In the shower, I got an idea for something I'd love to perform at Pennsic. Problem is, in addition to shawms (which I don't play but I could probably recruit folks who do), the arrangement in my head requires tympani. And tympani are bulky, heavy, and $&#@ing expensive[*][**]. But it sounds so pretty in my head ...
Hmm. I wonder how cheaply I could re-invent the kus ...
[*] IIRC, it's technically incorrect to describe the cost of tympani without an adverbial expletive before the word 'expensive'.
[**] But they're also really fun to play. Ever watched a tympanist and thought, "Gee, she looks like she's having fun"? It's even more fun than it looks like. Really.