mattgallettidrums
Junior Member
Hi all- Hope you are staying safe and healthy! When there are gigs, in addition to my jazz trio (which you can check out in my signature) and freelance work, I also play in a 10-piece Wedding Band in the Philadelphia area here in PA. I have to admit, when I google "Wedding Band" and "drums", I get wedding bands for guys that have an engraving of a drum, ha! So, I figured I would start this thread.
Here is what I am trying to accomplish:
- Currently playing a Gretsch Catalina 18-12-14, for the wedding band. It works, to a degree. I do find I have to dig into the kick drum a lot more than I would like to really get it to project through the 10-piece group.
- I have a Rogers kit and a Sugar Percussion kit, but if you have ever done load-ins in the Philly area, it can be dicey at best, plus the always fun boyfriend/girlfriend fight at the end of a wedding in which it tends to happen right near my drums. I have had drinks spilled on my drums, people knock into them, etc... The Rogers is my dads he bought new in 1967 and the Sugar Kit I just got in December, and I use them when I know the venue and I know the audience, as they are too important for me to be lugging through a kitchen.
- Looking for a kit that is 14x20 kick, 8x12, 14" floor tom (depth is not totally relevant for me). I would be open to a 7x10 as well for the rack tom.
- Looking for something in the sub 1k range, used, but budget could be stretched a little bit for the right thing.
- I love Yamaha hardware, and have actually swapped out the gretsch hardware for yammy hardware on my kit. For me, it just ergonomically fits what I prefer. I am speaking about the tom mounts, not cymbal stands. I love yammy cymbal stands, though!
- I am open to any brand, as long as it is going to be a quality instrument.
- Looking for an intermediate level kit, so dropping money on a maple custom or masterworks/reference is probably out of the question.
If you play in one of these bigger dance bands, what are you using?
Thanks much and stay well!
Here is what I am trying to accomplish:
- Currently playing a Gretsch Catalina 18-12-14, for the wedding band. It works, to a degree. I do find I have to dig into the kick drum a lot more than I would like to really get it to project through the 10-piece group.
- I have a Rogers kit and a Sugar Percussion kit, but if you have ever done load-ins in the Philly area, it can be dicey at best, plus the always fun boyfriend/girlfriend fight at the end of a wedding in which it tends to happen right near my drums. I have had drinks spilled on my drums, people knock into them, etc... The Rogers is my dads he bought new in 1967 and the Sugar Kit I just got in December, and I use them when I know the venue and I know the audience, as they are too important for me to be lugging through a kitchen.
- Looking for a kit that is 14x20 kick, 8x12, 14" floor tom (depth is not totally relevant for me). I would be open to a 7x10 as well for the rack tom.
- Looking for something in the sub 1k range, used, but budget could be stretched a little bit for the right thing.
- I love Yamaha hardware, and have actually swapped out the gretsch hardware for yammy hardware on my kit. For me, it just ergonomically fits what I prefer. I am speaking about the tom mounts, not cymbal stands. I love yammy cymbal stands, though!
- I am open to any brand, as long as it is going to be a quality instrument.
- Looking for an intermediate level kit, so dropping money on a maple custom or masterworks/reference is probably out of the question.
If you play in one of these bigger dance bands, what are you using?
Thanks much and stay well!