Earning your gear?

When I was a kid I was really into riding my bmx bike and jumping/doing tricks etc. but never really had a nice bike. After a while it became something I was proud of, especially when I would see another kid with a really nice/expensive bike who (as kids do) was trying to prove that he was better than me. I was very proud of my ability to out-perform on lesser quality equipment.

So- 25 years later I look at drumming this way to some extent except that I am now able to afford nicer stuff. I am about 2 years into drumming and I think my skills are where they should be- not better not worse. I am really lusting after a black beauty snare after playing one but I dont think I could go into a store and buy one because I would feel comfortable playing it in front of people and would worry that I might be viewed as the kid on the nice bike with no skills and an attitude. Wouldnt mind a set of USA Customs either.. . . .

For those who can afford to buy pro level drums/equipment- Do you just buy the best thing you can afford at all/any time or set personal goals and try to earn it for yourself?

Posted this thought on another thread and decided it might make an interesting conversation-

You got so good at accepting mediocre gear that it's now part of your identity.

If you like it and can afford it, get it. Having nice gear or more gear won't reduce your skills or make you better. Only you can do that, not your gear.
 
If I could afford it, I'd buy the sweetest drum set I could find, new cymbals, the whole thing. If you've got that kind of dough, I say go for it. After all, you earn gear by paying for it.
 
Toys and Tools

When I sit on my brothers champagne sparkle ludwigs, I do not feel worthy because those drums have a rich musical and family history that I do not think I measure up to. When I sit on my kit, there is no real history to them, nor will there likely be for as long as I own them.

I had to work a lot of overtime to assemble the ensemble that I now have. My brother paid for his drums many times over simply by playing them.

My drums are toys. Bobs drums are tools.

Barry
 
Well to sum it up, I'd be happy with my Mapex Meridian Maple all my life! And a Mapex Saturn. Don't think I'll need another drum set after I get a Mapex Saturn or an RCI. But that's just me! I love acrylics and I love Saturns. Don't really like many drums apart from those. Apart from Gretsch USA kits.
 
Yeah it's a one of those things you can never truely be happy with either way.

If you have the money then do it but, the experienced or less rich players will snarl at you for it.
But the thing is, better gear just sounds better and if it doesn't help you learn twchniquea better then the sound will surely inspire you more and keep you thrilled.

Good pedals definitely help learn, I went from a tiny, almost weightless pedal to iron cobras and I couldn't believe how how big they were and just how heavy they were at first and it took more than just a bit of adjustment.

I am proud that I worked my way up from the bottom though, really earning it and learning to use every new addition to my kit as I got it, instead of being overwhelmed.
Now that I have all the expensive gear i'm very proud and protective of it. Glad I didn't hit the roof soundwise, too early.

Makes me think though, if my kids take up drumming will I buy them their own gear and add bits to it, buy better stuff if they keep at it?
don't want to hand it to them on a plate with no effort but, on the other hand I have everything to give them the best start so how do you balance that?

I used to go hunting as a child (I know, I hate the thought of killing animals now) I worked my way up feom air rifles to ammo guns at my grandads farm. Had free run of the place as a teenager, was their everyday and earned everyones respect, gun safety etc.
I was working my way to using his big shotgun and other big rifle (can't remember) and I remember the family had a barbeque and my uncle turned up with his new girfriend and her kid who was only 6!!! went straight into the gun cabinet and pulled out the shotgun and gave it to him (with assistance).
this crushed me after I'd put years of work doing things right and earning everything.
it's stuck with me and I feel i don't just want to hand stuff too easy to my kids.

Plus I've seen kids get handed the best straight off the bat and there's nowhere else to go, they end up disgarding it like it's nothing and move onto the next thing, never really sticking to anything.

So, I'm kind of torn I'd say put the work in, and if money no object then just go for it but, try not to get too much at once and it'll keep you dreaming at night.

I don't know. Wish I knew for certain what the right thing to do was!
 
If you play your drums seriously,I see no reason not to have a nice snare that sounds good responds well .

You spend most of your time playing on the snare drum,and by getting a black beauty you would not really ever need another expensive new snare.

