What year are these Gretsch drums?

[monoplane]

Hi...

I'm new here and would like to date the used Gretsch kit that I own. I'm guessing from my research that they are around 1981 vintage? Here's the info on the kit:
- SQB # 2
- no mufflers installed
- Red Rosewood in Color
- grey interiors
- Grey and White Paper Tags
- 8' x 12" tom
Serial #: 144203
Model #: 4415
- 9" x 13" tom
Serial #: 144285
Model #: 4416
- 10" x 14" tom
Serial #: 143947
Model #: 4426
- 16" x 18" floor tom
Serial #: 144376
Model #: 4419
- 14" x 24" bass drum
Serial #: 144230
Model #: 4269
- bass drum has short hollow tube legs that come out of the bass drum on angle
- floor tom has four larger hollow tube legs with one bend
- kit came with a 1970/78 COB 8 lug 5" x 14" snare
- SSB # 1
- Orange and White Paper Tag
- muffler intact
- lightening fast throw-off
Serial #: 01042
Model#: can't see one but it should be 4160

I ordered and purchased a brand new Gretsch kit back late summer/early fall of 1979. It had mixed badges because of the transition period, orange and white paper tags, and was walnut in color. It had different bass drum legs, thinner with a threaded on dbl attachment, a front hoop bass drum spur, mufflers on every drum, floor tom legs that were thinner and solid with different brackets. I ordered the kit w/o any bass drum mounting bracket and the toms had non either as the Gretsch pieces were not great. I sold this kit 2.5 years ago after 30 years of ownership.

I'm curious to really know what year/era my new kit is?

Thanks..

[willdrums711]

Originally Posted by monoplane

Hi...

I'm new here and would like to date the used Gretsch kit that I own. I'm guessing from my research that they are around 1981 vintage? Here's the info on the kit:
- SQB # 2
- no mufflers installed
- Red Rosewood in Color
- grey interiors
- Grey and White Paper Tags
- 8' x 12" tom
Serial #: 144203
Model #: 4415
- 9" x 13" tom
Serial #: 144285
Model #: 4416
- 10" x 14" tom
Serial #: 143947
Model #: 4426
- 16" x 18" floor tom
Serial #: 144376
Model #: 4419
- 14" x 24" bass drum
Serial #: 144230
Model #: 4269
- bass drum has short hollow tube legs
- floor tom has larger hollow tube legs with one bend and there are 4 of them
- kit came with a 1970/78 COB 8 lug 5" x 14" snare
- SSB # 1
- Orange and White Paper Tag
- muffler intact
- lightening fast throw-off
Serial #: 01042
Model#: can't see one but it should be 4160

I ordered and purchased a brand new Gretsch kit back late summer/early fall of 1979. It had mixed badges because of the transition period, orange and white paper tags, and was walnut in color. It had different bass drum legs, thinner with a threaded on dbl attachment, a front hoop bass drum spur, mufflers on every drum, floor tom legs that were thinner and solid with different brackets. I ordered the kit w/o any bass drum mounting bracket and the toms had non either as the Gretsch pieces were not great. I sold this kit 2.5 years ago after 30 years of ownership.

I'm curious to really know what year/era my new kit is?

Thanks..

I'm curious about this kit, I have a feeling it my be the same I have. Check this video - is it similar to this model?

Willdrums711 performing "Just Groove Me" by Weckl/Noy/Lee - YouTube

[monoplane]

Originally Posted by willdrums711

I'm curious about this kit, I have a feeling it my be the same I have. Check this video - is it similar to this model?

Willdrums711 performing "Just Groove Me" by Weckl/Noy/Lee - YouTube

Hi...

I just checked out a number of your videos, including the link above. I really like the grooves! You have a real natural style.

There aren't very good pictures of your kit, one thing that I noticed on one video is the bass drum spurs are completely different, more modern. Mine are the short version that come out of the bass drum on an angle. How old is you kit? What are you using for heads, both batter and reso? Are they tuned, low, mid or high?

I have a couple of older Ludwig Supra 6.5 x 14 Black Beauties that I gig with and use at home, along with several regular 5 and 6.5 x 14 Supras. Have you played any of these? When I purchased my new Gretsch kit in 1979, I chose my first BB and found it compliments the Gretsch kit very well. This new (old) kit that I just acquired came with a 70's COB 5 x 14 Gretsch snare, but I haven't really gone thru everything and tuned up the kit to try the set-up out with the Gretsch snare. My plan is to disassemble everything completely, clean things thoroughly, decide what heads to purchase and move forward from there.

My old kit came with Permatone heads and I replaced them twenty years later (I stopped gigging in 1981) with Remo Clear Ambassadors, but never really got the sound I wanted from either set of heads. On the link you provided, your kit sounds just what envisioned, but how much of that is the electronics?

Keep up the great work!

Cheers..

[willdrums711]

Thanks, I appreciate that.

It's difficult for me to tell the age of mine exactly, it was my father's originally, and he bought it in the early 80s, from someone who had already owned it for some time. Therefore, the kit is definitely from the 70s, I'm not sure which period.

What are you using for heads, both batter and reso? Are they tuned, low, mid or high?

The heads are still original coated Permatones on the reso sides (which is ridiculous, they should be replaced), and the toms have pinstripes on top, but coated ambassador for the floor tom. I'm soon to convert all the toms to coated ambs all round.

I have a couple of older Ludwig Supra 6.5 x 14 Black Beauties that I gig with and use at home, along with several regular 5 and 6.5 x 14 Supras. Have you played any of these? When I purchased my new Gretsch kit in 1979, I chose my first BB and found it compliments the Gretsch kit very well.

I haven't played those snares to my knowledge, although I've got an old Beverey metal shell 14x5.5 kicking around that was used with that kit and suits it, particularly in a jazz setting. The snare on my newer videos is a new Yamaha Vintage Concept 14x6.

My old kit came with Permatone heads and I replaced them twenty years later (I stopped gigging in 1981) with Remo Clear Ambassadors, but never really got the sound I wanted from either set of heads. On the link you provided, your kit sounds just what envisioned, but how much of that is the electronics?

The kit's having quite a lot of help on that link I posted admittedly - it's had quite a hard life and the room's really not great for recording. Clearly it's a jazz kit, too, using it for heavier styles requires a bit of processing!

[monoplane]

Originally Posted by willdrums711

Thanks, I appreciate that.

It's difficult for me to tell the age of mine exactly, it was my father's originally, and he bought it in the early 80s, from someone who had already owned it for some time. Therefore, the kit is definitely from the 70s, I'm not sure which period.



The heads are still original coated Permatones on the reso sides (which is ridiculous, they should be replaced), and the toms have pinstripes on top, but coated ambassador for the floor tom. I'm soon to convert all the toms to coated ambs all round.



I haven't played those snares to my knowledge, although I've got an old Beverey metal shell 14x5.5 kicking around that was used with that kit and suits it, particularly in a jazz setting. The snare on my newer videos is a new Yamaha Vintage Concept 14x6.



The kit's having quite a lot of help on that link I posted admittedly - it's had quite a hard life and the room's really not great for recording. Clearly it's a jazz kit, too, using it for heavier styles requires a bit of processing!

Thanks for all your responses, you have been helpful. But now I'm more curious about the vintage of your kit with the style of bass drum legs/brackets it has??? : )

[willdrums711]

Haha, so am I - I know that it's 70s, just not sure when!