I'm tellin' ya...the interior ply IS maple and I would reckon it is a keller 6-ply shell. Luan shells were normally not made with that many plies.

The HARDWARE could be taken from an Island Music drum...I don't know anything about those...but I DO know that the interior ply of the drum in the picture is maple. I reckon there are other plies of maple or somethig else, but at least ONE ply is maple and that's for sure.

Thanks O-lugs!! Ploughman is correct though, in that the OUTER ply (not inner) is indeed some sort of wood which I agree is not maple. I also think it is Luan. (also known as Phillipine Mahogany according to Wikipedia) I also think that is what the shell consists of between the maple plies. (if it is indeed maple) I've been looking around getting info on different types of wood, and there are a few woods that have a striking simularity between them as far as grain patterns and looks go. There is a Mahogany out there that looks nearly identical to maple. I highly doubt THAT Mahogany is in this kit as it's EXTREMELY expensive .... but it can be found in the Pearl Reference Kits!! I guess it's like everything else, there's the good stuff then you have the not so good stuff then you have .... leftovers and fake Roger's. :(

That bass drum is maple maybe birch, not luan.

The point is,its still not what he originally thought it was,but for 200 bucks,thats a good value.

Unless youve got something to show for it......... saying the shell is birch means nothing. That outside ply is not maple. The tiny bit that is visible in the pic appears to be luan. These are not USA built drums.

I can't say for sure what the rest of the ply's are, from the pics I don't think anyone can. I am just speaking for the inner ply. I work with it every day.

I agree that the outside ply looks thicker (a trait of luan plies) in that one picture...but, if it is luan, I was unaware that the industry had started making drums with combinations of luan and maple plies -because, FOR SURE, the inner-ply is maple. It makes sense, though. It's much the same with many of the general manufacturing-industry's "improvements". Take a cheap, crappy wood, like luan, and candy-coat it with a ply of maple so that people will think they are getting a good, maple shell...but, in reality, it's just a facade.

Just a bit of friendly advice....to whom it may concern...If you're looking for a good, AMERICAN set of drums, then you must reserve your search to those drums made from about 1975 and earlier. If you hold that rule, then its going to be a lot less likely that you will run into these free trade agreement "surprises".

Rogers was USA built until mid 1984. In 1985 or so, Island Music purchased licensing rights from CBS/Fender for the use of the Rogers name. The inner ply was nice looking wood. The outer ply was crap.

Any Rogers drum of the Big R period, whether there is a serial number or not on the foil badge......... says USA. Any Big R badge drum that does not.......IS NOT. The island music badges were squarer, the shape of the logo was different.

So any XP8 Rogers, is an 8 ply all maple shell, inside, outside and in between.

Any five ply....... is a five ply Maple Poplar Maple Poplar Maple shell.

And the three ply shells, are to die for.

From 1962 (later) and afterwards, Rogers shell supplier was Keller.

Thanks to all who have helped me out and given me great info. The seller is willing to take them back as he himself didn't know about the shell composition nor the fact these are fairly new and not the early 80's as advertised. I will take the advice I read of looking for 1975 and prior from now on. Thanks again all. Ploughman .... you obviously are extremely well schooled in Rogers and I thank you very much for the timeline and the shell compostion and plies during the Big R Era and others. Thank you all. That's why I come here!! Everone is very helpful!! :) This is the best drum forum on the net bar none!!

A bit of general advice...if you want one good vintage set, don't try to get one "on the cheap" if it's a later era ('70s-80s) or a "fixer upper" that has a lot of mods or needs parts or is missing a floor tom. Often you'll end up spending more on parts and be forever unhappy.

If you don't find a cool old set at a flea market, garage sale or music store...and finds like that still do exist, talk to an experienced vintage person, spend some more $, and get a nice, complete, original "collectible" set.

(Of course, it will take more $, and nowadays that's not so easy.)

In the long run you'll be better off, and most of the time, if you decide to sell, you'll get your money back or even make a profit.

There are still good vintage deals out there..even on ebay. Some Slingerland sets from '60s and early '70s sell for well under $1000. Early '70s Rogers sets, especially in Black, white or faux wood colors sell for low money as well.