Not So Modern Drummer

1370 Vera Cruz St.

Memphis

3303386035

Since 1988, a treasure trove of info about vintage drums, custom drums & legendary drummers

Drummer community & drum marketplace
The first vintage & Custom Drum Magazine, since 1988

Not So Modern Drummer

Database of Articles 11/13 to current

Observations of a Recovering Drum Collector

February 28, 2021 John Aldridge

Our favorite picture of John, founder of Not So Modern Drummer and #1 DrumScratcher

I guess the main difference between collecting then as opposed to collecting now is getting to know the person who’s selling the drums as much as knowing about the drums themselves. Some of my best friends, people I met through collecting and custom drum building and engraving, came from a vintage drum transaction that took us a couple of weeks to accomplish due to the delays of mail, photography, and the phone.

The Drum Engravers, Part 2: John Aldridge Custom Works

October 25, 2019 Bob Campbell

Dunnett_Borlai_Engraved_bronze_2 copy.jpg

I like to think of John Aldridge as a “Drum Jedi Master”. He is an endless wellspring of drum history, wisdom, experience and creativity. In this sequel to Part 1, I wanted to share some examples of John’s unique custom works with personal insights from John about their design. Many of these drums are from my personal collection and are greatly treasured. It is my hope that drummers will not only appreciate John’s incredible versatility, but also realize that “drum art” can be truly personal. Drum engraving is not restricted to scrolls and florets!