Interesting, as I can relate. Just the other day, I was kinda asking myself a similar question - sorta more from the pov of my other gear: recording, keyboards, guitars.

Since I've been dabbling in drums - both resto & playing/learning, It seems I'd rather refurb a drum than keep up with all the other gear & business of music production at the moment.

As a drumming novice, I found myself thinking why it appeared that many drummers I've worked with seemed focused on 2 things : drum upkeep tinkering and "don't bug me with all these other music details, I just wanna play" - now that I'm hooked on old drums and rudiments - I'm feeling a bit that way - buff up the chrome & bang on de drum all day.

I'm seeing vintage drums as marvels of design, simply & eloquently made, and the art of playing as endlessly creative, challenging, almost genetically inbred, sweeping from the most pleasingly basic to a spiritually high craft. OY!

So, yeah - I'm enjoying more messing with my drums (and playing them) than doing all the other musical stuff that I need to be doing - YIKES!

- I'm getting both old & crazy Laughing HDOH

My first "real" kit was one I rescued from a storage unit - an early 80's Pearl DLX, 8 piece (it came with an extra bass drum). I never had so much fun doing such tedious work. After breaking down each of the eight drums completely and cleaning each individual part, I was hooked.

But I spend more time restoring than playing simply because of my situation and the fact that restoring them is quiet. Yesterday I had most of the day home, alone, but I still spent most of it working on my Pioneer snare.

But, I'm now starting to really appreciate true vintage drums. I plan on parting with that Pearl kit and investing in some old luddys.

I like to play em. I think about restoring them but it never happens. I have built or rebuilt some drums but even that has taken a looong time. I'll go down to my drum room with the intention of working on something and I'll sit down at my kit, just for a few minutes, ha! I put my old pink slingies in their cases after I got my little jazz kit, even bought some novus to detail them. That was 5 months ago, they are still in their cases.