Vintage Rogers USA ‘script’ era drum kit – early 1970s, the Fullerton CA years.
Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum and posting from the UK. I have a beautiful Rogers kit to sell (in the UK), and would really appreciate some advice on its worth please. Before anyone asks, I would love to keep it myself, but it's just too big and heavy for me at 5ft nothing to carry around!
I have done lots of research on the kit, and hope I have described it accurately. There is a photo of it when brand new in its original colour included below.
This is a beautiful looking and sounding kit, although well played by its original owner since the 70s. It was obtained new through a dealer in London at that time. The drums (apart from snare and the second floor tom) are wooden with reinforcing rings and a grey speckle interior finish. The kit comprises:
24 x 14“ bass drum, serial number 003877. There is a Swiv-O-Matic fixing for and mounting post for the small tom, also one for the original (included) angled cymbal arm. A spare bass drum mounting for the tom holder is included, not sure if it’s working or not.
13 x 9” small tom, serial number 31795
Two 16 x 16” floor toms, both with internal dampers. One with grey speckle interior finish and serial number 30020. Second (added later to kit) with plain wooden finish inside, no reinforcing rings and no serial number. Could be an XP-8 model.
14 x 5” COB Rogers Dyna-Sonic ‘CUSTOM BUILT’ snare drum with internal damper, badge with serial number 47536
Virtually new Remo Ambassador Fiberskyn batter heads to toms and snare
Virtually new Evans EQ3 Level 360 resonant head to bass drum, with small porthole
The original Rogers bass drum resonant head with porthole is included with the kit.
Chrome work overall is in great condition, a slight bit of wear but no pitting. The kit has been played consistently since new, and always kept indoors in hard cases (included)
Here are the BUTS:
The kit has been re-wrapped (a great job though) in plain red from its original gold sparkle (we think) finish
One of the floor toms is an extra to the original kit (although still a Rogers). Its interior finish is plain wood, it has no reinforcing rings (could it be an XP-8?) and it has no serial number label inside.
Both floor toms have Yamaha legs and fittings, unfortunately not matching the original fixing holes in the drums, which have been filled but covered on the outside by the red wrap.
The bass drum has non-original legs, again not matching the original fixing holes, which have been filled but covered on the outside by the red wrap.
The snare drum is missing the bar for the original snare wire lifting system; the brackets are there, but the snare wires are stretched over the resonant head in the standard way.
The Swiv-O-Matic fixing for the small tom SEEMS to work ok in that the tightening handles turn perfectly well down the threads, but both at the bass drum end of the tom mount and the small tom end where the hex rod goes into the drum, it does not appear to be gripping. The rod at the bass drum end is held to a specific height with a jubilee clip, and the small tom is just a bit loose. I think the swivel fittings have lost their grip somehow. A spare bass drum mounting for the tom holder is included, not sure if it’s working properly or not.
Phew - hope that's not TOO detailed a description! Can anyone help please? It's my first experience of a Rogers kit. :-)
