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John Grey Autocrat - which decade?

Posts: 34 Threads: 7

I have a 20*14" (metric size) Autocrat bass drum and am wondering when it was made. Browsing the web hasn't helped so far.

The drum is in white pearl wrap, has 8 tuning lugs and no traces (i.e. no holes) of any additional hardware, neither spurs nor tom holder. It came with an old natural skin mounted to a wooden flesh hoop.

The lugs look different from anything I've seen online, but the tension rods look like the usual ones. There is a small stamp inside the lugs: "RM 130". Also, the lug is threaded in itself, there is no flexible part/nut to it.

Does anyone have any idea how old this drum is?

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1962-1965 Ludwig Champagne Sparkle
1965 Supraphonic
1978 Tama Royalstar with concert toms
1986 Tama Techstar
1990's Sonor Sonic Plus II
Posted on 5 years ago
#1
Posts: 45 Threads: 4

Howya,

Post war (the second one!), 50s drum I believe with the blue rimmed railway style badge. This one of mine is a 24x12, used to be white ...

Spart

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Posted on 5 years ago
#2
Posts: 34 Threads: 7

Thanks! Yes, that looks like mine does, the badge is the same too. It's a three ply shell with reinforcement rings, I suppose most drums were made like that. I'm still wondering why there are no mounts on the drum; maybe it had the kind of spurs that attaches to the hoop? I guess I'll never know. There is a tom that came with it though, an Olympic 12" that has a Premier mount that attaches to the hoop, just like a regular cowbell holder. It works surprisingly well!

I haven't decided what to do with this shell. It's not in great condition: the wrap has seen better days, a hoop, several rods and claws are missing, it's a metric in size ... still, a shame to throw away a drum shell.

1962-1965 Ludwig Champagne Sparkle
1965 Supraphonic
1978 Tama Royalstar with concert toms
1986 Tama Techstar
1990's Sonor Sonic Plus II
Posted on 5 years ago
#3
Posts: 45 Threads: 4

Everything is salvageable, just a confluence of labour and time ...

Posted on 5 years ago
#4
Posts: 134 Threads: 24

Here's some info / history on British drums

http://ukdrums.weebly.com/

Posted on 5 years ago
#5
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