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Paul is a drummer and drum restorer and his kits are superb.
The Kit Below is similar to another fantastic kit from the Horniman Museum
 |
| Ready to Roll! I'll let Paul explain: The Basic kit is a 1935-ish Premier Console Swingster Kit, to which I have added or substituted: 20" Zildjian ride. Premier 50s hi hat with 12" Zyns. Premier 1925 DeLuxe snare. Premier 252 bass drum pedal. The swan necks carry a 10" Turkish crash and an Alchemy 10" splash. The choke cymbal(s) are original but on a new mounting. Last
and best is the 12" Tom with shell and hoop by Bob, Tees &
claws |
| How tricky is it to transport? | The kit is quick to pack away, the cymbals, toms and snare come off. Then the whole frame with bass drum & traps goes straight in the back of our modest hatch back (Fiat Stilo). With plenty of room for the removed items. |
| What stops the whole thing rolling? | There are brakes on the back wheels to stop the whole thing running away! |
| Those bell cymbals, are they the Choke? | What I called the choke (got the name from a 1920s drum book) is like an X-hat plays like an almost closed hihat, as the cymbals are brass they don't have much sustain and to my ears are a joy. These were used along with a 'sock cymbal' (foot) to get the sounds we now get from a hihat. |
| I Love that frame Paul, how does it work? | I guess you could make a similar frame, the design is quite simple and could easily be made from stainless 22mm water pipe & aluminium alloy channel, similar wheels with brakes are available. |
Once again it's simpler to let Paul tell the story -
About
me, I played from age 17 to 20 whilst at college and as an Erk in the
RAF everything from youth club skiffle to trad jazz, even a spell in the
college orchestra! To be honest I don't think I was very good! It all
stopped when I was posted to Germany in 1961.
About a year ago my wife and I got back into Jazz, we are quite well served
around here for that sort of thing. A great jazz singer Judy Eames and
trumpeter Tony Davis live in the next village and arrange sessions with
some 'real' players in the village hall. Recent visitors being; Jim Fryer,
Chris Burke & Les Muscutt from the USA and a super 20s/30s style band
called Harlem.
I in my dotage decided I wanted to have another go and after a couple
of months found a 50s Autocrat kit on eBay. the same source provided the
hardware cymbals etc. and I was away.
My re-entry was slow and I am still 'getting the hang of it' A few months
ago I noticed the 30s Premier kit on eBay and could not resist it, This
is now in running order, thanks to yourself and others; and now I am trying
to get it together for a gig at the end of this month, my first for 44
years! It may not happen but at least I will have tried.
