Hey All-I picked up a couple new Tempus snare drums a few months ago while in Vancouver. I am a tech, and the guy that I take care of and the drummer from the opening act each played one of the drums that night. They sounded great, and it got me to thinking about getting a fiberglass kick and toms. But I want to go vintage and rework them. My question is...comparing the Pearl, Fibes and Tama Fibrestar shells, are there big differences between the three? I'm thinking the Pearl and Fibes will be pretty similar, but I have a thing for old Tama drums (and the Fibrestar kits are pretty hard to find. I just don't know much about them). I have found one each of them but don't know which way to go. Does anyone have any thoughts/ preferences/ experiences?Thanks!Mark

Mark, When it come's to vintage fiberglass drums i have all three brands that you listed in your post . My to go to set would have to be one of the Fibes sets i have 1969-1974 they sound so good!!! Then the next one would have to be my 1974 set of Pearls they sound as good as the Fibe's both of these set's i did not have to Rework them at all well just changeing heads and a fer parts from time to time..Both of these Fibes and Pearl sets the shells are pretty much the same but the 1969 Fibes set does have edges or rings on the inside of the shell but my 70's set's dont Pearl has no edges or rings at all..The Tamas set would be my last pick these shell sound good but are fatter shells than the Fibes and Pearl drums...Mikey

Hey Mikey, do you, or have you, ever played any Blaemire shells? Just curious, as it would be cool to get your perspective, since you played all the others. Obviously I'm a bit biased, as I now have 12 Blaemire drums total, and really dig the sound of them. But, I have no experience with the others, except a Fibes snare. BTW Mark, if you should happen to come upon some Blaemires, I would snag them up quick, as they are very rare. I do know that they are very different than the others that have been previously mentioned, as they are the only fiberglass drums that were made from spun fiberglass.

Yes to your question..It was years ago late 1980's i was up in Hollywood,ca with a friend-{Anro}- and we went out to a drum shop in the valley.He -{anro}- wanted me to meet this guy who made custom made fiberglass shell drums at his shop. It was Bleamire's shop he had if i re-call right 12 or so sets i don'rt re-call how many snares that he made some were not wrapped, some were, some had M.I.J. drum parts on them other's had Ludwig,Slingerland, Rogers,gretsch.Camco parts on them.They sounded good as a Fibes set of drums.I know i should have got a set from him but i was out of money i also had a load of drums in my pick-up so i did not have any room for more drums..We did go back i got a snare it was a 8x15 snare with Ludwig hardware on it in W.M.P. i can't recall what i paid for it. I did trade the snare years after to Stan at Pro-drum for a Camco snare that i wanted...I wish i had the Bleamire snare today..Yes you are right any Bleamire drum is so hard to fine now..Mikey