Great story from an era that needed imagination and time. It certainly wasn't an era of instant gratification! You were a lucky kid to get a true American kit for your first.

I drooled over electric guitars, primarily Gibson's, in much the same way back then, but settled for an MIJ Aria Pro ll. I still have it and it still kicks butt. Thanks for sharing the memories!

Eye BallWhen I was 20 after I pawned my first Ludwig kit for engagement ring I started a band in southern ind called messiah in 1970 and we needed equipment so we went to music store

And I bought gretch bop kit with nice hardware even a ghost hihat only one I ever saw wish I still had it

the boys bought Dan Armstrong guitar and bass and a trainer 10 cab and 17 inch bass reflex well the band did not last my fault marriage and me first born got in the way

Left drums in house I was renting moved north and saw them in a pawn shop some one took a hammer to the pies I’ll never forget that they were on consignment in that shape still haunts me till this day

I recently posted in yet another thread about the "catalog-correct" obsession of some people. I stated my lack of interest in that type of drum ownership. Apparently, my opinions on that matter p***ed off a couple of people. Call me whatever names you want to call me for not agreeing with you, but I found the lashing out to be funny. This thread seems like a welcoming oasis for those of us to post about drum sets that we have ordered in specific sizes and configurations even if they (God forbid) were not pictured in catalogs.

If I may be permitted to do so, I'd like to expand this topic to include pre-owned drum sets we have bought that do not have their twin pictured in a catalog. Some of these drum sets were probably ordered by a drummer or a music store in defiance of what was pictured in the "wish books". I'll get this fact about me out of the way right now. I am not a fan of Ludwig and Gretsch drums. I had an aversion to Ludwig drums going back to the mid-1950's because that was the brand that every other kid I knew would slobber and drool over the catalogs from the music stores.

My very first drum set was a three piece mid-50's used Gretsch Duco two tone that I loved because it was my first drum set. However, I really did not like the looks, sound, and feel of newer Gretsch drums compared with other brands I had played in stores. So, when it came time for me to get my first pro drum set in 1961, I had already made up my mind that it would be a Rogers set with all of the Swivomatic doodads I could order for the drum set. I selected a fairly common 12-16-20 configuration. I ordered the 8x12 equipped to mount on the 14x20 bass drum by a Swivomatic system. My toughest decision was to select a wrap color. After a lot of agonizing, I decided that I would order the drums in Black Diamond Pearl. I loved that drum set. But, after a few years, I got the urge to get a new drum set.

What followed was a few years of trading in my one year old drums--for some new drums. I kept everything else. I also kept a Krupa model chrome snare drum to use with each new set of bass drum and two or three toms. Then, I decided to order a set of Oak Lawn Camco drums that were mad in a factory about twenty miles fro my house. I selected the sizes and configuration from a catalog at the little short-lived music store in our suburban town. They were such a new and small store that Camco was the only brand that they were able to carry. I ordered the largest drum set I ever owned in Blue Sparkle... 14x22, two 9x13 mounted on bass drum, 14x14, 16x16. This configuration was not pictured in their catalog.

My last gigging set was the Green Glass Glitter set that I have posted about before. In 1978, I stopped in at one of Chicago's oldest music stores. This place on Halsted Street was a half block south of Maxwell Street. This area was immortalized by scenes in the Blues Brothers movie. Aretha's soul food diner was an actual little restaurant on Maxwell street near this store. The store's owners had all died off after many years of operating the place. The long-time salesman was selling off everything he could for the heirs of the deceased owners. The only drums on display were Ludwig Vistalites in single-headed version. I asked if he had any other drums. He said that he thought there were some boxes with drums in the attic. He handed me a flashlight and led me to the stairway to the attic. There were three sealed boxes containing the beautiful Green Slingerlands... 14x20, 9x13, and 16x16. They had been in the attic for more than ten years. I don't know why he did it. But, he traded me for my one year old Slingy 2 up/1 down set in Charcoal Satin Flame. He then called the Slingerland factory to ask his warehouse guy friend if they had the 10x14 matching tom that I wanted for a very oddly-configured drum set. For less than a hundred bucks, I picked up the tom in Niles the next day.

During all of my active playing career, I never owned more than one drum set at any time. The thought never entered my head. Starting in the early 2000's, I began acquiring vintage 50's and 60's drums. I'll post later about some the odd ball drum sets among these.

