[lumpy]

Let's wax some nostalgia. What was the first instrument you ever owned? Renting an oboe from the local music store to play in 6th grade orchestra doesn't count. You had to have been the owner.

Mine was a mid 60's era set of Rogers Holiday drums in Red Onyx complete with the (in)famous Swiv-o-Matic tom holders. The sizes were 18" BD, 14" FT, and matching 12" RT's. The bass drum had a hole in the top of the shell someone plastered over (badly) with Bondo. The Swiv-o-Matic design was actually very good, but the holders were toast by the time I got ahold of them 20+ years past their prime. The bass drum pedal was an ancient Leedy strap drive that was missing the hoop clamp. The snare was a very early model Pearl that I traded in for a decent bass drum pedal after I found a Ludwig snare cheap at a yard sale. The cymbals were 12" Krut hi-hats that sounded like shit and a 16" Ludwig/Paiste Standard crash/ride/splash/china.

I traded this kit even-Stephen for a Pearl Export that I thought looked more metal, but sounded cheesey. Come to find out my first drum kit is worth about 100 new Pearl Exports today due to the small "jazz" sized shells and twin rack tom holder that was very rare in those days. I tracked the kit down about 7 years ago only to find out it had burned up in a house fire. Curses!

Lump