Strange - It has always been my understanding that Jasper manufactured proprietary shell lay-ups for the major drum companies. The company would tell Jasper what kind of a lay-up they wanted and Jasper would produce those shells for that company. Each manufacturer had their own lay-up 'prescription' which is why Rogers and Camco shells are different from Gretsch shells even though they were all supplied by Jasper. The Gretsch lay-up was 3-plies leading up to and during the 50's. Maple/Poplar/Maple. It went to 6-plies early in the 60's (60'/61') but you'll have to get the lay-up from somebody else, I don't recall it off the top of my head. There has to be a Gretsch site on the web somewhere with the technical information you seek. Google it!

John

Hi John. Thank-you, that is a good start. This all has to do with the issue of De Queen Gretsch sounding superior to the rest. I wanted to find out what ‘The Rest’ entailed. I know there is a demand for De Queen Gretsch drums and, as I have a set, I was comparing my shell construction with the standard (and I use that word judiciously) Gretsch/Jasper construction. I have an article on the Gretsch Woodshed website detailing the difference, that I will include here, but it doesn’t cover the round badge drums that I was sure would be different in many ways. You have given me some detail on the three ply but, as you say, there is more to be found. I am also curious to know if my Centennial set is different to the regular output from De Queen which is why I am including the article; here goes:

The company Jasper Wood closed down in 2003. Because they had been primarily an office-furniture manufacturer they were forced out of business by the importation of cheap products… we’re all guilty here!

When they made Gretsch drum shells they normally used a combination of Maple and Gum wood in a six ply construction (reading from the outside):

 M-G-M-G-G-M.

The ply thickness varied according to the wood and the drum:

 Toms 1/32 Gum, snare and bass 1/16 Gum; the Maple was always 1/32.

They also varied the grain orientation (where H = horizontal and V = vertical):

 Toms and snare = HVHVVH; bass = HHHVVH.

The perspicacious amongst you will appreciate that the snare and kick are predominantly Gum not Maple. DW copied this design for their ‘Jazz’ series.

So, my Centennial shells:

I looked closely at my toms and this is what I discovered: VM, HG, HG, VM then a 0.5mm VG ply on the outside – before the veneer – as opposed to 1mm plies inside, that with the addition of the veneer added up to 1mm.

It will be obvious to anyone who can add that those shells are only five plies (I’m taking the veneer and the outer ply as one because of their combined thickness of 1mm) with a total thickness of 5mm; the regular (?) Gretsch Jasper shells were 3/16” or 6mm and this may very well account for the exceptional difference in tone.

Please excuse me here, but despite feeling quite confident in Vintage Drum jargon, I have never come across "De Queen". Could you explain please? Cheers.

The Gretsch manufacturing facility was moved to De Queen, Arkansas by Baldwin. This was right in the heart of the furniture belt and many people have speculated this was the reason for the inprovement in tonal quality at that point; I'm trying to get to the bottom of it all as my Centennial kit came out of there in 1983.

the bearing edges on these drums are cut different. almost reverse to other shells

Ah yes, the short lived Charlie Roy period...

Cooked Egg

Ok thank you. Hmmm so this was through the 70's into the 80's? I have a late 70's kit that sounds so beautiful but has the nasty ball joint tom mount system fitted, could this be the same era. The previous owner bought it new in 79.

I have two Gretsch kits, one from around 1960, pre tags, the other with tags in the 77xxx-86xxx range serial numbers. The shells vary in total thickness, but not that both basses are the same thickness and toms another... I would have to look much closer to see the thickness of each ply or verify the ply layup.

The earlier snare shell is about 7/32" thick, while the later shell is 5/16" thick. Is this common? All the shells appear to be 6 plies.

The earlier bass drum is around 7/32", and the later is again 5/16" thick.

The tom with the newer kit is 7/32" thick, and I haven't measured the others yet, but I think on the older ones at least they are the thinner shells because if I recall right they took the shorter mounting screws.