I think early 70's was nearer the mark and they were best known for their clear acrylic drums which fitted in nicely with the zeitgeist and the likes of Ludwig Vistalites and the Fibes clear stuff as well. At various times they used Camco fittings (not a plus) and I've even seen Camco lugs on some stuff.

The drummer out of Three Dog Knight is about the only high profile player I can think of off the top of my head (and one of his Zicko kits is in the Hollywood Drum Shop, just above the door).

I've never played one (honestly the one mentioned above is the only I've ever actually seen "in the flesh") but the snares should be like any other acrylic drum (i.e. really loud) - I can't imagine there is a huge tonal difference between acrylic shells but someone in here might have another take on this notion.

Someone has had a crack at re-issuing them recently and there is a website but no one seems to answer enquires (or at least, not mine).

Hope this helps a bit.

Cheers,

David

Hi,

The Vistalites.com site is an excellent starting point:

http://www.vistalites.com/other/Zickos.htm

Patrick

And I just found the new Zickos site

http://www.zickosdrums.com/

DR

I have one Zickos bass drum from the mid-70's, when the Zickos Company briefly "sold" the name to some mysterious individual(s) who did some "mad scientist" experiments with different shell materials in order to deduce which was the best for creating drums. They made all these weird prototypes and then finally settled upon their current acrylic formula.

The drum I have is considered to be a prototype. It is VERY weird, too. It is made from molded FIBERGLASS (not acrylic). They are a white gelcoat epoxy paint on the outside and green resin on the inside -and the inside will make your arms itch if you happen to come in contact with it! The front head is 16" in diameter and the batter head is 22" in diameter. It looks kind of like a giant mixing bowl tipped over on its side. It has the teardrop pivot lugs that Zickos was famous for (and they ARE very cool lugs!) and metal rims on both ends with a special slot cut into the are where the bass pedal would attach. It is complete with the original Evans hydrolic batter head and a very old Remo black glass front head. I think someone said there are only five of these prototype bass drums in the world. It sounds HUGE and it id capable of generating strange tone bends -probably because of the unusual design. Sometimes, I feel like selling it, but then I hear it and it's just so unlike anything else, I feel the need to hang onto it...even though I hardly ever touch it. They used to be very nice drums. It looks like they are using different hardware now, though. The bass drum legs on the new kits look like those generic style Asian designs I see on just about every kit. They probably are really great and everything, but....well, I am biased. I like vintage Zickos drums because I am just a vintage drum nut! New drums are new drums. They don't do it for me the way vintage ones do, that's all.Burger Kin

Hi there Lugs,I also have the Zikos bass drum you have.I also have the rest

of the drums.Like yours my baas drum is 22 by 16.I played these about 25

years. People also asked about the bass drum. I always told them I converted

it from a Maytag front loader.

Any way the toms are 14 by 18 floor,12 by 14 &10 by 12. I've really enjoyed

playing them.They are really great miced.They have a full rich tone,using

the hydarulic heads.Any way I would like to know made them "the mysterious

strangers".Also would like to know what they would be worth. Mine are still

in good shape.

See Ya Boppin Bob

Check out pic

Hey, man! Okay, you are the third person I have read who has a set of those. Two more and (supposedly) they will all be accounted for!

I did find out they were known as "Supersonic" and that there was a Kansas City based fiberglass molder who made all those Zickos fiberglass prototypes.

I also HAD the rest of the kit. I sold it to a guy who wanted to use the 18" floor tom as a bass drum and the 16" floor tom and the 12 and 14" toms.

My kit was a combination of green resin shells that were "raw" on the inside. The 16" floor tom was a much heavier thicker resin that was amber colored and had been smoothed on the inside. At the time, I didn't divulge that I had the 22" "marshmallow" bass drum because I thought it was something I wanted to keep for myself. And now, mine is suspended from the ceiling in my basement. It is also the green, raw resin interior. It sounds very....weird...but in a good way. I like it.

I noticed your bass drum is the amber resin. I also noticed you don't have the 16" floor tom. I wonder if the one I sold was formerly with your set. It's very possible because there were only a few kits of these ever made.

These drums (not Zickos) were also made by the same Kansas City fiberglass fabricator. I can't recall the name of these. They were also very short-lived, though!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Tgm7v284JI[/ame]

Hey thanks O-Lugs

I do have the 14 by 18 floor tom,click on the picture for a larger pic.

Thanks for the clip of the other drums. They are way out there,seems

they don't even have the bottom heads.That song Take me to the River

I've played many times.Right now I'm back on my Gretch set.

Anyway thanks for the reply.The info gives me more for my search.

Have a great day

Old Drummer Bob "Boppin Bob"

Sure. No problem.

I don't think they are very valuable. They are rare, though. They are conversation pieces and an interesting idea that was likely someone's "What if....?"...kind of idea.

I do see that you have the 18" floor tom, but I was referring to the 16" floor tom that you don't have. I had it. It was heavy amber resin and smoothed on the interior. All the other drums I had were the thin, raw green resin shells and they were in the same configuration as your amber resin kit.

The guy I sold it to bought a DW cradle and put the 18" green floor tom in it and used it as a bass drum and then used the one amber resin 16" floor tom and the other toms that were green resin. I think he said he was going to make one of the toms into a snare drum.

By the way...there was never a Zickos Supersonic snare drum made as far as I know.

There probably wasn't a big advantage to using fiberglass -other than that is was moldable. Thus, all the weird shapes.

Some of the early Arbiter Autotune drums were also made from very heavy molded fiberglass.

Hey, I like weird drums!