Fuzz Box Girl is recovering, but as one of the many Americans without health insurance, her medical bills are piling up. In a nice twist to this unfortunate story, she’d written on her Facebook page about a band called The Broken Places, whose Christmas album she’s been enjoying during her recovery. The band saw the post, and offered to donate all of their December album sales to help her pay for medical bills. Fuzz Box Girl said it’s “sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me,” and I agree it’s a very generous gesture.

I will be purchasing a copy of the album, called Spirited. If you’re interested, check it out on iTunes.

I recently spoke with Michael for our new 4OnTheFloor podcast series, and he told me about his affinity for this wood.

“I came across heart pine and fell in love with that old wood. Because it has a story…some of it was from old mills that were torn down, and some of the wood actually had a machine on top of it and the oil would spill down into the wood and stain the wood. And then you would start cutting the wood; the aroma would come up and you could smell it and you can’t help but wonder…”

But Michael Outlaw, founder of Sylvester, Georgia’s Outlaw Drums, thinks the perfect wood is all around him, he just had to figure out where to look. Outlaw scours the countryside for historic structures, falling down and scheduled for demolition, and turns the reclaimed wood into custom snare drums.

As with any great product, there’s a great story behind it. Michael, a custom furniture builder and avid drummer, was riding through Albany, Georgia one day and stumbled upon an 1880’s plantation home being torn down, and asked the contractor if he could have some of the wood. The contractor said yes, since it was going to be hauled off to a landfill anyway. Michael loaded his truck up with as much wood as he could before the dump truck got back to take it away. When he returned to his shop, the beauty and the aroma of the rare wood inspired him. He wanted to build a snare drum that was different, and this heart pinewood was the perfect fit.

The beauty of the wood lies in its age. When these houses and barns were erected over 100 years ago, they were built with old growth trees. So, today, this heartpine could be 300-500 years old. Because of this, the aged wood has 40-60 rings per inch, vs 3-5 rings per inch on “new wood.” And what does this mean? More sustain and better tone! In addition, Outlaw Drums are built with stave construction and precise 45 degree bearing edges.

Before you crack open the piggy bank, right now you have a chance to win a premium Outlaw “Weathered” snare drum, priced at $950. This drum’s unique finish was created by over 150 years of sun, wind and rain.

“It is my pleasure to present a 13”x5” weathered snare drum. If one were to ask me to describe the sound? This drum has a crisp clear pop at the high tuning and low warmth sound when tuned lower. It produces great dynamic range that I believe is linked to the tightness of the wood’s grain pattern. In addition, there is no bending or stress imposed on the drum shell that multi-ply and one ply shells offer. Less glue is a big factor. Stave shells use less glue and are therefore more resonant. The drum stays in tune longer, resulting in a more stable, even sound because lack of vibration. The thickness of the drum is about ¾” thick, giving it a more solid fast attack.”

You can enter here.

In a previous post, The Cellist of Sarajevo, I described how one Bosnian man became a symbol of peace and hope in a country devastated by war. He defied the violence, tragedy, and hopelessness surrounding him and transcended his reality with the use of a single instrument, his cello. He also has emphasized a profound, grander concept. Music is powerful.

It can elicit latent emotion, enhance an already present emotion, describe feelings you may not know how to articulate, and draw you out of a current time and space into an alternate reality. Just look closely at any musicians’ faces as they play their instruments. It doesn’t matter what instrument, it is obvious they are passionate about and moved deeply by what they are playing. They are raw, unguarded, and connected with their core. Consequently, we can connect with them on a personal level. This association is so potent and commanding, people spend valuable time and money chasing it for months, or even years, at a time. Watch this short video and examine the musicians as they play, but more importantly, actually feel the emotions this raises. Connect with yourself.

Music also requires and coerces collaboration. I find the best collaborations to be unexpected and unusual because, if executed in a careful manner, these are what can result in the most beautiful, harmonious, creative outcomes. Think of two artists you were surprised to see work together, but ended up producing music that was reminiscent of them both, yet created a novel, unique sound and vision. Personally, one of the best examples of this Alison Krause and Robert Plant’s grammy-winning collaboration Raising Sand. These artists both have roots in blues and folk, but took alternate routes when it came to their distinct musical sounds. However, this album exemplifies what can emerge from attempting something different, from not taking the obvious route, and working together with someone you never thought you could or would. Listen to this one song off of this inspiring and interesting album.

[podcast]http://criticalpeace.com/wp-content/uploads/07-Please-Read-The-Letter-1.mp3[/podcast]

Ask people what they can’t live without and, besides the obvious, I bet most of them will say music. Although we all have personal tastes and opinions about our choices in music, it is still one of the world’s ultimate unifiers. It has the ability to take individual, completely different units and transform them into a cohesive, beautiful whole. This statement is true for both individual instruments in a band or autonomous members of society.

Like music, building lasting peace requires being raw and unguarded with your emotions and unexpected collaborations. See what happens when you let your guard down and reach out to someone unanticipated, it could fail miserably, but it could be one of the best choices you have ever made.

Win this!!!

The Rules:

• Must be 13 years of age or older to enter
• This is a worldwide giveaway
• Entry deadline is April 14, 2011, at 11:59:59 PM, Mountain Time

Here’s a better look a the baseball:

Limited-Edition Fender Baseball

Unlike many Guitar Center coupon codes, this discount can be taken online, in-store, or over the phone. Just follow the link below to print off your coupon.

Vancouver music store Future Shop is giving away a Ddrum D2MB acoustic drum set. This giveaway is open to all of Canada, but if you’re in the Vancouver area, you’ll also score five free drum lessons!

