Just picked up another load of drums in Wichita this week. Included was a 16x22, 16x16, and 10x13 Gretsch Blackhawk set. The wrap is toast (taped on, so an easy removal) but for MITs I was actually pleasantly surprised with the quality of the shells.
The hardware, particularly the lugs, are a completely different story. I've only worked on the BD so far, but MOST of the screws on the lugs were cross-threaded and what I believe to be most likely done at the factory. Phillips #2 heads, of course, so those screws are toast. Of the 16 lugs on the BD, IF I end up with half of them any good, I'll be doing great. I can only suspect the toms lugs will be the same.
So... I'll rewrap the drums and install new lugs. Not really a big deal. Probably with larger lugs, which of course means I'll have to redrill but they'll look much better anyway (I do NOT like the mini-lug look!). Will still sell as an entry-level set, so again no big deal really.
Just wondering if anyone else has run into the same on either these or other MITs. I recently disassembled a Ludwig Rocker Elite set (also an MIT), but did NOT have the same issues...
Bill