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50s(?) Gretsch info needed!!! Help! Last viewed: 1 hour ago

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Hi everyone,

Today I was walking in to Wal-Mart a.k.a. Guitar Center. My friend who worked there was out in the parking lot unloading an old Gretsch from a woman's SUV. I walked over to see what about. She was selling her husbands old kit yet knew nothing about them, I have no pic.......so here we go.

4pc Green sparkle 14x20, 12x8, 14x14, 5x14

Silver interior looks to be 3ply

Gladstone floor tom leg mounts (not the the diamond plate mount) This leads me to believe they are 50s

Bass drum has tom rail directly on top, instead of off center, there is a device in the bass drum to hold the felt strip on the head and to forgo putting in on the bearing edge. The mother and child signed their names on the inside of the bass drum with green marker when they "changed heads for a gift" and someone named "Bob Williams" signed the inside with pen.......shame it wasn't TONY Williams

Floor tom has round badge with upholstery nail (detailed one with lots of little ridges) one wing nut has been replaced with hex nut.

Snare, bass, and other tom have grommet round badge.

Rack tom has triple flange hoop, others have die cast

I don't remember much about the snare, it all happened so fast... I believe it had the Miro Sensitive stainer like the one in the pics on the guide history... all drums have their mufflers.

Over all they are in great shape, finish seems to have no fading, and only minor imperfections (most notable is the back of the rack tom snare rash). Chrome is good, some minor pitting, mainly just dirty and need to be cleaned. Spurs and FT legs seem to hold tight. No date stamp or sticker could be found on bass drum or snare. other drums had coated heads top and bottom.....sound great..........even just hitting them in a parking lot.

Hardware: snare, cymbal, pedal w/leather strap, cymbal stand , possibly hi hat and some unrecognizable stand and misc. pieces.

Cymbals: 70s-80s 22'' A ride and 14" hats (hats have back stamp) and one "Stanbul" paiste 18" Crash/ride?

We told her to hold off selling them at GC and that she would get more from the street. And I would let her know what I could find out. Can any one ball park a # here? I am guessing $1000-$1500 $2000 at the most, or am I way off? are the different badges an issue or a common thing with Gretsch?

Should I make an offer? I feel good about judging Luds or Slingys but don't know much about Gretsch. Would most people say Gretsch is a higher more sought after drum then Ludwig or Singerland?

She is planning on getting some pics.

69" Champagne Ludwig Rock Duo: 2 14"x20" 12",13",16"
70s Copper Slingerland Concord 2-14"x24" 12", 13",14", 15", 16" 20"
05' Craviotto snare 14x5
09' Keplinger Black Iron snare 5x14
10' Keplinger Brass 7x14
17' Kiplinger Black Iron 15x8
50s Ludwig White Marine 15x6.5
Mid 50s Istanbul made K. Zildjian hats 15"
Posted on 15 years ago
#1
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can you get pics of the kit?

Your drummers not much good is he!? What you need is someone that's as good as me. ! John Henry Bonham !!
Posted on 15 years ago
#2
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With those sizes, that wrap, and the condition you are claiming they are in, I think you're ballpark may be a bit low. $2000 might be a good starting point, but 1000 or 1500 would be way too low for that set in my opinion. See if you can't get some pictures from the lady so we know exactly what we're talking about.

Posted on 15 years ago
#3
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It's good to hear you guys helping someone out like this. You could have taken advantage of her, but you chose to do the right thing. Kudos!

Posted on 15 years ago
#4
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The drums sound like great Gretsch drums. The only warning flag that I have from your description is about the badge on the rack tom. It should also have an upholstery pin holding it on the drum just like the floor tom. This would be a brass colored rounded thumbtack that looks like a pinwheel. Gretsch didn't put grommets on their toms back then, only on the snare drums and bass drums. Many of the bass drums would be missing the badge altogether. The other issue is with the hoops on the rack tom, they're non-original, probably, unless they're double flanged stick choppers, but that wouldn't make sense if they have the silver painted interiors which would make them likely to be 60s Gretsch, which had die cast hoops. Also, was there the 5 lugs on the rack tom?

That is a very desirable configuration, progressive jazz set. Ebay price would definitely exceed $2K with the snare drum. The muffler in the bass drum is a wahlberg and Auge muffler. Maybe the set is transitional era with the 2 piece Walberg floor tom mounts. If the green sparkle is in good shape that is a rare set indeed. You were wise to dissuade her from taking them into GC, they would have ass raped her, no doubt. Now the question is, will she reap most of the benefits of not going in there, or will you? That depends on your ethical merit.

Obviously we want to see pictures!

Posted on 15 years ago
#5
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Check out this kit I'm selling on consignment: http://www.classicvintagedrums.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65_71&products_id=640

I've already had an offer of $8500 which the owner may accept. Gretsch green sparkle in those sizes is EXTREMELY rare and sought-after.

