Taste factor is huge. Nothing sounds/plays like a 3ply 60's Pearl.

One may not care for it, but if one does...it can be more valuable than a DW Collector's Exotic! (from a playing/enjoying standpoint of course)

Sure they can sound good. But use that at gigs 30 times and watch all the set screws strip and some of the hardware snap. They just werent made for repeated usage, they were made and designed for a 12 year old to set up in a den and play for a year until he got tired of it.

I grant that they are cheaply made sometimes - but they should therefore be treated as the delicate instruments they are. Delicate and drums....not a mixture we like to accept, but if we can, they can perform fine and be as durable as needed - it's all in the care. Sometimes the hardware on them ARE too 'cheap' for gigging. There ARE remedies for poorly designed or made MIJ hardware. Backing plates for the spurs/legs, BD anchors, suspension mounting (which can be done without any mods to the kit). You could always use a snare stand or suspension mounting off a cymbal stand if the tom mounting is not up to snuff. I have never discovered an MIJ snare which does not perform adequately due to poor design or quality. They WILL require cleaning and lubing though. Broken parts are a problem found throughout all of vintage drums regardless of make/country of origin.

It all depends on the shells, edges, heads, tuning etc. There is a wide range of quality of hardware on MIJ kits. Simple - buy the good ones, don't buy the ones that are too problematic for performance/road durability. Or, be open to mods. My first kit (an MIJ) has been quite significantly modded now - but I don't mind because it is not my best MIJ kit and the mods were done back 25 years ago - and thus is part of its reminiscent history.

This MIJ debate is tiring. It always ends in with a agree to disagree - and that's fine by me. I don't want widespread embracing of old MIJs. It would drive prices up and take all the fun out of these debates! Bottom line is that there are some vintage MIJ kits that are great sounding and indeed road worthy, then there are vintage MIJs that are not - but could be if you choose to mod - and many times those mods are possible without permanently modding the kit and it's parts. On a related note, I have no issue with recutting edges, but I must also share that I have no issue recutting edges or fixing with filler/putty on a vintage American kit either (as I have - with an otherwise mint mid/late 60s Slinger) - simply because the edges were so bad it never gave the poor thing a chance to sound like it could/ should. Shame on Slingerland (and some other American companies) for releasing such shoddy work. (No, I do not stop short of criticizing Pearl and Star/Tama either for the same reasons).

I would recut the edges on that Trixon as well if needed. Sometimes using a roundover on the BD (at least on the batter edge), along with the right heads - can make any BD sound good - so long as it is in-round. I see in your case you may not be able to use the 'right heads'. Not sure what to suggest there. I simply do not believe we should maintain defects or poor craftsmanship on our vintage kits. It could prevent us from getting the performance we are seeking and that we bought (that kit) for.

Anyhow - I will leave you all with this......tune to the shell.

Here here! I 2nd that!

Let us just gladly accept that some will never discover this. I don't want a rush on these and a price climb.

It's not as if all 60s American and European hardware was/is unbreakable. I can say that I toured with a late 60s Pearl kit for a couple of years and not one set screw, or indeed any other screw, stripped out - I even used the original tom mount. When you take into consideration that so many of these MIJ kits have survived a hard life of beatings and bad storage you have to concede that they are a bit more durable than they look.

gotta take issue with that. I've gigged MIJ many times and not had any issues. A good buddy of mine has a CB700 that he gigs a bunch - drums aren't even his main instrument and he doesn't even have cases for them. Tosses them around in his van, let's others (like me!) borrow them, etc...and nothing falls apart.

That said, I'm not trying to suggest the hardware was up to par with USA drums as I don't believe they were. But still...plenty gig-worthy.

sorry to get back so late in the conversation. She wants $50.....they would need new heads. Mainly because I like new heads. The rest of the set is dirty but would clean up nice. No major pitting or scratches. I just don't know if I have the time for another project. I have a set of 70's slingerland waiting for my attention. If the MIJ set had some resale value I would consider it, but it sounds like the MIJ sets, for the most part, are a passion all their own rather then an investment. Not that I mind breaking even, but if I'm going to spend hours polishing every inch of a set, I'd like to make a few dollars on it if I decide to sell it.

My own personal advice to you is this - if the shells are the 3ply with re-rings - jump on that deal RIGHT NOW. After you restore it, you will be blown away at how good they sound and it will become a keeper as you will certainly fall deep in love with them.

If the shells are the thicker 6 or 9 ply - well - if the set is complete with snare - and the wrap is in good condition (no rips or cracks) then I would have a hard time passing it up. What are the sizes (you have ANY pics?)?? Especially jump on it if there is anything else in the deal other than the drums themselves. I have seen some killer deals where you could just sell a couple things off and end up with a free kit. Sometimes as sweet as free kit, plus profit on top of that from selling off peripherals.

You need to post some pics - what if there is something valuable in there that you do not recognize/realize? You may have a deal of the year or something.....??

Fayray:

Well, I havent heard any of my fellow Trixon users having the problems to the degree that you describe. For the Telstars, in my opinion, if you make sure the edges are true and you use single ply heads, you should get a nice resonant sound out of all the drums.

Have you tried Remo Fyberskins on your set? While I have not, I have heard other Trixon owners say that the Fybes made their drums come alive. Just a thought for you.