About the ddrum D2MB acoustic drum set:

The total package! For the beginner, looking for the basics, and a little more. The d2 includes shallow toms, in a contemporary size configuration. When you’re ready to expand, d2 is right there with you, 8″ and 14″ add on tom pack available separately, with all necessary mounting hardware. A cut above the rest!

D2 Specs:

• Basswood shells
• 1.7 MM Tripple flanged hoops
• 8-ply Bass drums
• 8-ply Snare drums
• 6-ply Toms
• D Series chrome oval lugs

D2 Kits include:

• Double braced stands
• Bass drum pedal
• Throne
• Six pairs of sticks & stick bag

Entry Deadline: March 18, 2011

Click Here to Enter

In this GearPipe podcast episode, I speak with Steven Cox, CEO and Founder of TakeLessons, America’s leading source for private music and voice lessons.

We talk about the state of music education, the strict guidelines TakeLessons private instructor applicants are judged on, and even the role Guitar Hero and American Idol have had on music lesson enrollment.

In the end, Steven leaves me with a great deal of hope about the future of music making, telling me that “even if music (education) is cut, what’s really wonderful about music is that this is not going to stop the level of curiosity and the level of interest that people naturally have in music.”

As Christmas rapidly approaches, and gift-buying deadlines loom near, please consider a TakeLessons gift certificate for the young (or old) musicians in your lives. Through December 24th, TakeLessons is offering 30% off all lessons packages.

Want to hear more? Subscribe to GearPipe Podcasts on iTunes!

The legendary rock ‘n’ roll photographer and subject of the new documentary Rock Prophecies shot Led Zeppelin’s first U.S. show at the Whiskey a Go Go in Hollywood. He shot Hendrix AND Stevie Ray Vaughan’s final shows. For over forty years, Knight has been what Rock Prophecies producer Tim Kaiser calls “the Forrest Gump of rock ‘n roll. He just had this knack for being right in the middle of history in the making.”

In this podcast episode Knight tells us that, all things being equal, he prefers when great guitars play a front and center role in these history-making events. “I’m guitar-centric. Everything that I’m really interested in has major great guitar in it, and I wouldn’t photograph bands back in the day that didn’t have good guitar.”

Knight also finds that some legendary guitars have taken center stage in his photographs. “Stevie Ray Vaughan and that beat up old Strat of his. I couldn’t take my eyes off it. The first time I saw Stevie Ray and I saw that guitar, it was like ‘I need to photograph that guitar.’ When I did some studio shoots with Stevie, I asked if I could actually shoot some of the guitars because they almost had their own personality.”

“In a way some of the instruments themselves have become rock stars, like Blackie, Eric Clapton’s guitar, or Eddie Van Halen’s guitar.”

If you’re interested in watching the film (and you should be…it features interviews with and performances by Jeff Beck, ZZ Top, Carlos Santana, Slash, Panic at the Disco, Sick Puppies, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick, and Steve Vai, among others), you can buy the DVD on Amazon and many other retailers, or watch for free during September and October on your local PBS station.

Want to hear more? Subscribe to GearPipe Podcasts on iTunes!

Check out the official Rock Prophecies trailer:

YouTube Link

This is a great story about both the love of music and the wonders of technology.

I’m sure all of you know the story of Rick Allen, Def Leppard’s drummer who lost his left arm in a 1984 car accident. Rick courageously fought back from this tragedy, learned to play drums with only one arm, and still rocks hard.

Let’s be honest, though. If you’re a drummer, there’s probably been a moment or two when you’ve thought about Rick Allen and said to yourself “self…I could do that.” I’m not trying to take anything away from the guy, but I’ve dropped a stick or reached down for a sip of beer during a song and kept it going for a few measures. I’m sure with some practice I could keep a steady beat with one arm. If you disagree, please send me hate mail.

But, this story is not about Rick Allen. It’s about Jason Gerling. This guy was also in a tragic car accident, but was paralyzed from the chest down. His doctors told him he would probably never walk or play drums again. “It was like a nuclear bomb was dropped on my life. I thought my career was over,” Jason said, referring to his diagnosis.

Jason also fought back, and he also continues to play the drums to this day. He only regained the use of his arms, though, so what to do about the bass drum and hi hat? I want to you watch the video above, as it shows the creative way Jason has solved this problem.

He uses what looks like a headset microphone, but it’s actually part of a trigger system he created with technology from Origin Instruments. In addition to the headset, he has a trigger underneath certain cymbals. When he sucks air in, and hits, for instance, his hi hat, a bass drum sound is triggered.

Check out the video or see the original story on CNN.com for more.

She was kind enough to send copies of the magazine’s first three issues, and I can’t tell you how impressed I am. In fact, I have to admit that I fear creasing the pages, as the magazine is so well done it feels like a piece of art in my hands!

In an attempt to get more people turned on to Tom Tom I asked Mindy if she’d put up a subscription as a GearPipe exclusive giveaway. She was kind enough to agree.

Here’s how it works. Tom Tom is a quarterly magazine, meaning four issues per year. They’ve published three, with the fourth coming in September. The winner will get issues #1-3 ASAP, and will receive issue #4 when it’s printed.

To enter, just fill out the form below. This giveaway will run for one week with a deadline of midnight Pacific next Thursday (August 5th).

If you can’t wait for the giveaway and want to subscribe to Tom Tom, you can do it here. Also, Tom Tom is a labor of love for Mindy and her team (meaning there’s no big publisher backing them with cash). The project is being featured on Kickstarter, so if you want to back the cause with a few bucks, there are some very cool products that you’ll get back, plus a warm fuzzy in your tummy. Learn more at Kickstarter.

If you didn’t catch my interview with Mindy, listen in here:

For daily links to musical instruments giveaways, make sure you follow me on Twitter or become a fan of my Facebook Page.

