Jerry - Greg - What would be the best heads to use on these tubs? I know that I prefer black, or silver dot clear heads for Vistalites because they really bring out the best in the drums. Would they be a good choice of heads for these FG shells as well?
What heads do you guys use/prefer on your Blaemires? If I'm going to spring for a new round of heads, may as well buy the ones best suited for the drums.
John
PS - I just got this from Mendozart, it's the history of the kit I'm getting. I'm sure that after you read it, you'll recognize as I now do, what a very special set of drums this is. Between the drums coming directly from Allen Blaemires hands and the pure mojo that David, the original owner put into them, this kit has everything I could possibly want in a drum set. Enjoy...
From the original owner:
"I saw your email, but had committed to Vinny prior and didn't feel right about starting a potential bidding war. I know these were fair priced (relatively cheap given what they are), the point was not to make money but to get them into the right hands. I think Vinny will take good care of them and understands what they are. Funny that I really didn't know there was a Blaemire community--glad there is because these drums are extremely special. A little background about these particular drums:
I had Al make them for me in late '72-'73 (can't remember exactly, things were a bit hazier back then). I was an up-and-coming session/touring player who did major band tours, demos, album work, occasional TV commercials and soundtracks and used Gretsch and Camco for session work. But I was on the road a fair amount wanted a louder, more durable live kit. I had a set of Ludwigs that got warped in a rainstorm, so we savlaged the hardware into the Blaemire kit. Got introduced to Al through the LA network of players, which was the only way you could get a set made. Blaemire drums were a not-so-well-kept secret, especially the snare drums. Even sponsored players like John Guerin and Jim Gordon played them--almost every hot session player had either complete kits or Blaemire pieces in their arsenals back then.
What was different about these was this was one of the first kits that Al built from the get-go with double heads and vinyl covering. Typically, Blaemire drums were single-headed concert tom style, green glass or both. It was important to me to stay pretty close to conventional sizes because I was pretty versatile--played everything from arena rock to country, funk, reggae, jazz--so extreme shell sizes wouldn't work. I also didn't like the response of single headed drums--they just felt dead to me. Al suggested the shorter depth of the 16x15 floor tom and slightly deepening the kick to 22x15. BTW: The kick is a killer...
As for me, I was part of an up-and-coming group of players who were making good livings playing with great artists like Eric Carmen, Little Feat, Oleta Adams, Johnny Guitar Watson, Charles Brown, Smokey Wilson and a million single songwriters and bands that had record deals. Back in the day, I played the Troubadour at least 50 times with different acts, along with baseball stadiums, opera houses, amphitheaters, etc.) Almost famous… My career ended pretty much with the emergence of drum machines and the collapse of the conventional recording and touring business. The session work that was keeping me going went away and became digital, home studio stuff. Tours either evaporated or became huge Rolling Stones-level extravaganzas. You had to pay clubs to play in clubs. Either way, unless you were Jim Keltner or got lucky to be in a huge band, making a living behind a set of drums became really, really hard. I played a bit after leaving the business, but not enough to keep my chops up--this kit was just sitting. Time for someone else to play them.
More than you wanted, I'm sure, but I was lucky to have been a part of that special time…"
And I am honored and happy to have them!
John
