eBay Find of the Week: Want to Own Chris Adler’s Snare Drum?

Back in college, I heard a rumor that a couple of guys had actually snuck in to one of the very old buildings on campus late at night and made off with an old, large, 5’5 stone gargoyle that they found loose in one of the towers. They stuffed the gargoyle into a duffell bag, and scooted out of there like they were Charlie Chaplin. Allegedly, these guys left their university not just with a degree, but with a literal piece of the school. A piece of history.

Great story max, but what does it have to do with gear or metal? I’ll tell you.

Ashes of the Wake is, for my money, one of the top metal records of the 00’s by one of the great metal bands of our time (if you require cred, a whole bunch of industry people just agreed with me too). That great album also happens to contain some of the great drum performances – as well as drum recordings – in the history of the genre. So, Max, you say, that’s awesome, but what does this have to do with a gargoyle?

Well, Chris Alder is selling one of the snare drums he used on the record – a 14″ x 5.5″ Mapex Brass Black Panther Snare, and you – yes you, can bid on it! You, humble gear reader, can own a piece of the University of—ah, the recording of, Ashes of the Wake. According to Chris, this drum was used on the song “Break You” as well as the bonus track, “Another Nail For Your Coffin.” He apparently hasn’t even changed the head! If you’re unconvinced of the quality of the instrument, check out this bad boy in action:

If you want it, you better get crackin’ though. Chris posted another eBay for a snare drum used during the Ashes sessions (a 14″ x 5.5″ Mapex Phosphor Bronze) on the track “Remorse is For the Dead” earlier tonight, and the thing seems to already have found a buyer.