Only Admins can see this message.
Data Transition still in progress. Some functionality may be limited until the process is complete.
Processing Attachment, Gallery - 182.77244%

George Way Discovery! Last viewed: 16 minutes ago

Posts: 715 Threads: 59

I've had the gold sparkle hoops on my green sparkle kit for awhile now as I alWAYs thought it looked so cool on Gretsch Birdland kits. The opposite is not though as the green sparkle hoops just don't look right on a gold sparkle bass drum. So the other day I decided to switch the hoops back and being a bit lazy I decided to just use the Ts and claws that were hanging on the hoop instead of being ultra anal about it.

Well to my surprise the Ts were too short to place on my green sparkle bass drum, WTH? So I check them out over on the gold sparkle bass drum and they work perfectly! Pulling out my tape measure the rods on my 1961 gold sparkle bass drum are 1/2" shorter than the ones on the 1959 green sparkle bass drum.

So in an obvious cost cutting move George Way moved the bass drum lugs closer to the edge by 1/2" therefore gaining 8" per bass drum, enough to get one more T. This was done in either late 1960 or the start of 1961.

1957 George Way BDP 26" concert bass drum
1959 George Way BDP 22/12/16 w/ 5.5x14
1959 George Way Green Sparkle 22/12/16 w/5.5x14
1961 George Way Blue Sparkle 20/12/15
1961 George Way Jelly Bean 20/12/14 w/4.5x14
1960’s Camco Oaklawn Champagne 20/12/14/16w/5x14
1971-73 Camco Chanute Walnut 24/14/18 w/5x14 COB
Posted on 13 years ago
#1
Posts: 2753 Threads: 132

Interesting..... Do you think that the change might be due to Mr. Way experimenting with positioning the lugs closer to the edges, and deciding that he liked the benefits of tensioning the drum with shorter T-rods and less distance to the heads?

No matter how far you push the envelope, it is still stationery.
Posted on 13 years ago
#2
Posts: 715 Threads: 59

From leedybdp

Interesting..... Do you think that the change might be due to Mr. Way experimenting with positioning the lugs closer to the edges, and deciding that he liked the benefits of tensiioning the drum with shorter T-rods and less distance to the heads?

Usually these types of moves are for cost savings. I suspect this one to be no different. Sometimes these moves are done for a visual look but looking at my two bass drums it's not apparent to the naked eye that the lugs have an extra inch between them or that they are closer to the edge by half an inch. In the case of his snare drum strainers he was experimenting as his first attempts were failing out in the market. He was on his 4th design of the Aristocrat strainer by the time Camco took over.

1957 George Way BDP 26" concert bass drum
1959 George Way BDP 22/12/16 w/ 5.5x14
1959 George Way Green Sparkle 22/12/16 w/5.5x14
1961 George Way Blue Sparkle 20/12/15
1961 George Way Jelly Bean 20/12/14 w/4.5x14
1960’s Camco Oaklawn Champagne 20/12/14/16w/5x14
1971-73 Camco Chanute Walnut 24/14/18 w/5x14 COB
Posted on 13 years ago
#3
  • Share
  • Report
Action Another action
Something else here