Will do. Away from the computer for a bit.... but when I get back home I will get some more posted.

Wow, Nice drum!!!..The only extra holes i see on the drum are the ones at the bottom..don't have a clue about them,tey are not for the pedal bracket,the pedal bracket would mount onto the legs of the drum.But on the other holes the two up at the side of the muffler know would have been for a cymbal rod holder they would be look the ones at the legs at the bottom of the drum Billy Gladstone ones.If i was you i would not re-cover the drum the finish looks like it needs a good cleaning..Is that tape on the side of the drum the white spots? these could be cleaned off by a cleaner called "GOFF-OFF"...Mikey

Couldn’t help but chime in on this one as there are some mistakes posted. This is a 50’ Gretsch single headed cocktail drum that has been converted to a double head (see http://www.gretschdrums.com/ebooks/1958/index.html#/14/). It is not a Jasper shell but a Gretsch Brooklyn factory-made 3 ply shell. Jasper made the later six plies for Gretsch. The original Midnight Blue wrap is definitely original (very popular in its day) and DEFINITELY should not be removed as that would destroy not only the drum’s value but also its integrity. Instead, clean it up as you were wisely advised.

As far as the “extra holes” on the bottom, I have a drum just like this in white pearl. [IMG]http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/1012/3n93k13p25y15z35p2b4tad.jpg[/IMG] Notice that the lugs are in the similar lower position as factory issued. Maybe the original owner bought a single head drum then later decided to “convert” it to a double head (by adding a bottom head) to add a BD pedal (which was attached to two of the legs, not the shell...see catalogue cut). Your drum is probably a 24 inch depth while the factory issue double head was 28. Though the catalogue cut illustrates the single head without the metal decorative center band, as you can see my 24 inch drum has the band like yours. This was to cover the seam that resulted from two pieces of pearl wrap. Also, the bottom hoop appears to be the original top “stick chopper” COB hoop, while what is presently the top hoop is a triple flange variety.

The “extra holes” on the top: The drum originally had two mounts (look again at the catalogue cut), one for a cymbal (above the badge), the other for a cowbell (next panel over). My drum was equipped with only one mount (the bottom nodal post was missing in this picture but I have added an original bottom post). Gretsch offered "add ons" at the buyers request. I have given up correcting the continual use of "Gladstone" as a descriptivw/misnomer term for this mounting system. Indeed, Gretsch and Gladstone used a similar nodal mounting system and maybe one “stole” the idea from the other but that is a “chicken and egg” argument. The holes next to the snare control mechanism are definitely “extra” (maybe a key holder?). Normally the tom mount was metal (yours being wood). I suspect this was also an addition.

Great find! Especially for $20. I wont reveal what I paid but it was more than $20!

Wow tons of good info there Cfalzerano. Thanks for taking in time to chime in with all that and post those Catalog pages. The drum is 24 deep but man those bottom lugs look factory installed. I will be posting some more pics here shortly. The first will be of the back of the extra holes at the bottom for poppy.

Mikey I am with you on not re-covering. I think the wrap will look pretty good cleaned up. All the white spots are duct tape residue. Does Goo Gone work as good as goof off for this ?

I found a date stamp ! I am 0 for about 20 on finding date stamps on my drums. Hell I quit looking for them all together so I was shocked to see this. Anyway it was born on January 22 1953.

Here are the pics of the backside of the weird holes around the tom leg holders at the bottom. They have been filled. I am guessing from the inside because most of the holes looked as if they did not even go through.

It also looks as if cfalzerano is spot on with his assessment that this was originally a single sided drum because I found the small tack holes from where the rubber/plastic band at the bottom was once attached.(You can see them in the pics above the holes for the lugs.) Wonder if he had them do it custom for him.....cuz those bottom lug holes still look factory to me.

Stripping cleaning and hunting down parts coming soon.

Alright I've stripped everything down, cleaned everything up and put what I have back together. Now I need a hand with getting some period correct parts to finish this sucker off. If anyone has any of the following to help me finish this project please let me know. Pictures attached:

Looking to score some tom holders and t-bolts that are period correct.

I need 2 complete tom holders like the one pictured with t-bolts

and 2 extra t-bolts.....or put another way ....2 Tom holders and 4 t-bolts.

Thanks,

Derek