I've finally taken some pics of my beloved Midnight Blue Pearl Gretsch kit. I've had it since I was sixteen. My dad, God bless him, drove me out to pick it up on Christmas Eve, in the middle of the worst blizzard I've ever seen -- which is saying something. We live in Canada.
I sold my Tama Swingstar kit to pay for it. Not a bad trade. I didn't even look at the cymbals that came with the set until I got it home. That's when I realized the ride was an Istanbul K. It was a good day.
Great great story!!Bowing I had a 1949 braodkaster set, with 26" bass drum, 9x13" and 16x16"floor,this was midnight blue pearls introduction date but a bud offered me stupid money for them and I sold them, they were awesome sounding, and it is one kit i wish i would have not sold, give those to you son or daughter!!Bowing
Beauty of a kit, and a great story.
Christmas drum stories always get me, I have one of my own as well.
Nice!
Those are almost identical top the 50's set I have and bought when I was 15 (yes, in Canada!). Mine aren't in as good shape as yours, they need recovered.
Mine has the diamond plate for the ride on the kick, and also has, and it looks factory, another diamond plate for another cymbal, like a splash, similar to what Buddy Rich had. It ends up placing the splash cymbal in front of the mounted tom.
I've looked at a lot of sets on eBay and have yet to see one with that second cymbal holder.
From the looks of your kit, you were mistaken. It wasn't a "good" day. It was a "great" day!
I love Gretsch's Midnight Blue Pearl wrap. It closely resembles Ludwig's Sky Blue Pearl. My first kit that my dad bought for me was a 1963 Ludwig Clubdate in SBP. Fortunately, I've still got it. I'm sure that it will still be here long after I'm gone!
THANKS for sharing your story. It definitely was a good one!
Nice!Those are almost identical top the 50's set I have and bought when I was 15 (yes, in Canada!). Mine aren't in as good shape as yours, they need recovered.Mine has the diamond plate for the ride on the kick, and also has, and it looks factory, another diamond plate for another cymbal, like a splash, similar to what Buddy Rich had. It ends up placing the splash cymbal in front of the mounted tom.I've looked at a lot of sets on eBay and have yet to see one with that second cymbal holder.
Mastro: mine has the second cymbal holder too! Maybe they were only shipping them like that to Canada? ;)
OK
I had bought a pair of sticks at the local music store for a buck in early 1971 and spent the rest of the year playing on the furniture, countertops, sinks, and whatever else in the house I could get a rebound off of. (This was my subtle way of asking for a set of drums for Christmas !) By September or so, the tips were gone, and I was playing with the butt ends. I was sure I was getting a set for Christmas.
So, about 3:00 AM Christmas morning, I bail outta bed and head to the tree.
And there it is, not a set of drums, but a new set of sticks.... nice bow around them...... and a string ?
I'm starting to catch on now, so I grab the string, and start following it around the den a couple of times, and out the side door to the carport. It had snowed that night, so I'm out in the yard now... through the snow covered bushes and around the house twice in my PJs till the string leads to the front door... which is locked. Back through the carport door I go, and find the string in the living room where the front door opens into. Around the furniture once, and on to the downstairs door. I run downstairs, and there it is.
My new Telstar drums from Sears. Four pieces in beautiful red sparkle with a shell mounted crash. Dad even got a drummer's throne. He was a reed player and drummer in his day, too. I still remember how they smelled.
By now it's still only 3:30 or so, but the folks let me play for about an hour before they came downstairs and we all had to go back to bed. (But not before Dad sat down for a short session!!)
Still the best Christmas ever........
Great story, kevins! Thanks for sharing.
