I think we are extremely practical . . . I also started as a carpenter. Have always loved taking apart, building and repairing things since I was a kid. Went to school and received 2 engineering degrees (mechanical and manufacturing). Have worked as a carpenter, design engineer, maintenance leader, plant manager. I still love to build things out of wood and to repair and bring vintage drums back to life. Am now a global Environmental Health and Safety Leader for my company, spend my time out at the factories and project sites identifying risk and helping to keep the workers and environment safe from harm. I have also found that most drummers can drive a manual car (stick shift) without much training or a steep learning curve ! Guess it comes naturally for us drummers.

I think it poignant to point out.. That Jim Marshall, maker of Marshall amps was first and foremost..a drummer. Think about that for a little bit and notice the influence that drummers have had in the music industry...

jason

Ha ha. I once met Jim Marshall at a music fair in London. He came across as such a quiet and unassuming man. Ironic that he should be (indirectly) responsible for the hearing loss of an entire generation!

Great question. I nailed the stick shift deal right out of the box but can barely drive a nail straight and am a 37-year-journalist (fill in your line here). But I have found with the assistance of this site the confidence to work on my old Slingys kit, going as far one night -- carefully following VDF instructions -- as to repair a fraying edge on one of my toms. (It worked!) I've acquired a very small skill set applicable only to my old set of cans. But I'll take it!

Although I fit the mold of hands on engineer type who drives a stick (often in anger) I can confirm it was beating the snot out of all the pots and pans that led to my drumming.

I think poorly tuned stencil kits sound better (or less offensive) than my culinary clammering.

I modify and maintain the 8mm and 16mm projectors for our little transfer facility here. You should have seen how I "fixed" the transmission linkage on our '79 Cutlass a few years ago, it involved strategically placed hose-clamps haha. Definitely had to take the bike apart as a kid. I worked so much on my first Trixon kit my dad said I'd be walking onstage in coveralls. Think you might have something here...

Mitch

I studied journalism and political science. I'm doing my master in Security Studies now.

So, um... but my dad is an engineer and an extremely manually skilled person. So the practicallity is somewhere around!

While I enjoy woodworking, I consider myself more my wife's handyman than a carpenter. However, I have a degree in auto mechanics and worked as a mechanic for a few years. I worked on a home-theatre install crew for a while. I've worked as an auditor for almost 11 years now...total change of direction. Still, I look forward to restoring drums in as much spare time as I can take do so. Oh, and I build custom lamps out of old cigar boxes. So, Gerard, I agree with your observation, the enjoyment of building/repairing things has always been in me.

Lynn

Are drummers practical?

In a word NO. Just looking at the signatures of you guys who replied ... how can owning 4,5 or 6 kits be practical!? HAHAHA

I'm also guilty as charged. I'm enjoying the reading.

-Doug