Before the show floor buzz, there was Amsterdam. I started this year’s trip with a visit to my friend Winnie Mensink—the heartbeat behind Hide Hitters / Winnie’s Drumkit Amsterdam. If you love old drums, cymbals, pedals and stories, his shop-museum is a pilgrimage: racks of cymbals, shelves of shells, and a living archive of drumming history curated with Winnie’s trademark generosity and curiosity. (If you’re ever in town, put it on your list: hidehitters.com.)
There’s a beautiful symmetry to starting in Winnie’s world and continuing on to the Dutch Vintage Drum Meeting (DVDM). The event’s roots trace back to 2003, when Winnie Mensink and Tanco Baart launched the very first edition (then the “Amsterdam Drum Show”). Two decades later, the gathering has grown into one of Europe’s signature meet-ups for vintage and custom drums—still fueled by community spirit.
Side note: I also picked up a 1936 Slingerland “Full Dress” kit from Winnie—WMP, sparkle diamonds, oozing pre-war charm, and a voice that’s all shimmer and wood. I’ll save the deep dive (history, wrap details, restoration notes, and sound clips) for a separate article soon.
Mario de Laat’s Hand on the Wheel
The show is now run by Mario de Laat, whose energy and collector’s eye have kept the meeting both friendly and razor-focused. You feel it in the curation: serious parts, serious kits, and plenty of room for custom builders to show craft. Reports from this edition highlight three halls, about 40 sellers/collectors/builders across roughly 100 display spots—confirmation that DVDM has grown into one of Europe’s heavyweight vintage-drum gatherings.
People First, Gear Second
DVDM works because the conversations work. Sellers will gladly talk badge eras and strainers; builders will walk you through bearing edges, shell layups, and the why behind their hardware choices. Five minutes of the right chat here can save you five weeks of guessing online.
For me—as someone who handcrafts calfskin drumheads—this event is an annual temperature check on the vintage scene: what players are asking for, which eras are resurging, and how builders are pairing old shells with fresh ideas. The conversations are half the magic: drummers trading tuning tricks, collectors comparing stamp timelines, and everyone swapping stories that only make sense if you’ve spent time under stage lights or in dusty basements with a flashlight and a drum key.
On my calfskin heads: I brought a batch of my hand-made calfskin drumheads to let people feel and hear the difference—quicker “speak,” deeper wood tone, and that living, breathing response you only get from natural skin. Having them onto a few different snares sparked great conversations about feeling sound, tuning stability etc…
From my collection: I also brought a few favorites —this year a Slingerland Rolling Bomber snare, a Radio King snare, an A&F Raw Brass 6.5×14“ and a Craviotto Birdseye Maple 5.5×14“ snare. Three voices, three eras, and a nice A/B/C playground for comparing how calfskin changes the attack, sustain, and feel.
If You Plan to Go Next Year
- Arrive with a list. Know your missing parts, heads, hoop sizes, badge eras. It helps you move quickly when you spot something special.
- Budget for surprises. You’ll see pieces you didn’t know you needed until you heard or held them.
- Talk to people. Sellers and builders here are encyclopedias; a five-minute chat can save you months of searching.
- Logistics are easy. De Kentering is straightforward to reach, with free parking options listed by the event—handy if you leave with more than you planned.
A Gratitude Note
Huge thanks to Mario de Laat and his family for a well-run day, and to everyone who stopped by to chat heads, hoops, and history. Shows like this keep our little corner of music culture alive—connecting players, preserving knowledge, and getting beautiful old instruments back on stages where they belong.