• Save 10% on a single item at Guitar Center. This coupon is good thru 7/31/10, so you have to use it by the end of Saturday. It’s good for a discount of up to $500 on one item. If you’ve been waiting to pull the trigger on a big ticket item, this might be your time!
• Score a FREE Paiste 10′ 2002 Splash Cymbal. Thru 8/31/10, buy a pair of Paiste Hi Hats or a 16′ or larger cymbal from the Twenty, 2002, RUDE, or Giant Beat series from Musicians Friend or Guitar Center and score a free splash cymbal. Download the rebate form here (PDF).
• Fender Original ’57/’62 Stratocaster Pickup Set for just $83.99! This could be a mistake, but The Perfect Guitar has placed this fantastic sounding set of pickups into their clearance center. The regular selling price is $159.99.
• Buy two Audix OM2 Dynamic Vocal Microphones and get a third microphone for FREE from All Pro Sound. MSRP: $447.00. Your Price: $199.00. Save $248!
• Save 64% on an ESP LTD SURVEYOR-414 4-String Electric Bass Guitar. Musicians Friend has a factory restock that’s on sale for $359.00, a savings of $640.00 off the $999.00 retail price.

Here’s Diego to tell us about how he built this instrument:

Few days ago I started thinking about how I could re-purpose the keyboard of the dismantled piano I keep in the garden, so I thought to build a new instrument by combining it with some other parts I had laying around. I ended up with this mechanical hybrid thing I thought to call “Bassoforte” (bass + pianoforte).

The track I created is a tribute to my Dad who is a big fan of Western comic books and “spaghetti western” films, and because of him I am too.

Vimeo Link

The most obvious example to many of us would be rock bands who make the leap form playing clubs to theaters to arenas. When you’re playing a small room, you can play intricate guitar solos and drum fills that would get lost in the reverberation of an building meant to host hockey games. So, as bands play larger rooms, they tend to play less notes, taking advantage of the sound of the rooms they find themselves playing.

This is the easy example that many of us have probably thought about. Byrne runs through some other great examples that may not be as obvious to us. How does the outdoor environment in Africa influence the rich African rhythms? Why did the music of Bach and Mozart differ so much? It may have had quite a bit to do with the rooms they knew they’d be playing their latest pieces in.

Very interesting. I hope you enjoy it!

YouTube Link

1. Zildjian A Custom Mastersound Hi-Hat Pair
2. Zildjian ZBT Hi-Hat Cymbal Pair
3. Zildjian K Custom Hybrid Hi-Hats Pair
4. Zildjian K Constantinople Hi-Hat Pair
5. Zildjian ZHT Mastersound Hi-Hats Cymbal Pair
6. Zildjian K Mastersound Hi-Hats
7. Zildjian K Special K/Z Hi-Hat Cymbals
8. Zildjian A Custom Hi-Hat Pair
9. Zildjian Z3 Hi-Hat Cymbal Pair
10. Zildjian A Series New Beat Hi-Hat Cymbal Pair

Check out the Best Selling Musical Instruments Archive.

“Any girl playing the drums is my hero. I don’t have a favorite. I’m truly inspired by people who are very creative and doing it from their heart. It’s hundreds and hundreds of drummers.” I have to say, I like her answer and am a bit jealous that male drummers don’t have the same kinship.

With its third issue about to go to print, Tom Tom Magazine boasts an impressive list of interviewees, including Cindy Blackman and Yuko “mi-gu” Araki of the Plastic Ono Band, but also spices things up with columns about philosophy, art and style. In addition to the print magazine, the Tom Tom website features bonus interviews, a blog, and audio & video content.

If you’re interested in purchasing issues 1 and 2, or want a full subscription, stop by the Tom Tom Store.

Want to hear more? Subscribe to GearPipe Podcasts on iTunes!

Check out other TED videos on GearPipe

If anyone understands the evolution of a musical instrument accessory it’s Tony, as he comes from a family of inventors. His father held several patents for musical accessories, and was also a long-time musical instrument retailer in Minnesota. Tony and his brother followed in that tradition by starting music stores in California in conjunction with Tony expanding the family’s line of patents and innovative products. Tony opened his first music store in 1976 and later formed Players Products.

In this podcast interview, Tony gives me the rundown on Duratech drum sticks. He tells me that Duratech sticks have the most “wood-like” feel of all composite sticks and explains that by avoiding wood, these sticks are carefully balanced and pitch matched, guaranteed straight + or – .005 of an inch and weight is guaranteed within 1/10 of an ounce, pair after pair.

If this sounds like something you want to try out for yourself, we’re also launching a GearPipe exclusive giveaway. I’ll be giving away two pair of sticks each day for the next week. Check out more info on the giveaway.

Want to hear more? Subscribe to GearPipe Podcasts on iTunes!

Sticks break. Sticks are expensive. If you play a lot of drums, this adds up to a nice chunk of change.

What if I told you that you could buy a pair of drum sticks that will last 8-10 times that of a normal stick and only costs about twice the price? Do I sound like a used car salesman??? The car salesman wouldn’t give you chance to win the car for free, though, would he?

Today I’m excited to launch a GearPipe exclusive giveaway just for the drummers. Starting tomorrow, I’ll be giving away two sets of Duratech drum sticks each day. Duratech sticks are not your father’s Pro Marks! These non-wood drum sticks are made of a secret nylon polymer blend which resists chipping, fraying, and breaking. Like the loud, cutting sound of a nylon tip? Try an entire nylon stick!

By avoiding wood, Players Music, the makers of Duratech, can keep these sticks more consistent than other sticks on the market. They are are carefully balanced and pitch matched, guaranteed straight + or – .005 of an inch and weight is guaranteed within 1/10 of an ounce, pair after pair.