-Bill

http://www.classicvintagedrums.com
Posted on 15 years ago
#6
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As beautiful as that kit is, I can't imagine spending that kind of money on a kit. call me crazy...

-64 Ludwig Black Oyster Classic kit 22,13,16
-65 Leedy BDP 22,13,16
-65 Ludwig WMP Clubdate 20,12,14
-66 Ludwig Red sparkle Downbeat
-60's Gretsch RB Green Glass 22,13,16
Lots of cymbals, snares and orphans, old and newish
Posted on 15 years ago
#7
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Thanks Guys,

The floor tom was definitely the only one with the pin in the badge. I did not get to see the inside of the toms, but now I want to. I did not notice if the rack tom had 5 or 6 lugs.

mlvibes:

I had no idea green sparkle was such a sought out color, I thought wmp, blk op, and champagne always trumped green, blue, red and even gold. $10,000?!!!?? Does that happen a lot? My Ludwigs (69) are every bit as clean as that kit in champagne, but they don't even compare in price do they?

The set she has is not as clean as the one you are showing, there are a lot of the typical dings and chips in the bass drum hoops and masking tape where the pedal hooks on, floor tom legs and mounts are pretty dull, but they looked like they may have been a dull finish (like the bass drum spurs) and not chrome from the start (were they always shiny chrome from the factory?)badge and hoop issue, tom rash,

Well at this point with my financial situation by what everyone is saying they could be worth, I don't think I can make her an

offer that would be decent. I told her today to get me pics asap.

Here is where I stand, I want to get pics, put them up, see if you guys would want the kit, get you her info and make offers etc... and if by act of god she doesn't get any takers and feels like making a charitable donation to a low ball price that I can afford, then I would be happy to do so, as long as she knows whats she is doing.

I will up date when she get back to me.......who knows when that will be.

Thanks again!

Keith

69" Champagne Ludwig Rock Duo: 2 14"x20" 12",13",16"
70s Copper Slingerland Concord 2-14"x24" 12", 13",14", 15", 16" 20"
05' Craviotto snare 14x5
09' Keplinger Black Iron snare 5x14
10' Keplinger Brass 7x14
17' Kiplinger Black Iron 15x8
50s Ludwig White Marine 15x6.5
Mid 50s Istanbul made K. Zildjian hats 15"
Posted on 15 years ago
#8
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No, the Gretsch green kit I'm selling is an exceptional set, far more expensive than average because it's so rare and in excellent condition. Gretsch blue sparkle, red sparkle, silver sparkle, champagne, WMP, BDP, etc, etc, are very common, and sell for around $3500 in those sizes. Green sparkle Gretsch is close to impossible to find, especially unfaded and in great condition. Ludwigs in similar sizes tend to sell for about half of what Gretsch RB sells for...no idea why.

A grommet on the 8x12 round badge is definitely a big red flag. Looking forward to seeing some pics.

-Bill

http://www.classicvintagedrums.com
Posted on 15 years ago
#9
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From keithmc1

Thanks Guys,The floor tom was definitely the only one with the pin in the badge. I did not get to see the inside of the toms, but now I want to. I did not notice if the rack tom had 5 or 6 lugs.mlvibes:I had no idea green sparkle was such a sought out color, I thought wmp, blk op, and champagne always trumped green, blue, red and even gold. $10,000?!!!?? Does that happen a lot? My Ludwigs (69) are every bit as clean as that kit in champagne, but they don't even compare in price do they? The set she has is not as clean as the one you are showing, there are a lot of the typical dings and chips in the bass drum hoops and masking tape where the pedal hooks on, floor tom legs and mounts are pretty dull, but they looked like they may have been a dull finish (like the bass drum spurs) and not chrome from the start (were they always shiny chrome from the factory?)badge and hoop issue, tom rash,Well at this point with my financial situation by what everyone is saying they could be worth, I don't think I can make her an offer that would be decent. I told her today to get me pics asap. Here is where I stand, I want to get pics, put them up, see if you guys would want the kit, get you her info and make offers etc... and if by act of god she doesn't get any takers and feels like making a charitable donation to a low ball price that I can afford, then I would be happy to do so, as long as she knows whats she is doing.I will up date when she get back to me.......who knows when that will be.Thanks again!Keith

Keith, well done sir!! you may at least as her if the kit sells for 2500 or higher just a starting price point, maybe you could get a finders fee for you honesty after all, she has been blessed by your honesty or she would of gotten 650 at GC maybe had you not intervened! and again well done sir!Yes SirClapping Happy2D' Drummer

Your drummers not much good is he!? What you need is someone that's as good as me. ! John Henry Bonham !!
Posted on 15 years ago
#10
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