Coming from my own experience, and/or close observation...
If you are gonna worry about your
perceived image, install a reso head on your kick that says "TAMA," "DW," or whatever make of drums you think your audience will respond positively to. No one in the audience member will have any idea your whole kit is not that brand, with the POSSIBLE exception of a drummer in the audience who is so OCD he can identify "his" brand by things like the shape of the lugs (well, one other exception- see below.) He may say something to you about it, to which you might reply "Yeah, but I just don't want to sacrifice my (name brand) kit to the road." if he's a good guy, he will chuckle and agree; if he's a jerk, forget about him. If you are playing jazz, in a small combo and in venues- basically, a situation where people will actually
listen to the music, the audience may appreciate the different sound a quality kit will give you, but most other situations- cover band playing in bars, metal/punk/rockabilly bands playing most anywhere, etc.
the audience members will either not care, or not notice. They are there to have a good time, not split hairs over the band's tone. Don't get me wrong- I am not a jazz snob, nor do I dislike most other genre's, but I know this to be true, because I have seen it
so many times in
so many different situations.
Yes, i would agree that the "the great sounding drums of course are the best, top of the line ones," but is your good set "top of the line?" If it is, I can certainly understand your concern for them; if it is somewhere in the middle, the difference in sound won't be that pronounced. I am sure you will, or have, played your beater kit, and are satisified with it's sounds, right? Well, there you go.
You know what the live situations you will be in, and we don't, but I also trust that you would not have even
considered the idea if you knew it would be inappropriate. Hell, you already bought the beater kit- at the very least, try it out at a gig, see what happens. Before you go on tour, do a free (or reduced-cost) gig at a friend's club, house or whatever, and ask some of the people there what they think of your kit and playing. (Pro bands do this sort of thing, and at the least, often do a "performance," with or maybe without audience, in a controlled environment, to work out any kinks before they hit the road.) Oh, sure, you might be more inspired to turn in your best performance on your best kit, but from your post, I suspect that you would be more worried about something happening to it, which may make you so nervous (on top of you perhaps already having a bit o' stage freight) that you fixate on your gear's well-being and your drumming suffers for it.
Heck, some rep from a drum company might see you making wonderful sounds from a cheap kit, and say "Kid, you are a great drummer, but you'd sound even better with better gear. Let's talk endorsement..."
Hey, it could happen!
And besides, do you
really want to paint your good kit florescent orange??
anyways I was also thinking about putting a pearl or yamaha bass head on it for kicks. im gonna replace the heads, and tune em right. anyone have any advice about what to do when I get there?
