I started playing percussion in fourth grade back in 1948. By seventh grade I thought that I wanted to play a drum set. A schoolmate's parents bought him a new little Gretsch set in1955. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. The three drums were painted in two-tone Duco lacquer in the iconic color scheme of everything in that period of poodle skirts and flat top haircuts pink and charcoal gray. In 1957 Mike said that his parents would buy him a new Ludwig drum set if they could sell the Gretsch drums. I pleaded with my parents to buy Mike's drums for me. We went to Mike's house and came home with this great little set. I was able to buy a ride cymbal and a pair of hi-hat cymbals. I had never played a drum set before. So, I assumed that my left-handedness meant that I should set them up lefty style. I quickly found out that my idea of lefty style was playing with lefty feet and righty hands. So, after a few weeks my drums were set up righty style and I played while alternating between lefty and righty hands with the righty feet. I had no idea that I taught myself how to play the same way Ringo did. Here's a picture of my first paying gig in 1958 for some civic club luncheon. Notice the lefty feet/righty hands before converting to a righty setup.
Let's see your first drum set
I started playing drums in 5th grade, when I was 11 years old! My parents rented a snare drum kit for me, from Wallach's Music City. After 3 months, they purchased a snare drum kit from Sears. See the attached picture I found of the exact "kit". And, it was in blue sparkle. However, my first drum set I received was two years later, in 1967, which was a Lyra 4pc in gold sparkle. Yes, that really is me playing them! I played them until 1972, which is when I purchased a new Rogers Celebrity set. Good memories for sure!
-Mark
I started in 5th grade in the school band. Within a year I talked my parents into buying a Blue sparkle US Mercury 4 pc set from a local judge for $80. I later ran into the judge for jury duty and thank him for the set. He replied,"Glad they worked." I simply responded, "You have not idea."
I'd have to dig through a thousand photos to find the one: Around a 1977 Royce in gloss black, Camber hats and an 18" Camber crash ride, eventually adding a 16" Camber crash, Ludwig acro, Ludwig pedal. Played joyfully to The Beach Boys, Three Dog Night, and Tommy - various artist.
Well, IF I was able to just post the URL to the picture and have the software handle the rest, then I would post many more pictures....But, my first real drum set was a 4-piece Tempro "Pro" in blue sparkle....Christmas, 1970.
"Nietzsche is dead." -God
For my high school graduation in 1961 I used some graduation gift money, some money from my parents, and some of my meager savings to order a drum set that I spec'd out at Foster Music in Hammond, Indiana. I ordered a Rogers four-piece set in Black Diamond Pearl with all Holiday model drums as follows: 14x20 bass drum, 16x16 floor tom, 8x12 mounted tom, and 5x14 matching snare drum. I also ordered Swivomatic hardware all over the drum set including the snare drum mounting from the bass drum. I also ordered a Swivomatic bass drum pedal. By this time I already had A. Zildjian 15" hi-hat cymbals, an A. Zildjian 20" ride cymbal, and a 22" A. Zildjian ride cymbal. Here is that drum set on stage at a major Chicago ball room in 1962--Madura's Danceland.
All great stories and excellent "vintage" pictures!
-Mark
Before this was a set of Mapex Mars, my first kit ever, bought off Craigslist at 14 for $120. I bought these from a fella my senior year in high school for $300. I didn’t have that much money so I offered to mow the guys lawn and do other labor for him - he allowed me to pay him in $100 increments until I was done. It’s a lovely no.2n Jobbing outfit. A few years later I wrapped in green sparkle and it is my daily driver for any and everything.
Cheers, all
Jacob
I received my first drum set in 1971?, from an uncle that lived in an apartment and could not practice there. Picture taken with one of those 110 cameras. It was a Beverley kit. I believe it was bop sized also. Wish I still had it.
My first "drum set" was an old bed sheet that I had drawn circles with a magic marker for the cymbals and drums. My first "bass drum pedal" was a piece of corrugated cardboard that I had bent to give it a hinge with a spring attached so it compressed when I pushed down with my feet. I'd put the sheet on my bed, pull up my desk chair and have at it. I played that about a year until my parents decided I was serious enough to buy my my cousin's old WMP Ludwigs.
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