My 2 cents... The kit has tons of mojo as it sits and there are very, very few white satin kits out there, I'm sure. Let it live as-is for posterity's sake. Clean them up and just play those beauties! Excited

If you're into stage lighting and effects, you might consider using the White Satin Gretsch kit. Under lights, the satin flame finish is crazy psychedelic. :eek:

Search for some pictures and you will see.

-Tim

If the bass is super thrashed then we're talking about something else all together. That info was not presented, and by the pics it sure looked like a good clean up was all that's needed. Hard to say without getting right up in there I suppose!

-Adam

What were the shells from? Sonor? Looks good.

My old Sonor kit was some Phonic and Sonic Shells. Heavy beech bass drum with birch toms. Baseball edges all around. Really awesome sounding kit. I think I had $600 into it or so all together.

Manny, Il bet your happy you told everyone you were gonna rewrap them now huh, LOL. Heres my 2 cents, I dont care! bigger things in life to worry about. If you do it, please post some photos, for me at least, LOL.

Have a good day, thank you for your service, cant say it enough.

I will post pictures don't worry! Yeah I realize everyone's opinion and they are all entitled to that. Because I am newer to drum restoration I am saving the Gretsch kit for last. So Luddies, Rogers then the round badge. I have learned so much and developed my own methods that I am confident the Gretsch kit will look stunning regardless when I am done.

You are welcome :) I had no clue what I got myself into when I signed up for the Army. I was supposed to be a computer intel guy. Last minute I saw that Ranger video and signed up.

Dropped off my desk and other things in my office where I keep this kit. I noticed the bass drum muffler mechanism had the issue another forum member mentioned. I also noticed they were not very careful drilling out the lug holes. On the inside of the drum there was some splintering at places. I also noticed the bass drum has a different bearing edge vs the toms.

When I saw the white satin flame, I was reminded that one of the very first kits I ever really took notice of in the local drum shop was a white satin flame Gretsch kit. It was a Progressive Jazz setup and that was roughly in 1966 or so, maybe late 1965. Angelotti's Music in downtown Haverhill, MA. Shop is long gone, along with the Fleet Street Pet Store. However, Sawyer's Bicylce Shop remains alive and well in a newer location.

Anyway, we used to be able to attend Sunday matinees at Lenny's on the Pike and see guys like Art Blakey playing Gretsch drums! So that white satin flame really brings back some memories.

Once you get over the initial enjoyment of a Gretsch kit from that era, then have that closer look and start to us it; after which dissappointment sets in because of all the cheesy hardware, get a Rogers kit from that era and you'll be in drum love. Take that all you Gretsch lovers! (LOL - Make sure your Rogers doesn't have B&B lugs).

I'm sure the splintering is more common than you think. They needed to pump out drums to keep up with demand in the 60's. When the bits got dull and the press operator was backed up, that's when QC went to the wayside. Remember the workers were just workers and not the fanatics like us. :)

Are the tom bearing edges the round-over type and the bass drum bearing edge something like a 45-degree on the inside and slight round-over on the outside?

-Tim