No, suspension mount it, you will get better sound out of it too.

I agree, leave the kick original.

If it was my kit to play I'd do it if I wanted it. I probably would do it as I don't like toms on snare stands. I don't collect drums and think of musical instruments as tools, and all my tools are well worn from doing project after project. So keeping it "collector perfect", like coin collectors would think, is not part of my philosophy.

Just makes sure you drill the holes perfectly.

Just makes sure you drill the holes perfectly. :)

I hope it's at least the repro 2-hole unit with the correct Gretsch spacing etc...

[COLOR="DarkRed"]Agreed - and with due respect and IMHO - I don't buy the whole notion that adding a tom mount to a bass drum alters the sound. It may just a tad - if you throw 4 highly sensitive recording mics around the thing and do a hi-tech sonic test while playing completely unaccompanied- but many a previous discussion here & on other forums have been inconclusive to say the least. As long as you have the correct mount and not just some ol' non-Gretsch style one - if you are gonna keep the set and play it - then go for it.

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yes I do have an original 2-hole rail consolette in nice condition.

So far I see 2 for and 2 against.

I'm not a collector (as of yet) either, I am a drummer and I bought the kit to play. I have 2 slingerland kits that I like also.

I've heard so many raves about gretsch that I thought I would see what I am missing.

I found a gretsch round badge snare (WMP) last week and will be receiving it some time this week.

I too do not like the way a tom looks on a seperate stand, It just looks hacked.

I grew up in the 60s and 70s and can't quite get use to the rims mount thing either.

Do a lot of you drummers swear by them?

Thanks so far for the input.

I have the drill in my hand........

just kidding, I'm at work today.

keep the comments comming!

Nick

while we are at it...

I also had thoughts of add a pratt muffler, I love the way those things look.

I love having 2 knobs on each tom to twist. It's sexy.

Would you add a muffler to the bass drum?

And finally, would you add a cymbal holder on the side?

I just love the bling I guess.

I don't like internal tom mufflers. They don't work well... the head goes down and they poke up. But I too like the looks of them and have taken them out of Gretsch drums, taken them apart and just put back the knobs with nuts on the inside just for looks. You don't have to alter a drum that came with them to do that, the only thing is that the threaded rod of the tom/snare mufflers (on mine anyway) was crimped at one point so it couldn't be unscrewed all the way, and when you do remove it there will be some thread damage. I never tried using a die on the threads first. I know that is monkeying with the originality and I'm nervous of that.

I'd probably pass on the kick muffler as I like the old external types, blankets and pillows and such. The JP stock Gretsch one is a cool unit though.

If you do mount any stuff, make sure the drilling is as perfect as you can get, use new or near new drill bits etc and I wouldn't attempt it if I was in the slightest not 100% confident I could do it and wanted it.

The whole thing is the kind of decision I'd want to consider for quite awhile.

The problem with the Gretsch bass drum mounted cymbal holder is that it's archaic. I've heard some people modding it with a memory clamp and as the diamond plate is easily available I'd probably do that. I like/need that type of holder. Make sure you get the right diamond plate - the earlier ones had exposed screws, the later ones (from the end of the 50's, something like '58 someone please correct me) have hidden mounting posts cast in the plate itself.

The stock Gretsch/Walberg tom holder diamond plate, the part that mounts on the tom, is semi-lame as it doesn't swivel... I'm not big on the rims mount looks (I'd have to say there is, to my ears a sonic difference though) but they probably would get the tom where you want it more than the Gretsch. But the Gretsch is livable.

One more vote for leaving the bass drum virgin. Some of my bass drums have tom mounts on them, but I don't use them. Toms sound more resonant when they're suspended, and bass drums can "bump" more (you know, that sound that makes a bass drum sound bigger than it is...). Well, the exception is if you tune your drums up in the stratosphere of classic bop recordings--then it doesn't matter that much.

I'd still leave the kick virgin, though. You never know if you're going to want to sell your kit in 15 years and you'll kick yourself for not leaving it as original as possible. Although, if the part is from the original era, and you decide to do it, model your mounting after another specimen's measurements...