I know - this is a real first world problem.

M

Matt Bo Eder

Guest
I have two kits. One usually stays home so I can practice on it, and the other is the traveling one that is always cased up and ready to go when I gig.

This season, I'm not sure which one should be the traveling one. I love both of them, one is this ultra-modern kit (Pearl Reference Pure - in traditional sizes), and this other one harkens back to a vintage time (but is a new Ludwig Classic maple in classic sizes). I'm trying to let the music dictate which one travels, and over the last few days of rehearsals, I've noticed I'm really being a wild rock'n'roll guy and not so much the guy trying to be Vinnie Colaiuta.

But I currently have the Ludwigs set up in my practice room so I can see them. And I love the look. If they become the 'travelers', that means when I'm home, I don't see them because they'll be cased up in the garage waiting to go somewhere, and I'll have to contend with looking at the Pearls.

Sorry, I know these are really first world problems. OMG - I can't figure which high-end kit I want to be my 'traveler' kit! Never mind. Forget I brought this up ;)
 
Two kits? Pearl and Ludwig? What happened to that cool Tama kit I saw you with? :)

Bermuda
 
Get a bigger van, load em both, decide when you get there.
 
Two kits? Pearl and Ludwig? What happened to that cool Tama kit I saw you with? :)

Bermuda

Through the revolving door back then, Jon.

Actually it was weird having an ultra modern kit with a vintage look. That feeling led me back to Ludwig.
 
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The answer is so obvious. You need a third kit.

It's simply not civilized to not have a third kit.

:)

Oh and the third kit needs to have a 20" kick.

I dare say you might hold onto these longer than others that have been in your stable :
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yamaha-Club...537?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4188e5e341

Then, you would have all the 'basses' covered : 20/22/24….no?

Neal

Don't tempt me!

IMHO - my current gig really demands at least a 22. But my Ludwig's got a thunderous 14x24 I absolutely dig, so all basses are covered with that one drum. It is ironic when I had the 16x26, that was too big for transporting for me, but when you eliminate the two inches from the depth and the circumference, the drum is more manageable without losing the size-able 'oomph'.

I could probably work with a 20/12/14 kit all the time if I were mic'ed up more often, but that doesn't happen on this gig. I am always tempted by that Ludwig Cavern Club Date kit in that blue swirl with the early Ringo sizes. But I've resisted knowing I've already got that base covered with my classic maples and I'm just being lazy.
 
+1 on the third kit idea. That was the first thought I had as I was reading this. Maybe more of a players kit that you aren't totally in love with. I had one that I never cared if it got scuffed or scraped, was perfect for packing up and gigging with. I also never had the desire to look at it. If I had I set of Pearl References, I'm not sure I could bring myself to let them leave the house.
 
The answer is so obvious. You need a third kit.

It's simply not civilized to not have a third kit.

More kits is not the answer. I have 11 kits available for in-town gigs, and it's still just as difficult as when I had 2 kits.

Bermuda
 
+1 on the third kit idea. That was the first thought I had as I was reading this. Maybe more of a players kit that you aren't totally in love with. I had one that I never cared if it got scuffed or scraped, was perfect for packing up and gigging with. I also never had the desire to look at it. If I had I set of Pearl References, I'm not sure I could bring myself to let them leave the house.

Nah. I'm of the mind that I have these high-end kits for one thing: to play out. I don't obsess about them getting damaged or anything, and I don't think it's right to own these fine instruments if I don't want them in front of a paying public doing what they're supposed to be doing.

I can appreciate people who like 'museum quality' and all that, I was just never one of those people. It's like owning a nice set of (insert favorite tool manufacturer name here) tools and never using them. They deserve to be used, played, and appreciated by others.

I suppose I could alternate, but the problem is I have my own minions who will be packing it up and moving it around for me, so I'd rather not confuse them every week with a different kit. Again, another first world problem ;)
 
More kits is not the answer. I have 11 kits available for in-town gigs, and it's still just as difficult as when I had 2 kits.

Bermuda

And people complain about my first world problems? Bah!
 
More kits is not the answer. I have 11 kits available for in-town gigs, and it's still just as difficult as when I had 2 kits.

Bermuda

Kinda half serious - just being a little evil :)

I have many kits available for local gigs as well - and I have to admit, I do often struggle deciding what to gig with. Sometimes it comes down to using whatever looks best for a given event, all other things like sound and setup/transportation being equal.

Neal
 
.... I currently have the Ludwigs set up in my practice room so I can see them. And I love the look. If they become the 'travelers', that means when I'm home, I don't see them because they'll be cased up in the garage waiting to go somewhere, and I'll have to contend with looking at the Pearls....


The solution seems obvious to me too, but I came to a different conclusion from the above quote.

You need to sell the Pearls and get another set of Ludwigs.
 
I'd take the black Pearls and spare the crowd the wacky color of those Luds.

:)




*runs for cover*
 
and what happened to the breakbeats? i guess you said beat it! scram! to them?

both those kits you own are very nice. i like the sound and slick look of black on those pearls. to me it looks like you have a few different size toms with the pearls as the ludwigs are a 3 piece right?
 
Bo's problem is easy to solve.
My dilemma is a little more difficult - or potentially costly.

I'd like Ludwig Classic Maple shells and lugs,
with Yamaha's lightning T rods and claws for the bass drum, their aluminum die cast rims for the toms/snare, and their tom mounting system.

I can't really see myself buying and butchering two kits to get that though - LOL
 
Pretty simple solution:

Get some lighter fluid, set one kit on fire, then beat it to death it while it's one fire. Pretend you are Jimi Hendrix and Keith Moon at the same time.

Then, we'll all beat you for destroying a perfectly good drum kit, but regardless, once you recover from your injuries, you'll just have ONE drum kit left, so you'll have to take that one to the gig.

:p
 
Bo's problem is easy to solve.
My dilemma is a little more difficult - or potentially costly.

I'd like Ludwig Classic Maple shells and lugs,
with Yamaha's lightning T rods and claws for the bass drum, their aluminum die cast rims for the toms/snare, and their tom mounting system.

I can't really see myself buying and butchering two kits to get that though - LOL

You know, Pro Drum came into existence for offering drummers these possibilities. Back then, not everybody dug everything from one manufacturer, so if you wanted a Ludwig kit with the Rogers Swiv-O-Matic tom mounts, or you had a bass drum but hated the spurs that came on it, Pro Drum would order drums with no hardware and install whatever you wanted. Stan there had done that for me at least of couple of times in the late 80s and 90s when I had them build me a 16x24 bass drum, with my existing Slingerland lugs, and we put Pearls' best spurs on it with a Yamaha tom mount, along with a Ludwig shell-mount cymbal holder!

But yeah, if I or you did it, we'd be butchering, but at the shop, it's customization!
 
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