Sentimental value of gear!

[Jazzhead]

I only have one piece of drum memorabilia that I covet. In 1964-65 I was a young drummer and parents bought me a used Ludwig Downbeat set in Champagne, of course. My family lived in Northern California and we flew back to Chicago for my Aunts funeral. While in Chicago, I called the Ludwig Drum Company and asked if the would show me how they made my drums.
They said YES! The next day we ( my mom and my brother joined me,) DROVE to the Plant.
I was 12 or 13 and felt like I just got the Golden Ticket to visit Willy Wonka.
The tour guide was Wm F. Ludwig Jr. and that was unbelievable. The amazing part came when he introduced us to Wm F. Ludwig Sr. and he showed me where they made drum sticks. That’s where he gave me a unfinished drum stick blank. I still have it. That’s it! My most memorable drum item.
After that he asked my mom if he could take me to another part of the plant. She said sure and Senior and I walked down a long hallway, he reached into his pocket for his keys and opened the door to a very dark room. He reached for the light switch, turned on the lights and
there, sitting on a drum riser, lit up, just like on stage, was RINGO’S Drumset. The bass drum head, with the BEATLES. I was in shock! Just an amazing day! Thank you for jogging my 71+ year old memory.

Amazing story, wow!

 

[Jazzhead]

Oddly I had no attachment to the first kit I ever owned, which I got new, had for 20 years and sold without hesitation, a 70’s Pearl Wood/Fiberglass kit.

Yet I have a sentimental attachment to my favorite Wraith Brass snare, as well as my Copeland signature snare (#258), and a OCPD 25-ply snare I toured with for 3 years and don’t play anymore.
None of these drums have exceptional value, and yet I can’t imagine selling them.

Oh, and one more,
Just because it ended up in some photos with my youngest granddaughter we keep recreating as she grows up;
View attachment 593730 View attachment 593731 View attachment 593732

This is amazing!!!

 

[TCurtis]

Has any piece of gear (drums, cymbals, hardware, etc.) developed sentimental value for you that you feel like you can never sell it or you regret that you sold it? If so, what was/is it?

Do you think it’s a silly thing and all that matters is in your hands and the music you make every time you sit behind any kit?

Actually, I have a 15” Zildjian, I believe was a hand held orchestra or marching band cymbal, don’t believe it was part of a pair , that I acquired in college . My 1st ‘real’ band was in Ithaca, and our keys player moved into a new apt/ practice space. He found in the closet, the cymbal and a sign for a Bullfrog Candle co. The cymbal had a strap / handle he removed, and gave it to me. I used it as a ride as it was very heavy, bell sounding. I have tried it as a bottom hat, not to good. Still have it and the sign that named the band. That and a cowbell. Lol

 

[owr]

I have my first professional level drumset I picked up in my 20s, a Noble & Cooley CD maples kit. I played more gigs and parties on that kit that everything else I own combined, and while they don't often come out anymore I can't get myself to sell them. They have some snafus too them that arent popular these days, including deeper toms and the dreaded Pearl mounts, and I got them pretty cheaply, so there's not a lot of $ tied up in them. While I don't plan on selling them ever, I do hope to give them away one day to the right kid coming up who would appreciate them.

 

[1988fxlr]

If there was ever a reason to hold onto something for as long as possible, this would be it. Heirlooms with so much personal family history attached to them are in their own unique place.

It doesn’t hurt that they sound great either

 

[Luddite]

I’m not terribly sentimental, but my 70’s three ply kit will be pried from my cold, dead hands. They are my dream configuration (14/16/18/24) and the result of weeks of work to make them playable and presentable. I bought them cheap, and there was a reason for that—-they were ridden hard and beaten within an inch of their life. It was a journey getting them to where they wound up. But, once they arrived, they more than exceeded my expectations. I enjoy them more than any other kit that I’ve ever owned or played. Some of that is sweat equity, some of it is the sound of the medium tensioned toms and the booming bass drum. These drums are just a blast to play! Any time that I’ve played them out, I’ve gotten more compliments about their look/sound than any of my other kits. Never say never, but…

 

[chrisr777]

All of them. I've never sold a piece of gear. Still have my first Pearl kit from 50 years ago out in the garage.

 

[Old Drummer]

Oh, I had a sentimental attachment to my first 60s Ludwig set, but when it came time to sell it off, I realized that the only original piece was the 12" tom. I had myself replaced all the other pieces at one time or another. I saved the original 12" tom for sentimental reasons, only to have some jerk steal it. Whatever, it wasn't that important. I still have a 10" on the shelf that wasn't part of the original set, but that I played for years. That's enough.

I do find that I become attached to some equipment, especially cymbals, but I'm not sure how sentimental that attachment is. Most of it is practical. I just get used to how something sounds and plays and don't want to go without it. At some point, practical attachment probably becomes a little sentimental too.

 

[covinasurf]

Had a 60s Slingerland kit stolen when I was 20 or so. Finally bought a replacement kit 2 months ago. Happy!

JH

 

[rsmittee]

My paternal grandfather was supposedly a very talented pianist, and made his living playing bars in the 30's. Unfortunately, he was also an alcoholic, and disappeared one day, orphaning my 4 yr old father and his 6 year old sister.

Fast forward 35 years or so, and my father, despite being an accomplished and recorded trumpet player, thinks all musicians are losers and drunks, and visibly cringes every time I announce I want to be a drummer when I grow up. He told me I was a fool. Since I had a big brain and straight A's, I could make a lot of money as a doctor or lawyer. So the only drums I ever got to play as a kid were some no name drums a guitarist friend had in his garage.

