Pearl 60s President Series

[LudwigVan66]

Anybody here know anything about them? I can't find a thing on the the net besides the fact that they were first available in 1966, the year I was born, and that they were Pearl's first "professional drums".

[wayne]

I,ve come across a few sets and the owners were always in a hurry to get rid of them,because they sounded very thin.You cant blame Pearl though,at least they weree trying to offer something different.

[LudwigVan66]

Hmm, thin. By that I assume you mean lacking sustain or low end? Is that something that can be remedied with more modern head choices? I've found a set for a reasonable price, $200, in sound shape with a strong patina, but they need new heads anyway. I only found one mention about them on the web, which says they were Mahogany, but I don't know if that's true or not.

[gutenberg]

The President Series was constructed from "plastic fiber" (fiberglass) -- the forerunner to Pearl's later all-fiberglass shell series in the 1970s.
In fact, you can go to Pearl's website and download a 1969 catalog PDF that shows a President Series kit in Marine Pearl

[LudwigVan66]

I saw that too, but these pre-date the fiberglass ones, the logos are different as well. These are wood, 3 plys I think, with a silver sparkle wrap finish.

[LudwigVan66]

Well, the deal is done. Should be an interesting project. I'll decide what heads to buy after I check them out completely. Any suggestions?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=003&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=130079942602&rd=1&rd=1

[Bebop]

I think you got these for a fair price. I was just reading about the president's series and someone said up to $300 australian would be fair for this beat up president's series they came across. So that would be about $150 american but this kit is in much better condition so $200 seems fair.

[Sparkletone]

First off, congrats on the drum set! Very cool!

As for the heads, for a nice warm vintage sound, I recommend Aquarian's Vintage series.

The Series can be broken down into two styles: American Vintage and Modern Vintage. American Vintage heads have a slightly larger diameter to easily slip over vintage shells. The Modern Vintage heads, as their name implies, are made for drummers looking to get a more vintage sound out of their modern sets. Both are made to reproduce the sound of calf-skin heads.

I've used both on my vintage drums, and haven't noticed a difference with fitting or tone — they both work and sound great!

You can get the full skinny here:

http://www.aquariandrumheads.com/products/display.asp?id=9

[LudwigVan66]

It should be here tomorrow, via UPS. I'll post better pictures as soon as I can remember how.

I was thinking of getting all Aquarian heads, I've had really good luck with them in the past. I'll check out the Vintage Series, but I was thinking of the Studio-X on the toms, and Super Kick Two for the bass. I'm sure I've got plenty of work before I need to decide on heads.

[LudwigVan66]

Well, hopefully here is a few pictures. They are in worse condition than I thought, gonna be a lot of work. Most of the hardware is good, but the shells are pretty rough. I raised a few questions about the wrap in the restoration section.

[LudwigVan66]

more of the same

[IsaacHeath]

Is this considered President Series?

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s1/Dukermoonebay/100_3621.jpg

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s1/Dukermoonebay/100_3617.jpg

My mom got these at a yard sale over ten years ago and I've always loved them. Your right, the early Pearl stuff doesn't have the full sound of a Ludwig of it's era. That said, I have grown very fond of these weird drums over time and love to play them. I just have never fully found out what they are. Any info/insight would be awesome.

[O-Lugs]

Hey, those are beauties, man! Wow! I love the old Pearl look. Nice!

[wayne]

I wish they would or anyone,would bring back those finishes.

[LudwigVan66]

Well, apart from the wrap, they look just like mine. Same logos, hardware, and sizes. Mine is a 22x14, 16x15, 13x9.

Your's look a lot better than mine, your mom got a deal. Actually, the guy I bought them from said they are a President Series, but I don't really know for sure. They do look like the set on Pearl's website, but it doesn't offer much in the way of details.

I might have the 13x9 finished soon, I'll post pictures when I do. I'm not re-wrapping them, just making them look as good as I can. The hardware is cleaning up pretty well, I've ordered new heads, and I'm still working on the bearing edges.

[IsaacHeath]

Sorry not to have listed this in the first place.... The sizes are 20/14, 16/16, 13,9 & 14/5. I still have all of the origial mounts and muffles (some were taken off in my teenage years). Good luck with restoring yours. I just watched a set (identical to mine except blue) go on ebay and I regret not grabbing them. They were cheap, all original and the same sizes. I would love to find an old Pearl catalog the year these were made.

My mom picked these up for 50 or 60 dollars, but she had to go to alot of yard sales.

Thanks

[IsaacHeath]

What is this wood? Same as yours?

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s1/Dukermoonebay/100_3632.jpg

[LudwigVan66]

Hmm, yours looks different.........maybe a little darker, more red, and different grain pattern. Obviously, yours was better cared for through the years. I think mine was transported a lot, stored poorly, and used without bottom heads. The insides are so scarred up, I'm painting them white like the old Ludwigs.

[Webmaster]

Hello everyone

IsaacHeath - the finish on your set is called Sun Set. I have a few Pearl catalogs in the catalog section of the mian web site.

From my limited recollection I have seen Pearl drums with the President badge and they were on the fiberglass shells.

I have to dig a little deaper in the stacks to say for sure.

David

[Webmaster]

So the 69 Pearl catalog does introduce the "President" line and the shells are plastic fiber.

So if your drums are wood they would not be the President Series, unless
a name changed at some point.

I hope that helps

David

[LudwigVan66]

Somewhere, I can't find it now, but I recall reading that the President Series was introduced in 66, but the fiberglass shells weren't until 69. Of course that still doesn't mean I have one.