So…what do you have to do to win? We want to get a pair of these sticks in your hands, but we also want to know what you, as a drummer, think about Duratech and drum sticks in general. Just fill out the short survey below and hit submit. You’ll be entered to win! I’ll be announcing the winners each day on my Facebook Page, so if you’re not already a fan, come check it out.

If you want to learn more about Duratech sticks, you can listen to a podcast interview I did with Tony LaLonde, the man who developed the sticks, or check out the brand-spanking new Duratech Facebook Page.

How It’s Made: Cymbals
This video, I’m assuming from a TV show, doesn’t give you a ton of views of the Zildjian factory, but is a very good primer to cymbal making in general. This makes me wish I’d gone into cymbal testing as a profession!

Istanbul Mehmet Factory Tour
This one is awesome! Filmed by some dudes just walking around the factory, there’s not a word of English in the entire video. I love the guys just sitting in the corner of the factory, pounding away at cymbals. Then, at the end, they walk into the break room and check out everyone’s lunch!

Sabian Factory Tour
A tour of the SABIAN factory in Meductic, NB given by Robert Mason.

Bosphorus Factory Tour
This video might be my favorite of the entire bunch. No sound. Shaky camera work. But it’s a great stroll through the Bosphorus factory, where there appears to be molten metal around every corner. It’s amazing that such beautiful things can come out of such a dirty place!

UFIP Cymbal Fabrication
Perhaps the most informative of any of these videos, this one is not so much a factory tour as it is a step-by-step guide to the building of UFIP cymbals. It walks you through everything from the pouring of the metal to the stamping of the logo.

Paiste Factory Tour by Charlie Benante of Anthrax
Badass drummer Charlie Benante of Anthrax takes us on a walk through the Paiste factory in Switzerland. There’s not a lot of talking in this video, but we do get to listen to Anthrax throughout.

Amedia Cymbals Factory Tour
A tour of the Amedia factory, lead by factory owner Hamdusuna Baykusak. Hamdusuna has a ton of great insight and funny stories…if you can speak Turkish, please let me know what he’s saying.

Zlidjian History Lesson
I found some more corporate Zildjian videos online, but I kind of like this one, from FOX 25 in Boston. We never actually make it inside the Zlidjian factory, but get to check out the awesome Zildjian lobby. The phrase “Full of history” is an understatement.

Dutch drummer Bram Hakkens at the Meinl Cymbal Factory
This guy, Bram Hakkens of Dutch Band Kyteman, is living the dream. He was invited into the Meinl factory to hand pick his next cymbals. Jealous.

Masterwork Cymbal Factory Tour
This is another great factory tour video taken by a guy and his camcorder, this time at the Masterwork cymbal factory in Istanbul, Turkey.

In this video folk musician and storyteller David Holt plays the banjo and shares photographs and old wisdom from the Appalachian Mountains. He also demonstrates some unusual instruments like the mouth bow — and a surprising electric drum kit he calls “thunderwear.”

This one is cool! Percussionist Sivamani uses traditional Western and Eastern instruments to create some crazy rhythms, along with a tub of water, corrugated metal, spoons, luggage, our stage props and even a little audience participation. Speaking of the tub of water…if you only want to watch the absolute coolest part of the video, skip ahead to 7:45.

Making Music Magazine is giving away a Roland HD-1 V-Drums Lite Electronic Drum Kit. This kit may be “lite” but it has everything you need to bust out a beat without ticking off your neighbors or big sister.

Some info about the Roland HD-1 V-Drums Lite Electronic Drum Kit:

Roland’s V-Drums are the most popular electronic drums in the world, but not everyone has the room or budget for a full V-Drums kit. Introducing the Roland HD-1. It’s forged from the same technology as its predecessors, but it’s much simpler to use. It’s also incredibly quiet, thanks to the newly re-designed kick pedal, cushioned tom pads, and mesh snare head. The HD-1 electronic drum set is also conveniently compact and stylish-perfect for every home, school, studio, etc.-and it’s priced for drummers on a tight budget. Most of the Roland HD-1′s components are mounted on one stand for easy setup, transport, and a clean look. Just take it out of the box and play.

Entry Deadline: April 31, 2010
Get It: Click Here to Enter

Not Feeling Lucky? Buy the Roland HD-1 V-Drums Lite Electronic Drum Kit from Musicians Friend

For daily links to musical instruments giveaways, make sure you follow me on Twitter or become a fan of my Facebook Page.

When I was in college, the house my band practiced in was broken into and our PA system and our guitarist’s amp was stolen, but the only thing that’s even been taken from me was a splash cymbal. A bummer, but not a huge setback.

On the Fender Front Row blog, the folks from Scottsdale have posted some tips to help you recover your instrument if it’s even stolen. This is pretty simple stuff: write down the serial number, take pictures, file a police report…but sometimes we forget the basics, so this refresher is nice.

Of course, the most important thing is to be extra careful and make sure your gear is safe from sticky fingers to begin with!

Here’s a video from a Bakersfield CA news show reinforcing what Fender is telling us.

via Fender Front Row

The drum sound gets progressively better, having more to do with the engineer on duty than the recording medium. So, their secret to getting a great drum sound? Honestly, I have no idea. The people at Audiotuts+, however, do know. They’ve just published parts one and two of a three part series called “A Guide to Effective Drum Mixing.” This guide covers basics like setting levels and panning to more complex techniques like gating the kick drum and effectively using overhead mics.

For anyone just getting into recording, or for those of you with a home studio, this is a fantastic, easy to understand guide. It also includes a bunch of sound samples, which is a nice bonus.

Check it out: “A Guide to Effective Drum Mixing” Part 1 and Part 2

If you want even more updates on what’s happening in the world of drums, become a fan of the GearPipe – Drum News & Deals Facebook Page.

If you’re one of those trendy hipsters with a smart phone, you can also access GearPipe on your phone in some cool ways.

