Wam, Bam, Thank you Mam, put some gun powder in those cannons!!!guitar2

you got to give that set a score of 10, just on looks. were are talking supreme stage presence here. LoLoLoLo

Purdie,

What size was the Premier Artist Birch kick?

16" or 18" by 22", don't recall at the moment, I sold that kit awhile back. What I do know is; the bass drum was like playing oatmeal (mushy,) and the response was dead-slow. I loved the sound of the toms, 10", 12", 14" hanging floor, but that beer can kick was just terrible. Good tone and projection from the toms though, but I wouldn't give you ten cents for the snare and bass from that kit. That's why I sold it off.

John

Yes, At the shop at O.C.D.P. we made all size's of bass drums..The biggest bass drum i have made was 76" deep by 24" head I think the band 's name was Dazzer or something like that.I made the drum out of 5 14" deep shells with a 6" piece in middle making the drum a total of 76" deep.To top it off the drum was wrapped in chrome steel not chrome plastic with 20 Ludwig lugs and 4 sets of spurs.....Mikey

The 16 and 18 deep kicks are pretty much the standard these days. Since all my newer kits get mic'd it doesn't really matter as much so that is what I get. The reason I say it doesn't matter is that once you have properly mic'd a drum and have a proper monitoring system, the entire "feel" of the drum changes dramatically and it changes for the better. If I were only playing acoustic I believe I would prefer a 14" deep kick.

Mikey,

How much fun is that to have your reso head in a different zip code! At 76" deep I hope you also included handles like Carl Palmer's Stainless kick.

No Purdie, those are Gretsch drums. Louie was a Gretsch endorser before any other brand he later endorsed. That shot from the 1940's is right after he convinced them to build him the first double-bass kit ever. Louie thought of it and was the first one to get it done. All current double bass players owe it all to Louie. Oh, and as far as the lugs are concerned, those are Gretsch Broadkaster lugs. Gretsch used those lugs up until about 1953, after which they went to the design lug that they still use to this day.

Thats the one John,although I haven't seen that particular photo.The one I have is in Harry Canganys book Great American Drums.In the caption below the photo it says "Louis Bellson on his unique(thats a word and a half)Gretsch kit.,circa 1947.

Those lugs do have a kind of Rogers look....just a bad photo.

Steve B

Steve - Ludwigdude cleared up the lug mystery for me (Broadcasters) but man, what an innovator Lou was! That kit must have sounded like there was an entire drum corp. coming down the street. The bass drums are so deep, I'll bet Lou would kick the bass drums on Friday and the sound would come out on Sunday! :p

John

I wonder where those bad boys are today? man Louie was da man....