Weren't the Exports Poplar back then?

I think you are right, these drums are heavy, one thing about chrome, from 2 feet away they look near perfect, even though after all these years they do have some dents and scratches, I wanted a decent practice kit, these should work well, is this wood ok for shells, I thought the vintage stuff was more maple, but I guess I'm wrong..

My Exports are a similar age-same badge,lugs-and are lauan with a single maple interior ply.I know this because I stripped the PVC covering and,lo and behold,lauan exterior plies.

I am assuming Maple interior-wood is hard,unlike Poplar,which is soft and almost white in color

These are far far far far far far far away from having a vintage sound. I believe these are the poplar shelled (or any of the cheap asian blends) Exports which translates to a very cheap popping sound. No resonance and no warmth. No roundness and no depth. These will give you a pop at a specified pitch and that's about it. If you put a thicker head on 'em, they have a lower pitched pop. Lots of guys used them at clubs 'cause they cut through the amplification. The explosive pop is what you heard and that does indeed cut through. The lower line B8 cymbals work on this same principle. They have a short, quick explosion at a very focused pitch. Those cut through well, also.

These Pearl Export Series kits had lauan shells with a birch inner ply. The faux high tension lugs (actually 2 separate lugs with a filler piece) appeared with the popularity of deeper "power" shells and I recall them dating between the mid 80's and mid 90's.

They were also available in a walnut and cherry wood finish with a birch outer ply and a peachy tan speckled interior coating in the earlier years.

Wasn't looking for a vinatge sound just needed something better than the $499 guitar center kit and wanted to cut through hard rock music, I will still play my slingerland kit live, most people told me I could never get a deep rock tone out of my slingly's I proved them wrong...LOL!!!

They were also available in a walnut and cherry wood finish with a birch outer ply and a peachy tan speckled interior coating in the earlier years.[/QUOTE]

I had an Export kit in the late 80´s. They were ferrari red (covered) and my pride and joy at the time. Anyway, they had this speckled interior you speak of. What exactly was that? They never sounded any good, but the quality was beyond reproach. The amount of beating and gigging they withstood was immense, and they never failed. All I ever had to do was change heads every now and then. I´ve always recommended them as beginner´s kit ever since.

I had a set of Export EX's in the red or cherry stain that I gigged with for a few months. They actually sounded quite good--less the snare. I wrapped them in Bermuda Sand from Precision which actually improved the sound by giving the drums a more centered punchy tone.

Hi Gary,

Pearl didn't start with the double lug design until 1989. Its hard to see in the pic but mini bass drum claws were released in 92'. If it has longer claws you could safely date somewhere between 89-91.

As far as sound they're great versatile drums. IMO shell material is far from the only factor that governs drum sound. But by the looks of it your kit has the nine-ply lauan/birch composite shells, which the Exports had prior to later turning to poplar.