Vintage drum kits are like beautiful women! My favourite is always the one I'm in love with at the time! I've had warm blonde kits, some flashy Asian sets and I was once lucky enough to have had a wonderful relationship with a Ludwig black beauty. I wouldn't mind tying out a premier English set sometime either. Brian
Very good. And funny. I'm trying to think of a joke about bop sets but I can't...
Vintage drum kits are like beautiful women! My favourite is always the one I'm in love with at the time! I've had warm blonde kits, some flashy Asian sets and I was once lucky enough to have had a wonderful relationship with a Ludwig black beauty. I wouldn't mind tying out a premier English set sometime either. Brian
I've had a few English babes, I really love their accent.Kiss
the 1947 WMP Radio King's that are in my living room. 13/16/26. Fun. The way my brain imagines drum sounds... that's how these sound.
Also get the vote for hardest kit I've ever had to replace heads on... every drum is oversize and I have to attack the aluminium hoops on the heads with a dremel to get them on. Totally worth it. That kick... whoa.
Honorable mention goes to the other kit in my living room, a 1980 Tama Superstar... that 24x14" is the second best natural kick sound I've heard in person. That drum is magic.
In general, the Rogers drums I've had provided the best sound to my ear. In particular, a set of blue onyx 22,13,16 and a matching PowerTone that I'd had in the mid-90's. I used to marvel at how good they sounded. The sound man at the Rat in Boston provided a live recording on a cassette tape one evening because he too was really digging the sound. I lost the tape in a move. Go figure. When he was looking them over, he did comment how many guys come in to play a gig with tired heads and he liked the fact that mine were fresh and considered it essential. I've found over the years that the heads have as much as anything to do with a good vibrant sound.
Similarly, when I listen to old live videos of Buddy Rich in action, none ever seems to come close to the WMP Rogers set with Dynasonic he used in the mid-60's when he was playing with Harry James. Similar sounds from that era of Louie Bellsons live recordings.
I did have a set of Leedy's in the 20,12,14 configuration from about '66 in red satin flame with a matching Shelly Manne snare. That is the closest anything else has come to giving me a totally pleasing sound. Love those COB hoops! Snare mechanism did leave a bit to be desired.
Like Mark (JRingo), I have to ask myself why I didn't keep those kits!!!!
If any of you guys have pix of these favorite kits, I'd like to see them! (If it's ok with the OP.)
John
My fav at the moment is mid 60's Slingy jazz set up 12 14 20, which I bought recently from fellow VDF member kevins. Fell in love with it immediately, toms sound warm and huge for their size and the 20" BD is really fat and punchy. Doing a gig with them tomorrow, can't wait!!
Stevo.
I am sure no one is surprised I post a Rogers pic in this thread.
Any of these.
I'll sell my kid for that pink strata kit 😊. well not really but ...
