Uuuuuuuh (Beavis-like tone), you lost me at funny story. I wasn't bashing vintage-ness, or anything, I was just sort of perplexed by some of the responses in this thread, where folks are building gig-specific kits, by taking pieces from some large and varied drum inventory they have. I want to go on record as one whom loves old stuff, especially some of the gems seen here on this great site. I guess my point was that I only have room for one kit in my house and life. Do some of you guys have 4000 square foot homes or do you rent conditioned storage space. The most kits I've ever owned was 2; the 2nd was a little practice kit. Hmmmm, I'm losing my train of thought. It is Miller-time, here in AZ. Here's a pic of my former practice kit, which comprised pieces from my "playing" kit.

18" Ludwig New Classic BD (loved it); 10" Gretsch Renown tom (sang); 13" Ludwig B/W tom (crap); 70's Gretsch Jasper 6.5 x 14 snare (my baby); 21" Zildy "Rock 21"; 14" old Zildy HH's.

VM2K, I did want to mention how much I love your JB DW's. That's an awesome-looking kit.

Mucho thanks flowers2

I totally agree with the live vs studio thing, but have you ever tried to make a "new" set sound like a good 60's set? This is why all the drum companies are now experimenting with mahogany, birch and poplar again. What they're having trouble with, and you see this mentioned here and there, is that the wood they used back then was older wood. Same reason that top Violinists, etc, use old vintage violins...

azbill. man you definitely missed my point, the shop i was referring to was a vintage drum museum, this shop had a Barrett deems kit a gene krupa kit, a buddy rich kit, 3 kits were featured in various movies, one movie "that thing you do" the Ludwig kit that was use came from legends, there was a slingerland snare drum display that had over 100 different year and color snare drums in, so the point that i was makeing and agreeing with you on is, the kids that worked there all played brand new DW kits, and they just didn't understand why would anyone want to play old drums when you can play a New kit, this store was world class vintage drum shop+museum, do you get it now, and on another point, there are so many differences from new and vintage i could write a whole chapter on the subject, old drums were made with naturally grown trees, the new drums are made with hormone injected trees, old drums wood grain is far denser than new drums grain density, old drums were held together with hide glue, new drums are held together with synthetic glue, the bearing edges were mostly 30 degrees on old drums now they are 45 degrees, and thats just some of the differences,

Gotcha'. Loved that kit in the studio (scene towards the end) that "Spartacus" was playing. However, I didn't realize the differences in old vs new drum wood used. Can you recommend a good book? Or, maybe you can PM me that chapter you mentioned.

Cool daddyO no this is all in the ole bonks, i sold kevins a 40's radio king snare drum, and showed him the wood grain difference as compared to even a 60's drum, ask him, he was astounded at the difference in just a 20 year period, it is just like dougster123 said why do world class violinist pay a million dollars plus for a Stradivarius, simple because no other violin made today even comes close, the 1959 gibson les paul's bring three hundred thousand dollars, simply because, the new one's don't even come close, i could write a whole chapter on just the difference between a new les paul as opposed to the old one's,

No, I got my old Gretsch set in the early 70's and every set I've tried since has come off as inferior. To me it's not a vintage thing, it's a crap vs not crap (or Scottish!) thing. In 1972 I was telling everybody to get 50's Gretsch sets and old 50's K. Zildjians and no one knew what I was talking about, everybody was buying Pearls and Tamas.

Go to Home Depot and you'll see what lumber farming does. But there are trees out there, planted during the Civil War, that great musical instruments could be made from.

To me, the ultimate buffoonery is people talking about vintage sound on vintage drums, and even worse posting mp3's demonstrating vintage sound, and they're using plastic heads. Help2

i could write a whole chapter on this to, No you can't old growth tree are super regulated and protected,here in the US and other countries, the old drums were made out of 3 wood types, the African mahogany was not American, and that wood is no longer available today, john montanari for keller shells can easily attest to this, but you are on the money about the wood you buy today that is hormone grwn trees they grow like grass, a real tree takes several lifetimes,