This 3 piece Rogers drumset, with a 22″ (x 16″) Kick Drum; 16″ (x 16″) floor tom and 13″ (x 9″) rack tom manufactured by Rogers in roughly 1975 is the Big R-USA model drums, renowned for their bright sound sensitivity and beauty. Each drum has the Big R-USA badge/sticker that reveals the serial numbers assigned to that drum. The Bass Drum serial No. Is D 25278; the Floor Tom is D 18222. Rack Tom D 10413. Note that all serial numbers have 5 digits following the big letter D. The early years of production used a 5 digit serial number on the drums badge, later models 6 digits. A good amount of the magic of these drums is in their shells. In this era drum, the shells are five ply, alternating maple and birch. The bearing edges are 45 degree angle. The wrap which Rogers used on these drums was called “New England White”. There is a richness to the color due to the thickness of material of this wrap. The original factory wrap is still on these drums, fits tightly and has held up beautifully. There are no scuffs, friction marks, cracks nor any inperfection in the wraps- amazing for 50 year old drums. All three drums interiors have been treated with factory spray application of grey sound enhancing Rogers proprietary film. Where these drums also shine is the hardware. Number of lugs per drum. Ten per side, Bass Drum; Eight per side, Floor Tom; 6 per side on Rack Tom. The lugs match on all of the drums; they are heavy die cast, and literally shine or sparkle. The lnumber of lugs included is 20 on the bass drum ; 16 on the floor tom, and 12 on the rack tom. In the 1970’s the first thing the majority of people did was to take off the resonant heads. This did NOT happen with the 13 rack tom, but is the case with the other two drums. The lugs, as I said, stayed on, even though the heads were taken off. So what’s missing on the Bass drum and Floor tom is the resonant side tension rod, /T-rod and rim/hoop and heads. This makes placing a microphone in those drums easy, and the sound eminating from those two drums louder. Rogers used fancy T-rods for the bass drum. The T-rods on the bass drum are manufactured with a capital “R” on the upper edge of the T rod. Brand new batter heads, Remo Ambassador, Jonas Productions on floor tom; Remo, Weather King, Pinstripe Bass drum; and Aquarian clear batter on rack tom. Generic resonant head on 13. This drumset will be ready to play upon arrival, The floor tom leg mounts (Rogers original, factory) and three floor tom legs (also original factory) are included On almost every other brand floor tom, the legs are round shape, are slid into the mount, which is tightened. Rogers mount anticipates a leg that is shaped if looked at from either end in a Hexagon pattern, which fits into the wrench like mount opening much tighter than the round leg variety. The bass drum spur mounts, are on the drum, as is the mount for the tom arm. All are factory original. Of the two spurs, one is factory original, the other is not. The center pole running from the tom arm mount to the floor of the bass drum is included, and is the factory original. A mount arm for the rack tom is included but is not factory original but rather an adaptation. Finally, I have a matching 10″ x 14″ tom which was special ordered from the factory at the time of the production of this set which I will be listing shortly for independent sale here.
Tags: drumset, england, original, piece, rogers, vintage, white