First, there is now a free iPhone app in the Apple App Store. It’s not fancy, but it pulls in all of the new GearPipe posts right to your phone, with separate categories for each instrument plus contests and giveaways. Again, it’s totally free, so go to the App Store and download it!

If you’re on an Android equipped phone, a BlackBerry, or if you use an iPhone and would rather access GearPipe through the web browser, I’ve also installed a mobile-specific theme to the site. This detects when you’re coming to the website from a phone and serves up a more streamlined version of GearPipe. This seems to work pretty well, but if you get there and see the regular site, scroll down to the bottom of the page and there should be a switch to toggle between the two versions.

Thanks again for being a GearPipe reader!

To tie into that great article, they’re giving away a bunch of signature Pantera gear. The winner of this giveaway will receive:

• An Affliction Pantera signature series T-shirt
• A Dean Dimebag Dimebonics ML electric guitar with case
• A Dunlop MXR DD11 Dime distortion pedal
• A Dunlop DB01 Dimebag Signature wah pedal
• A Seymour Duncan Dimebucker pickup
• A DDrum Vinnie Paul Signature Dragon snare

Entry Deadline: March 6, 2010
Get It: Click Here to Enter

For daily links to musical instruments giveaways, make sure you follow me on Twitter or become a fan of my Facebook Page.

In the meantime, thank you Modern Drummer for running a sweet giveaway each month. This month’s contest? A ton of gear from Tycoon Percussion.

What’s up for grabs? Check it:

• First Prize: A complete set of the all-new Concerto Series Blue Spectrum congas and matching bongos with stands
• Second Prize: 29 Series Acrylic Cajon with bag
• Third Prize: 14″ Traditional Series African Djembe
• Fourth Prize: Martin Verdonk Signature Series hand-held percussion products: Tri-Egg Shaker, Easy-Shake, High Pitch Swing-Shake, Low Pitch Swing-Shake, Cabasa Shaker, and Las Vegas Tambourines in silver and gold

Entry Deadline: March 31, 2010
Get It: Click Here to Enter

For daily links to musical instruments giveaways, make sure you follow me on Twitter or become a fan of my Facebook Page.

This video from Gear Gurus does as good of a job as I’ve seen demonstrating this. They take three of Remo‘s most popular snare heads and do a head to head (pardon the pun…way to easy) comparison, with and without backing music. Check it out to hear the difference between Coated Ambassador, Power Stroke 3, and Coated Controlled Sound snare drum heads.

via Gear Gurus

I saw some cool Gibraltar videos online the other day and it made me think of my most-prized piece of drum hardware, my Gibraltar Intruder kick drum pedal. As you can see by the photo, this thing has been through some battles…and survived to tell the stories. From high school talent shows, to beer-soaked college parties, to high-profile theater gigs, this pedal has stood by my side. The chain is a bit rusty and the paint on the pedalboard is totally worn off in the middle (my favorite sign of wear), but this thing still works, about 15 years after I bought it.

Back to the videos…Gibraltar has produced what they’re calling their Extreme Hardware Makeover videos, where they bring in touring drummers and re-outfit their kit with new Gibraltar hardware. Here’s part one of the video:

As you can see, they brought in Jagger Gonzales, a touring drummer with the progressive rock/metal band Opus Dai. This guy used duck tape and kitchen utensils to keep some of the broken parts of his drum rack alive, but it definitely was on life support. Gibraltar Hardware experts Ken Fredenberg and Jim Stanek assisted Brent Barnett in doing the make over at Chad Sexton’s Drum City in North Hollywood, CA. The goals was to make the kit more visually appealing while being more functional. They also needed to provide a way for Jagger to have a faster setup and tear-down as time is always tight at the shows. Check out part two of the video.

So, I am tempted to ask Gibraltar if I can bring in my kit to get a makeover. To be honest, though, even with my 15 year old kick pedal, I don’t really need it!

I watched this entire video, and I must say I’m not impressed with the sounds of this kit. It sounds really dead…like someone put duct tape all over the toms. If you don’t want to watch the whole thing, fast forward to 2:04 where Joey Jordison is demoing the product. What do you think?

Being a drummer, my interest was especially piqued yesterday when I saw a video produced by Sudan 365, an organization urging world leaders to get more involved in Sudan to prevent an escalation of violence that could lead to massive human rights violations.

Whether or not your interested in the situation in Sudan (which you should be – as the video points out, the country’s civil war was the longest running in Africa, with over 2 million people dead, but peace is still very unstable), take a minute out of your day to watch this video. It starts with a single drum beat, a beat that is built upon by musicians all over the world, including famous drummers like Stewart Copeland, Philip Selway of Radiohead, and Nick Mason of Pink Floyd.

If you’re interested in learning more about the situation in Sudan, or if you want to get involved, check out the Sudan 365 website. As a shameless (yet worthy) plug, a friend of mine in Denver is part of an organization called The Leadership Institute of New Sudan, whose mission is to develop and train leaders so that the people of New Sudan can experience the virtues of prosperity, civil rights, and social equality. Check out their website or Causes page on Facebook.

