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Canister Drum Thrones

Posts: 2753 Threads: 132
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A canister drum throne is the most comfortable seat in the house when playing a drum set. I came to this realization long after I played my last money gig, and began collecting and rehabbing vintage drums. Early in my collecting years I acquired a couple Ludwig canister thrones and a Rogers canister throne that were not very comfortable for two reasons. Firstly, the standard height of these thrones were too tall for my short stature. Secondly, the 12" diameter with lightly padded seat tops seemed to be insufficient for my "matured" body. I sold or traded these thrones for vintage drums. The Rogers throne was a swap for a great four piece vintage Slingerland set.

My good friend, the late Jim Petty had a solution. Jim was making canister thrones that could be customized for individual customers. I had just acquired a Rogers champagne sparkle set. I visited Jim at the store where he did drum repair for a 22 store regional chain of stores. This was before he struck out on his own with JP2 Creations. Jim showed me the thrones he was making that were 14" in diameter made from Keller shells. He could cut the shell length from long tubes to meet the requirement of an individual drummer. He could also wrap the throne in any available color. The throne he made for me is shorter and wider than the standard canister thrones offered by the leading drum manufacturers. The throne is 21" tall which includes a 3" thick foam seat covered in a soft and thick blue cloth. I had Jim wrap the throne in Bermuda sand since that was the closest to the champagne sparkle of my drum set. Here are some pictures of my favorite drum throne of all time.Obne picture shows the throne with the Rogers set. Another photo shows the custom throne nest to a standard issue Ludwig throne. The third photo shows a fiber case that will perfectly hold the throne and a snare drum up to 5" deep.

No matter how far you push the envelope, it is still stationery.
Posted on 2 years ago
#1
Posts: 2753 Threads: 132
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I just located a photo of a Rogers set I had when i acquired the Rogers canister throne from the same music store. It took me a couple of years to talk the store owner into trading me the beat-up Rogers throne for black Ludwig throne in much better condition. I have had no seller's remorse for any of my former drums that I have sold or traded--usually traded--to acquire some other drums that appealed more to me at the time. drums are 20, two 12s, 16, Luxor snare, canister throne. I had the seat reupholstered in black Naugahyde. It's plain to see my all-time first choice of hardware.

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No matter how far you push the envelope, it is still stationery.
Posted on 2 years ago
#2
Posts: 5176 Threads: 188
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I'm glad you find them comfortable. The vintage ones either were the right height for the user...or they weren't! No adjustment! Personally, I think they look really cool, but I can't see any advantage for the drummer who is working a lot of one-nighters or short-billed gigs.

For one thing, it's like having to haul another big drum up and down the stairs.

For another thing, I always understood that the main idea behind the canister throne was to act as a road case for some of the stands -thus saving more trips to and from the car to unload. But, if you have to use a case for the canister throne, then you're actually defeating the purpose....right?

I mean, by today's standards, if I had a vintage Ludwig canister throne, then I'd want a case for it, too because they are collectible and fairly valuable if they are in good shape. But, most of the time, they aren't in great shape because people used them as a road case to carry stands!

(That blue sparkle one in the pic is gorgeous!)

When they are original and in great shape, I think they are like having that finishing touch to a matching and appropriate kit -the "cherry on top" so-to-speak. If I had one, then it would be used only at home. For gigging, the most comfortable throne I've ever used is the Roc-N-Soc -(the one with the pneumatic piston thing). The first time I used one, I never looked back! It actually really helped me to get back to playing after I had a back injury many years ago.

"God is dead." -Nietzsche

"Nietzsche is dead." -God
Posted on 2 years ago
#3
Posts: 5176 Threads: 188
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From leedybdp

I just located a photo of a Rogers set I had when i acquired the Rogers canister throne from the same music store. It took me a couple of years to talk the store owner into trading me the beat-up Rogers throne for black Ludwig throne in much better condition. I have had no seller's remorse for any of my former drums that I have sold or traded--usually traded--to acquire some other drums that appealed more to me at the time. drums are 20, two 12s, 16, Luxor snare, canister throne. I had the seat reupholstered in black Naugahyde. It's plain to see my all-time first choice of hardware.

