Sorry for archeo-posting...Not fully correct, Ralf! :)Hungarian drums were practically not available in SU.Let me now a few words about Soviet drums.During before WW2 there were very small drum's industry in Russia and further in USSR - most drummers used, as rule German LEFIMA. But also there was a musical factory in St.-Petersburg (later named - Petrograd, Leningrad and St.-Ptb again...), which produced wide line different instruments, include concert and marching drums and cymbals.After the WW2 numerous musical instruments came to SU from Germany as a capture and reparation's goods.Our whole country was almost completely destroyed and the time was not up to the production of musical instruments. However, despite the devastation, as early as 1947 had built a factory of musical instruments in the city named Engels on the Volga river. In 1962 at this plant started a new product - full copy of Premier line 1958 - 1966, include hi-hat and ride stands, BD-pedal, cymbals and throne. All drum hoops were diecast. You can easily identify those drums and cymbals if you'll see their - its logo on stamp or label is "mermaid with the trumpet" . This label still is great subject for russian drummer's jokes...:)Factory got the new name - "ЭПОИМИ" : Experimental Music Instrument's Factory.But all the hardware, stands bases and hoops were casted from the famous Zn-Al-Cu alloy - stands spures often broken, thread spoiled, chrom coating disappeared...Soviet drummers, as a hunters, waited every new delivering of beautiful and hi-quality TROWA from GDR and some later - AMATI from Chechoslovakia.Imported PREMIER'es were available only for big bands, as well as with acquaintance for a bribe...After removing the Iron Curtain competition to the import brands has become very difficult. "EPOIMI" asap introduced new modification - steel stamping flanged hoops, swim-nuts in lugs, new all-steel stands, hi-hats and thrones generations.But it was too late...You can see a last version of "EPOIMI" set near 1996' below on the pics from russians buy-sell drumsites.To be continued...George.

The lugs do not appear to be plated, like those of the rest of the kit; nor are mine. It looks like aluminum but could be some other alloy-----i haven't checked too closely, yet.

The throwoff, butt end and muffler knob are of the same material.

The hoops on this kit are complete Ludwig knockoffs, right down to the unique flattened and squared off profile around the holes.

You can just barely see the very flat heads on the t-rods; they are more like regular flat head machine screws.

However, the plated parts of this kit look as though they are chromed, whereas mine is nickeled, as is the stand.

I'll bet that snare in the picture has a galvanized steel shell as well.

Lugs and some other diecast parts are very thin chromed directly on alloy without Cu+Ni under chrome. Alloy is everyknown industrial ZAC (Zn-Al-Zu) -- I described this earlier. This parts will become uncoated quickly during the short time.Yes:) Ha-ha... for last models - big Yes, as many similar around world - chech AMATI, polish POLMUZ, a lot of chinese especially... One guy had buy this newest set from dusty Engels factory shelfs . At first models hoops were diecast from ZAC. I wrote about it also. Yes, I described its higher. Very bad.Yes.Yes, you're right, dear Phill - I told about this also.At the beginning of last year I was very surprising that there still is one an amazing very old site in Internet - I think that it's site which belongs to one of the EPOIMI's shareholders, probably he was also one of former dealers...You can see there a last version of kit; marching drums; concert snare; marching snare; child's drum; "pioneer-chidren's" snare with internal wires; chidren's wood percussions and etc...Site is on Rusian, but some of names from list are difficult to translate even from Rus to Rus...:)I imagine what wit result you can get with online translator...Here is it: http://dmits.narod.ru/Rgds,George.

Hi,maybe you can email them,and see if they would offer a English translation?