JON'S DRUM SITE

Some of my favorite drum sites

Drummer's World
Ludwig Drums
DW Drums
Pearl Drums
Yamaha Drums
Pacific Drums & Percussion
Sonor Drums
Tama Drums
Gibraltar Hardware

Jon's RC Airplanes

Jon's Home Theatre

I started playing drums in 4th grade, the fall of 1969, at McCordsville School in central Indiana. Our band teacher was Mr. Jim Wheatley. He traveled from Fortville to Mt. Comfort to McCordsville for the Mt. Vernon School Corporation. He was a very good teacher. I took private lessons from him in 1971 on snare drum. I actually placed high and won several snare drum competitions. Most were in high school, but a few were in jr. high school. I played drums in school band from the 4th grade through the 10th grade. In the 11th grade year my band teacher decided that he would start me off with a C at the beginning of the school year because I had chosen to work on a farm the previous summer instead of attending summer band camp and playing in the marching band. I decided right then and there I'd had enough of that teacher. He even tried to lure me back by saying he'd start me off like normal with an A, but I didn't return to the school band. I continued to play in a few rock garage bands and a country band after high school, but I sold my drums not too long after that. My last set of drums were Ludwig clear Vistalites. Actually, it was 2 sets of Vistalites put together to make 1 large set with dual bass, 4 ride toms and 2 floor toms and a Ludwig aluminum Supraphonic snare. I wish I still had the set, it would be worth a bundle nowadays. I started with a 4 piece set of no name gray swirl drums. They didn't last me long. I sold them to a neighbor boy and ended up gaving him lessons for awhile. My second set of drums I got during jr. high. It was a 5 piece set of Ludwig red sparkle drums. I really liked that set. I don't remember right off who I sold them to, but I sold them in order to buy my set of Vistalites. After a 20 some year hiatus, I've decided to play drums again. I purchased this large 12 piece set of chinese made 7 ply luan drums a year or so ago. In the time up to now, I've purchased several Zildjian cymbals and an Istanbul thin crash cymbal and several used pieces of cymbal hardware. I've replaced all the drum batter heads with Evans hydraulic heads and I've replaced the 2 bass drum pedal beaters with Pearl quad beaters. I plan on replacing the hi-hat with a Tama or Gibraltar 1 leg hi-hat and I plan on replacing both bass drum pedals with Tama Iron Cobra pedals. Also, I plan on placing mics on both bass drums, snare, hi-hat and 2 overheads in the near future and doing some recording. Here are some pictures of my drums in my basement.