This is a Rogers Comet Outfit in Mardi Gras pearl that is in excellent all original condition except for the heads. All the drums are the Spotlight series model. This set was probably made sometime between 1960 & 1962.
14X20 Bass - Spotlight 8790
8X12 Tom - Spotlight 8736
5X14 Snare -Spotlight 8717
[IMG]http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa141/MikeJtone/RogersSpotlightMardiGrasSet25.jpg[/IMG]
Hi Mike,
What a sweet kit. Was there a matching floor tom available as well?
Matt
Hi Mike,What a sweet kit. Was there a matching floor tom available as well? Matt
Matt,
This is the original complete set. The COMET OUTFIT was illustrated in the 1960 Rogers catalog with the all Spotlight drums as a 20-12 with the matching 6 lug Spotlight snare. It had a single mounted tom on one side of the bass and a single disappearing Cymbal arm on the other side. The Spotlight model line of drums did not offer a floor tom in the 1960 catalog and the COMET OUTFIT was cataloged without the floor tom.
[IMG]http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa141/MikeJtone/CometCatalog.jpg[/IMG]
In the 1962 catalog the same COMET outfit was cataloged but with a Tower 20" Bass and Tower 12" tom and a 5X14 matching LUXOR 6 lug snare. I believe it was offered in a 22-13 version as well at this time, but no floor tom. The Spotlight line must have been discontinued or replaced by the Tower drums and the Luxor snare in 1962.
The set is completely original except for the heads and is really beautiful. It had been well cared for and was in excellent condition. I felt like I got a real good deal on it. I love the Mardi Gras finish and this set of drums seems to have virtually no fade at all.
Thanks for the compliment.
Mike
Absolutely fantastic Rogers kit! wow!Burger Kin
Hi Mike,
While I really appreciate and like Rogers drums, "I know nothing" as Shultz used to say..about Rogers. Actually I know the quality is high, they sound great, and I've heard a little about soe problems with lugs... I've had mostly Ludwigs snares and kits most of my life. All others I have owned I had quickly turned to buy more Luddies. One of these days I'll purchase a Rogers kit and keep it. I've seen the Mardi Gras finish a few times at drum shows and it's really nice.
Matt
O-Lugs, Thanks!
Matt,
I am no expert but personally I know more about Rogers drums from others who are knowledgeable and and who have played them for most of their life. The lugs that were used on this set are what they call Bread & Butter or Brass Drawn lugs, those lugs were notorious for cracking and then breaking off the tabs. They came on the older drums from the 50's to about 1963 or so, then Rogers switched to their "newly designed" Beavertail lugs. Anything afer 63 or 64 will have beavertail lugs and those won't crack. Most old drums with the Bread & Butter lugs will have several cracked lugs on them. These drums have a total of 4 cracked lugs, not badly cracked.
I really do think that these drums from the early 60's sound the best. I have a Ludwig kit from the same time period too, it is a great kit, but I have a slight preference towards the Rogers drums. I love the Mardi Gras finish because of its scarcity and beauty (to me) of the multi colored squares & dots sprinkled over the black background (kind of like Ludwig's Galaxy finish). The color is very important to me, if I can find a drum or set that has bright unfaded colored shapes and is in good conditon, then I am sold. The blue/green and gold/orange and pink/red squares are what I am looking for, and this set has that nice color.
[IMG]http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa141/MikeJtone/RogersSpotlightMardiGrasSet7-2.jpg[/IMG]
I hope you get one of those sets and can play them and enjoy them like your Ludwigs. Thanks for your comments too, I appreciate them.
Mike
O-Lugs, Thanks! Matt,I am no expert but personally I know more about Rogers drums from others who are knowledgeable and and who have played them for most of their life. The lugs that were used on this set are what they call Bread & Butter or Brass Drawn lugs, those lugs were notorious for cracking and then breaking off the tabs. They came on the older drums from the 50's to about 1963 or so, then Rogers switched to their "newly designed" Beavertail lugs. Anything afer 63 or 64 will have beavertail lugs and those won't crack. Most old drums with the Bread & Butter lugs will have several cracked lugs on them. These drums have a total of 4 cracked lugs, not badly cracked. [COLOR="Blue"]Mike, Thanks for the lug education.I never knew the particulars before on which lugs (The Bread & Butter) and what years they were out. /COLOR]I really do think that these drums from the early 60's sound the best. I have a Ludwig kit from the same time period too, it is a great kit, but I have a slight preference towards the Rogers drums. I love the Mardi Gras finish because of its scarcity and beauty (to me) of the multi colored squares & dots sprinkled over the black background (kind of like Ludwig's Galaxy finish). The color is very important to me, if I can find a drum or set that has bright unfaded colored shapes and is in good conditon, then I am sold. The blue/green and gold/orange and pink/red squares are what I am looking for, and this set has that nice color. [COLOR="blue"]Were there subtle differences in the finish called Mardi Gras when new, or do some just have some colors faded?Thanks for the info[/COLOR][IMG]http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa141/MikeJtone/RogersSpotlightMardiGrasSet7-2.jpg[/IMG]I hope you get one of those sets and can play them and enjoy them like your Ludwigs. Thanks for your comments too, I appreciate them.Mike
[COLOR="blue"]Me too! Thanks again, Matt[/COLOR]
Matt,
As far as the variations in the Mardi Gras finish, I think I can speak to that point somewhat based on my experience and small collection. It seems to me that the early Mardi Gras version when it was first introduced around 1958, was a much busier finish. What I mean by "busier" is that there was alot of the multi colored confetti squares used on the black background alot more gold too. The later period around 1960 or so, looked more classy to me. It still had the confetti but much less use of the squares and it had a nice mix of blue/green & red/pink & gold/yellow/orange with a sprinkling of the silver/gold/white dots on the background like these Spotlight drums. You saw more of the black background and it appeared to enhance the confetti.
I have a very late kit in Mardi Gras, which was discontinued after 1962 (but still used the next few years from remaining stock), that Mardi Gras has a distinct purple tint to the clear coat. These drums were paper tagged with Dayton Holiday labels 82XXX and came with Beavertail lugs. They were likely from 1965 or 1966. This Mardi Gras has very few confetti squares and almost a Black/Purple Sparkle appearance since most of the background has the sprinkled dots but very few squares.
When you see a lot of silver colored squares in the finish, I would say that these are faded out gold/orange/pink/or blue squares. There will probably be some degree of fading no matter what, but the more the silver the more the fading, I would say. I notice that generally the top of the bass drums and the out facing side of the mounted tom seems to be more likely locations where the fading is more prevelant.
I know this may sound like I am a nut, but I really am dialed into this finish for some reason.
Anyway, that is my take on the color. I like the appearance of the 1960 - 1962 Mardi Gras the best, like these drums.
Mike
