Funny how in my first post I did not take the advice given!

In my opinion Jeff, the veneer you choose and quality you do, will add nothing but WOW and $$$ to the simple RockerII. Just remember that it adds a ply.

Hey Jeff,

I was reading through this thread - when I got to your current post, I LOLed! I was going to say "while you are at it, cut those toms down!".

I would have to say that I think you made the right choice - unless you plan to marry that kit. If so, that still does not mean you have to mod it.....Big difference between dating and marrying. Marrying allows for customization - unless you would consider your ownership to be 'collecting' where restoration back to factory stock is the way to go. I would say in this case, I would 'collect' that kit, considering its great condition. If it was all scratched up and stuff - I would say go get the saws and such. "Saws and Such" - good name for a company I suppose!

The kit I played in the jazz band all through high school was a brand new black Rocker II. I have recently visited my old school (now about 27 years later) and they are still intact, but need restoring. Set aside in a closet at the middle school - as the current band director went and bought some new Mapex and got soaked on the deal (she is such a fool unfortunately - doesn't know any better). I would like to when I find the time, as it was bought with the money from a memorial fund established when my friend (11th grader - couple years older) died of a brain hemorrhage on Easter Sunday while changing out of his church clothes.

I recall that they were GREAT sounding drums. Looking back at it today - the only thing I would have liked better were shallow toms. I don't know why we bought a kit for jazz with those super deep power toms. Apparently the only one making that decision was our band director at the time and must be he did not know any better. It had those rounded Standard type lugs, snare sounded GREAT (like an ultimate arena rock snare with tons of body and power).

Quality was A1 though.......

John

John, great story! I cant believe those rockers are still at the school. Im glad that I kept them original, ya there not my best kit by any means but in ten years they will be 40 years old and should be a little more appealing to the Ludwig collectors. And as sound goes, I have my other rockers kit that I put together from orphans bought from ebay, the one that I covered in maple veneer. I have those set up in our bands practice room and the guys love them, they think they sound great, and so do I!

You did the right thing. I have same color Rockers in slightly smaller sizes. They were probably a few years older than yours. But I loved them and I miss them. I sold em a few months ago for a good price. can't beat USA made Ludwigs no matter what era they're from.

I have a pile of those standard lugs if you need any. I converted a set of standards to classic a few yrs ago and still have the old lugs. I recently bought another set of standards, but they have classic lugs. 4 ply shells on the toms. Mine must have been the last standards before the went to rockers. I'm still trying to learn the different shell plies and how to date the hardware. I know one thing, if its vintage drums the answers are in this forum!