Originally Posted by
RhythmDawg
Great question, and it is a much appreciated question...so in no particular order of priority:
1. a new look
2. recruiting
3. we don't have enough now, requiring a decent sized purchase anyway
4. the ensemble has grown over the years, requiring new purchases, and there is a mixture of equipment, albeit the same color and brand
5. scratches, dings, rim cracks, exposure to the elements causing some finish issues such as color fading, warping, etc.
6. the people who have committed $ and time want this ensemble to have new equipment
7. the current equipment, pending approval from the university and the state, may be able to get auctioned off
Considering the age of some of these instruments and the amount of use they have had for 25+ years, they are in amazing shape. With the amount of use a typical university will give to instruments, drums ought to last for a good 15 years if well taken care of. These have been exceptionally well taken care of.
I'll add this...the amount of physical stress put on these instruments, particularly on the rims, tension rods, and carrier attachments during a half time show is really high.