Simmonsmuseum's Blog

Dear community,

I’ve been collecting Simmons drums and everything related to them for almost 25 years. It started small with an SDS8 brain and a few SDS7 pads. And somehow, my childhood dream took on a life of its own. The first SDSV! I couldn’t believe it. As a teenager, it was unaffordable and completely out of reach. For 25 years, I’ve taken great pleasure in collecting and preserving these gems and sharing photos, manuals, flyers, and gossip with those interested. This passion has opened many doors for me. I’ve made many friends (unfortunately, a few envious people along the way). My policy has always been non-profit. I never wanted money for anything. I’d rather lend something for free than sell it. Not even when Genesis asked me for an SDSV brain for their 2007 world tour, or Howard Jones for SDS9 pads for his then-touring drummer, Jon Atkinson. I’ve had the privilege of visiting Dave Simmons at his home and meeting many of Simmons’ former employees.

Now I’ve started selling gear. What happened? Until four years ago, I was lucky enough to live with my family in houses with space for my collection. Due to personal reasons, I lost that space. A good friend helped me temporarily, and when that ended, my employer also provided me with office space to store the collection. But these options will also disappear over the course of the next year.

My kids aren’t interested in 80s drum synthesizers, and although my main passion is still music, especially playing live, it feels like the time is right to say goodbye to my equipment before I’m gone and it all ends up in the e-waste bin. I’ll part with most of it, at least. I’ll keep a few pieces and use them in the rehearsal room. But only the ones that make sense. Let’s be honest: What do you do with ten SDS5 kits? Besides enjoying them when you go down to the basement and look at them. I’ve also had the pleasure of exhibiting some drum kits, either permanently or temporarily, in museums. Of course, free of charge, as per my policy.

The simmonsmuseum.com website will continue to exist as long as it’s running. It was the central hub of the collection, and I’ve always been amazed by the continued interest in these vintage treasures, which I hope will continue for a long time. And I’m not withdrawing from the subject. I’ll still be happy to answer questions and offer advice. I’m simply going to drastically reduce the size of my collection.

I’ve set up a page: https://sales.simmonsmuseum.com. Everything that’s been tested and is for sale is listed there. This list is updated regularly. I still have about 50 synthesizers, some of which I haven’t turned on in 20 years, or even ever. These need to be tested before I can offer them for sale. You can find all the details there.

Thank you, Wolfgang

Dear visitor,

as some of you have noticed: this website has been down for some time. The reason is simple: I programmed and launched my website https://www.simmonsmuseum.com more than twenty years ago as a project during my IT studies back in 2003. For security reasons, my current web service provider recently forced me to upgrade some server software components which unfortunately led into compatibility issues between my “vintage” source code combined with up-to-date server infrastructure. So I had quite some work to clean my old and dirty code and make it compatible again.

But hey! Here I am! Enjoy the content!

Greats

Wolfgang

All Simmons pads provide the classic hexagonal shape (exceptions: The Colman Saunders “Head Kit” and the prototype bat- and heart-shaped kits). Really all? Almost… there is one particular kit which was named the “lunchbox kit”. Seb Shelton, former drummer of Dexy’s Midnight Runners was working for the British magazine “Sounds” when he met Dave Simmons in his garden shed where Dave assembled the very first Musicaid kits back in early 1981/late 1980. He got SDSV #0004 with a set of the solid wood pads. Some time later he complained that there were 4 people necessary to move the heavy bassdrum on and off stage. So Dave Simmons took some parts and assembled a set of pads which were … quadrangular! The backside shells are ordinary plastic boxes, painted black and screwed to the wooden surface. Technically these pads are just the same as the wooden pads: speakers as trigger, the pearl tom mounts, even the aluminium profile rims have been simply rapped around this construction. Really no beauties but at least light and portable. Apart from one single TV show this kit has never been used and was about to be thrown away many many times in the past (so was the brain!). However I am lucky to have saved those pads from the electronic waste. Although Dave Simmons gainsays that it was him who did those pads I have no doubt  about the truth of Seb’s story. All parts, the style of assembling… yes, it’s a Simmons :
A nice opportunity for a one-day trip to London and … St. Albans…

