I'll see how close I can get here...not a Premier expert, but I've had a couple kits in the past. The way I understand it, the pre-international size drums were actually metric and were phased out to the "international" sized by 1966 or so. I think the 5-lug configuration was phased out in the mid-1970's with Premier, but retained with the Olympic series of drums a bit longer.

As far as birch vs mahogany.....birch is a brighter, focused, more cutting sounding wood...great for recording. Mahogany is a darker more mellow sounding wood. Best way I can describe the difference in sound between the two is to tell you to listen to Early Who records for the birch sound (Substitute, A quick one, etc....studio versions of course), and Who recordings from about 1969 onward (with Keith Moon on drums of course, not Kenny Jones) for the mahogany Premier sound. (Tommy, Who's Next and Quadrophenia, to name a few, were recorded using Premier's mahogany shell drums)

Hope this helps and welcome to the forum! :D

Aha! I didn't think about Keith Moon switching to the latest models of the day. I'll dig out those albums.

I've always wanted to build a 5-lug drum, but nobody currently makes 5-lug die-cast hoops anymore, except for Gretsch. At least, I can't find anyone who offers 'em.

Thanks,

Perry

There is a HUGE difference between birch and AM. LD nailed the basics. The only thing I would add is AM is DARK and warm and deep and resonant. Birch is pretty much the antithesis to this.

I'm curious partly because Premier's birch is (completely?) different from American birch. Is it Finnish? I've never played any drums made with it, in any case. Hmmmm...

Ludwig offered 5 lugs on 10' toms ,I had a B/O badge 3 ply,ludwig used to offer die casts on kits,I remember them being in the catalogue,but shown with die casts on batter side only.As far as the birch thing goes,premier and sonor both have specified Finnish birch as what they used,I don't know how different it would be from N.american birch,but Finland is cold so it could be slower growth and a little more dense,I guess some of it could be old growth,if they are allowed to harvest it.

5 lug 12"s are common on MIC cheapo's now adays,if you just need a rim.Not cast,though.

Keith used Ludwigs to record Who's Next.

Correct about the 5-luggers going on longer in the Olympic range, with pressed hoops only.

I have had 5-6 Premier sets through my hands during the last year - here flashing my rebuilt/customized pride -

[img]http://www.gratisimage.dk/thumb-576D_4BD5C53B.jpg[/img]

(click on it for large version, again for mega-version) - and most have been a mix of birch and mahogany.

The last one, I have for sale right now -

[img]http://www.gratisimage.dk/thumb-35C4_4C27A0C9.jpg[/img]

- is birch on the 13 and 14, and mahogany in the bass and floortom.

It seems to me they made their drums in whatever wood was available at the right price, building up stocks - and then finished them in whatever order they saw fit and what the retailers asked for. My guess is you can get a 1975 Elite consisting of drums made over possibly 2-3 years - especially if you get a kit with the more uncommon sizes, like a 14x14.

Anyway, most are very well-made even if the manufacturing method seems totally wrong today - making a 3-ply veneer and bending them together, making an overlap meaning the drum is actually thicker there...so the reinforcement rings really have a work to do!

The best sounding kit I have ever had!

Regards

Jon