Here are last week’s musical instrument giveaways from GearGiveaway365 on Facebook and Twitter:

• Brady Drums, a very high-end drum builder from Australia is giving away a 14 x 6.5 Spotted Gum ply snare drum. The winner will be notified by a personal telephone call from Brady founder Chris Brady on Christmas Day. Classy! Enter Here
• You can win a TC Electronic Impact Twin, which is a kick-ass new computer audio interface that’s not even on the market yet. It retails for $519. All you have to do is become a fan of the TC Electronic Facebook Page to enter. Enter Here
• Here’s a chance to win a microphone much nicer than most of us need! GC Pro is giving away an amazing sounding Royer R-121 ribbon microphone worth $1295. Enter Here
• The band Saosin is giving you a chance to win all four instruments featured in their video “Changing.” One person will win the Fender Squier Bass, Ibanez Electric Guitar, Gibson Les Paul Electric Guitar, and an Evans Drumhead (ok…not an actual instrument!) that were actually… played in the video, and they’re all signed by the band. Enter Here
• I’ve been searching for some band instrument giveaways, and have found a few. Up first…a euphonium giveaway from Woodwind and Brasswind. Enter to win a Yamaha YEP321 Euphonium (MSRP $4,043) PLUS a $250 gift card. Enter Here
• Here’s a guitar amp giveaway for you! Win a Peavey Vypyr Tube 60 guitar amp (MSRP $599), courtesy of Guitar Edge Magazine. Enter Here
• Win a pair of Toca Elite Series Congas (value: $690) from Making Music Magazine. Enter Here
• If you’re a vintage guitar fan, here’s a great giveaway for you. Custom guitar builder Abe Rittenhouse is giving you a chance to win a custom relic electric guitar (your choice of models) worth up to $1,549. These are really cool ’50s and ’60s era Fender-style guitars. I wish a photo would load here, but go to the website to check them out. Enter Here

As always, you can get these updates everyday on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GearGiveaway365 or follow us our feed on Twitter, at www.twitter.com/GearGiveaway365. You can also subscribe to our giveaway email alerts to get a weekly email with this summary of links by subscribing here.

You can still enter many of the past weeks’ giveaways, so make sure to check out the GearGiveawy365 Archives.

Let’s get right to it:

• Enter to win a Fender Classic ‘50s Telecaster electric guitar from Glasvegas & Filter Magazine. Enter Here
• Premier Guitar magazine is giving away an amazing sounding Henriksen JazzAmp 110 worth $899. Enter Here
• Create a wish list at Guitar Center and win a $100 GC gift card, courtesy of The Tripwire. Enter Here
• Win a Fender/Squier Strat Pack from Sigler Music. All you have to do is write a “Letter to Santa” telling him why you deserve to win this giveaway. Enter Here
• Here’s on for drummers OR anyone into recording or just making sweet sounds. Win a Black KORG nanoPAD USB Drum Controller from Audiotuts+. Enter Here
• Win a Gretsch Brian Setzer Hot Rod G6120SHLTV electric guitar, signed by Setzer! This guitar is worth $3,341. Enter Here
• Metalheads unite! Win a Bernie Rico Jr Hybrid Vixen electric guitar. This guy is the son of BC Rich founder Bernie Rico Sr. This is a killer V-Style guitar worth $975.00. Enter Here
• Win a Benedetto Bravo archtop guitar worth $5,500! Just fill out a short survey to enter. This prize is courtesty of Premier Guitar Magazine. Enter Here
• To celebrate the release of “Crash Love,” AFI are giving away a special “Crash Love” branded guitar. The Epiphone Les Paul Special II features a custom Crash Love logo and is autographed by Davey, Jade, Adam and Hunter. Enter Here
• Bass Guitar and Amp Giveaway! Win a Daisy Rock Stardust Elite bass guitar, an SWR WorkingPro 12 bass amp, Curt Mangan bass strings, a Levy’s strap, and Equation Audio headphones, courtesy of Bass Frontiers Magazine. Enter Here
• Enter to win a Sonor Phil Rudd AC/DC Signature Snare Drum worth $659. Enter Here
• Enter to win a Gibson SG Zoot Suit Guitar (retails for $1,999), two photo books (Trust: Photographs by Jim Marshall and Sound Kapital), a pair of Converse AC/DC Sneakers and a Karmaloop x MTV Staying Alive Foundation Tee designed by Shepard Fairey. Enter Here
• Courtesy of Taylor Guitars, enter to win a Taylor Swift Baby Taylor acoustic guitar (MSRP: $398), a Band Hero Wii Band Kit, a Band Hero DS Bundle, and a Band Hero tee shirt. Enter Here
• Win an Epiphone DR-100 Ebony Dreadnought acoustic guitar autographed by Brendan Benson and Cory Chisel…and a selection of ten vinyl LPs picked out by Brendan and Cory. PLUS, just for signing up you get to download two free mp3s. Enter Here
• Win a Marshall MG2FX guitar amp. Marshall is giving away a MG2FX guitar amp everyday thru Dec 24. Enter everyday for a better chance of winning. Enter Here

As always, you can get these updates everyday on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GearGiveaway365 or follow us our feed on Twitter, at www.twitter.com/GearGiveaway365. You can also subscribe to our giveaway email alerts to get a weekly email with this summary of links by subscribing here.

You can still enter many of the past weeks’ giveaways, so make sure to check out the GearGiveawy365 Archives.

More on this later, but I’ve just launched two new Facebook pages. First is the “Musical Instrument Coupon Codes” page. This one should be self-explanatory. I also launched one that I call “Guitar Review Theater.” If you’ve created a video review of a guitar, amp, effect, or accessory, you can upload it there for the world to see. Again, I’ll post more details on these later on.

