I'm with you Jason. Honestly, I feel privileged to play a Guru snare drum at my gigs. I never trumpet it, I keep it to myself. If someone asks then I'll tell the story. Yea, no one really asks lol. My steambent ash snare is just so crisp, it's crunchy. It's so sensitive that I might go down to 16 or 12 wires. I think I want more shell. A good dilemma. I haven't experimented yet.
Ah, that steam bent ash. You'll recall that over a year ago, I emailed you with all kinds of questions about that drum. Heard a recording you posted and couldn't stop thinking about it.
Just spent the last two nights gigging the drum and the more I get to know her, the more enamored I become. Actually didn't play quite as well as usual on Friday; there's so much about this drum that's different I think I just really needed time on a gig to get used to it. Change for the better is still change, still unfamiliar territory in some regards and takes time to adjust.
Going into yesterday's gig, I still hadn't taken a key to it. Andy suggested giving the rods a quarter turn--I did and holy crap, pop-o-rama but still plenty of that rich, complex body. Last set, I'm slamming backbeats with my left hand way back on the stick and it was just heavenly. We're still getting to know each other but last night I was better able to find the right place for the sound in the groove (if that makes any sense) and then everything just flowed.
You have a rare ass drum Jason. You really have to stand in awe at the lengths Andy goes to when he does something. I mean the commitment to get in that suit...just to sand drums....I have to stand up and applaud the guy.
That drum is an heirloom that you should definitely play at every gig from now to eternity lol. (Unless you get another Guru ha ha) Really, in the long run, to own something truly amazing...I mean something way beyond DW, way beyond Sonor, forget the Japanese guys and their Phoenix drums...Guru drums are a bargain. I can't think of any drum that can top them. Amazing instruments. I've been playing a Guru snare exclusively at my gigs with only two exceptions since September 2013.
Yes sir, as you said earlier, it's really a privilege to have this instrument as part of my musical identity and expression. Andy seems to have this mixture of knowledge, passion, work ethic, obsession with details (and awareness of the impact of even the smallest of details) and endless fascination with what might be possible when it comes to creating drums. I'm sure I'm embarrassing the f*** out of him but I've been reading his posts since he joined the forum and this is what I've gleaned. Thing is, I'm really not trying to be complimentary to him by saying that, just stating the reality that when you have someone like that crafting a product, you're going to end up with something exceptional.
For a stave drum to have that complexity...I had a Canopus Zelkova...that drum was carved from a tree...it was basically a stave without the staves....a hollowed out log....on paper, the perfect drum. Andy's drums wipe the floor with it. What I'm saying is if Andy hollowed out a log....it would beat the snot out of the Canopus drum. He really knows what he's doing. Guru's are a steal, get them while you can.
You have no idea how much I am looking forward to the phat loonng ass walnut note on these segmented walnut In-Tense Tour drums he's building for me. They'll get the friggin tympanic edge....and I can't believe I'm going to have them in my disgusting dirty little hands in just a few short months MU HA HA HA HA HA!
Yeah, I'm so excited for you man! I might even have to make a trip out to PA to hear/feel them in-person.
Okay, I'm off to go play my drum. ;-)
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