Some impressions from the journey:

3:20a.m. not a nice time to wake up

6:30a.m. somewhere in Belgium

me

7:45 boarding Eurotunnel

England – no wonder…

9:00 the fog has gone. I am a bit early. A nice opportunity to visit…

… [url=’http://blog.simmonsmuseum.com/?p=291′]St. Albans[/url] vorbeifahren :-)))))))

9:20 mission accomplished

The employee’s pub – still standing

Abbey Mill: The womb of the SDSV

10:30: London. Seb Shelton and his SDSV #0004 (bought by someone else but still not delivered)

…my Lunchbox Pads

12:00 On my way back home. The compulsary picture of a doubledecker bus

Good night…

OK, the sound is more (vintage) Roland rather than Simmons and not the variety of parameters, still the look is close to the SDSV and it is worth to check the demos. I like the fact that also Clap or Conga modules are availabe. Would have been possible for SDSV as well  (an SDSV frame for percussionists… nice vision…). I wonder if those modules would fit into an SDSV frame (with minor modifications, obviously)

A freaky video that I found on Gavin Harrison’s Facebook wall

Thanks to Steve Watts who directed me to this long time forgotten topic… The driver of the Mitsubishi is Andy McLennan. The driver of the VW Golf (the last two pictures) is Charlie Morgan.

“(http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1) ANDY McLENNAN BEGAN HIS INVOLVEMENT IN MOTORSPORT AS A MECHANIC IN THE BRABHAM FORMULA 1 RACING TEAM. AS A DRIVER, HE HAS BEEN CLASSIC SALOON CAR CHAMPION & HELD THE BRITISH RECORD FOR 24HOUR ENDURANCE DRIVING IN A PRODUCTION SALOON CAR. IN THE MID 80’s ANDY WAS CLASS B CHAMPION IN THE MONROE PRODUCTION CAR CHAMPIONSHIP’S.

ANDY’S STARION WAS SPONSORED BY SIMMONS SYNTHESISERS, THE  MANUFACTURER THAT MADE THE WORLDS FIRST ELECTRONIC DRUM KIT. SIMMONS USERS INCLUDED CULTURE CLUB, THE POLICE, GENESIS, THE THOMPSON TWINS & MANY OTHERS.

ANDY HAD MANY IMPRESSIVE RESULTS INCLUDING SEVERAL OUTRIGHT VICTORY’S IN THE ROUNDS OF THE 84 85 UNIROYAL PRODUCTION CAR CHAMPIONSHIP. THIS IS TODAY’S EQUILEVLENT OF THE BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP. ANDY HAD MANY BATTLES WITH COLIN BLOWER BUT THEY REGULARLY CAME 1ST & SECOND OVERALL BEATING CARS AS CAPABLE AS 3 LITER OPEL MONZA GSE, ESCORT RS TURBO, TOYOTA SUPRA, ASTRA GTE. ROVER 3500 SDI”

Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

Source: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.stacey1

Source: Charlie Morgan ( drummer for Elton John & Kate Bush and a few others!)

Source: Charlie Morgan ( drummer for Elton John & Kate Bush and a few others!)

“

When I saw an “SDS7 cymbal pad” on Ebay last year, I thought it’s a fake. I haven’t seen any advertisement where a pad like this had been mentioned. But they really existed for a short period of time. Finally I found a brochure published by Simmons Group Center. One of the last mysteries is cleared up….

And this is what Glynn Thomas, former CEO of Simmons Group Center, USA, responded:

“…it was good to see that ad we produced for Modern Drummer magazine and featured our own version of a Simmons Cymbal. Sadly, Dave Simmons didn’t like us producing our own version of a Cymbal and vetoed it. So only a few prototypes were actually made, and then quietly dropped. The “rack” was our idea ( actually Dave Levine designed it with the cooperation of Ultimate Systems ) and was very very successful for Simmons Group Centre…”

SDS “what”? Sometimes I stumble over a Simmons gadget which I had forgotten in the meantime. Still these accessories are worth to mention. This time I found the SDS64 which I have actually never seen or even tried before. It’s a sequencer software for … Commodore 64.

