Definitely Rogers, how many vintage Slingerland/Ludwig/Gretsch kits do you see today with holes drilled for or have Rogers hardware added. Wish I still had the Rogers swan leg cymbal stands I added to my Slingerland kit.

Regards

DonS

I've been lurking a while and this poll motivated me to join up.

As an aging, card carrying boomer, I have a short story.

In 1967 at the ripe age of 16, I had beaten the crap out of my first, Japanese made kit and was looking to upgrade. My first thought was Ludwig. Must have been the Ringo Starr thing but I got to listen to Slingerlands and liked them better. Another neighborhood kid had Rogers and I liked them OK. Then I happened to hear a Gretsch kit with an 18 inch bass a kid in my neighborhood had. I was so impressed with depth and punch the little drums had, I was hooked. I mistakenly thought they would also be less money. Turned out Gretsch were more than any other brand at the time. So, I bought a 5 piece "Rock and Roll" kit with a 20, 2-12s, 16 and a COB snare. Cost me 450. including pedals and 2 cymbal stands. I still have them. In the little town that I grew up in, that one kit with the 18 sold many more kits and Gretsch was, by far, the most popular. Another kid bought Ludwig and regretted it after he played mine. Another had Slingerland and I played those but found the flange hoops dented easily with rim shots. My kit was beaten up a lot in my youth and stored indifferently for decades, yet the shells remain as solid as ever and the hoops will take anything. Of course, the sound remains. Recently I have been buying NOS hardware and will be sending them out for restoration. I also added a 13 and wood snare from the late 60s plus an 18X18 from the 80s. The snare and the 18 sound incredible.

Gretsch hardware was crap in the day. It may be they did that to keep the price down as they were already the highest. No one else had the quality of shells and hoops they did, or the sound.

So, it's Gretsch, Gretsch, Gretsch although I would give an honorable mention to Rogers.

Dave

Rogers for me . imo the Swivo hardware was far superior to the rest. even Pearl copied it Laughing H

if Sonor were American, i'd be voting for them

Add one more for Slingy.

ROGERS, Cleveland Era

Wow! I've had wonderful sounding 60's kits from Ludwig, Rogers and Slingerland and each brings a smile to my face. All those kits are, unfortunately, long gone. Is it OK for me to cry?!! Still have a recently acquired 1967 Slingerland kit, which is stunning! But I digress...if we're talking not only the drums, but hardware, then, hands down (drum roll, please)...ROGERS! Powertone, Dynasonic, Swivomatic, bearing edges, snare beds, etc, etc. Quick story...ordered my first Rogers kit, the Celebrity, in 1972 from Drum City in Hollywood, CA. The Dynasonic snare drum didn't arrive with the kit. I got to go out to Fullerton and pick the snare up! The salesman (wish I would have known who it was), brought in a COB Dynasonic. I explained that I ordered the matching Silver Sparkle Dynasonic. He told me that drum couldn't be built for 6 months. At 18 years old, and impatient, I took the COB! Where's that crystal ball when you need it! OK, time to cry!!

KENT OF COURSE!

who doesn't love glue all over the inside of the shell, lugs mounted crooked, and almost no bearing edges,

actually my vote is for Gretsch. love that sound.

Gretsch had the best drums and the worst hardware. Camco and Rogers had good quality drums. I give the edge to oaklawn Camco, because they have a more slick look to them.

Honestly I always thought the swivo hardware was too thin, and cheap. all those collet noses you find with the cracks on them, and the balls with huge dents in them, turns me off to the swivo hardware--yet--All those pictures of drummers playing Ludwig and other brand drums, who put Rogers hardware mounts on them is compelling. So if you were to include both shell, hardware and mounting hardware as well as the bass drum pedal quality, Rogers Cleveland Beavertail is probably overall the best, as much as I hate to admit it. I just never did warm to them much. Ludwigs always ruled for me because of the great drummers (Ringo, Ginger Baker, John Bonham, John Densmore, Mitch Mitchell, etc) who played them. I covet the Gretsch drums more though, because I simply think most hardware isn't that good from the 60s. So that leaves us with the Jasper Shells and the Die-cast hoops. That great Gretsch sound!

Oh yeah, honorable mention goes to Late 50s early 60s Slingerland, some of the best chrome plating has been on these pre-serial black/brass badge Slingies.

Rogers end of poll ..... inovation, quality of workmanship and sound..

George Way and Camco. Clapping Happy2