Get inspired: Viking's repair kit

beatit.tv’s Editor-in-Chief, Marcin ‘Viking’ Leitgeber, is a drummer of a rather precautionary nature, which means he does not like to have a secured ‘technological park’ (if we may put it in engineering terms) when on tour. What does it imply in practice? He simply takes a case with him to gigs (regardless of whether there is a drum tech with him or not), where he carries all kinds of spare parts in case something breaks, cracks, gets lost, or some other drumming adversity should occur.

“What kind of spare parts can you take with on the road?” – you may ask. Theoretically, all you need is some sticks, a metronome (if used), headphones and a bottle opener. That’s not Viking’s way. If he’s taking a metronome with him, there have to be some 9V batteries to accompany an adaptor (more than one because guitarists aren’t always so quick-witted 😉 ). If a felt washer falls onto the stage and is impossible to find in the dark? Uncle Viking has ’em all: cymbals stand washers, hi hat clutch washers, bottom hat washer, you name it! A pair of work gloves certainly isn’t enough – there is a pair for dirty jobs and a pair of rubber dotted gloves for carrying gear. A squeaking foot pedal mechanism? Viking has a few drops of sewing machine oil (cleanest there is). A cymbal stand wing nut has fallen off (some stand models have push-in nuts at the legs)? There is always glue for metals. As Marcin uses an old Zildjian Scimitar Bronze ride as a crash ride with 12 custom-fitted rivets, he carries spare ones in his case as well. Sometimes, when playing rim shots on his favourite vintage snare, he will break a threaded lug insert, so a few of them have to be included in the repair kit. Such things as gaffer tape, scissors, a utility knife, a Swiss Army knife, a universal screwdriver, a torch light or felt-tip pens are also there. Never fear!

Marcin has some more aces up his sleeve: “I’ve got a spare claw hook just in case. I carry a piece of a plastic hose I bought in a car accessories shop. Once, I lost that thread cover inside my SKB cymbal case and this hose prevented a key hole from forming on my cymbals from. I also have some snare strainer strings. I do carry a spare snare, but I can change a broken string right after a gig and have that snare ready for the show the next day. There’s one more thing which you won’t see here. I ALWAYS have a spare kick head in the bass drum case. It can be a lifesaver…“.

Here is what Marcin “Viking” Leitgeber has in his repair kit: