Well, not quite Kev. You are on the right track, though. These stencils were sold through a network of distributors who ordered from a menu of options. The sales reps all knew what the others were doing and some of them had many different names. The distributors did not use their own names, but in fact created the Kevin, or the Majestic. It is the 10 or so distributors that made up all of these names, and then actually sold them through the network of music stores, often selling many of their own names side by side. Apollo and MAjestic, I really think were from the same distributor. So, yes there were real companies, but not under the name of Majestic. Some were also like Mr. Cooper, who had a network of national re-sellers he sold to, and so these old drums got all around the country. And there are some really good quality ones out there. Most are mediocre to pure crap, but there are some that were made from really nice shells. I have a located just such a set of late 70s, early 80s Pearl that are real maple shells, just like you expect to see in a Sling, Lud Rogers, etc. I am not sure if they are a stenciled set or actual Pearl, but the point was to create a realistic looking set, of either decent or dubious quality. Remamber, where there is a market, there is always a product to fill that market.

I also have found a set of Titans. These are ostensibly new MIC crap, at least that is what we all think of today when we see one. However this set is from the very early days of the a name brand of taye. Good, entry level stuff in and of itself, the Taye. Today's Titans are crap. The set I have located are really nice maple shells, mahogany veneer exterior, higher end hardware, TAMA Omni Mount tom mounts, very nice, heavy duty stuff and a very nice set of drums. I saw one from GP on the bay last week, looked almost identical, except it was GP, and they were very well built, the guy even reached out to the vintage world to ask about them. He did not come here, but I contacted him, it was a WMP with very similar hardware. You see, 6-8 yuears ago, some of todays low end garbage tried to make an end run because of the crapola we were putting out. Look back at that time. what of any consequence was made on shore? Ludwig have anything of value? Gretsch? The only thing going USA was DW. Ludwig and Gretsch were foundering, and they took advantage. Look at the sheer number of today's stencils, all made by the same 4 drum makers in China. I can get those for you. I am a memeber of a trade compnay. I can buy those lowend and midline and have my name stenciled all over them. The point is, it is rebranding, no matter what you call it. And I think I am going to buy both of these kits, if I can get the Pearls down, WAY down, I want thise maple shells. They need a bunch of parts, but it is a 20" bass, a 12, 14, 14, 16. And a mirror chrome snare. The Titans? Almost nice enough to make me drool. See the pix below.

Of course they had to be sold through someone, like Sears selling Telstar drums.

My point being that it keeps being put forth that the names of these drums were, in fact companies, when that is not the case at all.

I've really been trying to stay out of the whole scenario of the specifics, since the original question was a simple one with a simple answer, and now that it's gone beyond my level of knowledge, I've stuck my foot in my mouth somewhat.

So, I'm going to excuse myself from the rest of this one.

Naw, no foot in mouth here brother, you had it right, just like a Silvertone and Telstar, Sears. Telstar...Really? I did not know that one. I knew of Telstar, but no idea Sears sold them. What do you think of those Titans? 200-250?

I don't know about a value, but I like that chocolaty looking finish a lot !

Well, I am going down there this weekend. I have not been on a road trip in way too long, and it is about 2 hours south, so I am going to give myself a birthday present. Another set of drums, this time a newer set. These are actually very good drums. I have seen a great drummer here, pro, using them, in a silver spark set, and he said they were the best unknown drums he has ever played. And he has two sets. One for the road, one in the practice room. He has other stuff, but keeps all locked away. Says there is no need to keep his high end gear out to get trashed or dirty, so he keeps two kits. I think I may have found a bargain. He told me to keep my eye open and if I ever saw a set of these older, early prodution sets to jump on it if I could, so I think since today was my 49th trip around the sun, I will. The guy has listed them twice, and no takers, so in my drum room they shall go. All 5 pcs.

My wife is supportive of my new desire to get back into my music. She is a pianist, fluatist, harmonica, if you can bl....wait, that don't quite sound right. If it is a wind instrument, non reeded, she can get a decent sound out of it. Now if I could do the same from a skinned one....

Hey guys.let me jump in here..kevins is right on this..Back in the 1960s when the U.S.A started to inport Stencil sets[[thanks to Mr.Cooper 510 you should read my post about the story of inporting japanase drums]]..These sets were made by Pearl or Tama..Say music store A wanted to buy cheap sets and inport them to sell in the U.S.A..They the music store would come up with a name to used on the sets they were selling say Lyra drums was the name they used.Then say music store "B" wanted to inport sets to sell they would come up with a name they wanted to used say Hy-Lo.. and so on..That's why so many names on inported drums were used about 150 names i know of..The badges would say "made in japan" under the name of the drums or would say "best quality" or "world's supreme quality" along with other's saying like that..Now don't forget that these sets were made by Pearl or Tama but they never used their names on them...This still goes on today used off names on sets made by Pearl...Mikey

They (todays' stencilors) are on my list of importers. Mikey, PM sent to you.

I think this is what I was trying to get at in my earlier posts about Company1 and Company2. It seems to me that part of what the difference in my original question was, I wasn't necessarily referring to whole sets exclusively but to individual items too.

I did understand, that here kevins was referring to “copies” and I hadn’t understood that from the beginning of his input. Just when I thought I understood what kevins was explaining he informed me I wasn’t quite right.

I had mentioned Walberg & Auge because years back I understood this old American company made Hi-Hat stands and such for other drum companies and “stenciled” the purchasing companies name on them. I know many years ago companies purchased what I had always considered “stencil” instruments from other music companies. I used Sears as an example (They put their Silvertone brand name on their “stencil” guitars and other musical instruments for instance). To my knowledge Valco, Conn, Kay and other American companies “stenciled” their stuff for Sears in America from before the 1960s. So some of this thinking is what gave me the desire to learn the difference I mentioned in my original question.

For those who wonder how in one day I developed a position on this issue. I already had a knowledge of what “stenciling” was in the music industry (it may be different here in the drum world) and this knowledge was more of an understanding similar if not the same as what MIKEY777 and jonnistix have been describing here. I am now realizing that there are other ways that the term stenciling may be used in the drum world.

I’ve been involved with many people in the band instrument manufacturing and repair industry for many years and this industry has a long history of doing what I have understood to be “stenciling” (see MIKEY777 & jonnistix ) product for other companies. Also, it was very interesting to me to find out that “Private Label” was an official term used for this practice.

Thank you all very much!

:)