The script on those badges suggests no later than the mid-late 60s. And the shells, all 3 ply, are great sounding, very resonant shells. I don't think you will find much to later than the 68ish for these types of shells. At least not in the States. Most of the later shells were the thicker 6-9 ply heavy mahogany. These are really nice shells, and look like mine. I have had a few of these 3 ply drums, and the tone is amazing. Anyway, I don't think they are from the 70s. I cant tell from the hardware. Also, could you post some very early Pearl stuff? I am trying to find a cymbal mount similat to mine. I am trying to date these. See pic.

http://www.vintagedrumguide.com/pearl_drumsets_1969.htm

This is the first netion of 9 ply shells.

What are the sizes?

hmmmm... still pondering about this- yes the shells very much say "66-67" to me. However, really- that badge is not a mid -60s script- these black badges were used from 68-around 72 it seems. My 1969 Valencia and my 1970 Challenger have basically identical badges (just different words).

I just would like very much to locate this outfits original catalog page. If I just look at the shells- I say 66-67. If I just look at the badges I would say 69-71. The tom holder mount is the same as 67. Thanks for you r input and ideas Jonni!

I guess what I am saying is, these catalog pages, in the link above, go to 69, and it seems all shells are touted as 9 ply.

As for my question to you, I am trying to date my kit, and the cymbal arm clamp/mount is one of the key elements. It has the pipe tom mount, so dating that is no help, I just think the cymbal arm mount is the key. And those shells were used from the late 50s forward, until around 69, it appears.

That bass drum cymbal arm mount you got there`s a beautiful thing and I have not seen one like it in any of the Pearl stuff to date. I will look more.

I thought I had earlier Pearl stuff but it looks like the earliest pics are 66. I had seen some claims of stuff that was 1950s Pearl but going back to them (now with more knowledge of what I`m looking at) - and it looks like 65-67 stuff. I still need to keep digging. I check through every drum auction item in Japan every day that I can. I grab photos and info everywhere I can- so if I see anything with that bass drum cymbal arm I will tell you about it asap.

This Pearl Modern Jazz Kit I would really llike to add to my collection- I put a strong bid on it, so let`s see if I can get a little luckySumo Dude

Here I have found a pic of another Pearl Modern Jazz snare- same badge. This one seriously shows- early 1970s lugs- my 1975 Valencia snare has these same style lugs and the same lettering and badge design. So the shells are seriously old school -circa 66-67 but the badge here indicate early 70s.

[IMG]http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn87/Osakabop/snare_15.jpg[/IMG]

So, you think maybe they pulled some old shells and used them up to create a "Jazz" line? I have seen a 3 ply shell with a Valencia tag here. It is a blue spark shell at the litltle drum shop up the road in OKC. He also has a red spark, 3 ply, but it has a stencil badge on it. Both are 14. He wants 70 for the Valencia, and 45 for the other one, and both are rough. I just can't pay that for them. I know they are hard to find, but that is too much. 35, maybe, not 70, on a good day, and it is just a shell.

I had not thought of that kind of thing- but it may suggest a far fetched idea where they manufactured these like a 1967 shell construction in the early 70`s - maybe people liked that design and thus it got the "modern jazz" label. The sizes are not jazz sizes- 20,12,16, 14x6 - so what`s jazzy about them? I wonder.... I wonder now if that shell design basically as "retro" even then was the selling point of these. Thanks for that idea. Mystery drums. If I do win them - then I will go crazy with them

The 20 and 12, are kind of on the jazz side, but yeah, the 16 and 6" deep snare?...

Look at some of the hottest selling Gretsch stuff, 20-12-14, I like those sizes myself...

I love the 20/16/12 sizes myself but I`m refering to the typical 18,12,14 ft that we all think of as the classic jazz sizes. If I were to call a kit a "modern jazz" I would think it would be 18/12/14 but here we see a different idea. I am really gonna try and win these to see what it`s really all about