I think Gretsch made a major effort to market their drums to the jazz players, in particular, and Slingerland may have been caught sleeping on the topic by continuing to market to big band players, who for that moment may have had more exposure to the general public. Rogers might have missed out there too because you don't see nearly as many Rogers jazz sized kits as you do with Gretsch.

Plus, a lot of the jazz stuff was centered in NYC where Gretsch was based.

Story goes hat Elvin Jones started using an 18" because it would fit in the trunk of the car. The 20" was to big and had to ride on top of the roof and when it rained the water got into the fibre case and the drum was a mess.

This might be way off, but could it be partly the gorgeous wood finishes offered by Gretsch? A visual shoe-in on stage, with the upright bass and piano...

They seem to want to tune high too. Tho of course you can tune em low...

Mitch

Gilnar - I think it was the players that made the switch and the drumming crowd just followed them. A lot of the great jazz drummers from the 50's and 60's were playing and recording on Gretsch kits. Their fans/other drummers would go out and buy whatever drums their hero's used chasing their sound.

John

Then there was Joe Morello.....

And Louie Bellson.

The change in bass drum sizes had to do with the change in the function of the drum in the set and the ensemble. Swing era bass drums kept time and reinforce the acoustic bass sound. Bop era drums are used for punctuation. They were looking for a lighter more open rhythm that leaves more sonic space for the quick activities of the lead instruments. Swing era drums were boomier. Bop/beyond drums higher pitched and either dampened (Max Roach) or more open (Art Blakey). This applies to all of the drums actually. The cymbals were effected also.

I might be wrong, but it was my understanding that Gretsch wooed a lot of the top name '50s-60s jazz guys to play and endorse their kits by offering them a free drum set of their choosing if they'd agree to allow their name and likeness be used for advertising. Instant brand recognition with the hippest drummers of the day.

I also heard that no money ever exchanged hands - just the free drum set. AND, if they wanted a new set, they had to return the old one first.

Wouldn't you love to have gotten one of those sets they turned in with all the wear and tear from their live gigs built right in????

Years ago I sold Blair a Gretsch in 20,12,14 configuration from the mid-60's. It had been green sparkle, but was so choked with smoke that it was a very dark shade, and so much so thatBlair couldn't even remember ever having had a green sparkle set in his possession a number of years later. But it was a fine kit that was still in great shape except the smoke had really gotten into it. It must have seen a lot of small club action. I didn't know any of the history, having gotten it at Daddy's Junky Music, but actually wish I'd kept it. My son was using it when he was about 12 or 13 and wanted a double tom set, so I sold the jazz set and got him a 20,12,12,16 rock 'n roll set in moonglow satin pearl. File under: What was I thinking?