Nice color. I had a blue sparkle set before any other back when I was about 9 years old. Terrible drums, but the memories of them are top of the line!

I am surprised at how good the floor on this sounds.

O,lugs...why are they terrible drums in your opinion?..Are they one of the brands that just did,nt cut it?..I just got a Zim Gar kit and i could,nt be happierDOH...unless it was a Rogers kit.

I have a late 60s Rogers (dayton & early fullerton) wmp ~&~ a Tempro (just the kick and floor tom).

So....from what Ive read as far as 60s MIJ drums go tempro were good?

LOL..."Terrible" is being kind......They all sucked!! I had 4 of them in my career. Zim Gar was the worst.

Cheap crappy hardware that BENDS when you tighten them too much. Shells so thin that they will warp or crack if you tension the heads tightly. Who needs that?

The MIJ drums are famous for loosening up and going out of tune after like 10 minutes of playing. My band members used to hate the fact that I had to take time during a set and retune the drums. They were estatic when I finally got my Gretsch set. No more tuning every 10 minutes!

MIJs were fine for a 13 year old learning to play, like I was. Once you get decent tho, you really need a better set of drums if youre going to play gigs at all.

I have had numerous MIJ kits (stencils) over the years and indeed used one for a gig a couple months ago. What I have found to be true is that most issues with failing hardware on them is related to torquing on it. Those familiar with getting the most out of these MIJ kits are very aware of how to do so - proper tuning. Cranking up an MIJ drum will never get the best sound out of them. These have thinner shells and require lower or medium tuning to achieve the best resonance, by which they pleasantly surprise (and sometimes outright shock) most green users. The same is true for other adjustments besides tension rods. At times users (myself included) are frustrated with how small the T-bolts are on them (I concede). At the same time, with proper use, I have seen less hardware failures than I have seen on American kits. Perhaps this is more reflective of my respectable use moreso than a testament to drum quality. Note that I am not speaking at all about modern foreign kits - strictly about MIJs from the 60s and 70s.

I also read about these (60s-70s) MIJs failing to stay in tune. From my experience, I really have no idea what they are referring to and again can only guess that improper playing or tuning is being employed. Could heads be involved? Or could edges be a culprit - both of which are possible problems on any make of kit (made anywhere) and are indeed problems that can be solved on any kit.

I can only preach about what I have been blessed by (these MIJ kits) though you can only lead a horse to the water.......

One more thing - that Tempro is beautiful! Love the wrap - and if you have any issues with how it sounds, first, make sure the egdes are good, use new heads, tune to the shell, and that should get you there. Hummm.....this advice seems to work on any drum doesn't it?

Well I hear what you are saying ,but really , your post proves my point .

If you need to tune the MIJ drums low, really what good are they??

I want to be able to tune drums the way I want to and I suspect most drummers would agree. MIJs are fine for banging but not for any serious playing.

I never said you have to tune MIJs low, I said that they should not be cranked up really high. If you must tune your drums really high, I agree, don't buy an MIJ kit to crank on and play fff most the time.

Professional drummers from all walks of life/many genres are now using them to tour with - that's right. If you don't feel comfortable playing a vintage MIJ kit on the road or in the studio or at home - then don't. I whole-heartedly agree.

Just don't miss the value that they have for other applications - which perhaps in time you will discover. Until then, perhaps it would benefit you to think a bit broader and consider it a possibility that they totally work, and work very well, for others with different applications. I am one of dozens of Vintage MIJ advocates on here and that number is growing steadily and strongly. Not all MIJs are the same, and some are better than others, though in general, in most applications, they work very well, if you know how to get the most out of them. These kits and Vintage Americans have been recorded side-by-side and you would be surprised at the results. Testimonies are not rare on this and other forums - and most MIJ enthusiasts end up getting support from other veteran drummers. In fact, notice the OP and his surprise at how good the FT sounds.

Anyway - this Tempro kit - same as my very first decent kit (a Dixie), which I still have. This was made by Pearl from about 72-74, the lugs are called battleship lugs. The shells are the thicker ones, made from luan, dried up for 40 years into some really great sounding drums. But, perhaps that should even longer remain our little secret?

John

"Professional drummers from all walks of life/many genres are now using them to tour with ...."

>>>>>>Please post links.