I first heard about Drum Center of Portsmouth about 6 years ago. Their byline is the Largest Drum Shop in the World! Ever since then I’ve been determined to visit sometime when we might be near. Well, we were near!
I can’t absolutely confirm DCP’s claimed size superlativeness, however it may not matter. I can say that I felt like a 4-year-old in a candy store! There’re rooms on the first floor for snares and hardware, cymbals and stands, and percussion and more cymbals, and in the way back, used and consignment gear. Wow! There are 3 walls filled with snares of all kinds. There are 4 walls of cymbals of every brand, type and size. Upstairs, the second floor is filled with high-end kits, shell packs of every color in stacks wherever they fit, electronic kits, more hardware, and a museum of vintage kits.
The list of items I needed from a drum shop (18-inch crash/ride, a 13-inch snare, and a lightweight hi-hat stand and pedal to upgrade my suitcase kit) was considerably smaller then the list of items I wanted (one of everything!). I found a perfect hi-hat stand – lightweight, sturdy, and small enough to fit into the suitcase – immediately.
With one of the shop guys assisting, we located every 18-inch crash/ride in the store. That’s a somewhat unusual size and style combo, so there were just a handful or two from which I chose my 3 favorites. I set up my current hi-hats on my new stand and my current crash on a borrowed cymbal stand, and rotated through my 3 fave crash/rides on another loaner stand. Then I put them to the test. How did they sound played sequentially? How did they sound together? Try a jazz groove. How ’bout a rock groove? Which combinations did I like? Which did Doug like? Eventually (we’re here in the candy store, after all – no hurry) I selected the Istanbul Agop Mel Lewis.
Unfortunately, there were no 13-inch snares that would work for me, although it sure was fun to look through hundreds of these beauties.
Doug wanted a DCP sticker for his bass case. He tried to buy one and they gave it to him for free. Nice!
On our way out, we saw DCP’s Wall of Fame – drum heads signed by rock stars. My eyes immediately locked onto Frank Beard (ZZ Top) and Drumeo instructor Todd Sucherman (Styx). On the bulletin board near the door was an announcement that Cindy Blackman Santana would be playing at a local jazz club in 4 days. Whoa! Bummer we couldn’t stay. I suspect we’ll be back…
For anyone who’s interested, more DCP pix…