Fast forward 10 years or so, and I'm finally graduating from a University with a business degree, and preparing to apply to law school. Instead of going to law school, I took all my graduation money and headed straight for the LDS to buy my first real drum kit, my Yamaha Power Tour Customs with all the hardware and Zildjian cymbals. I could barely play, but I finally had drums. I never achieved musical greatness or drumming virtuosity, but I've worked really hard and done some pretty cool stuff.

And in keeping with the topic, I have a deep emotional attachment to those old Yamahas and what they symbolize. I doubt I'll ever sell those drums, even though I rarely play them anymore. Except the 6.5 x 14 snare, which is killer! And of course they got the call when I had the privilege of playing Red Rocks.

 

[unregisteredalien]

I haven't managed to get rid of the first "real" snare drum I bought, the good old Pearl Chad Smith signature (serial number in the 5000s). It's well worn and out of round but did good service and still pops and sings. I'd happily give it away to a starting-out drummer but I haven't been able to make myself sell it. It was hard enough selling my first set of pro cymbals. My other early gear has all been given away or gone to the scrapyard by now.

 

[bpaluzzi]

My 1966 Ludwig Club Date kit (in Sky Blue Pearl) was my Great Uncle's. He taught me to play on them when I was very young:

After he wasn't able to play them anymore, I ended up inheriting them as I was entering junior high. They were my main kit throughout high school and college (here's them set up in Carnegie Music Hall for my college big band

I still have them, and recently did a pretty big restoration project (removing some poorly installed DW tom mounts I had installed, updating the push-button floor tom legs to Inde mounts, replacing the beaten-up original hoops, and an overall clean and polish). Also picked up a matching Pioneer snare. I use this kit for my French Cafe band these days.

 

[McLovin’ me Ludwigs]

Has any piece of gear (drums, cymbals, hardware, etc.) developed sentimental value for you that you feel like you can never sell it or you regret that you sold it? If so, what was/is it?

Do you think it’s a silly thing and all that matters is in your hands and the music you make every time you sit behind any kit?

My first drumset. Back in 7th grade, Mom got me a 1970s Slingerland COW. Double bass. Tomsx2. Floors x2. Roto toms. Snare. Hardware and cymbals. Evans hydraulics . Pedals. Was the owner of champions music store in Houston, Tx.
Played until 16ish. Took to pawn shop and regretted every single day since.
Im now 53.

 

[McLovin’ me Ludwigs]

This my replacement…pre serial blue note. All there but the cowbell.

 

[Quai34]

I buy stuff to keep them and it takes me so much time, efforts and dollars to get them that they all became sentimental and never let go. I regret having sold my first synths, a Yamaha CS15, a Roland SH101 and a small sequencer MC202 but it was to finance two new sun this with memories, my Roland D50 and my Yamaha TX802 and thus, I will never sell them as well as all the other stuff music wise, bass, guitars, drums and cymbals. Music is my life, they will follow my legacy with my kids who will have them and my grand kids.

 

[McLovin’ me Ludwigs]

This my replacement…pre serial blue note. All there but the cowbell.

Mercí

 

[cornelius]

I still have my old 1978 Slingerlands. It's sort have had two different lives. My parents bought me the kit for Christmas - it was the Pop Outfit, which were concert toms, but this kit was unique, as it had a double headed bass drum. I used it in the 80s through high school, and when I first got to college.

Then in the 90s, after playing Yamahas for a few years, I resurrected the kit. I had bottom hardware installed at the Modern Drum shop, and voilà - a totally new (and amazing sounding) kit!

I guess I haven't sold it because it's my first kit, and then years later, have memories playing great gigs and recordings with it.

 

[steeljazzfan]

My 90's mapex maple deluxe snare. It came with a mapex orion classic kit. I regret selling the kit but kept the snare. Not sure if it was made for an endorsed drummer or ? I've never seen one like it with interior ply's this nice. I know mapex doesn't get the respect like other drum makers but they sound as good and are built as well as most. The majority of my 14 snares are mapex. Won't part with this, my precious metals bronze or my deep forest cherry.

 

[moondrum]

Has any piece of gear (drums, cymbals, hardware, etc.) developed sentimental value for you that you feel like you can never sell it or you regret that you sold it? If so, what was/is it?

Do you think it’s a silly thing and all that matters is in your hands and the music you make every time you sit behind any kit?

I would say I’m very sentimental.I still have my Ludwig Acrolite I bought at Mannys Music on 48th street in Manhattan back in 1966 when I was 13th and had money from a summer job. My father drove me there. I still have the late 60’s Ludwig in Sky Blue Pearl 22,13,16,18. Another drum set I won’t sell is a late 60’s Rogers kit in white Marine Pearl with a 18,12,12,14. I won’t sell this kit since I have a photo of my daughter when she was four standing in front of it. That was 22 year ago.Those two sets I won’t sell. I have ten other kits great looking and sounding but nothing sentimental like those two kits.

 

[Northamusi]

I definitely have an attachment to my Tama Superstars, a Super Mahogany kit purchased new in 1983. I worked my a$$ off to buy that kit, and handled it with kid gloves. I might even still have the sales receipt from Bath Music in Brooklyn NY. It's also an attachment to the music store. Anyone who went there knows what I'm talking about. Mom and Pop Castellano let me work off some of the bill for those drums. I'm gonna be buried with that kit.