People hear with their eyes, pure and simple. I think it's the same reason Slingerlands aren't as valuable as Gretsch's, the hardware aesthetic hasn't aged as well.
And I'll agree that the finishes in the 70's are super boring. Speaking from many years Craigslist and eBay experience, it's far easier to sell something that catches the eye in the gallery thumbnail. Like, it's half the battle basically, it can't be overstated.
Well I know some wont approve ( one member especially) but I took some XP8's and wrapped with real KOA veneer, then finished with script badges because the original ones are ugly. But, taped to the inside of the shells are labels that my friend Glenn made me. These labels have the manufactures name, type of shell and identifies them as XP8 drums. I also still have the original badges to go with them if I ever sell them.
They are outstanding drums to say the least. Even with some old clear heads they sound good, new coated ambassadors would make them even better. And the hardware might be bulky to look at but you could do a hand stand on the toms if you wanted.
Also, the Big R logo looks like a design fad. It instantly dates the design, whereas smaller more classic badges could potentially be from any of 60 or 70+ years of drum design, the huge adhered Big R logos look like someone's attempt to go along with the outsized design aesthetics of the era, and not something that will ever be remotely timeless. Kinda like huge oversized 70's lapels or something.
Well I know some wont approve ( one member especially) but I took some XP8's and wrapped with real KOA veneer, then finished with script badges because the original ones are ugly. But, taped to the inside of the shells are labels that my friend Glenn made me. These labels have the manufactures name, type of shell and identifies them as XP8 drums. I also still have the original badges to go with them if I ever sell them.They are outstanding drums to say the least. Even with some old clear heads they sound good, new coated ambassadors would make them even better. And the hardware might be bulky to look at but you could do a hand stand on the toms if you wanted.
I approve! Looks much improved to me, despite the comical spurs.
These weren't school sets.One was VC's own set(about 3 years old) and another was the a double tom setup(new) owned by the drum section leader at the time.These were early 70's vintage drums.The best sounding snares from Rogers in my opinion were the Powertones.I played a wood 60's 8 lug snare that was quite nice too.
Fair enough.
I love everything about mid sixties Rogers drums. Some of the greatest sounding drums ever made, in my opinion. I really like the single tom mounts and the hex cymbal rods and bass spurs are fantastic. The only thing I dislike are the Swivo floor tom legs. A real pain to set up and tear down and it requires a key. Dumb idea.
Once they started making them in California, quality took a nose dive.
Had a couple of friends (including Vince Colaiuta),back at Brownsville high school that had Rogers swiv o matic and I despised the hardware .I remember the heel plate screws busted on the bd pedal and I had to use a screwdriver shaft on one side so that we could still use it at stage band practice.The drum throne broke and Colaiuta fell off backwards onto the floor and the metal worm screws on the tom holder used to strip out.I was never really in love with their drums as they sounded flat and a bit like cardboard.I found the Ludwigs overall a better sounding drum set.
you just did not understand how to use the hardware.... their foot pedals were always crap but their swivo hardware was and still is the very best hardware ever made with the most adjustments you just had to understand and maintain the hardware.
the reason screws broke is because people only tended to tighten one side or the other instead of tighting them back and forth AND when they did that one sided tightning it dulled the edge of the screws and they slipped so they tightened more till they broke all you have to do on swivo screw is redrill the top the side against the steel ball you just drill with a slightly smaller diameter bit to sharpen the edge, look at any swivo ball they all have hollow circles imprinted on the chrome that is from screws with sharp edges....
the reason Big R is less popular is they followed the best drums and hardware ever made and to a point Ploughman is right snobbery but i think it is more plausible that it is a comparison to the ugliest hardware ever made the drums sounded great but their was some quality control issues some sloppy fits and the wraps well were less than stellar.
Be happy you can get them cheap.... my dream is to find a XP8 kit with a 26 inch bass drum or better yet two of them...
I really must check out this swivo thing more, because my experience with it has been far from what your saying Mike. I admit I can see design clues from swivo in modern hardware design, but the original for me is certainly not the best. In looks and function.
JC.......... those Koas would get my vote in any beauty contest.
There were periods during the Fullerton era where quality suffered. You cant single out Rogers for this bit of BS. Every manufacturer had its moments with the hideous. Rogers quality wasn't in a nose dive at Fullerton. To say, there were occasional quality control issues is closer to the truth. To leave the impression Fullerton produced garbage cans for almost 15 years is just crap.
I am a big fan of the Swivomatic floor tom mount and leg, both versions, the original machined, and the Fullerton Cast Knobby (which was a good improvement).
I always preferred the simply designed Sta-Tite floor tom brackets. No key necessary and plenty of sustain. The Swivo floor tom brackets were overkill, in my opinion. They did LOOK cool, though!
