I've got a vintage Gretsch kit with some peculiar features. Three cheers for any kind soul who can help me figure out how old it is!
The basics
Round badge
Midnight blue pearl
9x13
16x16
14x22
Matching snare (can't remember the depth--possibly 5.5x14?)
Silver interiors with no tags
The peculiarities
First: the floor tom legs aren't attached with the usual diamond-shaped plates. Instead, there are two small, circular posts, one about 2" above the other, holding each leg to the drum. The first post has a hole to guide the leg, while the other has a hole with a screw to secure the leg in place.
Second: the entire kit features stick-chopper rims rather than die-cast rims.
Third: the heads of the bass drum tension rods are "bow-tie-shaped" rather than having the modern shapes.
Here are some photos to illustrate what I'm talking about. This isn't my kit, but it looks just like my drums -- right down to the accompanying hardware. The only differences are that the snare in the photos is deeper than mine, and my shells have silver interiors.
http://www.repercussions.org/gre50b.html
Based on the silver interiors and absence of tags, I'm guessing my kit dates to the late '50s. Any thoughts?
Thanks!