Sourcing the Drums for my Project!

The first thing I needed to source was a decent 1960's drum kit, so being in London I thought that should be easy. Obviously I didn't just go out and buy the first Premier drum kit I found, certain criteria had to be met.

The sizes had to be correct, I needed two 22"x 14" Bass drums these had to have the correct lugs for the period I was to reproduce.
Then there was the 14"x 8" tom toms,I needed three of these and a friend had already informed me they where rare as rocking horse sh*t, then three floor toms which had to be pre-Internatinal size which would mean either or a mixture of 16 1/4" x 16" or 18" deep (the 18" deep toms where known as 20"s!) For ease I will refer to them as Premier did at the time 16"x16" and 16"x 20".Also I should add at this point that the Pre- Int floor toms have ten lugs per hoop as opposed to the later ones which only have eight.

I was lucky, I paid a visit to Lou at Supreme drums in Walthamstow (closed now unfortunately), he didn't have the sizes I needed but he had a mate in Cambridge (Mike at Supreme Drums 2, R.I.P. sadly past away) who did,he gave him a call & low and behold he had three 14"x 8"s two where on one kit and the third was on it's own, he had two bass drums one with the kit that had the two tom toms and the other with an early 60's red sparkle kit that also had a perfect 16" x 20" floor tom,the bass drums with a little bit of fiddling would be perfect, the two floor toms with each kit where a 16"x 16" and a 16" x 20"(as mentioned previously) both of Pre-International size.

So I armed myself with some cash,(raised from the sale of my Dainese bike leathers and Arai skid lid) and took a trip to sunny Cambridge.
When I arrived I couldn't believe the shop, it was an Alladins cave of anything not new.

I entered and introduced myself to someone who would help me immensly with my project. Mike proved to be a very useful friend, 98% of my Keith Moon kit came from him including the snare drum (which I built using a selection of spares from his shop), bass pedals and hardware.

That first day I came away with a Blue shimmer late 60's bass drum, 16"x 16" floor tom and two 14"x 8"s, condition of the bass drum wasn't superb neither was the floor tom, but everything would need to be re-covered anyway so what the hell eh? You only live once.

Similar to this kit but without the Snare and the tom toms were 2 14" x 8"s and not a 12" x 10" as we have here.

The Tom toms where very nice though, and before I left the shop I had secured the sale of a second part kit of the earlier 60's style (in red sparkle!!) which consisted of one floor tom and bass drum. Also the third 14"x 8" which was by itself and finished in a grey type oyster pearl wrap, all drums had the correct early type badges.

So I departed secure in the knowledge that the other drums would still be there on my return (with the help of a small deposit).

Please check back for further thrilling instalments...... YAWN!!