Are you a Player or collector?

[Pounder]

Having noticed the huge amount of gear-related (vintage and otherwise) threads on this forum, I thought I'd throw out this question: Are you a player or a collector (or gearhead, someone with G.A.S.)?

This is the formula I'm using: The time spent playing or practicing should be way higher than that of looking for gear if you're a player.

Or, if you're a collector/gear-head, the time spent looking at gear or buying and selling gear would be higher than the time spent playing.

For me, this ratio has fluctuated. When I began as a young lad, it was much higher playing and practicing time than it was looking at or buying gear. Over the years I've spent times when it was the reverse, and much of it was when I actually had an ongoing eBay business, and I was always looking for drums or other musical items.

Currently I have not played acoustic drums much. I have played electronic drums and keyboards though, just recording musical ideas. Not much purchasing or shopping lately.

Actually very recently I started practicing bass and 6string guitar, so my practice time on electronic gear has diminished a bit. I think it would fluctuate. I've just noticed there are some who tend to participate in largely gear-related topics, while others may be playing related, etc.

I think it is helpful to review what types of activities one is doing related to the drums on this forum. BTW if you're largely doing restoration projects I would say that is an entirely different area because your time is spent actively adding value to things for the benefit of someone who may play the item later.

 

[Jazzhead]

I am more of a player but I don’t like my gear in player condition, it’s gotta be original and clean for me. I only have a few drums that I like in original condition but I am not a collector by any means and do not plan to be one.
I participate in gear-related threads because I love vintage drums and see what everyone else thinks but I don’t shop for them often. Also, I listen more to recordings than I play drums but I dedicate a set amount of time to practicing everyday, I just listen more...

 

[Phantomlimb777]

I’m a player. Although, I’ve been buying like crazy during the pandemic. I still play daily at home.

 

[JDA]

"I'm only in it for the melodies."

 

[Houndog]

All my vintage is player condition , My 96 Fibes just happen to be n excellent condition .
I spend more time talking drums and looking than actually practicing . I practice about 8 hours a week at best .
My job allows me lots of "twiddle my thumb " time .
I also have a FB Drummer page that I run .

 

[hardbat]

Player. But I spend a fair amount of time looking at vintage stuff because there always seems to be something I'm looking for.

 

[Rotarded]

Yes

 

[vintagemore2000]

Both, I use the vintage gear That I acquired . It's all collectors grade gear but I bought it to use not look at.

 

[RogersLudwig]

I play at collecting.

 

[dangermoney]

Player, I tend to purchase gear for practicing, gigging, or recording.

However, I do own a small collection of Ludwig and Slingerland snare drums that I've acquired over many years of playing.

 

[pwc1141]

Player when I can. I have never had more than one gigging kit and sold the old one to get another. The custom kit I have now is quite new and probably my last one. The snare and cymbal array are things I acquired over a long period of swapping, selling and buying.

 

[JazzDrumGuy]

Yes.

I do spend 98% of my time looking/buying/selling vs. playing......

 

[yetanotherdrummer]

Player.

I currently own 2 drum sets, one was purchased new in 2011 and the other was purchased new in 2017.

I tend to keep drum sets for 10 or more years, on average.

 

[cochlea]

I am definitely a player. I enjoy "looking at" (rather than "looking for") gear, but rarely is it with the intention to buy. I'm somewhat of a minimalist in that I play everything (one kit) I own, which isn't a lot compared to many on this forum. I don't think I could ever accumulate gear just for the sake of collecting rather than playing.

 

[drummerfriend]

These days I consider myself a lifelong student who still enjoys practicing.

Began gigging in 1984 but about 5 years ago I decided to hang up the band thing (for a while). As a result, I don't really consider myself a player, but that may change at some point when/if the band thing resumes.

Definitely NOT a collector. Have neither the financial resources or interest in doing it.

Gear/G.A.S.... After not buying anything but sticks/heads for 25+ years, I turned over all of my drums and cymbals. about 10 years ago. That period lasted about 5 years. Cymbal bug bit especially me hard. I went through a ton of varieties and brands (cymbals). Drums.. not so much.

That came to an end though 5 years ago and I stopped the insanity and settled in with what I had and wanted.

The gear I have can not make me better or worse than the gear I sold. After a point, assuming all things are functional, the gear has almost nothing to do with progress. For that matter, I could sell everything I have today, buy an entry level set and my progress would be the same with the high end stuff I have.

What I have is what I die with at this point unless I sell it beforehand (or donate it). The chase is done and the money is better put to work in more 'responsible' ways.

 

[DanRH]

Player but forced into being a collector since March 7th.

 

[jansara]

Player.

 

[CC Cirillo]

Totally agree with DanRH. My situation exactly.

 

[studrum]

I'm a lover, not a fighter.

 

[kevin klever]

Full time player, professionally, so definitely don't have the money to "collect." I like to buy stuff a way of trying lots of different drums and cymbals as a way of learning more about sound, touch, history etc. But at any one time I only have three kits (two set up for teaching, one in bags ready to go to the gig) and a few cymbals. Even if I had the bread to "collect" I have a big problem with all the good instruments ending up in "collections" - Instruments, especially the really good ones, should be played. I think someone like Roberto Spizzichino would roll in his grave if he saw a dude with 20 of his cymbals - while hundreds of brilliant young drummers out there will never get a chance to even play one cause they're all sitting in some rich dude's basement as an investment to be sold down the line to some other rich dudes, never to be gigged, toured, recorded.

I recognize this is a symptom of a greater problem in the world and I really understand the draw of vintage drums and cymbals (I'm obsessed), so it's not a personal attack on anyone here. But maybe the cats with massive collections should think about some ways of sharing the wealth with young dedicated players, like a scholarship kinda thing. Probably easy to find a local kid with stars in their eyes who you could lend an old K so he can work on his ride beat on something better than his Sabian Apollo or whatever.

End rant.