A BB you can play for a lifetime,it will cover any situation.

Just go get the thing.
 
If you play your drums seriously,I see no reason not to have a nice snare that sounds good responds well .

You spend most of your time playing on the snare drum,and by getting a black beauty you would not really ever need another expensive new snare.

A BB you can play for a lifetime,it will cover any situation.

Just go get the thing.

And get some good cymbals while you're at it. You always need good cymbals ;)
 
So, I'm kind of torn I'd say put the work in, and if money no object then just go for it but, try not to get too much at once and it'll keep you dreaming at night.

Rubbish. If you've got the dough, get what you want. Get the best, drums, cymbals, everything. Who wouldn't do that?

"Try not to get too much at once." What does that mean? Get whatever you want if you've got the dough. I would, and I'll bet that everyone here would too.
 
Rubbish. If you've got the dough, get what you want. Get the best, drums, cymbals, everything. Who wouldn't do that?

"Try not to get too much at once." What does that mean? Get whatever you want if you've got the dough. I would, and I'll bet that everyone here would too.

It means what it means.

I bet most people WOULD buy absolutely everything at once if they could but, this might not be the best way to master everything. they could end up just buying more drums and cymbals instead of learning to coax as many sounds out of what they have first and really learning to use their equipment properly and effectively. So, it may hinder their learning.
Same way as buying photoshop and every plug-in could just baffle you and slow you down without learning the basics first.

So I don't think it's rubbish at all.
 
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It means what it means.

I bet most people WOULD buy absolutely everything at once if they could but, this might not be the best way to master everything. they could end up just buying more drums and cymbals instead of learning to coax as many sounds out of what they have first and really learning to use their equipment properly and effectively. So, it may hinder their learning.
Same way as buying photoshop and every plug-in could just baffle you and slow you down without learning the basics first.

So I don't think it's rubbish at all.

So I guess a beginning piano player shouldn't play a Steinway.
 
So I guess a beginning piano player shouldn't play a Steinway.

No they should play a piano with only white keys at first 'til they've earned their semi-tones! Lol

Silly...
 
DMC- I got good at out-performing people with better gear with crappy gear which is something I know is possible on drums (waiting for this to happen to me, any day now, any day) so it did become part of my personality. I think that is a good trait too. No?
 
I have a similar, although shorter story than most of you. Slight case of GAS (5 kits in 2 years).... .

I thought I was bad as GAS, yet, I've only had 4 acoustic drum kits over 25 years.


So I guess a beginning piano player shouldn't play a Steinway.

No they should play a piano with only white keys at first 'til they've earned their semi-tones! Lol

Silly...

ROTFL.........hilarious
 
I've earn every piece of gear I get. Nobody does a damn thing for me.

Even if I had nice stuff, I'd probably just treat it like any other piece of gear I've ever owned. Getting a little bent over the first couple scratches, then not give a hoot after awhile when the novelty of newness wears off.
 
If you've got the money, buy it, you've earned it. Holding off because you think you're supposed to reach some kind of vaunted skill level is silly. Just get the damn thing!
 
No they should play a piano with only white keys at first 'til they've earned their semi-tones! Lol

Silly...

Hang on, that's jumping the gun, Chunky - they still get B to C and E to F! Gettin' a bit fancy there ...

But I agree (in principle). It's a good idea to limit your gear - quantity, not quality. If you can afford it, go for quality - or at least something that suits you. I sometimes prefer mid-range items with a sound that just appeals to me.

But there's no sense having six toms and a double kick if you are still trying to learn to keep a functional groove. I guess there is a point to it, but it's a bit of a wank :)
 
I don't tour these days but I have pro gear. I used to gig and tour many years ago with a midline kit & pro cymbals. In my mind it sounded just fine. I recall going through a few kits (some of which were more expensive) before settling with the Yamaha.


Earn it.....well I did fight two wars, started two corporations, and still work these days. So yeah I would say I earned the right to use whatever gear I want. I don't have debt, I take care of my family and have enough savings. On top of that I have never even used my full GI Bill and still have my VA home loan for down the road.
 
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