After a year or so of my browsing your excellent website, I finally decided to write to you about drums, drumming and the impact Rush (more notably Neil Peart) has had on my life. I've been devoted to the study of the instrument since the innocent age of 12 ( I'm 40 years young as of 2008 ). I, like so many others, was consumed by the music of Rush, especially the drumming of Neil Peart. It became my "mantra"  throughout my adolescent years and subsequent teenage years. Drumming gave me focus, discipline, and a purpose in life that enhanced what I like to call "transferable skills," which in turn led me to have a shot at being successful in the career I chose. This also led to a life long obsession with the instrument and with the band that continues on even today. 

 As a result, I set about fulfilling a dream of mine (now that I'm grown up and able to see it through ). I decided to pay tribute to the band Rush by way of display. After several years of attending numerous Rush concerts and collecting many Rush-related rarities on eBay, I had amassed a substantial amount of memorabilia and now it was time to display the collection. Much to my wife's dismay, I hijacked a room in our basement and concluded that the collection should surround a centerpiece within that    room ― that centerpiece was going to be a replica of Neil's DW drum set up. I already had three DW sets in my studio. I volunteered one of my favourite DW kits (in the Silver Sparkle Finish) to be the starting point of my project.

I contacted DW directly and authorized them to construct some additional shells to match Neil's exact drum size specifications. All in all, this took roughly 8 to 10 months to complete (although I'm still awaiting the arrival of my 13" x 9" rack tom ). In the finished pictures I'm sending, you'll see that the 13" tom looks almost identical to the others with the exception of the lugs and obviously the shell. I was getting anxious with the waiting and decided to piece together an identical tom using  a maple shell, aftermarket DW knockoff lugs, and silver sparkle wrap finish. Even with this "bastard" rack tom, the kit has really come to life.  

Anyhow, I'd like to thank you for your excellent website and the info you have on Rush and more notably Neil Peart. I hope you will consider my pictures for your " Neil Peart replica drum kit" page. I would feel honoured to be included amongst the many other drummers who have inspired by the man himself and go as far as wanting to re-create his awesome drum kit. 

All my best regards,

Daniel R. Aube