Last week’s giveaways:

• BC Rich Giveaway! Win a BC Rich Warlock Electric Guitar and a Lita Ford prize pack (includes her new album “Wicked Wonderland,” a limited-edition vinyl version, and a tee shirt. Enter Here
• Woodwind and Brasswind Silver Bells Giveaway! Win a Stephanhöuser Model SAS2000-SS Sterling Silver Alto Saxophone worth $7,795. Enter Here
• Win a custom built Fender J Mascis Jazzmaster guitar autographed by the members of Dinosaur Jr. Enter Here
• Win a Jim Dunlop Custom Shop Crybaby Rack Wah worth $599. Enter Here
• Be a REAL Rock Hero Contest! Enter to win one of three great prizes. Three lucky winners will walk away with either an Archer SS30 electric guitar, Union 5-piece Drum Set or a $100 Cascio Interstate Music Gift Card. Enter Here
• You may not be that excited about a guitar strap giveaway, but everyone needs to check out these new straps from Anthology Gear Wear. These premium leather straps are hand rubbed, embroidered, etched, etc. If you win, you get to pick your strap (worth up to $180). Click though to view the photos if nothing else! Enter Here
• Disney Tink My Ride Sweepstakes! Grand prize is a Honda Insight EX Hybrid, BUT first prize is a Gibson electric guitar signed by Disney Channel star Demi Lovato (do you people know who she is? I don’t). Enter Here

As always, you can get these updates everyday on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GearGiveaway365 or follow us our feed on Twitter, at www.twitter.com/GearGiveaway365. You can also subscribe to our giveaway email alerts to get a weekly email with this summary of links by subscribing here.

You can still enter many of the past weeks’ giveaways, so make sure to check out the GearGiveawy365 Archives.

As always, you can get these updates everyday on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GearGiveaway365 or follow us our feed on Twitter, at www.twitter.com/GearGiveaway365. You can also subscribe to our giveaway email alerts to get a weekly email with this summary of links by subscribing here.

In case you’re not checking us out on Twitter or Facebook, here’s our weekly round-up of giveaways:

• Win a killer SubDecay F-Bomb fuzz pedal (worth $109) from Effects Bay Enter Here
• Win a FREE ModTone effects pedal of your choice! Tremolo, Delay, Chorus, Speedbox Distortion, Atomic Phaser, Dyno Drive, Funk Filter, Deep Dive, Extreme Metal or Chromatic Tuner! Enter Here
• Cascio Interstate Music Jam-Tastic Drum Sweepstakes! Grand prize is a Yamaha 14″x7″ brass snare drum signed by Carter Beauford. Additional prizes are Zildjian 14″ & 17″ K Dark Crash Cymbals signed by Carter, a $500 Gift Card from Cascio Interstate Music, a DW 9000 Series Double Bass Pedal, a Yamaha Jacket sig…ned by Carter, and 1 Dozen Pro Mark Carter Beauford Signature Sticks. Enter Here
• Win a SICK Orange Dual Terror guitar head from Premier Guitar. This amp is worth $859, so get on it now! Enter Here
• Any sax players out there? You can get a FREE baritone/tenor sax strap from Rico. Everyone gets one! Just follow the link below to the Rico Facebook page. In a comment, tell them who your favorite saxophone player is, then click the link to take a brief survey about what you like. Pretty simple for free gear. Enter Here
• Check out Sweetwater Sound’s 24-day Holiday Giveaway! Every day from December 1 to December 24, they’re going to give away a special gift of some of the most popular audio and music gear they carry, including gear from Fender, Digidesign, Yamaha, and Epiphone. Enter Here
• Win a bunch of gear from the band Between the Buried and Me. Score an autographed Spector Legend 5 Classic Bass in black cherry finish, D’Addario XL strings, Planet Waves straps, tuners & more, signed Vic Firth drum sticks, and BTBAM swag. Enter Here
• Win a Rock Candy Special electric guitar from Daisy Rock Guitars & Viva la Rock. Enter Here (Expired)
• Win a custom hand drawn Fender Squier Stratocaster guitar by the animators & creators of Phineas and Ferb! Enter Here

You can still enter many of the past weeks’ giveaways, so make sure to check out the GearGiveawy365 Archives.

If you’re a drummer who lives around Los Angeles, you should check out the LA Drummers meetup at Musician’s Choice Studios (3727 Robertson Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232) at 7:30 PM on October 21.

Why, you may ask? There’s a lot of cool stuff going on. For instance, Brent Barnett, Gibraltar‘s drum rack builder to the stars, will be on the scene at this event. Brent has helped design drum racks for Clown (drummer for Slipknot) Jonathan Moffett (drummer for Michael Jackson), Joey Bumpus (drummer for Lady Gaga), Marc Schulman (drummer for Pink), and Tris Imboden (drummer for Chicago).

Also, Ken Fredenberg, Gibraltar Hardware Product Manager, and Jim Stanek, Product Manager for Dixon Drums will be on-hand to discuss their hardware and drum products.

And….Drum roll, please………..you can win free gear! The guys from Gibralter and Dixon will be giving away:

• Dixon Rosewood Snare Drums
• Dixon Demon Series 6-pc drum set
• Gibraltar Stealth VMS System
• Gibraltar Pedals and Ultra Adjust Hi Hat Stand
• Gibraltar Hybrid Mounting Pod with Boom Stand

Get It: For more information or to RSVP, check out the event’s Facebook page or official Meetup page.

The event will showcase a Dixon drum set interfaced with Playstation 3′s popular video game, Rock Band — allowing attendees to test drive an actual drum set while playing along with the video game. Free food, refreshments, valuable door prizes and professional drumming tips and tricks will be provided, courtesy of the pros at Dixon Drums. Attendees are encouraged to bring canned or non-perishable foods to be donated to selected city shelters.

If you’re in SoCal, please stop by these shops and join these events:

Saturday April 18th
Singer Music, 12pm-3pm
La Puente, CA

Wednesday, April 22nd
Santa Monica Music Center, 5pm-7:30pm
Santa Monica, CA

Thursday, April 23rd
Tom’s Music, 5pm-7pm
Victorville, CA

Get It: Click Here For More About This Deal

There’s a lot going on here, so let’s get right to the prizes:

First Prize

• From Mapex: The new Meridian Maple drumset six-piece Studioease configuration: 18×22 bass drum, 8×10 and 9×12 rack toms, 14×14 and 16×16 floor toms, 5½x14 snare. Hardware includes a snare stand, a bass drum pedal, a hi-hat, a cymbal stand, and a boom stand. Your choice of color.
• From Zildjian: a three-piece set of K Custom Hybrid cymbals, including 14¼” hi-hats, a 17″ crash, and a 21″ ride, plus twelve pairs of Zildjian 5A drumsticks.
• From Modern Drummer: The 25-Year Digital Archive + Year 26.

