Collecting Drums

December 5th, 2008

Collecting and reselling drums is a great way to acquire all the gear you want without needing a warehouse in which to store it! A former bandmate of mine does just that. He usually has three or four complete drum kits at his place at any given time.

Collecting drums is not only fun, but educational, especially if you want to resell them profitably. You need to learn something about the history of the various drum manufacturers to know which models are sought after by collectors.

You need to learn to scout garage sales, newspaper and online ads, and other sources for drum gear that people want to unload, usually fairly cheaply. You can often pick up a complete kit for a few hundred dollars that’s worth well in excess of that. Even single drums, snares in particular, can go for big bucks on the collector market.

If you’re a gearhead like I am, it’s fun to acquire new, and new-to-me, gear, but it often ends up collecting dust after a while unless it becomes a particular favorite for practice or gigging. In that case, you can clean it up and offer it for sale on eBay, Craigslist, or any number of other resources.

If you’re shrewd and knowledgeable about vintage gear, you can own it and make money off of it at the same time!

ImADrumPlayer.com

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First Set of Drums

November 20th, 2008

When I was a kid I had a couple of buddies who played drums. It looked like fun, so I harassed my parents until they agreed to rent a drum set for me to learn on. To avoid taking lessons (I hated piano lessons), I said I’d learn from my buddies.

I mainly learned by listening to records (yes, I’m that old!) and getting a few pointers from the aforementioned friends along the way. I probably played that set for 6 months or so before I got sidetracked and went in a different musical direction.

That set of drums was a rent-to-own situation where if I’d stuck with it long enough, I’d eventually have owned them (or rather my parents would have!). It made a lot more sense than buying a set outright since my parents knew me well enough to know that it was very possible I’d lose interest in them after a while.

Buying is not a horrible idea because music gear is pretty easy to sell used for a decent price. There’s a thriving market on eBay for used music gear, for example. I still think rent-to-own makes sense for drums for several reasons:

  • You’re establishing a relationship with a local music store
  • You don’t have the hassle of selling them if the need arises
  • If you stick with it through the life of the contract, you own a nice set of drums that you’re already used to

Sure, you may decide you need a better set before the contract runs out, but in that case, the store will generally apply what you’ve already paid toward a new, upgraded set.

The upshot is: by going rent-to-own you can get a good set of drums to learn on without the expense up front and you can start out with only what you need and build from there. It always pays to get the best gear you can afford because it will last longer, play better and sound better. It’s hard to maintain interest in learning when you’re having to fight the instrument. The good news is that there is a lot of fine equipment available for very good prices these days.

I’m A Drum Player

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Digidesign Strike Virtual Drum Instrument RTAS DVD

November 14th, 2008


Strike is a revolutionary new RTAS instrument plug-in that makes it easy to create, control, and produce professional drum performances in Pro Tools with uncanny realism. One part intelligent virtual drummer, one part professional drum module, Strike features a wide range of high-definition drum kits and style choices, and allows for unprecedented control over the virtual drummer’s performance.

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DDrum Stick Pack Drumstick and Accessories Bag

November 14th, 2008


Drummers don’t settle for bags that nearly resemble small purses! If you need more space for drum sticks, tape, lugs, keys, sweatbands, Neil Peart training videos and much more then get the bag that does double the duty. The Stick Pak by DDrum features a cool detachable stick back which lets you store your drumsticks away from any other equipment that might chip it or crack it

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DDrum Golf Ball Snare Drum

November 14th, 2008


Now a part of the stunning DDrum snare line comes the snare drum with quite a unique look and sound to complement any kit. The DDrum Golf Snare Drum features a white powder-coated shell that has a hammered finish (almost as if golfers wanted something to complement their playing!) which helps produce such a unique look. 15 vent holes provide enough of that good resonance that only comes from a DDrum snare drum.

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DDrum Electronic Percussion RSKIT Red Shot Drum Trigger Kit

November 14th, 2008


The Red Shot 5-Piece Drum Trigger Pack by DDrum includes 4 Red Shot tom/snare triggers and one Red Shot bass drum trigger. The Red Shot drum triggers are rugged roadworthy and very easily removed. They connect using any 1/4 inch cable and fit most types of molded hoops with no adhesive needed. DDrum Red Shot drum triggers safely secure at the hoop with a standard tension rod.

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DDrum Electronic Percussion DTS Pro Stereo Snare Trigger

November 14th, 2008


DDrum Triggers set a new standard of trigger mechanics with their superb tracking ability. With absolutely no adhesives required, the ddrum triggers clamp onto the sides of standard drum hoops.

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DDrum Dominion Maple Pocket 5-Piece Drum Shell Kit

November 14th, 2008


DDrum’s Dominion Series debuted with Maple shells, and we’re not about to let up now. Answering the demands of even the most particular player, Dominion’s all Maple shell is comprised of lumber from two separate continents: North America and Asia. The unique combination of lumber from two separate continents takes the tried-and-true tone of the drum world’s most-preferred timbre, and elevates it to the next level.

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DDrum Dominion Ash Pocket 5-Piece Drum Shell Kit

November 14th, 2008


This truly unique setup by DDrum is specifically tailored to the player that wants to create a DEEP pocket in the groove. The 20×20 inch kick keeps the feel tight without sacrificing too much needed bottom end, and the 7×13 inch snare delivers sweet crack without being robbed of depth. In contrast, shallow toms create a more musical tone down to the scale. To compliment the darker nature of the Dominion Ash’s shell grain, the hardware and die-cast hoops on the new Pocket kit have been plated in black-nickel chrome, for an unrivaled visual and sonic feast.

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DDrum Diablo Death Punx 7-Piece Double Bass Drum Kit

November 14th, 2008


Take no prisoners. Unleash a percussive assault that will leave nothing but stunned silence in your wake. The Diablo Death-Punx drum package is the first built specifically to stand up to the demands for playing speed metal. Two 20 x 22 in. kick drums with lacquered maple hoops, two rack toms with the new SpearHead tom mount, two floor toms for deep, penetrating lows, and the new 7 x 14 in., fifteen-ply snare drum.

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