Gretsch 50's 3ply tribute kit

[kona]

I bought a Cadillac Green 9x13 tom with gold plated hardware last year on eBay. The drums Gretsch made with the Cadillac Green finish Gretsch 54-58 were sold with gold plated hardware. I had 1953 Gretsch 3ply 16" floor tom with a tacked on reso head. I started looking for a 6.5x14 snare shell and a 22" bass drum. It took some time but eventually I found a 1950 Gretsch 3ply shell and a 1951 3ply Gretsch bass drum.

The paint was a little tricky to match because the rack tom is 50+ years old. I took the drum to a high-end automotive paint supplier and he did his best to mix me some paint. I found a local painter and this is the result.

I will most likely have the hardware on the floor tom, bass drum and snare plated gold sometime in the future. I'm leaving the rack tom as it is - don't want to fool around with the vintage value on that drum - it looks just fine the way it is.

This is the tom after I cleaned the spray paint of the hardware - yes - someone spray painted over the hardware. I posted before and after photos on the Forum last Dec when I bought it.
The second and third photos are the bass drum as I bought it and some damage inside the shell

[kona]

This is the tacked reso headed floor tom when I got it.

These are the shells as I brought them home from the painter last Wednesday. I put all the hardware on them - the snare and bass drum badges are not fully attached yet - just stuck there for the photos. I didn't want to tack the floor tom one one until I was ready to actually put it on the drum - they are stuck on with an uphostery tack.

Sorry about the dust on the snare - the camera really picked that up haha.

[Pearl MCX Man]

Wow you did a great restore job on that old Vintage Grestch man. She looks fantastic love that metallic finish. Congrats can't wait to see pics of her set up.

[kona]

Got the badge on the snare today.
This here is your garden variety Gretsch drum

6.5x14 1950 3ply

[drumstix]

Kit looks beautiful man. Great job. Will definitely look awesome with the rest of the kit gold plated.

[kaosotis]

Although I already saw these on another forum, I'm glad you posted more in depth pics here. They look fantastic. I really like how the paint job came out. Just gorgeous.

[pastor_bob]

That's just amazing work Gary! I know it's a labor of love, but it's still very time consuming, especially because of the patience that you need to see it through. Well done!

[MartyM]

Great work on restore! love that sparkle gold ring on BD hoop! wow...drums older than me! and playable too!

[Olimpass]

Got the badge on the snare today.
This here is your garden variety Gretsch drum

6.5x14 1950 3ply

Sweet!

[late8]

Amazing work Gary! Thanks for the pics.

[Russ]

Wicked!!! Great job putting that together and colormatching everything. I guess the other ones didn't come with the same colored hardware?

[TxDrummer]

Great job! I love seeing old drums come back to life. Again thanks for the pics.

[kona]

Thanks guys!
Russ - I bought all the period correct hardware and shells on eBay over about an eight month period - except the original gold plated tom of course. I will at some time in the future have all the hardware on the other drums gold plated. But, I do not want to mess with the original tom.....I'm keeping it like it is for it's vintage value and the historic piece that it is. I will gold plate some new Brooklyn Series 302 stickchopper hoops and use them on the original tom - keeping the original hoops as well.