In Africa there are tribal drums that are hundreds of years old and people notice the power of these instruments and give it spiritual connections. That's why your supposed to put hoops back on the same lugs cause they mold to each other. Also similar to metal fatigue is how an instrument needs time to be broken in, for all the parts to form a whole, the longer an instrument has been well taken care of and played the more its character comes out. Both wood and metal oxidize over time which will also mellow out the tone and bring up more complexity. But I think there is a little more to vintage instruments. Vintage guitars are different and perhaps even more variable but the guitar has changed much less as an instrument than the drums and the quality of vintage gear can be comparable to modern productions - and in some cases better. Most of all, vintage drums are fun and quirky. In those cases, it's absolutely possible to turn that 'lower end' kit into the old 'higher-end' kit with some real authenticity. The shells were usually the same, with fewer lugs or inferior shell hardware. One of the advantages of the older kits though is the way that the differentiations were made. The mounting hardware is practically a joke now, with the shell hardware varying between superb (in my case) and pathetic. Objectively, the drums aren't as good usually. It's not as well made as a modern equivalent but the whole drum has a definite vibe and when I saw it up on eBay, after some deliberation, I had to have it. Three-ply with six-ply re-rings, the lot. The hoops are very well made but clearly second-string because after stripping they've got a fair amount of filler in them - otherwise they're very well made.īut the shell has that appeal. The edges were rough and I've had to use some wood filler just to even them out in places. The shell though isn't made anything like as well as even most brand entry-level shells now. It was a good drum at the time and some parts of it are actually better than modern drums - the chroming is fantastic and I haven't seen chrome work of that kind of quality in a long time. I'm in the middle of restoring an old 20" bass drum from the late 50s or early 60s. Even basses made by Fender in the 70's (which was when the quality was at its lowest) are now considered collectors items.Īnd don't get me started on "boutique instruments" or exotic woods! LOL.Īnyway, that's part of the reasoning. In the 80's, drums with reinforcement hoops were considered garbage. I think the appeal of older instruments is more of a romantic one. Sure, there may be a subtle difference in sound, but that would also be the case with two 1967's or two 2012's. And when it comes to chrome snare drums, there's virtually no difference between a vintage 1967 supra-phonic and one that came off the assembly line yesterday. The truth of the matter is, instruments in general are made much better today. But drums don't experience vibrations like a guitar or cymbals - at least not to the same extent. Whether or not you prefer that sound is a personal choice but it is a fact nevertheless. The molecules are essentially "looser" resulting in lower frequency overtones. A cymbal with get more mellow with age - NOT due to being dirty (as some people still mistakenly believe) but because there's the scientific principle knows as "metal fatigue". Thats' why an old guitar feels "broken in." It's the same principle with cymbals. When an instrument vibrates, there's actually a change in molecular structure. There's also another factor that isn't often addressed. Gretch Brooklyn - had access to better wood. There are times in a company's history where quality control is higher or lower. When you find an old instrument that plays well, it seems even more special because it's rare. This is a debate I also have with my guitar player/bass player friends.