I think so too. It's beginning to look a lot more respectable. I guess I've no choice but to keep the Pearl mounts. The shells were drilled in such a way that even if I were to put the original mounts on you would see extra holes. I'll leave this as a player's set. I really dislike Pearl tom arms. And why did the previous owner drill big holes in these nice maple drums to accommodate this hardware?! I don't get it. Just use a snare basket if you don't like the mounts! Don't drill the shell!

I really dislike Pearl tom arms. And why did the previous owner drill big holes in these nice maple drums to accommodate this hardware?! I don't get it. Just use a snare basket if you don't like the mounts! Don't drill the shell!

Hello Chromeo,

What a great save from the leopard print

There is a nice old keystone badge psych red kit

up in Enfield New Hampshire with the same modifications

there are cymbals and lots of extra gear

and all at a decent price too, that is until you consider the mods

Still though, if they had been nearer to me,

I would still have gone to check them out

and then based on the quality and condition of the cymbals ??

(they look good in the pics. but the seller is not very knowledgeable)

I might have bought them in spite of the pearl mounts

It was just a little too far a haul ..for a pig in a poke on the pies

I think if you can get the rest of those black cortex drums looking as good as that tom

then you really have made one heck of a GREAT save

Good Luck

Thanks for the replies. So far so good on the restoration. Hoops have some rust spots. I just left them for the moment. That leopard print wrap was just filthy! I'm glad it's gone. Bass drum and floor tom next.

While I'm here I might as well ask if anyone could help date these drums? You can see one of the serial numbers on the badge pictured here. Other drums are close-matching serials.

Goof Off will remove that dried glue nicely.. I used it to remove the cement adhesive when i removed the old wrap from my Ludwig kit for restoration.. The glue comes right off feeling like soft rubber, "snot" for lack of a better term..

Hope this helps and post pics when you're done ! Btw, pointy corners on the badge indicate early 70's..

Far out man!

That fur reminds me of the days when smoking was cool and weed was not. How far we've come, huh?

A good save on the kit. We'll never know why someone would have drilled those drums as they did, or why they would put fur on them, spray paint or remove a nice wrap, etc. Just be happy you saved them!

Surely they will sound great when you finish them.

At least you took some before shots, I was so excited about my find, I had the shells stripped down before I realized I hadn't taken any shots!Lame

Thanks for all the tips and advise, everyone. I had some success removing the dried glue using WD 40, some dish washing detergent and a bit of elbow grease. For the moment it's done. The hoops have some rust spots and the bass drum hoops need to be re-painted. One of them is missing the inlay.

It's missing one claw and T for the bass drum and also the bass drum spurs were not included.

Here's how it's looking at the moment.

...and a few more photos here. I'm still not sure what year they are, so if anyone out there could help date these that would be great!

Please enjoy the photos. It certainly looks a whole lot better without that leopard wrap.

From on-line references, your kit looks to be 77/78 vintage I would say:

Keystone Badges

1961-1962: No Numbers

1963 No Numbers - 7900

1964 9xxx - 33449

1965 108532 - 259xxx

1966 260xxx - 449xxx

1967 450xxx - 548xxx

1968 549xxx - 665372

1969 670xxx - 741215

Blue & Olive Badges

1969 765xxx - 834xxx

1970 out of sequence,unnunmered

1971 835xxx - 895xxx

1972 896xxx - 916xxx

1976 917xxx - 1290xxx

1978 xxxxxxx

1979 xxxxxxx - 2013537

Thanks for the reply. Was it normal to see 3 ply maple / poplar / maple with pointy badge in the late 70's?

That vertical grade Formica can sure take a beating!

I say screw it, use the pearl mounts.