drummer5359

Hi Folks. I'm Mike, originally from Pittsburgh. (Go Steelers! Go Penguins!) I've lived in Pittsburgh, Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Naples, Baltimore, Chevy Chase (DC), and Richmond. (I'm an east coast guy...)

I suffered two stokes within a couple months of each other in 2008. I returned to work, but realized that 14 hour work-days were not in my future any more. I ended up retiring in September of 2009 from being the president of the local region of a national company. My fiance and I bought and renovated a 1910 arts and crafts four-square home in Pittsburgh.

My playing has suffered a great deal due to the strokes, After several years I can consider myself a drummer again.

I'm a total gear-head and have become a bit of a collector. I actually use it all.

I currently own 7 kits

1964 Leedy (from the era that Slingerland owned them) kit with a virgin bass. The 12" tom originally clamped to the bass drum rim. It is in blue sparling pearl finish. It must have spent 40 plus years in cases as it is the cleanest 1960s kit I've ever seen. I picked up a 1958 13" tom on ebay in the same finish. I also have a 1966 Slingerland 14" floor tom in this finish that I sometimes use with it.
12", 13", 16", 20".

1973 Slingerland kit in sparkling blue pearl finish. This is a great kit in great condition, a real joy to play.
13", 16", 18", 24".

1975 Slingerland blakrome kit with a virgin bass. I've owned this since 1992. I drooled over this exact kit in the window of a local drumshop when I was sixteen. 17 years later I ended up coming across it used in a different shop and had to have it. I've done a few hundred shows with this kit, it's my work horse.
12", 13", 14", 16", 18", 22".

1976 Slingerland blakrome kit with a virgin bass I came across this a couple of years ago and just thought that it would be cool to have a second virgin bass Slingerland kit in the same finish in different sizes. Looking back, it was a silly purchase.
13", 14", 15" concert tom, 18", 24"

1981 Gretsch "Drop-G" badge kit in walnut lacquer finish.
12", 13", 14", 16", 22". I love this kit. Stanton Moore and Hannah Ford have both used it for clinics. I lend it to a local session drummer from time to time for certain recordings.

2008 8pc DW Collector's Series kit in Broken Glass finish. I lusted after a set of DWs for 10 years before I took the plunge in 2008. It's beautiful and sounds unlike the rest of my kits. Daniel Glass used it for a local clinic.
8", 10", 12", 13", 14", 16", 22".

1980s Remo Legero nesting kit that I bought to carry in the motorhome. They don't sound wonderful, but they will likely be the nicest kit at any campground we visit.
10", 12", 14", 20".

I recently traded a set of Gretsch Catalina Birch drums for a Music Man Stingray bass. The alarming thing to me is that I now am down to seven drumkits, but I have eight basses.

My current snare drum arsenal

1990s Ayotte Drumsmith Stainless steel 5 1/2" x 13"

2004 DW Solid Shell Natural Satin 5" x 14"

2008 DW Solid Shell Natural Satin 5" x 14"

2008 DW 10 ply maple Broken Glass 5" x 14"

2008 DW Edge Broken Glass 6" x 13"

2009 DW Super Solid Shell Broken Glass 5 1/2" x 14"

1970s Gretsch model 4160 Chrome Over Brass 5" x 14"

1981 Gretsch model 4160 Chrome Over Brass 5" x 14"

1990s Legend Maple 6 1/2" x 14" with die cast hoops Natural Lacquer finish.

2000s Ludwig Acrolite 5" x 14" Black Galaxie finish.

2000s Ludwig Classic Maple 3" x 13" Natural Lacquer finish.

2009 Ludwig Black Beauty 5" x 14"

2009 Ludwig Supraphonic 5" x 14"
 
2013 Ludwig Black Beauty 6 1/2" x 14"

2009 Mapex Big Cat 8" x 14" blue wrap with "Big Beat" logo signed by Jimmy Chamberlin.

1988 Noble & Cooley 7" x 14" solid shell maple Red Lacquer finish.

1990s Remo Black Piccolo 3" x 13"

1960s Rogers COB Dynasonic 5" x 14"

1958 Slingerland Radio King single ply 5 1/2" x 14" Sparkling blue pearl finish.

1962 Slingerland Artist model single ply 5 1/2" x 14" Sparkling Blue Pearl finish.

1963 Slingerland Artist model 3-ply 5 1/2" x 14" Sparkling Blue Pearl finish.

1970s Slingerland Chrome over Brass 5 1/2" x 14"

1976 Slingerland Buddy Rich model 5 1/2" x 14" Blackrome finish.

1979 Slingerland Model 140 Ribbed Aluminum 5 1/2" x 14"

1990s Slingerland Radio King Solid Maple 6 1/2" x 14" natural lacquer finish with die cast hoops.

.


And I own a bunch of cymbals (80 something)

I have full setups of

Bosphorus Traditionals

Paiste Signatures

Paiste 2002s

Sabian AAXs

Sabian HHXs

Zildjian "K"s

Zildjian K Customs

Zildjian Constantinoples

and about 20 or so Zildjian "A"s.

I have an extensive hand percussion setup featuring Latin Percussion Classic series Congas and Bongos, a Meinl bubinga cajon and a large selection of various shakers etc...


I'm also a bassist and play a 2011 60th anniversary Fender American Precision, a 2011 Fender American Standard Jazz, a 1972 Fender Telecaster bass, a 1995 Musicman Stingray, a 1988 Fender MIJ Precision and a 2005 Schecter C-4 XXX. My bass rig is a Fender Bassman 400 over a Bassman 115 cabinet.

I currently gig regularly as part of an acoustic duo, playing hand percussion with a singer/guitarist friend of mine. I'm also the hand percussionist in an acoustic trio. I'm working on putting together a blues band in which I'll be playing bass and a rock power trio which I'll play drum kit in.


You can reach me at drummer5359@hotmail.com if you'd like.



-Mike