My dad had sticks in my hands as soon as I could hold on to them, but I didn't have a clue until I was about 7 or 8. I always wanted to play as fast as possible. I took lessons for about 9 years and was in marching band for about a year and a half. I quit the second year of band because it was just getting too serious and wasn't any fun.
I have 3 kits; Roger R-380, Slingerland, and a Gretsch - all are older than me. The love the uniqueness of the older drums. Cymbals, I am not very loyal to a specific brand as to how it just actually sounds. My first kit was a Clear Green Ludwig Vistalight 7 piece oversize concert toms. I traded it to my dad because he wanted to restore it, he has since made it double bass, added 2 more toms, and replaced all hardware with original stuff.
I used to play Axis, but I ran into a geometry issue in the linkage with the beaters I like to use. They are also gutless (no power), I spent countless hours tweaking that stupid thing. I started on putting the long boards onto a set of Iron Cobras, but I need $150 to finish it and all my project money is going to my truck for the time being.
Still an ongoing project:
First Built:
After first set of "fixes" live:
I usually record with brass snares, but I use a marching snare live. Sounds great.
Pete