugging around the stands case.

I basically use the same hardware with all my sets. 2 or 3 1400 Cymbal stands and a old Ludwig Hi Hat stand. I will occasionally use a Atlas tripod stand with a Ludwig double tom post mount and a cymbal mount attached to it. Also a atlas snare stand. WFL Speed King. I carry it all in a small vintage H&B rolling fibre case.

It depends on the gig. For rock and pop stuff, I use modern hardware, albeit lightweight by today's standards. Double braced, but lighter sturdy stands. I do not hang any clamps/arms/or drums off of them.

For jazz, the vintage stuff does just fine.

For rock, I do gig with a vintage MIJ kit and I use 70's Ludwig Atlas stands with them, including 1 vintage Ludwig flat base bottom, with modern middle and top sections (it fits nice and close to my bass drum for my ride, and I play my ride low and flat, so there's not much "strain" on the stand. Plus it fits beautifully under my other Atlases).

On gigs where drums are being provided, I'll take several vintage flat base stands as extras, because the drumkit provided notoriusly only has two cymbal stands. I like the flat base stuff, because the drums provided usually have ultra modern monster hardware that has a leg spread of about 10 feet! The flat base stuff easily fits underneath all these monster stands, without needing booms. They are easy to put in a small duffel bag that is easy to carry as well.

One key point to help make the vintage stuff more "durable": I use standard, automotive hose clamps as "memory locks". If one of the tightening screws lets go or comes loose, it won't fall down. It will be loose and move around a little, but won't fall. You have to pack up each stand piece seperatley, but to me it's worth it. Besides, the weight of the stand is the same, regardless of how much or little it's disassembled. I would rather take a few extra seconds to fit the pieces together (they are easy stands to put together after all) and have the safe feeling of knowing that my stands are all the more secure. Just label which stand piece goes with what other stand piece. For me it's easy: All the flat bases are the same (so it doesn't matter which one goes where), and I set all the middle sections at the same height, so again, it doesn't matter which one goes where, they are all the same height (or even better, use a long enough hardware case where the middle sections can just stay in place). All I have to pay attention to is the top section, where I just write with a Sharpie what cymbal goes on it on the underneath side of the chrome washer that is facing towards the floor (on the opposite side of where the bottom felt sits).

I hope this helps!

Why - that was a most interesting response! Very practical indeed! I like the idea of marking the stands - as long as it is not seen much if any at all. I used to mark my modern stands to know where to adjust the height and it really helped make setup very quick. I had it down to 16 minutes for either the setup or the tear-down. Now there is a good question to ask....shortest setup or tear-down time.......

Do the automotive hose clamps look cra*py on this stands? You have any pics?

That's very wise of you to take some stands with you when there is a 'backline' kit supplied for the show. Always better safe than sorry and the lightweight stands makes it a real great idea to throw over the shoulder.

This thread has really taken off and it still is a pretty even score! I wonder how it will 'end'...........

If you were getting Backline from me you would have six booms, 2 hi-hats, 2 thrones, 2 kick pedals, 2 snare stands, 3 snare drums and new heads on everything. I've got your back!