That's a beautiful kit! It would be awesome to have a Rogers snare stand, too....maybe one of those Buck Rogers looking ones! ;)

"God is dead." -Nietzsche

"Nietzsche is dead." -God
Posted on 2 years ago
#4
Posts: 2753 Threads: 132
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I discovered the comfort of a canister throne of the right height and width long after my gigging days were over. I like to think that, if I had discovered this when I was playing many gigs a year, I would have loved using one on my gigs. I also want to think that I would not have schlepped hardware inside the canister throne. I played a relatively small drum set (4 or 5 drums with one floor tom). So, a canister in the load would be similar to hauling a second floor tom. For most of my rock n roll years, our band had a couple of roadies who were local hangers-on who worked for very cheap plus getting fed after the gigs.

No matter how far you push the envelope, it is still stationery.
Posted on 2 years ago
#5
Posts: 2753 Threads: 132
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The Rogers snare stand i have is from the Memriloc era. The Buck Rogers stand at it's lowest setting still places the snare drum too high for my comfort level. I think an earlier swan leg model might work for me. As it is, I still use the old Camco snare stand that I have been using since the late 1950s. For playing (not for pictures) I keep my snare drum completely flat with the top edge a few inches below the top rim of my mounted tom(s). It's an old acquired habit from more than fifty years ago. The red outfit is from 1962 at a fraternity house party at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. The white outfit is from playing opening act for Eric Burdon & the Animals and the Turtles in 1967 in Hammond, Indiana (a few miles outside of Chicago).If you look hrd enough, you can see the bass drum and tom for the Animals' drummer waiting on the side of the stage near the policeman. After we played, my drums came off the drum riser, and his rums went on the rider.

No matter how far you push the envelope, it is still stationery.
Posted on 2 years ago
#6
Posts: 5550 Threads: 576
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Here’s mine in pink champagne

April 2nd 1969 scarfed pink champagne holly wood and 65/66 downbeat snare, and , supra same year very minty kit old pies
66/67 downbeat with canister
Super 400 small round knob
1967 super classic obp





once the brass ceases to glitter, and the drum looses its luster, and the stage remains dark, all you have left is the timbre of family.
Posted on 2 years ago
#7
Posts: 2753 Threads: 132
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From jaghog

Here’s mine in pink champagne

That will go beautifully with your newly-acquired drum set.

No matter how far you push the envelope, it is still stationery.
Posted on 2 years ago
#8
Posts: 5176 Threads: 188
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Oh, man, jaghog! That's going to be perfect, man! Hurry up and get them set up and photographed so we can all drool over them! ;)

"God is dead." -Nietzsche

"Nietzsche is dead." -God
Posted on 2 years ago
#9
Posts: 5176 Threads: 188
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From leedybdp

The Rogers snare stand i have is from the Memriloc era. The Buck Rogers stand at it's lowest setting still places the snare drum too high for my comfort level. I think an earlier swan leg model might work for me. As it is, I still use the old Camco snare stand that I have been using since the late 1950s. For playing (not for pictures) I keep my snare drum completely flat with the top edge a few inches below the top rim of my mounted tom(s). It's an old acquired habit from more than fifty years ago. The red outfit is from 1962 at a fraternity house party at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. The white outfit is from playing opening act for Eric Burdon & the Animals and the Turtles in 1967 in Hammond, Indiana (a few miles outside of Chicago).

Wow, man! The Animals were one of my favorite bands back then....actually, I still love listening to them on occasion! What a cool gig to have!

"God is dead." -Nietzsche

"Nietzsche is dead." -God
Posted on 2 years ago
#10
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