WELCOME TO THE
NEIL PEART DRUMKIT RESTORATION WEBSITE!
For many drummers and fans of Rush, Neil Peart's drums represent the ultimate
set-up. This was not a simple drumkit, it was the dream kit of the early 80's.
I got to live the dream by restoring one of his most memorable kits for a private collector, but as you
can see, doing so was more of a nightmare than a dream...
All told, $20,000 was spent to get it back to what it used to be when Neil first put it together.
You can call her Roja, redrum, Big Red, Candy, but I call her
(right click and open for a short MPG)
CHAPTER I - HISTORY
After using Slingerland drums for five years, Neil signed with the Japanese drum
manufacturer Tama in 1979. The
first Tama set he liked enough to use for Rush's biggest albums, Permanent Waves
and Moving Pictures. But during the mixing of the live Exit Stage Left,
he decided he wanted thinner drums than the Superstar and pitched the idea to
Tama. So in 1982, he received a set of thin shelled Superstars he had painted in
custom Candy Apple Red. Tama called these the Artstar prototype, even though
their sets of the same name, released a year later, looked and sounded nothing
like Neil's. The snare
drum was a Slingerland, left over from the kit before the
previous. The drum was refinished to match the red set in time for the Signals tour.
Neil with his triangular rack circa 1982.
1983
1984
1985
For Grace Under Pressure, he experimented with synthetic drums. Neil debuted his Simmons SDSV electronic set-up in September 1983 at Radio City Music Hall. And his twin snare drums (one for his satellite set-up incorporating Simmons pads and a matching 14x18 bass). When Rush played their first and only Japanese concerts in late 1984, Hoshino-Gakki spared Neil the travel expense, by building a replica set sans brass-plating and vibra-fibing. Neil needed to only bring his hardware, heads and cymbals.
The replica Neil used in Japan.
The Toronto show was released as the
best-selling
"Grace Under Pressure Tour" Videocassette and Laserdisc in early 1986.
Now fans who had not seen Rush could awe at Neil's high stick throwing and
complex playing. Simultaneously on MTV, you could still catch the set in
all its glory in "The Big Money" or "Mystic Rhythms" -
the latest clips from "Power Windows". Just before the tour, Neil had
XLR mike holes installed.
Many fans settled for mahogany
or cherry wine finish Tama Superstars in the same sizes, some went as far as to
have them vibrafibed, and others waited until Tama offered a Candy Apple which
they did, but in a different shade of red than Neil's set. Very few were sold in
standard sizes, which were not as popular at the time.
In Spring 1987, Neil signed with Ludwig Drums and had a second Modern Drummer
contest. Contestants had to submit a
taped drum solo. The first prize was this kit and the second and third and
fourth, the two Slingerland drumsets minus the snares. The winner, Jack Hess of
Indiana, won the red kit and stored it in his
basement until August 1999 when he decided he would see what it would go for on
ebay (a whopping $26,100). Here is the letter he received from Neil.
And here's a picture of Jack (from Modern Drummer).
Scott Jemm of Arizona was now the owner and he
displayed them until 2002 when they hit the ebay auction block again. Scott
naturally thought maybe they'd accumulate value and understandably was looking
to get more than what he paid. The problem was no one was willing to shell that
kind of money (not in our present economy anyway!)
After several listings and no bids past $12,000, he started taking private
offers. We thought about why they weren't selling - the economy, the modern
drums offered today for much less, the slight decrease in Rush popularity, the
missing parts of the set, etc. I had even entertained buying them myself
but the price I had in mind was not what Scott had in mind so I encouraged him
to give them another shot on ebay. The deal was if they didn't sell, he always
could rely on my offer.
But he didn't have to. This one ended at $14,621.12.
That's right $14, 621.12
(the title of the 1976 breakthrough Rush LP).
The buyer had been corresponding with me, and we
decided that in my care, it could be restored and look as glorious as it once
did. But it would take a lot of money. But whoever bought it would certainly
have enough money.
So over the course of four months, and a few wires when I need it, I was able to get
the set back to its original glory. In fact I liked it so much, I bought it
from the auction winner.
This kit is to The Professor what the WMP Slingerland
was to Buddy Rich. The boldest, baddest, and most 'hot rod' out of any of his
kits, this is the set he will probably be most remembered sitting behind,
inspiring legions of hard rock drummers all over the planet.
Other facts about the kit:
¤ This set was voted Neil's best drumkit on
rushvote.com (under the 'All This Machinery' section) by Rush fans (27%)
¤ This was the only set Neil did clinics with.
¤ This was seen on the cover of Modern Drummer in
1984.
¤ This set was seen on a collectible Zildjian ad and poster.
¤ This set was seen on the now sought after Tama tapestry
that takes $200-300 on ebay. Also seen on a Rush Enemy Within tapestry.
¤ This set is seen in five Rush tourbooks.
¤ When Neil answered fan mail at the time, he sent out a postcard with this set.
¤ In 1985, Tama set up a replica kit at NAMM.
Click on a link for more information
CHAPTER I - HISTORY
CHAPTER II -
AUTHENTICATING THE KIT
CHAPTER III - ASSESSING THE DAMAGE
CHAPTER IV - RESTORATION
CHAPTER V - RECOVERING DRUMS
CHAPTER VI - RECOVERING CYMBALS
CHAPTER VII - RECOVERING HARDWARE
CHAPTER VIII - RECOVERING PERCUSSION AND
ACCESSORIES
CHAPTER IX - THE FINAL SET-UP PHOTO GALLERY
Created by ME
