Sorry to contradict, but 14" rack toms were not common at MIJ-kits.

The configuration you mentioned was common for UK-kits (namely: Premier's) at that time.

MIJ-kit had, if 3-piece-sets, 12/14/20 (meaning: 14" floor tom in this case), 12 or 13/16/20 or, if a 4-piece one, normally 12/13/16/22 sizes, combined with a 14" snare drums in common.

This being said for a concentration on 60s to early 70s drumsets.

Ralf

I absolutely have to agree with Ralf on this one.

12",13",16" toms. 20"Bass and 14" snare.

Or 13",16" toms. 20" bass with 14" snare.

This seems to be the standard kits from mid 60's to mid 70's.

Of course a company like "Pearl" or later "Tama", would also sell 22" or 24" bassdrums along with 10" or 18" toms and offer a variety of combinations, but if you were to buy a standard "budget" kit during this era, this would have been the normal sizes. A 14" Floor tom was propably a very rare bird at this time.

/Johan M

There was never a mention of a 14" rack tom. The first post is pretty much what everyone else is saying.

My first kit, a 4pc gold sparkle Lyra from 1967, consisted of 13/16/22 and a 14 inch snare drum.

He didn't say 14" racks were common, he was talking about 4 piece kits.

"On 4 piece kits, the 12" and 14" are usually a pair"

Meaning 12" up and 14" down.

Mouse

Sorry, I didn't see the post before me :(

The run down on these 60's M.I.J. sets..These types of sets came in 3 set up's. The first one was a 3 piece set 20" 12" 14" Snare..But you could get a 13" too..Next was a 4 pc 20,12,14,14 snare or 20,13,16,14 snare..Next a 5 piece 20,12,13,16,14 snare. Or a 20",12,12,16,14 snare. The snares that came with these sets were 5.5 deep,but in catalogs were listed snares from 4x13 and 8x12 ,9x13, 10x14 marching snares..But you could also get a 18" bass a rare size to fine or 22" bass to any of these sets.In the late 60's the 24" bass came out this size is rare to fine .In the 70's the 10",14",15" 18" toms came out.Also in the 70's you would fine the deeper snare drums 6.5x14....Mikey

Hey all, sorry I have been away from the forum- man have I been busy - good busy, but busy.

Here in Japan, by far the most common sizes for 60's MIJ drums were 20,12,14 with a 6 lug 14x5 snare. It was actually uncommon to see a 2nd tom until you got into the early 70s kits. Out of about 12 MIJ kits I have only one with a 20,12,13,16 set up. Pearl branded drums- these sported a 5 piece 20,12,13,16 starting in the 1968 catalog- not in the 66 catalog. Anyone have a 1967 catalog to check?

Hmm...it seems I was wrong on this one.

OsakaBop writes that 14" floor toms was a standard size in Japan. Is it possible that sizes differed depending on where the drums were sold?

I have only had a few MIJ kits from the 60's and they all were 13", 16", 20" with 14" snares. My kits from the early 70's have been all kind of sizes from 10" to 14" toms 16" and 18" floor toms. 20" to 24" bass drums.

But, I have still not seen more than one single 14" floor tom......

/Johan M

I don't know if it was common or not but my 60's Crown set was/is 20" bass, 12" rack tom and 14" floor tom with a 5x14 matching wrapped snare. Sold new in California.