Advice

[harrismikol]

So years ago I bought this old Midnight Blue Pearl bass drum , a 60's Gretsch round badge 20 X 14. I bought it for a good price locally, played/toured/recorded with it before eventually selling it to a friend.
Anyway now my friend wants to get rid of it and I've always wanted it back so....
Because it is an orphan bass, and the price of real Gretsch stuff from that era is so pricey, I thought I would just order two Keller maple shells, a 12 X 8 and 14 X 14, and wrap them to match using the Vintage Sky Blue Pearl which is a pretty close match. I've got all the Grestch hardware for the toms, the lugs at least. I won't use mufflers ( I NEVER muffle a drum unless I'm in the studio) and I'll probably use some old brass Ludwig hoops , I mean I'm not trying to fool anyone that this is a Gretsch copy or anthing!
So here's the catch: the bass drum is all original except someone long ago added a Ludwig tom mount, not the rail mount but the post that goes in the bass drum, later 60's/70's style.
Since this is gonna be a custom kit, and I'm the kinda guy who likes to mount the tom on the bass (I'm old school!), I've been toying with the idea of just putting the ludwig mount on and then adding the appropriate tom mount to the tom and there you go, all done!

Thats not too bad right? I'm only using existing holes, and this is a players kit anyway...so....?

 

[el_37]

Leave it. Add this and you will be in business.

https://www.amazon.com/Ludwig-LR255STH-Rocker-Single-Holder/dp/B000T012NK

 

[bopdaddy]

Get Gretsch orphan jasper shells and recover them. Keller doesn't come close.

 

[rikkrebs]

I think the Ludwig mount will be just fine.

 

[Matched Gripper]

So years ago I bought this old Midnight Blue Pearl bass drum , a 60's Gretsch round badge 20 X 14. I bought it for a good price locally, played/toured/recorded with it before eventually selling it to a friend.
Anyway now my friend wants to get rid of it and I've always wanted it back so....
Because it is an orphan bass, and the price of real Gretsch stuff from that era is so pricey, I thought I would just order two Keller maple shells, a 12 X 8 and 14 X 14, and wrap them to match using the Vintage Sky Blue Pearl which is a pretty close match. I've got all the Grestch hardware for the toms, the lugs at least. I won't use mufflers ( I NEVER muffle a drum unless I'm in the studio) and I'll probably use some old brass Ludwig hoops , I mean I'm not trying to fool anyone that this is a Gretsch copy or anthing!
So here's the catch: the bass drum is all original except someone long ago added a Ludwig tom mount, not the rail mount but the post that goes in the bass drum, later 60's/70's style.
Since this is gonna be a custom kit, and I'm the kinda guy who likes to mount the tom on the bass (I'm old school!), I've been toying with the idea of just putting the ludwig mount on and then adding the appropriate tom mount to the tom and there you go, all done!

Thats not too bad right? I'm only using existing holes, and this is a players kit anyway...so....?

If it’s the diamond shaped bass plate tom mount, I think Inde makes a mount that matches the Ludwig hole pattern.

 

[LarryJ]

I had an old Slingerland kit, 12-16-20, that I rewrapped and replaced the Set-O-Matic tom mount with a Yamaha mount. Couldn't find a 14x14, so had rerings added to a Keller shell, duplicate Slingerland bearing edges cut, and repro Slingerland hardware and hoops. Even added a Slingerland badge to the clone. It was a KILLER player kit that I wish I still had. I now have a near mint Shelbyville 12-14-20 matched set, all original, that I like less than the original mongrel.

I was very honest about what it was when I sold it, and still got as much as I would have for a comparable "real" one.

So I think if you already have players, anything you do to make them better players will make you happy and won't kill the resale value as long as you are honest about what you are selling.

 

[1988fxlr]

Keep the Ludwig diamond. Ludwig still sells them new with wider wingbolts too. Its a great practical update to use any manufacturers tom mount with 1” downtubes and you get to have it guilt free since they were drilled for it before you got them

 

[Pre ‘72]

To me, presented with this scenario, it’s all about the chase to build a legit orphan kit.

So my advise would be to use the bass drum, for now, with some other drums you might have already (?) and save your money for when the real deal presents themselves. You're in a great position with having all the necessary fixtures for the toms to just grab some orphans when they pop up.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[D. B. Cooper]

If you're going to go through all the trouble of building drums from scratch to match a Gretsch drum, why wouldn't you just rewrap real gretsch orphans to match.
Would it be that different in price?

 

[Troyh]

I agree with the above.
The minute you get the shells, you will find the original Gretsch drums to complete your set.
Never fails! (Same concept applies:As soon as you sell the drum you've held onto for years, trying to complete a set, like magic, the other drums show up!)

 

[stuart s]

If you're going to go through all the trouble of building drums from scratch to match a Gretsch drum, why wouldn't you just rewrap real gretsch orphans to match.
Would it be that different in price?

Aunt: “Go on, try weasel, try squirrel; it tastes like chicken, it tastes just like chicken!​

Bob: "If it tastes just like chicken, why don’t you gimme some damn chicken?”​

— Bobcat Goldthwait