Really?!? I have to say I'm a little shocked! The badge on the FT is upside-down, which usually means it's been pulled at some point. The bass drum hoops aren't original either. And as orangemi points out, there should be crazing/cracking of the lacquer, as well as a much darker hue. The drums look to have been refinished some time in the last 30 years.

Also, the 6-lug snare shouldn't have a Lightning strainer, at least I've never seen that before.

Yes, you are correct... I think somebody tried to restore them and I have never done so myself. The tack on the FT badge has pushed out over time and I have tried to push it back but I'm in fear of bending it so I just leave it alone... thus the badge is rotated allowing the brass badge to spin.

The 6-lug snare. Yes, somebody has updated it to a L1 strainer and I can see where it was installed over the old original strainer. With that, I was thinking since these are from 1966... a year or two later the all new Lightning Strainer version 1 came out... the owner wanted to upgrade so he put one on... but again the RB badge has not been tampered with?

The hoop. The one you see are the ones were on the kit when I got it in the 1980's so I can't say when, where or what happened to the original ones. I wish I had them...

Crazing/cracking. I think they ruined any signs of this when they tried to refresh the finish. I can tell they might have been worked? But just so you know... I have other early 1970 natural maple drums (before 1972) and some shells have crazing/cracking and other don't.

My all original SSB #1 natural maple 14x18 bass drum has turned a little dark hue orange-ish over time but the matching 12 & 14 toms have NOT crazed or cracked at all? The kit is from 1972. But get this, I have another 1972 SSB #1natural maple 14x18 bass drum that has not turned dark or has a orange hue to it at all.

And, I also have a near mint SSB#1 (1975) dark walnut 14x18 bass drum that looks almost NEW... like right out the box new with no rail mount.

So, maybe you are right? I don't know. But remember my original question was... did Gretsch ever make RB era drums in natural maple?

I did see a few years ago on Repercussion Drum shop web site were they had a Round Badge natural maple 18/12/14 bop kit for sale... it looked to be all original (I saw no crazing/cracking) but was this a stripped kit too? I heard it sold for $10K which I find hard to believe... who would pay that much? Crazy huh.

Enjoy it and don't fell bad if it isn't factory, I'm not sure Charlie Watts' set is factory either!:D

[QUOTE=Osahead2;215613]But remember my original question was... did Gretsch ever make RB era drums in natural maple? QUOTE]

That's easy, YES! I've got a mid 60's or earlier 12x18 BD and an 8x12 TT in original factory natural maple lacquer. Remember that Gretsch used the RB up and into 1970.

Wow, can I see your round badge 12x18 BD as I have never seen one before! Is it 3 or 6 ply? Does it have a Gretsch rail consolette and spurs on it?

Send me an email address via my PM here on the forum. I'd just post some in the thread but it would require that I re-size them.

It's a 3 ply shell w/ 5 ply re-rings; disappearing spurs; rail consolette.

I don't know if this helps, but I recently re-wrapped a late 50's RB kit (3-ply Brooklyn factory shells,) and this is how they looked stripped down to bare wood. There is no finish on the shells at this point, just the raw lumber.

[IMG]http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n632/PurdieShuffle/rb1.jpg[/IMG]

Again, hope this helps...

John

Again, hope this helps...

John[/quote]

Thanks John. How did your project finally turn out?

> How did your project finally turn out?

You tell me!

[IMG]http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n632/PurdieShuffle/k4.jpg[/IMG]

John

Charlie Watts' drums = Nice 57 Gretsch except for the snare drum of course.

By the way - your drums are....as they say KILLER !! = wow!