i made the decision to go full fledge back to my "roots."dec 25th 1979 i got my very first "real" drum set (Blue Vistalites like Bonzo from Zep)
then i went through a Tama phase (well...lol my parents were like "here")
but all my professional career i was a Yamaha head. which bent over backwards for me.
but at the end of the day I'm a "breakbeat"-based drummer and i've never gotten better "grit" than i did with Ludwig.
actually on D'angelo's "yes we're still waiting" new album i played on a blue & cream vistalite just like when i was a kid. the sound was so raw i was like "i GOTTA go back."