Second Prize

• Mapex Meridian Birch drumset five-piece Standard configuration: 18×22 bass drum, 9×12 and 10×13 rack toms, 16×16 floor tom, 5½x14 snare. Your choice of color.* Hardware: snare stand, bass drum pedal, hi-hat, cymbal stand, boom stand.
• Zildjian three-piece A Custom ReZo™ cymbals:, 14″ hi-hats, 16″ crash, 21″ ride, plus twelve pairs of Zildjian 5A drumsticks.
• Modern Drummer 25 Year Digital Archive.

Third Prize

• Mapex’s new MPX snare drum: 6×13 all-birch shell in transparent black finish with black hardware
• Zildjian 5A drumsticks (twelve pairs)
• Year 26 of the Modern Drummer Digital Archive

Entry Deadline: March 31, 2009
Get It: Click Here to Enter

1. Wuhan China Cymbal
2. Zildjian Oriental China ‘Trash’ Cymbal
3. Sabian B8 Pro Chinese Cymbal
4. Paiste PST 5 China Cymbal
5. Zildjian Z Custom China Cymbal
6. Zildjian A Custom China Cymbal
7. Wuhan China Cymbal with Rivets
8. Sabian AA Chinese Cymbal
9. Zildjian ZBT China Cymbal
10. Sabian Neil Peart Paragon China Cymbal

Check out the Best Selling Musical Instruments Archive.
Search for China Cymbals on eBay.

From Musicians Friend, you can get a Sound Percussion SP 4-Piece Drum Set with double-braced hardware (cymbals not included) for just $199, which is 60% off the retail price.

MSRP: $499.99
Regular Price: $249.99
Current Price: $199.99
Savings: $300.00(60%)

Get It: Click Here For More About This Deal

A few years ago they expanded into guitar products which, from what I’ve heard, has been a successful move for them. They’ve just announced they’re getting into drum and percussion products. They’ve actually offered electronic percussion products for a while, but acoustic drums and percussion is new to them.

It looks like they’ve got some good brands to start with: Yamaha, Tama, Zildjian, Pearl, DW, Latin Percussion, and more.

So, if you’re already a customer and want to buy all of your gear from one spot, check out the drum section of their website.

Get It: Click Here For More About This Deal

Through the end of March 2009, when you buy qualifying models of Zildjian A Custom or Armand Series cymbals, Zildjian will send you a dollar back for each inch you buy. So, if you buy an 8″ splash cymbal, they’ll send you $8, a 20″ ride, $20.

Get it? Again, not the greatest deal in the world, but 20 bucks is 20 bucks!

Expires: March 31, 2009

Get It: Click Here For More About This Deal

Through the end of February, Woodwind and Brasswind is offering an extra 10% off the already reasonable “value brands” on their website, thanks to a new coupon code. This includes brands like Pulse drums, Laguna and Rogue guitars, and Bundy horns.

Coupon Code: MusicTen
Expires: February 28, 2009

Get It: Click Here For More About This Deal

Just enter the coupon code below at checkout and receive 10% off all drums and accessories on your order. HB Drums also offers free US shipping on orders over $50, so if you want to get some early holiday shopping done for that drummer on your list, here’s a good opportunity to save some coin.

Expires: December 31, 2008
Coupon Code: HBVIP
Get It: Click Here For More About This Deal

X8 Drums is an online retailer of hand drums and ethnic percussion. It looks to be a site with a wide selection and some informational hand drum buying guides.

They also give away a different djembe drum each month. According to the website, you only need to enter once for the whole year, so you don’t even have to return each month. They actually appear to be a month behind, as the September contest is still up (the drum that I have in this post), but they’ve got all of the previous month’s winners listed, so it looks to be legit.

Entry Deadline: Last day of each month
Get It: Click Here to Enter

Lou will be flying out to Hollywood, CA to play at Westlake Studios in front of an A&R panel. Lou, who won a Dixon Demon drumset, will have his session filmed and will air on the A&R channel. Runners up received a Dixon snare drum.

Here is Lou’s winning video, filmed at Herreid Music:

Get It: Click Here for More Info

This contest has expired, but check out our other musical instrument giveaways
or Subscribe to our Contests & Giveaways category.

Also, Musicians Friend is running a free shipping promo on heavy items, which these congas are. So, not only do you get the free Gator bags but you get the whole thing shipped for free.

Get It: Click Here For More About This Deal | Gator Conga Bags

The package includes these Evans, HQ and PureSound products:

• Evans EC2 Clear Tom Pack
• Evans EC Reso Heads (3 Sizes) (Standard or Fusion)
• Evans EC1 Snare Head (14″)
• Evans EMAD Bass Head Clear (Standard 22″ or Fusion 20″)
• Evans EMAD Bass Head Clear (Standard 22″ or Fusion 20″)
• PureSound Custom Series Snare Wire
• HQ Percussion RealFeel Practice Pad

As well as the following EZdrummer Sampling Software:

• Superior Drummer 2.0 with EZplayer Pro and Toontrack Solo
• Nashville EZX, Twisted Kit EZX, and Claustrophobic EZX
• DFH EZX, Vintage Rock EZX, Latin Percussion EZX

Entry Deadline: December 23, 2008
Get It: Click Here to Enter

This contest has expired, but check out our other musical instrument giveaways
or Subscribe to our Contests & Giveaways category.