“Simmons has drummed up a great way for electronic drum players to expand their drumming.
Together with our new SDS64 Drum Sequencing Software, your Commodore home computer and any Simmons drum controller, you can pre-programm patterns to create an even more electrifying sound. SDS64 software allows you to program over 250 different drum patterns which can be adjusted for any tempo and time signature that you choose. By connecting a series of patterns you can form sequences that can be combined to form songs. Patterns, sequences and songs can be stored for easy reference and future performance. Available in disk or cassette, Simmons SDS64 software also features multi-color graphics and comes complete with interface cable and user’s manual. When you consider what SDS64 software can do for your drumming, a list price of $94 is hard to beat.”

How come my father did not believe me when I told him a Commodore 64 would help me doing my homework… ?

BTW: Have you noticed that the advertising slogan (“The first name in electronic drums”) is the same that Guitar Center uses to promote their ************ ? (censored…)

Review of Germany’s first meeting for Electronic Drums 27th November, 2010

During a huge drum event earlier this year I philosophised with two buddies about the question, why there is no anual event exclusively for electronic drummers at least in Germany. We considered that there are a lot of questions but only a few answers as the whole market is dominated by just a very few products providing more or less obsolete technology. We raved about the idea to organize a meeting where the visitors exhibit as well, self-crafted and vintage kits preferred. We checked the demand for an event like this by launching a discussion on drummerforum.de. We were rather surprised about the great and positive feedback. With a very restrictive budget but nevertheless enthusiasm and motivation we sucessfully found a local location.
With „Final Virus“, a great German Rock act featuring Sibi Siebert on a hybrid Simmons SDSV kit, Oli Rubow and Robert Huettl with his „Drumallover“ trigger suit we were lucky enough to find fitting live acts.

People from the whole nation came to present their constructions: A welded full metal kit, a kit wrapped with Zebra skin, the brand new Drumi5 Mk II, Simmons SDX, Drum-Tec Pro and many more. Some sets were Software based using Superior or Addictive Drums, some were triggering standard V-Drum or DTX modules. Everybody was invited to test and compare every solution. And every exhibitor was helpful to explain every detail of his instrument.

It’s a pity that no manufacturer dared to join the party. After the success of the initial electronic drum meeting and the coverage of Germany’s leading drummer magazines „Sticks“ and Drums&Percussion“ it is rather unlike that Roland, Yamaha & co. Can afford to ignore the next issue…

Oli Rubow exploring the Simmons/Musicaid SDS3

Sibi Siebert, former Simmons staff, performing on his hybrid kit

Oli during his Workshop with lot’s of analog effect devices

Robert Huettl introducing his trigger suit

Sibi’s kit from behind

Drum-Tec Pro Sapeli kit

SDSV kit retrofitted with mesh heads

Software based DIY kit featuring Addictive Drums

DIY kit – glass/glitter wrapped with standard foil from the DIY superstore

Simmons SDX – #19 of only 250 built

Drum-Tec Diablo

Wronka custom kit – made of welded light metal (see wronka-drums.de)

Exploring the possibilities of DIY

Jobeky Stealth kit with Toontrack Superior Drummer

Handy DIY kit with Roland TD-6

DIY Zebra Skin – needs to be groomed instead of polished

2box Drumit5 MkII

one week after our successful electronic drum meeting I followed the kind invitation of Marcel Vogelmann (at least Germany’s craziest collector of Ludwig gear and good buddy of Bill Ludwig II) and exhibited a fully loaded SDSV at Württemberger Trommeltage. Everybody was invited to check the sounds and the feel of this dinosaur. The reactions where absolutely positive but also different: While the young guys (less then 15 years) asked where this “coolpiece of gear can be ordered”, there daddies got nostalgic feelings.

Some could not believe that they got the opportunity to play a Simmons for the first time (and probably for the last). Even the staff of the local music store raved about that vintage kit. When I tried to find a fitting stand for the cymbal pad, all the employees of the drum departement came to marvel about that strange thing 🙂
The SDSV: Never to old to inspire…