Listen to how he plays. That's all that matters.
When I pay good money for my basses I always go with premium cases for them. I like quality cases and I like protecting my investment.
I always raise an eyebrow when a drummer shows up with blankets over his drums and the hardware is in nothing more than a card board box.
How do you gigging drummers feel about cases for your drums.
Listen to how he plays. That's all that matters.
I'm with you, as far as protecting my investment. My kit for gigging is a five piece. I have cases for all of them. Soft cases with lamb's wool lining are fine for me. I also have a bag for hardware, which features wheels.
John
Hi Drummer,
I think I know where your coming from, however we have to look at more than just playing ability.
While how he/she plays is at the top of the list we have to consider other criteria. It's a job, it's a business, a fun business but still a business.
His/Her Location to gigs and rehearsals
Attitude and personality are also important
Ability to communicate with the band
How committed is he/she to the band
For example, take the guy that plays his butt off, you hire him, then he sends out an e-mail blocking dates ( for personal reasons) during a bands busiest month. That's just one example, there are others.
Blue
You can buy a a nice set of Gator bags for around $100. That's what I use, and they work great. If I was gigging more than a couple times a month, I would probably want hard shells for the added protection. You can also buy a plastic sportsman's trunk or used golf case to use for hardware for under $100. I think it would actually make easier to load/unload/carry with actual cases.
Some people are just that way. I've seen awesome guitar players with guitars that look like they were shot out of a cannon. Heck, look at Willie Nelson,LOL. I have a friend that bought a brand new top of the line Fender guitar amp, then hauls it around in back of his farm truck.
-Brian
"Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"
Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!
"I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham
I have been doing this rock & roll gigging show thing for a long time and I have screwed up and ruined enough gear in the past to look at proper gear care a lot differently now.
I'm all about quality cases, heck even stands. I just purchased a couple Hercules stands that lock your head stock in place. Back in the day I would lean my bass up against my amp.
blue
With my last band we were to the point of playing 4-6 shows a month. Festivals, coffee shops, CD releases for other bands. We had cases for all of the guitars but I never had cases for my kit. It had nothing to do with my dedication to the music. I played EVERY single gig regardless of anything (broken ankle, strep throat, bad weather, you name it.) The issue was that we did not make enough money to buy a full set of cases for me. We barely made enough to buy sticks, strings, heads, cables, and mic's.
I don't think that cases say ANYTHING about the dedication of a drummer.
I showed up with drums wrapped in packing blankets, and hardware in the passenger seat. Hell when Neil Peart auditioned for Rush he showed up with all of his gear in a couple of trash cans.
-Steven
Drum Bum (the owners of this forum) has some Beato Bags for $45.95. They're not top of the line but they cover the drums efficiently. I have a set for my practice kit.
http://store.drumbum.com/skuBG-23.html
Blue, I don't think you're out of line at all. The way a guy presents himself is a HUGE part of the equation. It's not just about playing. This is SHOW BUSINESS. The ENTERTAINMENT business. It's not enough to just play well.
OF COURSE you have to be able to play. But you've got to look the part too. I gig with a nice kit and I put them in nice cases. Hard cases.
I use these:
To protect these:
On Topic Response: Protection Racket makes very good drums bags.
Off Topic Response: Nobody really cares what you're gear looks like. This is especially true if you're doing the local bar gig or show circuit. H*ll, most of the time the people there don't even know if you're playing the song correctly or not. The lay person out there doesn't care what brand drum, type of head or pies, pedal, sticks or anything else we have and further.........they really don't care what it looks like. Just play stuff they recognize and can dance to and don't mess it up too badly.
I like my stuff to look good and I try to make a nice and professional presentation because I just like it that way. Not for who is out there dancing and spilling beer all over themselves.
Carter Beauford is a friend of mine. I remember seeing him on the road once and he didn't have cases for his drums. This was before Dave Mathews Band. I was shocked because it was a nice drumset and had been all knicked up and abused. But it didn't seem to change the way he played and obviously didn't keep other professional musicians from hiring him.
I do not use cases. Personally I am okay with nicks and scratches on my drums, I think they give them some character and as long as I am pretty careful with the drums, none of the damage is too bad.
Over the years, I've seen many a drummer with killer equipment and really nice cases that needed to spend much more time practicing than they did shopping. I'm sure you're a really nice guy and I mean no disrespect, but, your last statement couldn't be further from the truth. Gear says nothing about type of musician one is or one's skill level. Guess we just need to agree to disagree on this one.
That's an excellent option. Very affordable, certainly better than nothing. At the least, the handles will make them easier to carry. In fact, for that price, I might pick up a set myself for my practice kit.
The only issue I've come across is making sure you check the tom depth. With most newer kits its not an issue. On my 80's Premier XPK with the extra deep power toms, however, I couldn't use the "standard" bag kit. I had to buy an extra bag for a 13" diameter tom to fit my 12"....then I used the 12" bag for my 10" tom. You just need to make sure you double check everything before clicking on the "checkout" button.
-Brian
"Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"
Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!
"I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham
I don't think gear necessarily says anything about skill level. And I'm not sure it always says anything about who you are as a musician, but it could. One might think that a guy with a nice set of cases for his drums would at least mean he wants to protect the kit he purchased.
blue
Last edited by bluewine; 03-14-2014 at 11:13 AM.
Not to stray off topic, but what bands have you been involved with? I didn't see anything in your profile. Is there any kind of a "who's who" thread that highlights the careers or talents of our members? I know we have some awesome drummers on here, and I would really love to know more about them.
-Brian
"Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"
Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!
"I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham
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