Stop me before I buy another.....

Zickos

Gold Member
...Snare Drum

Years ago I had one snare drum. I thought that was enough. Now I have six. I know a lot of you have many more than that, but I never thought I would have that many.

This is my collection and history in order of acquisition (l to r):

I originally had a set of Lyra drums (in the 60's) that had a snare and I gave that set away. More on that later.

My next (first) snare was acquired in the late 60's. It is an old (20's - 30's) Ludwig six lug snare which had single flange hoops with clips. It was being thrown out from my college and I rescued it. All it had was hoops, shell, tension rods and clips. It was very tarnished and I cleaned it up and put heads on it. I liked the sound a lot but got very tired of replacing the clips every time I accidentally hit them, so I traded the hoops and clips for triple flanged hoops and have never looked back. I absolutely loved this drum and it was my main drum for a long time.

My next drum was a Zickos eight lug which I acquired when I bought my first Zickos set in 1973. I was never too happy about the snare and I didn't use it much opting to go with the Ludwig. In 1978 I gave my pristine Lyras to my old high school (who needed more than one drum set, anyway) where it didn't last long till it was little more than match sticks.

In the early 90's I acquired a beater set which was a shell pack sans snare which I could leave in an orchestra pit without worrying much about it. They sounded OK and if they were stolen I wouldn't be out too much.

In the late 90's I bought a Pearl Forum kit from a guy who was moving and couldn't take it with him. I think I have about $300 in the kit with an 8 lug snare and a whole lot of cymbals albeit not the best quality. The Forum snare sounded OK but was nothing great. I still opted for the Ludwig.

In the late 2000's I saw a picture of a Pearl Tony DeGrasso hammered brass ten lug snare on this site that I fell in love with and had to have. I think I paid around $200 for it and it replaced all my other drums. It had a great sound. Also, about that time, I was beginning to like the Zickos drum more and I went back and forth between the brass Pearl and the Zickos drum.

Last year I bought something on another site and the seller took a very long time to get it to me. He apologized and said he would make it up to me by sending me a free gift. The gift turned out to be a 13x6-1/2 Tuxedo drum bag. Since I didn't own a 13" drum,I didn't know what to do with it. I was in a nice drum store later and mentioned my dilemma to the owner and mentioned that he probably didn't have a 13" drum I could afford. He said that, by the way, he did. It is a Pearl birch 13x6-1/2 eight lug with die cast hoops and nickle hardware. It was less than $200 so I bought it and it is a really great drum. I have gigged it a couple of times and it has more punch than any drum I own.

Last week on another drum site there was a guy who was selling snare drums for $30 shipped. I don't know how he could afford to do that but I bought one anyway. It is a 13x5-1/2 Pearl chrome steel shell six lug drum. All I have done with it is properly adjust the snares and it really sounds great. It has the original heads and I haven't even touched them. I can't wait to gig with it but it will be a while as I am having some health problems and am temporarily not doing any gigging.

One drum is not necessarily enough, two is plenty, three is more than enough (after all, how many can you play at a time), four is too many, five is way too many and six is gluttony. Please don't let me buy another one.

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Whenever I want to buy something, I would question myself – Why do I want this? What are the triggers that led to me wanting to buy this? What is the inner gap I’m trying to feel inside by wanting to buy this?

It can be quite elusive at times, too. Many times, my inner probing has led me to uncover insecurities and dissatisfactions which I was never fully aware of initially. When my purchase desire is triggered by dissatisfactions, I would instead identify how I can address that dissatisfaction within, rather than buying the good. This is helped me tremendously in my journey of my self discovery, personal growth and becoming a fuller, more conscious being.

http://personalexcellence.co/blog/materialism/

I have two snares. Honestly, I only need one. It's just a snare. I can make any decent snare sound great.
 
Don't think of them as if you "own" them, you're merely "looking after them" for a while.

I have 7 right now, but bought and sold another 15 or so over the past two years. Just to have a tinker and play with, and then pass on to the next custodian.

Dutch
 
I buy lots of things I don't need, expecting that they'll make me happy.

With snares, I'd say because there are a few different types, it's cool to have one of each, but you have to be able to see when you're getting silly.
 
This idea of "two is enough" intrigues me, but escapes me...

Lol...best thing I've read all day!
 
I think that birch one is actually a Tama. I'd recognize that strainer anywhere. I had a birch 14x5.5" with die-cast hoops that came with my old Superstar and that had a great tone.

Having just bought my second high-end snare two hours ago, I think I'm one of those who stays more in the "under 5" camp- I could see myself getting a Guru, and a 12" Mapex hammered steel, but I find that between my 13x5" stave Padauk and my 13x6" Ahead Brass (oh man, it's beautiful), I can just use different heads and tune for just about whatever I'm after.

Ooh, but there are also some hammered Crush snares that I could lust after... good thing I'm a broke college student :)
 
+1 on caddy's suggestion to acquire a Black Beauty and a Craviotto.
I have 7 snare drums at present including a Black Beauty which I love. I am thinking of buying a Craviotto. I don't have a single ply steam bent.
 
I think that birch one is actually a Tama. I'd recognize that strainer anywhere. I had a birch 14x5.5" with die-cast hoops that came with my old Superstar and that had a great tone.

You're right. My bad.
 
JohnPloughman;]" The more you have, the less likely your wife will notice when you get another one"

A strategy I have used often in the cymbal department. Works well.
 
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