So this has maybe a couple more years to go before it's "officially" vintage, but it is over twenty years old and at this point all the kids would call it vintage so I'm going there.
(Just wait until all the kids get vintage!)
Scored this on Facebook marketplace. Lady was trying to sell it but no one was biting. When the price dropped to five bucks I asked if she's ship at my expense, and she said yes. It arrived this morning and it's a little rough, but absolutely delightful.
This little guy was made in the early to mid 2000s by Xymox for Yamaha. The rubber from this time period is especially nice and if the pad hasn't been abused it's often still in fine, playable shape. (I don't bother with modern corps pads with cracked rubber, as I like my modern-era pads to be playable.)
Base measures 8 x 8" and the snare beads are packed just loosely enough to make a nice, satisfying sound that's not too loud. I could take this on the bus and bother no one.
The rubber is in excellent shape, no cracking or hardening anywhere, and the response is lovely under a pair of lighter weight marching sticks or even 2B sticks.
A keeper for sure.
Facebook Marketplace sometimes yields up practice pad treasures. You have to search often (I look almost every day), and skip around the country to find new listings. (Simply change the location and expand to maximum range.) If you live far from the seller, it's worth it to ask if they're open to shipping at buyer expense. Often, they say no, but if you watch an item and keep coming back to see if it's still available, then at some point, some sellers may be open to shipping.
I got this pad from a woman who'd tried without success to find a local buyer for three months. We agreed on a total cost and the transaction went smoothly. Mind your manners and be patient.
If the seller isn't into shipping, either get a friend who lives nearby to buy it for you, or let it go.
And don't fret. There are plenty of used practice pads out there.
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