This drum represents several things - my first real extravagance, my first very expensive drum and my first rare item. However, most of all, it represents a drum I never thought I'd own.

In about 1998/9 or so, I saw a DW Lake Superior snare drum in my local shop. It was in a glass case and looked amazing. It was up for about £2,000 and I recall having that good old [rather common for many people I'm sure] thought of 'if I had the money...'

Anyway, fast forward to 2006 and I have a week off, it's about 1am and I'm surfing the net for drums (that's unusual). I go to Steve Maxwell's site (I told him recently his website has had such a bad influence on me) and see two Timeless Timber drums - this one and another which had THE most amazing birdseye maple grain. The only trouble was that drum was $3,000 and it was just too much for me. Anyhow, in my late night stupidity I decided I had to have this drum and eventually, after a chat with the bank, it was.

It's a 14x5 600 year old Lake Superior maple shell with 24K hardware, including Trick GS007 strainer with hoops engraved by John Aldridge. I also have my name on the badge. Steve Maxwell said this shell represented the last of the 'best of the best' Timeless Timber shells which Johnny had, and this drum itself is a 1 of 1 limited edition.

I have gigged it - just the once or twice and it was a light/brushes thing - and it sounds as good as you might think: crisp, clear, cutting, full bodied and a bit dry. You can hear how it sounds on the track 'Sugar Sweet' here.

The strangest thing about this drum though is the smell when you take the head off. You know how a new drum smells? This is nothing like that at all. It smells like a museum - somewhere between really nice and really old, but very unique.

I've been lucky enough to get hold of some lovely drums after I got this one, but this will always be the original and most special to me.

Some more (rather supersized) photos.