Wow!! The pics bring back memories. I think my dad paid around $100 back in '74, for my four piece with garbage hardware. My kit had the original rail nount on the kick. The HH pedal fell apart and I bolted a narrow piece of plywood on it to make it work....and it did. The freight from Canada puts this kit into the uneconomical category; space is a factor, as well. Thanks for sharing, though.

all of those old japanese drums can be tuned with good heads and some patience. they got alot of us baby boomers behind a drum set without our parents having to take a second mortage to buy Ludwigs or Slingerlands, so they have a place in the nostalgic hearts of us older drummers. i found an old Drum Mate six lug snare in the trash last year. it had hoops, but no heads or strainer. I cleaned it up, put new Remos on it and a sort of generic throw off and it sounds great. No, it does not sound like my Supraphonic. It sounds different, a more wood tone to it but great sound none the less. I have 1978 Ludwig chrome over maple 7 piece kit, but I play the japan stencil kit for practice to save wear and tear on the expensive kit. For gigs I play some very lighweight Sound Percussion drums. Again, they were cheap but they sound good with Remo Emperors on them tuned just right and they don't weight a ton like the maple ludwigs do.Mister T

Oh yea! Amen to that! I haul around a tiny Catalina kit now.

Interesting Stewart kit here:

http://fresno.craigslist.org/msg/1586944617.html

I'll post it in the for sale and foreign folders as well.

Those are nice, but way over priced. I really hate it when people think just because these old MIJ kits are "vintage", they think they are worth somewhere way north of reality. IMHO, I think I have a good, throttling grasp on true value of these MIJ kits, they are 200 over. And this kit is borderline MIT, if it is in fact a Japanese model. They are into the post '72 era, and the more research I am conducting, the more I find that Star was getting away from most stencils by this point in preperation to go global with the TAMA brand. Again, that set is nice and clean, but it is blue spark, and late in the period.

Now, the kit I am restoring is a very early no badge Pearl possibly late 50s, and more than likely no newer than 62. This kit is solid, and I am doing a bit of reversible upgrading that will make a wonderful, powerful tonal difference to them. I am in the next to the last phase of the project. Pix will come upon the unveiling of the new look for this georgeous WMP kit. New heads, hoops for the bass, and a surprise to make it all come together. The wood hoops are from AIT in LA, and are going to be a show piece in themselves, if I do say so myself....

I had a set of Stewart drums way, way back... my second set.

Even at 12 years old I knew they were crap - horrible drums I couldn't get rid of fast enough!

They had a neat looking tiger-stripe type wrap but sound wise they were 100% garbage.

This was my first set as well. White pearl finish. I combined it with a '66 slingerland kit, marine white pearl in the late 70's. It was fun, but a bit silly. Later on gave it to a father who's son wanted to play the drums, while working in VT.

Cool! When can we see 'em?

My first drum set was a red sparkle Stewart as well roughtly about 1973. I remember just staring at them and being fascinated by the wrap. My interest in the snare drum was quite short lived. I graduated to my frst Ludwig Silver Sparkle with an Acrolite. Got them for $175. I remember being glad to sell the Stewarts to a kid down the street.

Bill,

Back in 1977 when I was 10, my Grandmother bought me a set of Royce drums that I played to death, stripped, stained, and then sold when I was

15. After that, they got sold to a neighbor for $50.00 bucks to help pay for a new set of Exports. Now, I'm 43, and a drum builder. Like you, I wished he had my first kit back, and in mint condition.

About 4 months ago, I got my wish! My parent's neighbor told me she still had them in the den, and I could have them back free of charge! I stripped them to bare shells, dressed the edges, rewrapped them in the original, light blue metallic, and even had a local engraver reproduce the Royce badges for me. They'll be sitting in my living room completely restored back to original condition in about another week, and I can't wait! They're not worth anything on a monetary basis, but I'm enjoying having them back based on the sentimental value of them.

If you miss your Stewarts bad enough, find a set, and buy them! Restore them back to original condition like the ones you had when you were a kid! They don't have to be worth big bucks, just worth something to you. Trust me...you won't regret doing it!

I own a 4 piece set of Stewarts 20-16-12 & matching 14 wood snare. A pic of them are in the gallery. I just recently acquired a 14 COS snare with original leather carrying bag with the Stewart logo on it.

I love this kit and wouldn't give it up for anything.

I agree, you can find a nice Stewart kit out there that won't break the bank or need much work. If it does, then there are members here that can definitely coach you through the restoration process if you did have any questions.

Bottom line, if you want one, go get one!!!

Just my opinion.

Cheers

P.s. Nice to here you got your original set back Weldboy. That doesn't happen everyday.