1958--first paying gig with first drum set... Gretsch Cameo Coral and Charcoal Metallic. This lefty Eddie Munster look-alike thought that the drums should be set up like this. .. lefty feet with righty hands. that configuration lasted for a few weeks before switching to righty set-up and open-handed style ever since.

Great, jag hog! I can feel a big sense of empathy in that story, too! Back in those days, you really had to love being a musician to be able to put up with the life. When I got the opportunity to go out into the world from my rural upbringing, I didn't look back for almost 40 years. It wasn't a big deal by anyone's standards, but I had nothing to lose and no other choice -other than becoming a farmer/rancher. That wasn't going to work for me, so....onto the life of debauchery! ;)

I don't think anyone was calling anyone names or lashing out against you. TommyP doesn't put up with that, here.

No one is saying that it's bad to not have a catalogued set. I and some other members are just saying that it's good if you do have a catalogued set. It's not "one vs the other" to determine who is the winner. I have tried to make that a clear distinction many times over, but typing and reading the written word isn't always the same as sitting down in the same room and fully communicating.

However, if someone does come to the forum to ask specifically if their configuration is/isn't one of the named ones, then I feel that it often confuses the issue by making a bunch of personal-experience statements that aren't relevant to the questions asked.

So here is a thread that, as you say, is an oasis for all those kinds of personal-experience stories. Enjoy!

At fourteen, my parents enrolled me for drum lessons at a new store in my hometown of Bloomfield, New Jersey known by the haughty name of Philharmonic Conservatory of Music. After three months of lessons, the owner determined I was ready for a drumset (take it from me, I was NOT ready at all). My father and I went for a meeting with him in his office one evening and were shown catalogs of Ludwig, Rogers and Slingerland drums. After some back and forth and negotiating, my father cut a deal for a Slingerland Jet Outfit in Champagne Sparkle, with an Italian-made crash/ride and hi-hats. A deposit was given and the order was placed.

Several weeks later, we got a call from the store that my drumset had arrived and we could pick them up. On a Friday afternoon, my mother and I drove to the store and there they were, in all their beauty, my first drumset! There was only one problem; the name on the bass drum head said Leedy, not Slingerland. My mother immediately noticed this, but said little, and we packed the drums in the car and drove home. I set them up in the basement and started playing them immediately, thrilled to own an American-made drumset.

Meanwhile, my father called from work and mom explained to him that there was a different name on the bass drum than Slingerland. My father said, "Tell him to stop playing them. We're taking them back tomorrow." He called the store and spoke to the owner, who correctly told him that Leedy drums were made by Slingerland, and that's what the factory had shipped to him. Dad demanded his money back and the store owner had no choice but to agree. Here's what happened: because there was another Slingerland dealer in my town, Mr. Philharmonic (Ralph Roselle) couldn't get Slingerland, so they sent him Leedy. He probably knew this all along and conveniently forgot to tell dad when we bought the drums. Shame on him.

The next morning, we packed the drums back in his car and returned them. My father collected his check back and we departed. I was crushed. I'd had my first drumset for less than twenty four hours, and now, they were gone.

We immediately drove down the street and around the corner to Broad Music, a crappy looking little store, operated by guitarist/teacher Dan Bennon and drummer/teacher Carl Wolf, who had been recommended to us by several people as the best teacher in the area. Dad enrolled me for lessons. After two weeks, Carl said, "We have to start you from scratch. You don't know anything. That teacher you had taught you all wrong. You're not ready for drums yet. You'll work on a pad until I determine you're ready." Such disappointment.

Six months and lots of hard practicing later, I got my real first drumset, Slingerlands in Champagne Sparkle, 13/14/20, with a Ludwig 400 snare. I'm sure he pieced the set together. I should have had a 12" rack tom, of course. My teacher was also out of Slingerland snares ("The Ludwig is a better drum anyway," he told me). Obviously, this set was never in any catalog, but we weren't obsessive about sizes back then, and I was totally jazzed to have my drums at last.

I eventually sold the 14" floor tom and bought a 16" to replace it, and still have the 20" BD, the 13" rack tom and the Ludwig Supra snare, plus a 22" BD I bought years later. The drums need a ground-up restoration.

Recently, I was toying with the idea of selling the whole lot, but Mrs. DB said, "How can you sell your first drumset? You need to keep those and fix them so you can use them again." I think she's right.

Your wife is absolutely right Bob!

Don't sell them, you'll never be able to look at yourself again. Those should go to the grave with you! (hopefully not to soon!):D

Great story DB! Keep the drums!