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Premier 70's Oval Bass Drum fixes Gretsch Bass Drum Tom Mounting Plate? Last viewed: 1 hour ago

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Hi to Everybody. I'm new to this forum and this is my first post.

I'm going to buy a 24"X14" gretsch bass drum from the '70. This bass drum has a Vintage Premier 70's Oval Bass Drum Mount Tom instead of a Gretsch one.

Does anybody know if the distance between the holes of the screws in the Premier tom mount are the same of the Gretsch Bass Drum Tom Mounting Plate. I'd like to replace it without do new holes in the shell. Thank a lot for Your answers.

Posted on 11 years ago
#1
Posts: 2010 Threads: 19
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If I remember right Gretsch used two different types of tom holders in the 70's and I don't think either will match a Premier.

Earlier drums had a diamond shaped plate that took a 1" tube. It was similar to the base of Ludwig's double tom mount only a bit cruder looking. You can put the Ludwig one on (still available as far as I know) without drilling holes but I don't think they would line up with the Premier's pattern (although I'm not super familiar with the Premier so I may be wrong).

The later Gretsch double tom holder used a 1" tube for each drum so there are two big holes and then four smaller holes to hold the rectangular bracket. Again I don't think that will line up with the Premier.

Until the techware series came out in the early 80's Gretsch's tom mounting hardware wasn't particularly good and a lot of buyers opted to order the drum without any tom mounting hardware and then have the system of their choice installed. That may be what happened with your drum meaning that the Premier is the "original" mount for the drum although it was either installed by the owner or the dealer rather than by Gretsch.

Posted on 11 years ago
#2
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Great to have you here! KO is correct and probably a bit too kind in his remarks regarding Gretsch hardware. In fact, their mounting systems were horrible and if the Premier mount is installed correctly and appears to be the only mount that has been on the drum, you might want to leave it alone as replacing it with Gretsch hardware would add more holes and mean installing an inferior product. Plus, Premier's chrome was leaps above just about anybody. Of course if this is an orphan bass drum, you would be hard pressed to find matching toms with Premier mounts. Is this a natural finish or a wrap?

tnsquint
Very proud owner of a new Blaemire Snare 6.5 x 14 made by Jerry Jenkins "Drumjinx"
Posted on 11 years ago
#3
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I'd like to thank You both K.O. and tnsquint for Your useful informations and to be so Kind. Actually I'm going to buy all the drum kit. It's a natural finish, seems to be rosewood, but I'm not sure. The sizes are 24X14 13X9 14X10 18X16.As You can see from the pictures I've posted, the tom mount is a Premier one, and it seems the toms has no extra holes cause the screws go in the Fish eye holes. I've also seen that the owner drilled the bass drum to add new spurs and T rods are lost.... The bass drum hoops seems to be original. Unfortunately for now I've only these photos. In Your opinion how much could I pay for this drum kit?

Thanks a lot. I'll appreciate Your opinions.

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Posted on 11 years ago
#4
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Welcome.

That's a nice kit. Based on the sizes, it appears to be a Broadkaster II.

http://www.vintagedrumguide.com/images/my_collection/literature/gretsch_flyer/gretsch_cat_pg6.jpg

Notice the Monster Double Tom Tom holder in the catalog picture.

I'd leave it, as is. Gretsch used a similar oval tom tom mount in the 70's, so the hole pattern may be the same or close to the current mounts. The bass drum mount might have been the Gretsch "diamond" style.

You won't regret purchasing this kit. The finish looks very good. I have a similar kit and the finish became almost a satin with cracking.

-Tim

Posted on 11 years ago
#5
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I am not much help on the pricing. That is just not a skill I have seemed to develop.

That is a pretty great kit though. You may have to do some edge work on the resonant bearing edge of the bass drum. That is an old Evans hydraulic head on the other side. I haven't seen one of those drum head hoops since the 70's.

Since missing T-rods is a very common issue with drums that survived the 70's, I generally replace the batter side with standard key rods to better tune the bass drum and move the T-rods to the front for looks. It's a lot cheaper and quicker than finding the correct T-rods and it makes for a far more useful bass drum and one less likely to get hung up going in and out of a case. Of course if you are fixing it up to sell you may want to consider real T-rods and certainly if you are interested in restoring to original. Just be glad the bottom hoops and key rods are on the toms. That kit will be beautiful once it is cleaned up. Good luck.

tnsquint
Very proud owner of a new Blaemire Snare 6.5 x 14 made by Jerry Jenkins "Drumjinx"
Posted on 11 years ago
#6
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Thanks a lot Tim. You're right: the bass drum tom mount might have been the Gretsch "diamond" style. As K.O. wrote, a lot of buyers opted to order the drum without any tom mounting hardware until the techware series came out in the early 80's;looking to the picture I noticed that the distance between the logo and the premier bass drum mount is too much big to cover a gretsch "diamond" hole. So I 'm thinking that the Premier was the first drum mount installed on this bass drum. What do You think about it?

Nothing wrong with Premier hardware but I'd like to install a Gretsch tom mount. I don't know if the Gretsch techware drum mont will line up with this premier's pattern. I tried to search on the web but no informations about the Premier's measure of the interaxis.

Posted on 11 years ago
#7
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Thanks tnsquint. I'd like to restore it to original as much as possible. Maybe I could find the fish eye tom mount with the nylon ball inside on ebay and maybe the techware bass drum tom mount will fix the Premier one. I hope so.

The only things I can't restore to original are the extra holes the owner made for the new bass drum's spur....

Anyway lookin' around on the web I've found this picture. Seems to be very common to install this premier tom mount on a gretsch kit back in the '70.

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Posted on 11 years ago
#8
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That Premier double mount is actually pretty good. As mentioned, the Gretsch hardware in the day was literally laughable. I knew a bunch of guys that played Gretsch drums but I do not recall a single one that used their hardware. They either ordered virgin drums or simply re-drilled them for Rogers, Pearl, Ludwig or, in the two aforementioned cases Premier.

My reason for saying you should at least consider leaving the Premier mount is simply, that in the case of this kit, it was original equipment. I have to add that I am not quite sure what is going on under the tom mounts though.

Regardless, it is a cool kit in big sizes and very worthy of being brought back to life.

tnsquint
Very proud owner of a new Blaemire Snare 6.5 x 14 made by Jerry Jenkins "Drumjinx"
Posted on 11 years ago
#9
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Tnsquint Your advices are very useful for me. I think I'm gonna leave the premier mount if I'll buy it. Unfortunately I can't see the drum kit until september cause the actual owner is on holiday nowadays.

Thanks again. I'll appreciate all the advices from You and from the other guys. This drum forum let me feel as a member of a great drummers' community. Thanks!!!

Posted on 11 years ago
#10
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