One slight correction ... Kent did not use any shells related to Gretsch. It's a common mistake as there was a personal connection, but only personal. The builds were strikingly different. Kent garnered the nickname "poor man's Gretsch" and this somehow instilled into the collective conscious that Kent and Gretsch had some sort of manufacturing connection. They didn't.

Yes - maybe the "Poor man's Gretsch" got started because one of the Kent brothers, Bill Kent, was said to have worked for Gretsch before starting Kent Drums.

Second paragraph here:

http://www.coopersvintagedrums.com/kentmuseum1000.htm

MY KENT RACK TOM - include here out of interest. A 60's probably - because of the Blue foil Badge - It's a nice sounding drum -not much of a bearing edge and, as I've said previously, the lugs don't line up with the hoop holes and the drum had glue slopped around inside from when it was made. But - still - it's a nice piece of drum history and I love the finish. I use it with my 58 Gold Sparkle Gretsch kit sometimes.

American made Kent = Good drums, usually lousy edges. Re-cut the edges on the American made Kents (vintage 30 degree round-over) and you've got a serious set of drums. Kent never did a good job finishing the insides of the shells either. Glue drips aplenty. Some sanding usually takes care of that.

MIJ made Kent = not worth the $ or effort to improve them. Check the badges before buying. New York - ok, MIJ - pass.

When I was 12, my dad took me to a pawn shop in Harlem and bought me a WMP set of Kent drums so I would stop destroying the seats on the chairs at home, which I used as practice pads. I destroyed the seats on a set of vinyl kitchen chairs, so my mom made him buy me drums! Yes, Kent made WMP kits. And nice ones too!

John

Thanks John, I am going to get them tonight or tomorrow. They do have made in USA badge. I will show some picture as soon as I get them.

Jeff C

Purdie Shuffle...........

Here's a snare drum in what you may have had.......VERY NICE indeed !

And more KENT DRUMS.........taken directly off Cooper's Kent site:

Some very nice old drums here........

Jccabinets:

It will be nice to see the photos of your drums - good luck with it - sounds like a great deal.

My 60's Kent 9x13 tom.

Pictures here taken before I cleaned the drum up.

It had the original batter when I bought a year or so ago - eBay. I think I paid $45 or so for the drum. The lugs are killer - very well made.

I sold Steve Jordan a Red Sparkle Kent 8 lug snare (along with a 60's Luddy Champagne 18" kit) around 1-1/2 years ago,after a John Mayer concert here.

Kona - That is exactly the snare drum I had! 6-lugger, great woody tone and the openess and rawness of the drum fit perfectly with the rock & roll I was playing at the time. Back in 63' to 68' or so, backbeat drumming was king. Think, Mustang Sally, Green Onions, Watermelon Man etc. That was the stuff we were playing. My little Kents sounded perfect. Raw and wide-open as all get out. I loved my Kents. I thought I was Buddy Rich on that WMP kit!

Anecdote: I was playing my Kents one time in-between numbers at a rehearsal studio and I overheard two guys standing just outside the open door. One guy asked, "Man, who is that playing?" And just as my head started to inflate from the compliment, the other guy responded, "Oh, it's just some a$$hole that thinks he's Gene Krupa!" Needless to say, the comment withered me like the 'before' photo in a Viagra ad, at the time. Looking back, I take it as a compliment to have even been mentioned in the same sentence with the name Gene Krupa.

John

Good times with that WMP Kent hu John.

What happened to them do you know?

That's wild! Steve Jordan is one of the best groove drummers in the biz, love his dvd. How were you put in touch with him?