I agree. And I am the one who posted the cost of the wrap will result in a bare break even price. Rewrapped drums is a tough market. Doesn't matter what brand they are, everyone has problems with rewraps. The suggestion of a cheap wrap kind of threw me off the horse. That would be nothing but a bad idea, period. Big R badges are very hard to salvage. Plus you have the stigma associated to Big R drums by those who prefer the 60s era Cleveland/Dayton period. I have two sets of five ply Big R and three of XP8..... They are a tremendous value.

Yep, I know you were, and thanks for the fast response. I just kind of groaned and gave dexter74 my recipe for re-wrapping junk drums that I do, but I hate to see that type of thing on good drums...

So it may be that there just aren't enough Rogers guys to have to delve into the later, Big R kits? I wasn't particularly talking re wraps. Big R kits are dirt cheap compared to other quality drums from that era.

Anyway, thanks for your input.

Craig

I'll tell you what I don't like about them, those goofy looking tube legs on the kick, the tom holder, the thick shells and those Big R badges. The drums sound ok, but I just don't like the look of them.

What thick shells?

Things may change as far as desirability is concerned. The myth of inferiority has been touted for a lot of years by a lot of respectable people. A sad thing really. Big R wraps are beautiful when pristine, but, they have a bad rep of not aging well over time. The glitters, sparkles, stratas, ripples of the 60s gave way to the rather blasé misty metallics, formica koa, formica mahogany of the 70s. Those Big R wraps just weren't as pretty. The fiasco of the 9/72 era collet tensioners being cast to reduce cost created a perception of quality loss... and it was to some extent. But the overall quality of the product was good, but not as appealing as the Swivomatic of the mid 60s. I much prefer a 60s Cleveland machined cymbal tilter over the later version that was cheaper and easier to produce.

The ones I've owned had thicker shells, more like the 6ply Ludwig shells from the late 70's.

Ditto. Those bass drum legs and big heavy hardware spoil the look for me... I've played a couple of sets and they sound as good as anything else from that time period, but I need to like the look of a kit, and Big R kits really don't do it for me visually.

For me I would take any Rogers kit if it has a bass drum sound like this:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f09itrlXcic[/ame]

or

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nZnqtDdsws[/ame]

My goodness the bass drum in that first Turtles video is the "perfect" sound to my ears.

XP8 kit I bought last year for 200.00, five piece, silver metallic...just like the set dexter posted....wrap looked a bit hammered. Hardware on the other hand, looked good. Took them apart, spent about 8 total hours with my air polisher and some polishing compound, and those drums looked fantastic. Hoops on the BD were shot, replaced those. Gave the hardware a good overnight Dawn bath, and it all come out looking very clean, minimal pitting.

Now, this set was from 1983. These drums had been played, often. And not overly cared for. Amazing thing was... being a one owner set, there was only ONE set screw mark on each of the tom ratchet arms that fit into the double tom mount. This set was purchased in 1983, I got it in 2011. That is almost 30 years. Show me a Ludwig, Pearl, Tama, Brand X, Y or Z kit at 30 years that gave someone that much satisfaction. Rogers Memrilock hardware does not bend, break, disappoint, fail, limit your ability to position or look weak. I never have to adjust my mounts. I never have to worry if its going to be in the same position as the last time, or if its going to move no matter how hard it gets played. It is bullet proof.

Some people don't like it, some think it is ugly, some absolutely hate it just because it isn't Swivomatic. But in 1975, you could not buy anything nearly that good, and in 1984, you still could not buy anything better. It was copied by Pearl, Ludwig, and a few others.

Until I lucked up on my Londoner 5 set last year, I had never owned or played a Rogers kit. I may have set in a couple times in the early 90's on a friends set. I was aware of them in the early 70's and of course read and learned more about them here, so when I ran up on mine via CL and saw them in person, I knew they were quality drums. Once I got them home, cleaned them up and got some Ambassadors on them I was amazed at the tone quality. I was rotating them out regularly on gigs and they performed excellently. They guys in the band were like, wow man, those sound great. Even though mine are the plain and un exciting silver mist / metallic wrap they don't look that bad under lights or outside.

They actually give off a nice hue in some circumstances like this shot by a pool on the ocean. I can live with the big spurs and R badge even though they aren't the prettiest girl at the dance. I was just using them as a four piece set up that day. The floor tom wrap split on me one night when I left it in the car in 45 degree weather. Must have contracted in the cold after being used to the hot weather here. I am leaving them for now since the split is in back and no one will really see it. If any of the other drums do that and they start looking bad I will probably rewrap them in something nice. They are really great drums. I got mine really cheap.