Also, the kits of the mid 60's were the last of the old growth woods.

Really? Where did you get that from?

I would agree with your overall assessment of the state of modern drums vs. vintage drums. Your point about the blindfold test is especially astute.

I own a couple of Spaun kits and what I can say about them is that they are well made and I really like the simple custom lugs that Brian uses. To me the toms are very easy to tune and produce a very defined, open and clear tone, especially when tuned low. When tuned higher in their range they do tend to become boingy and bangy. (see the thread "which sound") Overall they don't have the warmth of the vintage drums, however, they do mic up extremely well.

Old growth Maple has been very hard to find in any quantities for a long time ask any Guitar,Violin, or other wood instrument maker there has been many talks about vintage drums and the wood used and the difference in todays drums i agree it had alot to do with the wood used then as opposed to now.

I'd like to also add that the physical properties of wood in any musical instrument that's regularly played over a long period of time changes. Resonance causes the cell structure in wood to break down to a certain degree which makes the wood more flexible and sensitive. Because it's more flexible it can reproduce lower frequencies easier and the overall tone becomes fuller and deeper with more warm overtones. This happens with any resonating instrument from a guitar to a piano to a drum. I personally think time, quality of materials, layup of materials and bearing edges are what's key. I wouldn't be at all surprised if a good modern kit sounds different and better in 40 years time.

Steve

To me, the biggest blow came in the 80s with the silent change to cheaper materials for hardware on the part of the US companies. If the company didnt' switch, the threat of going under was tremendous--witness Slingerland.

I worked in a drum shop during the '80s and had a customer who was building his extraordinary Ludwig kit one drum at a time. He'd save some dough, come in and order another tom tom, and after a couple of years he had one drum to go, a big ol' 18" floor tom. It showed up in the shop and we were both stunned to discover it had cheaper, thinner hoops, lighter lug casings, cheaper inserts, tension rods, the works compared to the 16" he had gotten only a few months earlier. All the metal on that newer 18 "drum was low quality imported stuff like you'd expect to find on a Ludwig Rocker or Gretsch Blackhawk or similar entry level kit from those days. That top-of-the-line Ludwig was an utterly different drum--and we were helpless to do anything about it. I felt horrible for the guy and felt like %$#@ for having to take his money to cover my boss's cost. The customer didn't blame me. We called Ludwig. They were sympathetic but couldn't do anything. The customer shuffled out of the shop with his big, huge drum--the last one of his dream kit.

This is a key factor in my opinion...

What are your thoughts on this Rogers set? I am interested in buying it, but I don't know much about it. I don't know much about Rogers, but I like what I've heard in person.

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/msg/3316429290.html

So as far as vintage drums that are still active Gretsch is about the best you can get no?

And Rogers overall but only the 60s-early 70s ones.

I am not entirely certain what you are asking? Regardless of what you are asking, the answers are bound to be subjective.