Making toys and musical instruments to sell to the US after the war was a smart business move, but the rush effect on quality was never considered because they wanted the money first, sales next, and after five years, the drum is on it`s own.

Fully adhered wrap does not effect the tone as much as seam seals. Two part thin plating well, can you sat rust ?

So,... Smart ? .... In only one of many wats.

Cars ? ,.... any import want a piece ??????????

The way the big three USA designed there drums were for sound as the tightness of wrap and hardware made the drum one the way Mij kits were made for the most part were to mass produce as chedp as possible to sell all over the world .....they made a ton of money very smart business and when they made a ton of doe they made better drums as the evolvement today ....

The Japanese are kicking our butt in that arena as well.

I don't see why Ludwig couldn't had used Phillips type screws on their kits. Those bolts they used are awful. And let's not forget about the riveted seams, what a nightmare that was. As far as the glued down vs. seams only wrap, if it's done right, seams only is fine. I think JR proved in one of his videos that there isn't much difference in sound between a Ludwig and MIJ kit, at least not with the ones he was using. American made drums will sell for much more, but what it really comes down to is the sound. I love my MIJ kit, lately I've been gigging it more than my Gretcsh or Rogers. It sounds as good and I don't have to worry so much about scratches or dings that would devalue my American kits.

There aint nuthin like a Yugo.

I believe the Yugo was made in Yugoslavia.

Soviet Yugoslavia actually.

MIJ drums had their place. A lot of kids got sets who would not have had the opportunity. Dream kit? Not on your life. The dream was to have drums. They filled that.

Wrap only adhered at the seam? Is crap. Pulls, bubbles, and bulges.

A dime is a dime. It will never be a dollar.

The Yugo... worst car ever made.

I corrected myself too late, you already quoted me. I've owned maybe a dozen MIJ kits over the years, never had a wrap bubble or bulge. I can tell you in all honesty, the one I play now sounds every bit as good as my Gretsch or Rogers, but that's just me.

I have seen plenty of wrinkled, bubbled, pulled, etc.

Cheap is cheap. It can be very affordable when new, but .... built on the cheap never rises above that.

Not all MIJ drums were made like that. Some were better quality. Some were well made. Corners were cut in a lot of different ways to make them more affordable.

I bought a set of Stewarts once in WMP. They were decent drums. They sounded decent. They didn't sound like Rogers. But they were decent. All of $64.00 I paid for them. But the wrap was stuck to the shell. Not well, but not taped on either. I left a set of Tempro drums at a practice place a few years ago. They might still be there. They weren't as good as the Stewarts. And they never sounded like Rogers.

There are cheap ways to get a car painted. When you are done, no one will need telling you did it on the cheap.