...and George Way, later Camco, use a Jasper shell, until LA era (´73), then they witch over to Keller.

My Walberg & Auge drum sets ('63, '65, '72) all have Gretsch Jasper shells. The two sets with Gretsch lugs and die cast rims sound dead to me compared to the other set with Rogers lugs and rims. However, to my ears and sense of feel, my two mid '60's Slingerland sets and two Leedy sets from the same period sound and feel the best to me. I have never gotten bogged down in the minutae of drum construction. In all of my gigging years, all I cared about was that the top of the line American made drums looked good to me, felt good to me, and sounded like DRUMS. I don't think there was ever anyone in the concert hall or dance venue who gave a damn about which brand I was playing as long as the unamplified drums could be heard in the mix with the amplified instruments. The major concert venues back in those cave dweller days might have had one overhead mic for the entire drum set. The recording studios usually had one overhead mic and one mic for the snare/hats area. Needless to say, a drummer needed to be a real basher to be heard at all on most gigs. Pro Mark "Rock Knocker" sticks that were marching band sticks with no tip on either end were my usual choice for larger venues.

Ok I am a geek and a Jasper lover so here you go...

http://www.drumforum.org/index.php?/topic/24545-jasper-drum-shells/

I think most Gretsch drums sound really good and by that I mean their top of the line drums from the 50's up to now. I think Gretsch's shells and the die-cast hoops are a match made in heaven. The tone you get with Gretsch and Jasper shells is not really discernable until you get in a recording studio or mic the kit in a live situation. Same with Yamaha Recording Customs. They just sound like good drums but when a mic goes on them and they are well tuned, get out of here. Classic Ludwigs sound great too just as Slingerlands/Rogers/Camcos/Premiers/Tamas/etc. I have just found that playing the actual drums more enjoyable, recording with the drums more enjoyable, tuning the drums more enjoyable, and the finishes on most Jaspers are the classic wood finishes that Gretsch made famous. Every other company had to try and compete with them as far as sound, quality, finish, etc. Gretsch's hardware was always crap in my opinion but their drums were the best. That's why you always see Gretsch with Ludwig, Pearl, Yamaha, DW mounting hardware. I started out with an old Gretsch kit from the 60's and learned how to tune using that kit. Later I got a 70's Slingerland kit, a Premier, and then I got the 1982 Jasper shelled Gretsch kit. I still have my original Gretsch kit but I traded the Jaspers because a friend had a brand new Yamaha Maple Custom kit in the fusion sizes. It was the dumbest thing I ever did. I have been searching eBay for another Gretsch kit like that and you can't get close without spending 3k. So my advice to anyone who is skeptical is to play a Jasper kit that has round toms and then go play anything else and tell me that you are not impressed. Record with it and then you will be a believer. Why do you think most big studio guys use Gretsch drums? Vinnie plays Gretsch and his drums always sound nice. I know DW and Sonor make really high end stuff. To me, I will always be a Gretsch guy and one day I will have another set of the famous Jasper shelled Gretsch. I am looking for the kit in maple finish. LOL. Anyone know a person with a maple shelled Jasper looking to sell pm me immediately. Fred Gretsch for president 2012. Ha!

Leedy & Ludwig, George Way, Camco and early Rogers used Jasper with re-rings. The Jasper shells you are referring to were for Gretsch and then later for Austin based Fibes.

Ah, I see. I stand corrected, then.

3 ply Gretsch shells were made by Gretsch, at the Brooklyn factory, and were maple/poplar/maple. Because of this, 3 ply Gretsch drums are more true to the saying "Brooklyn-made Gretsch".

Gretsch 6 ply shells were outsourced to Jasper Wood Products in Jasper, IN, and started being used sometime around 1957. These were transitioned in over a few years, which is why a lot of sets from the late 50's are a mix of 3 ply and 6 ply shells.

Thanks,

Bill

Most of the shells people hear are probably the Jasper ones, right? Because there are more of them out there in use.. Last night at the Norman Music Festival I saw a band that was fantastic, and the drums were the best sounding, and I enjoyed the drummer's drumming the most, he was playing RB Gretsch (Snare was a 6.5x14 wood other brand though).. The name of the band was White Denim.. They were really good.. He had a couple of larger hand-hammered cymbals as "ride-crashes" and I didn't see the floor tom but the rack was a 12 and the bass a 20, and the hats looked like 15"s. Great drumming and overall band performance as well by a guy named Josh Block..

BTW I saw about 6 or 7 bands at the festival and there were other vintage drums out there.. A Ludwig set played by the drummer for the Lumerians and it was a bit more truncated in sound, but obviously tuning has lots to do with that, and I'd easily give those Ludwigs 2nd place. The drummer playing is going to leave an impression on one's take on the drum sound as well, which is why drum companies fall over themselves to sign up really high profile drummers with endorsements. Some of it may be smoke and mirrors, though. I'm OK with that. The Gretsch Jasper shells are actually more similar to the modern drums without re-rings.

I feel Gretsch have a sweet spot that is a really great sound for live or recorded drums. I'm not saying the other drum companies don't have a sweet spot for their drums, though. I agree with an above poster who said the non-re-rings shells and die-cast hoops may have something to do with it. But I've heard plenty great-sounding Fibes with Jasper shells too, even if it wasn't the same "formula".

My real name is not Rusty Nutz.....But I am a drum-a-holic ! ... that is why I continue to lurk here. I too own my original 1967 Round badge Gretsch with Jasper shells and also a black set of virgin Yamaha Recording Customs.

I'm really not sure there is any cure for what we all have here...and if there was, I'm not sure I'd take the cure.

I do threaten to sell my vintage Gretsch set from time to time, but deep down I know I never will ........

One set is too many...and a thousand sets are not enough... My problem, as I see it... My Wife ! She's an enabler. She has allowed me to play my drums relentlessly for nearly five decades.

This time I mean it, my drums are for sale........;)

Interesting grommet-vents on the rack toms there..

Yes Si

DOH Geez....not this again !