I wholeheartedly agree! There are so many of them out there.. so many American made vintage ones.. that I have no idea why anyone would spend that kind of money on a new one. The one's from the 60's sound incredible!

I'm also confused because at this point it can't cost much to make them.

I've wondered that about several Chinese made drums (considering the lower labor costs, less regulations, etc). I'm surprised that US Ludwigs are priced competitively with them.

It seems really weird, but some people feel they have to have new stuff. Consumer culture and all that. And now it occurs to me - not buying into [go away pun] all that so much might be a common trait among members here. Just a thought...

Mitch

This is true. Though half my drum collection is modern, and the other half vintage. Snare wise though my collection is mainly vintage. Anything modern I would just custom build for myself.

I like both, and a bit like ArchxAngel I have both new and old in my collection.

All my kits have a unique flavour in tuning and sound, and in feel. I rather like to believe that wooden drums over a 10-20 year period bed into the shape the craftsman made them, thus I find that in recording them they create a warmer complex tone. New fresh drums whilst usually having better fittings, give me a fresher more aggressive vibe too. I could record a session on any kit really, after all its in my hands the sound and feel I create.

I would rather take a new replaceable kit on tour and use that loud bang they create to help me on any stage. And use my beloved searched out vintage kits for the studio and for local gigs where I am in charge of that kit all night and take it home myself.

Lastly my current favourite Snare is just over 1 year old. Although the wood it's made from is 5500 years old!!!!! Yep that's right. Made from oak raised from an ancient pete bog by archaeologists and carbon dated to 3500BC. The Oak tree would of been around 2000 years old before it was felled. Long story but I have a gifted friend who is a Drum maker and his family are from generations of Cabinet makers. His father sourced the wood on the open market. Is that a new drum? Or a Vintage, or an Ancient?

I'd call that baby boy a serious modern vintage.

Geckobeats - what are your feelings on modern vintage snares. Either new shell with old hardware, or old shell fitted with new hardware?

A new shell is a new shell despite the fittings I suppose. Old shells if quality are going to have that lovely lived in feel I guess. I once played a vineyard Gretsch kit a few years ago in a drum shop and was blown away by it.

Also the old wood used in the old days was of better quality. Today the farming methods are intensive. Also the carbon pollution in the atmosphere must be through the roof affecting the wood also. My good friend who made me that ancient wood drum pointed out that the wood was from a time long before human pollution. Apparently the wood was like stone to form.

I'll post a pic of it at some point. Not sure wether to put on here or in the picture gallery section.

I've seen somewhere on the net about a company that makes Bass Guitars out of ancient Kauri wood. 10-50,000 years old!

http://www.ancientwood.com/faq/