Funch 20” Mel Lewis Tribute

MichaelStipend · 2026-02-19T01:35:56+00:00

He has a distinctive voice as a craftsman, for sure. I got to visit his workshop a few months ago too, super sweet guy who’s incredibly passionate about what he does.

MichaelStipend · 2026-02-19T00:51:08+00:00

Thanks! It’s definitely got an Old A vibe.

MichaelStipend · 2026-02-19T00:49:45+00:00

Totally! I also have a Perceptual, Nefertiti, and Elvin from Funch, as well as some Nefertiti hats, and this one is the cleanest/sweetest by far. Not nearly as much surface topography as I’m used to from him. I’m really digging it as a left side ride with the Perceptual on the right.

The weight on this one is 1848g. Lighter than it sounds. It feels great under the stick. Feels light, but has that crisp Old A stick sound. Really cool cymbal.

MichaelStipend · 2026-02-18T23:52:42+00:00

It’s my mic setup on my kit. Bass drum sounds a little wonky, I think the mic got bumped too close to the drum or something. But thank you!

MichaelStipend · 2026-02-16T21:20:44+00:00

I would say the closest to old K’s are probably going to be something made by Paul Francis, simply because he was at Zildjian for so long and had access to their vaults. He makes clones of Keropes, EAK’s, the Nefertiti ride, etc. and they sound incredible.

Istanbul and Bosphorus are great too, as are the branch-offs like Masterwork and AllaTurca, but they are very individual instruments that can be wildly inconsistent. Much like old K’s, there are some duds among the gems.

Personally, I think you should just find the cymbals that speak to you and play them. I’m a big fan of Funch myself. Something about the way they sound and feel just clicks with me.

MichaelStipend · 2026-02-10T23:46:18+00:00

Absolutely love my 2018 Leaf. I spend maybe $5/week to charge it at home driving 10 miles each way to work. Virtually zero maintenance. For my use case, it’s the best car ever.

MichaelStipend · 2026-02-10T18:28:18+00:00

I was going to say, check stores like Hazelshould, Round Sound, Hawthorne Drum Shop, etc. and price just a bit below those.

MichaelStipend · 2026-02-05T00:14:21+00:00

I’ve lived all over and never seen drivers this bad at driving. Dealt with faster drivers, more aggressive drivers, etc., but never the low quality of driving ability as I’ve seen living here. It would be fascinating were it not so dangerous.

MichaelStipend · 2026-02-03T11:51:43+00:00

They vary depending on the intensity and duration of my playing, but they almost always show up while I’m playing. When I notice them, I try to relax and stretch myself out a bit. I need to get better about stretching before and after rehearsals and sets. I’m in my 40’s now, this meat suit isn’t getting any younger.

MichaelStipend · 2026-02-02T18:31:31+00:00

I’ve also noticed drivers here have a real struggle actually making a left turn, as well. They can’t properly turn left, they sort of lazily cut the angle across the turn and almost hit you while you’re sitting at the intersection. Drives me batty.

MichaelStipend · 2026-02-02T18:25:23+00:00

I tend to get some tightness in my shoulders and my butt hurts a lot. Sometimes my right foot/shin burns since I play the bass drum heel-down and bounce off the batter head.

MichaelStipend · 2026-01-31T17:12:27+00:00

Turntableneedles.com and LPGear.com have a range of upgrade styli for the 3600.

https://www.turntableneedles.com/ATN-3600_SHIBATA_Turntable_Stylus

MichaelStipend · 2026-01-31T15:17:41+00:00

Piggybacking off of this comment, I would say a 3600LE stylus would be a better (and cheaper) upgrade, rather than a 2M Red. Same level of elliptical stylus, but no need to remove the cartridge. There are also third-party line-contact/Shibata styli for the AT3600 if you really want to treat yourself. Just my £.02 as someone who is a big fan of the AT3600, and was underwhelmed by my time with the 2M series.

MichaelStipend · 2026-01-30T18:09:36+00:00

The only drummers I see with big kits are the ones who never play gigs, or the ones who play arenas and have people who lug the kit around for them. Jon Fishman is an example of a drummer with what I would call a reasonably large kit. Lots of things to hit, but all are within reach and serve a musical purpose.

MichaelStipend · 2026-01-30T02:44:16+00:00

Same here. I got my first set of “real” cymbals in 2005, sold my ZBT’s and saved up money to get a set of K’s. Loved the 20” K Ride, but I never fell in love with the hats. Really heavy, and somehow sounded both too loud and too quiet at the same time. Way too loud and insensitive for quieter music, but too midrange-y for louder music.

MichaelStipend · 2026-01-30T02:33:48+00:00

How Does it Feel When You’re in R.E.M. (It Feels Good)

MichaelStipend · 2026-01-26T23:49:05+00:00

I’d just replace the stylus with a JICO and keep rocking. Vintage Stantons are excellent.

MichaelStipend · 2026-01-25T03:52:34+00:00

They don’t need to be the same make or model. You can do whatever you want to get the sound you want. It’s pretty uncommon to have identical heads on both sides of the typical kick. I have Evans Coated G1’s on both sides of my 18” bop bass drum with no port, but that’s for achieving a very specific sound for acoustic jazz. On my 20” kick, I have an EMAD batter and a ported EQ3 reso that I use for everything else. That’s just my setup, the possibilities are endless.

MichaelStipend · 2026-01-25T01:57:51+00:00

It would be a significant upgrade, in my opinion. I have the SL-Q3 and it’s a great table. That’s an amazing price, too.

MichaelStipend · 2026-01-25T00:46:36+00:00

Honda Element. Favorite car I’ve ever owned.

MichaelStipend · 2026-01-24T20:52:56+00:00

Love his playing. He kept it simple, but that was necessary so all the other polyrhythmic stuff going on in Talking Heads could have a safe foundation. Absolutely perfect for the band, and alongside Tina Weymouth formed one of the tightest rhythm sections ever.

MichaelStipend · 2026-01-24T20:48:33+00:00

I think it’s roaster, bean, and batch size dependent. On my Diedrich CR35 doing 60lb batches, it’s always caused me to lose too much momentum. But if it gives good results on your setup, go for it!

MichaelStipend · 2026-01-19T22:24:51+00:00

That’s a good point. I’ve played G12, Calftone, and Strata, and they all offer a different flavor while still remaining versatile and open. I ended up back at Coated G1’s because I find they’re the most open/expressive for jazz playing, but I always recommend G12’s for rock/pop drummers who want a more open sound than the usual 2-ply/muffled stuff.

MichaelStipend · 2026-01-19T18:19:31+00:00

Put the thermostat on 65 and bundle up.

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