Hey everyone, I'm new here today, and I also bought a new drum kit today. It's a Premier 6 piece in Black Pearl. My guess is late 60's early 70's, but I need your help with that part. The best guess sizes (I didn't pull the heads yet) are: 14x20 bass, 8x12 and 9x13 rack, and 14x14, 15x16, and 18x16 floors. The only Premier hardware that came with it is a 252 pedal, a Lok Fast cymbal stand, and a bass mount stand. The other stands that came with it are oddball percussion plus crap and it also came with a cb700 snare. The wrap finish is in spectacular shape (no de-laminating or discoloration) and the chrome will polish beautifully. All the toms have slotted tension rods, and the bass has half wing nut tension rods. The only weird thing about this kit is the floor tom spur clamps on the 14x14 doesn't match the clamps on the other two floor toms (different wing nuts, see picture), but everything else does, color, lugs etc. The inner shell finish is natural, and there is even the original batter and resonant on the bass drum. Two of the floor toms have Premier resonants as well, they look original. Oh yea, all of the original mufflers are perfect. I would love some help in identifying these great drums, I know there are some smart cookies on here. Thanks for looking, I have plenty of pics, but not enough room to attach them all yet.
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Welcome to the VDF!!Man shes a beauty, It looks 70's the pics are so small sorry I can't be more help! are they birch or maple shells?
Not sure if birch or maple, the inside of the bass was pretty dark. I really don't know for sure.
when you get a chance post some pics of the Inside, but from that description it sounds as if they are birch,Man you've got one Hell of a kit there brother, way COOL!
They did use mahogany as well then.
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Wild that the bass drum cymbal mount is so low,premiers mainstay shell was 3 ply birch with beech re rings,at some point in the early /mid seventies premier did produce shells of all mahogany,with beech re rings,and I have seen a few kits with mixed shells.They did not do a maple shell until the signia line in the 90's.If you have mahogany shells the wood will be real dark,and the grain will be easy to tell from birch.Anyway nice looking kit,premier chrome usually comes back really nicely,and if you check the price of a pearl mhx ,if your shells are mahogany,you probably could'nt have spent less for a mahogany kit.
Mid to Late 60's, oval stem shaped mounts, transitional badge, standard size shells, mahogany shells. This line carried into the early 70's where they changed lug style and went with standard rods. Since it has older lugs and rods, it's more mid 60's where Premier went to standard shell sizes.
ps: BD L-rods do not have the ball-end, this shows the transition from old style to newer lugs. Premier would continue to use up old stock before going to new style lugs and rods, I'd date this kit to 1966.
pps: Welcome! Glad to see another Premier player in the group!
JRichard, thanks for the look! I bought my first new kit in 1999 and it is a premier cabria in royal blue laquer. I've always loved the aesthetic of that kit even though it was inexpensive. Premier's have appealed to me ever since. I appreciate your help with dating this kit, I think I fell into a real find. I didn't mention it came with Zildjian A 15" hi-hats, 16" crash, 20" crash ride, and a 22" ride! I presume they are of the same vintage from a little research and the fact that they came with the kit when the former owner bought them.
I love Premier's African Mahogany drums. Those are some of the sweetest shells of any drum manufacturer. Very nice, for sure. Enjoy the kit and play from the heart.
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