I got my BB on 12MAY1981, rounded B/O badge #2200370. Maybe that will help place your drum a bit. Consider it may have been manufactured around that time, but may have also sat on the store shelf for a while too (weeks, months, who knows)?????

Yes , like they said. That book is no joke.

Worth it for sure. I would say your drum is one of the last pointy badges before the rounded corner badges. 79-80'

Wayne

Sorry for being absent for quite a while - thanks for all your input, I will definitely buy the book!

@Hoppy: Could you do me a big favor and weigh the complete drum?

I have 2 vintage Black Beauties in 6.5 and there is a big difference as far as the weights are concerned.

#1694379 - from 78 as far as i know, but I don't have the book yet ;) -> 4021 grams

#2159851 - from 81 as I was told in this thread -> 4472 grams.

Would be interesting to know the weight of your drum as well. There's speculation that the later ones could have a bronze shell, hence the difference in weight.

Thanks!

Edit: Maybe it would be more accurate to know about the weight of the drum without heads and hoops attached. I found out, that there are heavier hoops on my 78 model in comparison to the 81 model. I could provide the info of my drums for sure!

More information is available at www.gretschdrumdatingguide.com

I wrote the guide for Gretsch first (published in 2011) and then the one for Ludwig (2013). I continue to gather information and write related articles about vintage drums, which I post on my site.

You will not be able to say with absolute certainty when your drum was made, although you can get a pretty reasonable estimate. I would put your drum in the 1981 +/- range.