My Current Snare Collection

[RushDrums24]

Great collection of gear there Dale, the absolute standout for me is that Blaemire

[dale w miller]

Great collection of gear there Dale, the absolute standout for me is that Blaemire

Thanks. That is a really great drum for sure. I bought it in support of the late Jerry Jenkins, the Blaemire revivalist. His discovery and passion is what brought that company back alive.

[j kuhl]

Nice stable of drums Dale. I tried collecting snares but didn't get far. I particularly like the GMS snares. I've played a few and they're killer sounding and looking instruments.

[Blk Diamond]

A wonderful collection of snares and Paistes you have Dale!
Not to mention the beautiful display cabinets you have for your drums.

Since the demise of most of our independent drum stores in the Chicagoland area, I've never had the chance to see (let alone play on) any GMS products up close in person.

For old times sake Dale, could you tell us about how you got started with the GMS Drum Co..
For instance, how did they come to be on to your drumming radar, so to say?

[Bongo Jesus]

Awesome snares Dale! Any sound clips of the 8x14 Grand Master Super Vintage or the new Dunnett 6.5x14? I would love to hear them, beautiful collection!

[dale w miller]

Nice stable of drums Dale. I tried collecting snares but didn't get far. I particularly like the GMS snares. I've played a few and they're killer sounding and looking instruments.

Thank you.

A wonderful collection of snares and Paistes you have Dale!
Not to mention the beautiful display cabinets you have for your drums.

Since the demise of most of our independent drum stores in the Chicagoland area, I've never had the chance to see (let alone play on) any GMS products up close in person.

For old times sake Dale, could you tell us about how you got started with the GMS Drum Co..
For instance, how did they come to be on to your drumming radar, so to say?

Back in ‘91-‘92 I was playing with my band from Boston/South Jersey, depending on the season, and we happened to be playing NYC like we played everywhere in between Baltimore and Boston. We had some time to go 48th Street, music store row back then more or less, and I saw a GMS snare at what I think was Sam Ash. I played it, fell in love, but didn’t have the means at the time when I was told the price.

I would see ads in Modern Drummer from time to time afterwards which always kept them in the back of my mind. I saw they were distributed by Paiste and being I had been playing them exclusively since I almost started, I looked at GMS as Paiste’s drums no different than Noble & Cooley looked to be Zildjian’s.

Later in the early winter of ‘93 my then guitarist slept over the house I shared with my best friend & then singer. After playing that night I crashed and those guys decided to stay up and continue to get a little let’s say “sideways”. I woke up in the early morning smelling smoke in my room. I walked out to the living room half asleep, shook my guitarist who was sleeping on the couch and said, “Dude, man, fire.”

It was so casual that he didn’t believe the fire was real until my singer and other roommate came flying down the steps seconds later from their bedrooms above. After the fire company came and put out the fire, every piece of gear I owned, including 2 kits and a PA & mics, was water & smoke damaged or even completely burned to the ground.

I was at a loss and here I was at a music college with no gear or a place to live for that matter. The fire department thought it was electrical, but come to find out those guys left a free standing candle burning all night until it caught onto one of my kits that was stacked in the corner of the basement where we jammed, in cases in which the candle was sitting on.

A couple of days later my dad called me up and said, “You’re still in school, right?” I told him I was and he said, “Good. You’re covered under my homeowners policy.” He had replacement insurance so everything I lost was covered as if it was brand new. I knew exactly what I wanted.

I practically ran down to Jack’s Drum Shop in Back Bay, got them to write an estimate for all of the gear I lost, and as soon as I received the insurance check, I placed the order. Due to it being custom and it having black hardware, which other than a rock star no one had at the time, I waited 17 weeks for all of it including cymbals/hardware/the works to come in. When I finally played it it was orgasmic.

I have recorded almost every recording I’m on with that kit and to this day people tell me that the kick drum is the greatest they ever heard, including people who hadn’t heard it in 15 years. I have played GMS all but exclusively ever since.

Awesome snares Dale! Any sound clips of the 8x14 Grand Master Super Vintage or the new Dunnett 6.5x14? I would love to hear them, beautiful collection!

I wish I could, but the Dunnett I literally just got and that GMS I recorded with only once. I don’t think I have a copy the track and I don’t really like those guys as people to ask for it. Sorry. The Dunnett sounds like a classic metal drum with not too much bite and the GMS has a soft attack, almost having a Revolutionary War drum sound to it.

[JY Kelly]

I never tire of hearing the Feck Campaign/Dale W. Miller drumming/GMS origin story.

[Blk Diamond]

Thank you Dale for sharing your GMS "origin story" with us again.

I had forgotten that it all started with the love of a GMS snare at the Sam Ash on 48th Street.

Also, how incredibly fortunate it was that nobody died that night back in '93, and how it served as the catalyst in you obtaining your first GMS kit.

[dale w miller]

I never tire of hearing the Feck Campaign/Dale W. Miller drumming/GMS origin story.

Thank you Dale for sharing your GMS "origin story" with us again.

I had forgotten that it all started with the love of a GMS snare at the Sam Ash on 48th Street.

Also, how incredibly fortunate it was that nobody died that night back in '93, and how it served as the catalyst in you obtaining your first GMS kit.

My pleasure I like to reminisce from time to time and at this point I am starting to keep some of the good or at least somewhat interesting or pivotal stories in my life on Word in Dropbox. I see my dad not remember things of late that he definitely once knew. My friend, the one I was talking about regarding that fire, he and I went to the same high school and college together, we’ve been best friends ever since and she totally forgot how we knew each other when I saw her last year.

Granted this will be a silly story unless they really want know the details of my music life, if for whatever reason I do become like my dad and his mom, at least my family will have some stories if they care to know.

[Myvanpounds]

My pleasure I like to reminisce from time to time and at this point I am starting to keep some of the good or at least somewhat interesting or pivotal stories in my life on Word in Dropbox. I see my dad not remember things of late that he definitely once knew. My friend, the one I was talking about regarding that fire, he and I went to the same high school and college together, we’ve been best friends ever since and she totally forgot how we knew each other when I saw her last year.

Granted this will be a silly story unless they really want know the details of my music life, if for whatever reason I do become like my dad and his mom, at least my family will have some stories if they care to know.

they say everyone has a story, most are mundane. but this one was straight FIRE (pun intended) thanks for sharing.

[drumminjc]

Great looking collection Dale!

[SharkSandwich]

Wow!!! That's an amazing collection Dale. Beautiful instruments right there.

Do you have a favorite or a "go to" snare?