You can always use a rims mount or snare stand without changing the value of a vintage set. It's not the same as drilling new holes for a different mount or anything like that.

Matt

ABSOLUTELY, I keep all the original hardware and mounts intact. I must say I did not like the way the rims stuff looked at first but now I really dig it, and you cant beat it for gigging. Two stands and it takes care of all my cymbals and rack tom.

Are you talking about playing without your drums mic'ed up?? If that's the case, the guitarists and others need to turn down and the the total stage presence needs to come down to meet the drums where the drummer is comfortable playing. (either that or the drummer needs to learn dynamics so the guitarists and such can hear themselves) DOH Actually when I said that, I was talking about the tom mounts and floor tom legs and such. Not so much snare stands and cymbal stands and the like. Just the hardware mounted to the shells really. :) I'd use the original stands though and I play ALOT of newer Alternative/Heavy Rock (Godsmack, Three Days Grace, Dream Theater etc.) as well as jazz and blues. I may need a second bass drum for some of it, but I'd give it a shot. I ain't skeerd. You gotta have faith .... until your cymbal stand snaps and the cymbal cuts through the bass shell and the throne collapses, and the snare stand breaks as you grab on to it and .... on second thought ..... I guess maybe I'd bring some newer stands just incase. :)

Wow! obviously this is a hot topic. I think that the idea of the rims system is intriguing. Now that it's been mentioned, if you wanted to keep the authenticity of the drum intact by not disturbing the vintage harware, this surely would be the way to go. Actually by incorporating a rack with this thought in mind would also do away with the need for a snare stand to hold the tom as well.

the only reason I play/buy "collector" grade vintage drums , instead of "player" vintage drums, is I know at least I got a good shot at getting back what I paid for them (or more)...but if the stuff is screwed up to begin with and you can fix them cheap, why not, as long as they sound alright, and your happy...Soap Box

I played with a snare stand holding my tom for a lot of years, it was better than the tom mount but than I switched to the rims mount and it was like wow!!! The most comfortable setup I have ever had!

I play vintage gear on most of my gigs. I have never had a problem with any of it in terms of stability or operation. I know that RIMS mounts open up the sound of the toms, but I never liked the look of them. I also have modern drums that sound really open and have a lot of sustain and all that good stuff...but the vintage vibe is the vintage vibe -less sustain and all!Chewie: