Great idea too!! Smart thinking on this one. Can't wait to see more~!

I am a little confused by the dimensions (in the seller's ad).

I have the 55, 58 and 66 Gretsch catalogs. I checked the 61 and 63 catalogs as well and nowhere in these does it mention a 14x24 with two heads. The 26 and 28 have double heads.

My drum is said to be 14x24 and it has two heads.....?

It does not to appear - from the photos - to have an after market reso head.

Maybe someone here can comment to this?

Could be that the seller mis-measured...........but by 2 or 4" - you think??

The drum is in the mail now and I hope to pick it up next week.

Gary - I copped the dimensions from the Gretsch 1954 catalog:

[IMG]http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n632/PurdieShuffle/1954-gretsch_drum_set6.jpg[/IMG]

I grabbed the image from the VDF catalog pages. Yours 'should be' 14"x24" if it's from this time period. Looks like a Brooklyn 3-ply to me. 54' or thereabouts sounds right. If it turns out to be longer... more shell to play with! Win/win. There was a 28" model though, I hope yours is the long one! Imagine being able to get -two- 14"x14"s out of it!!!!!!!! Mind Blowi

John

Yes John that would be nice if it's 28 but I highly doubt that the seller mis-measured by a whole 4 inches.....you never know though. I could see a 2" (26") mis-measurement....that makes more sense here. The 58 catalog has a double headed drum in 14x26 and that fit's with the drum = 3ply - silver sealer - no paper tag = all add up to a drum made in that transition time 3ply/6ply/adding silver sealer.....and just before tags that were mostly all added by 62.

These are the same models that are in most of my catalogs.......shows the 24" as being a single headed drum....NOT a two headed drum.

There were always exceptions to the catalogs. Like Harry Cangany just told me in an email a few minutes ago:

" Gary - It only took one customer asking for a doubled headed 24 to get it done, because they had all the parts. Look at the bearing edge—if it matches, then I would say that is the proof of it being factory. If the edge doesn’t match or there are paint drips or the silver sealer is over the bearing edge, then it was not factory. I would bet that it is facotry.

I tell readers all the time..”You cannot trust the catalogs!”

I will see soon enough.........the drums on it's way from PA to Washington via UPS and should arrive around the 25th..

> ...the drums on it's way from PA to Washington via UPS

I'm hoping it's one of the long ones, Gary. Photos when she arrives please!

Hey, I'm in PA. If, in the future, you buy something in PA (and it is within striking distance from me,) I would be happy to pick it up and mail it directly to you in BC. Next time ask!

John

Thanks a bunch John!

But....would you actually send the valuables on to me haha....

It is a hassle to have stuff sent to Blaine...and I only do it for the sellers that don't ship international (that's why you're offering to help = it's much appreciated) and...in some cases it's a LOT cheaper. When stuff hits the boarder -especially big boxes - it gets expensive. So much so it's hard to believe the difference! A Forum member sold me a 22" bass drum a few months ago. It was going to be somewhere around $300 and it usually takes two to three weeks - because of the Boarder - to send it from Eastern USA to me on Vancouver Island BC. I think it was less than $80 to Blaine Wa. and it was there in two days I believe. Nuts hu.

I'm in CT about 30 miles east of NYC. Same thing if you buy something I'm in the Northeast I can ship it to you. If a few more members chime in we'll have the US covered for you!

Sounds good guys! Thanks.

Lately it's been fun actually going to Blaine to pick stuff up. I have a freind that lives near Vancouver that I've known since the 8th grade....1963...Yikes...and he offers to drive me across the boarder = I save taking my vehicle across on the Ferry ($120). We go for a bite to eat and a few beers in and around Blaine and make an afternoon out of it. He drops me off at the Ferry Terminal and I'm home in the early evening with my drum. It's what old people like to do.

> But....would you actually send the valuables on to me haha....

Hmmm, with the kind of stuff you always buy, I'm not saying the thought wouldn't cross my mind. lol But I've always had this little voice in my head that torments me anytime I think of doing something bad. The little voice shuts up when fly straight and do right. I work real hard at keeping the little ba$tard quiet. guitar3

If you ever need a favor... don't hesitate to ask. You're a good guy and good forum buddy. I'd be happy to do it for you.

No worries, mate.

[IMG]http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n632/PurdieShuffle/noworries.jpg[/IMG]

John

I was WRONG ! again......

This drum is a 6ply NOT a 3ply..........dang.....

I went into the USA and brought my cocktail drum home today....long day.

I am very disappointed in my judgement here.....I was sure this was a pre-paper tagged....silver sealed....late 50's maybe 60/61 3ply shell by looking at the photos the seller put up on eBay. I think it was wishfull thinking on my part.

The shell is 6ply. I can't use it in my dream kit I'm working on.....that kit is 3ply. I will keep the shell and maybe some day I will come across all the missing parts and be able to restore this cocktail drum. = future poject.

The bottom lugged head ma be after-factory. This is a 24" drum. Nowhere in any of the Gretsch catalogs have I've been able to see a two headed 24" cocktail drum. They're all 28" and some 26." The 24's all are single headed. The lugs are alternate to the batter head lugs (they don't line up). I don't know if this is the way it was done in the factory. Someone could have ordered a two headed 24" cocktail drum........it's possible....and may have been common I just don't know. I will inspect the drum closely for clues of an after-market add-on regarding the bottom head. I kind of like all this mystery stuff with the vintage drums. Fun to track it all down and sort it out.....well...try to sort it out.

I have a shell, two hoops, tacks, lugs and t-rods.....that's got to be worth what I have into it now so not all is lost.

I will not have Ray Ayotte cut the shell down for me as planned. There's not point in doing that now.