now I gotta know.....
So keep your eyes out on this post, I may be bringing home my dream kit today. Going to see it this afternoon and if everything is as good as it looks, I will be bringing it home. I would sell my Pearl Master Studio birch kit as I just don't have room for 3 kits and my son loves his Yamaha kit. Will post an update after I get home. One hint, drop G.
Gretsch USA Custom 22x18, 12x9, 13x10, 14x14, 16x16, 14x5.5 Rosewood Zildjian 14" New Beats, Zildjian 20" A Medium Ride, Sabian 18" Paragon Crash, Zildjian 16" Medium Thin Crash Tama Iron Cobra Single Pedal
Pearl Masters Studio Birch (MBX) 22x16, 10x10, 12x10, 13x11, 16x16, 14x6.5 in White Mist. Zildjian A Custom Hats, Sabian 22 AA with Rivets, Stagg 20" Ghengis Ride, Dream Contact Crashes 16" & 17" Pearl P2002B Double Bass Pedal
now I gotta know.....
USA Customs.jpgGretsch Floor1.jpgGretsch Floor2.jpgGretsch Snare.jpgGretschBass.jpg
2010 Gretsch USA Custom in Rosewood. 22x18, 12x9, 13x10, 14x14, 16x16, 14x5.5 snare and a Gibraltar rack.
Gretsch USA Custom 22x18, 12x9, 13x10, 14x14, 16x16, 14x5.5 Rosewood Zildjian 14" New Beats, Zildjian 20" A Medium Ride, Sabian 18" Paragon Crash, Zildjian 16" Medium Thin Crash Tama Iron Cobra Single Pedal
Pearl Masters Studio Birch (MBX) 22x16, 10x10, 12x10, 13x11, 16x16, 14x6.5 in White Mist. Zildjian A Custom Hats, Sabian 22 AA with Rivets, Stagg 20" Ghengis Ride, Dream Contact Crashes 16" & 17" Pearl P2002B Double Bass Pedal
Gretsch USA Custom 22x18, 12x9, 13x10, 14x14, 16x16, 14x5.5 Rosewood Zildjian 14" New Beats, Zildjian 20" A Medium Ride, Sabian 18" Paragon Crash, Zildjian 16" Medium Thin Crash Tama Iron Cobra Single Pedal
Pearl Masters Studio Birch (MBX) 22x16, 10x10, 12x10, 13x11, 16x16, 14x6.5 in White Mist. Zildjian A Custom Hats, Sabian 22 AA with Rivets, Stagg 20" Ghengis Ride, Dream Contact Crashes 16" & 17" Pearl P2002B Double Bass Pedal
oh man... that is dreamy! love that wood finish and the diecast hoops!
So I haven't had too much time on them, but man do they sound nice. Warm, round sound. Not as much attack as the Pearls (makes sense as the bearing edges are 30 degrees vs 45). Really digging them so far.
Gretsch USA Custom 22x18, 12x9, 13x10, 14x14, 16x16, 14x5.5 Rosewood Zildjian 14" New Beats, Zildjian 20" A Medium Ride, Sabian 18" Paragon Crash, Zildjian 16" Medium Thin Crash Tama Iron Cobra Single Pedal
Pearl Masters Studio Birch (MBX) 22x16, 10x10, 12x10, 13x11, 16x16, 14x6.5 in White Mist. Zildjian A Custom Hats, Sabian 22 AA with Rivets, Stagg 20" Ghengis Ride, Dream Contact Crashes 16" & 17" Pearl P2002B Double Bass Pedal
What's not to like? Absolutely gorgeous!! What did you get them for?
Gretsch USA Custom 22x18, 12x9, 13x10, 14x14, 16x16, 14x5.5 Rosewood Zildjian 14" New Beats, Zildjian 20" A Medium Ride, Sabian 18" Paragon Crash, Zildjian 16" Medium Thin Crash Tama Iron Cobra Single Pedal
Pearl Masters Studio Birch (MBX) 22x16, 10x10, 12x10, 13x11, 16x16, 14x6.5 in White Mist. Zildjian A Custom Hats, Sabian 22 AA with Rivets, Stagg 20" Ghengis Ride, Dream Contact Crashes 16" & 17" Pearl P2002B Double Bass Pedal
Let's see it all setup!
That drop G badge had a limited era..........1981 ?
I have a friend in Texas that has a SSB kit in Rosewood Gloss..........really pretty.
Gretsch USA & Zildjian(What Else Would I Ever Need ?)
That was what I thought too, but apparently they re-issued it and it was in circulation through 2013.
Gretsch USA Custom 22x18, 12x9, 13x10, 14x14, 16x16, 14x5.5 Rosewood Zildjian 14" New Beats, Zildjian 20" A Medium Ride, Sabian 18" Paragon Crash, Zildjian 16" Medium Thin Crash Tama Iron Cobra Single Pedal
Pearl Masters Studio Birch (MBX) 22x16, 10x10, 12x10, 13x11, 16x16, 14x6.5 in White Mist. Zildjian A Custom Hats, Sabian 22 AA with Rivets, Stagg 20" Ghengis Ride, Dream Contact Crashes 16" & 17" Pearl P2002B Double Bass Pedal
Gretsch Kit 1.jpgGretsch Kit 2.jpgGretsch Kit 3.jpg
May still tweak the setup as this is my first rack experience and also the first time I have played a 2 up 2 down.
Gretsch USA Custom 22x18, 12x9, 13x10, 14x14, 16x16, 14x5.5 Rosewood Zildjian 14" New Beats, Zildjian 20" A Medium Ride, Sabian 18" Paragon Crash, Zildjian 16" Medium Thin Crash Tama Iron Cobra Single Pedal
Pearl Masters Studio Birch (MBX) 22x16, 10x10, 12x10, 13x11, 16x16, 14x6.5 in White Mist. Zildjian A Custom Hats, Sabian 22 AA with Rivets, Stagg 20" Ghengis Ride, Dream Contact Crashes 16" & 17" Pearl P2002B Double Bass Pedal
Makes sense.
The Gretsch website doesn't mention the reissue in their badge history, but I've heard about this before.
In addition, those tom mounts certainly don't jive with 1981.
You are going to love this USA kit.......welcome to the family.
I've been loving/playing mine since I custom-ordered it in 1977..........it just gets better with age.
Gretsch USA & Zildjian(What Else Would I Ever Need ?)
Gretsch USA Custom 22x18, 12x9, 13x10, 14x14, 16x16, 14x5.5 Rosewood Zildjian 14" New Beats, Zildjian 20" A Medium Ride, Sabian 18" Paragon Crash, Zildjian 16" Medium Thin Crash Tama Iron Cobra Single Pedal
Pearl Masters Studio Birch (MBX) 22x16, 10x10, 12x10, 13x11, 16x16, 14x6.5 in White Mist. Zildjian A Custom Hats, Sabian 22 AA with Rivets, Stagg 20" Ghengis Ride, Dream Contact Crashes 16" & 17" Pearl P2002B Double Bass Pedal
That is a stunner for sure!
Congratulations!
I used to own a 1981 "Drop-G Badge" kit. In early 2009 I contacted Gretsch about making a 14" floor tom to match my kit. When they heard that it was a Drop-G kit, Paul Cooper told me that they were coming out with a new version of that badge later in the year. "Did I want one on my new floor tom?" The edited version of my reply was, "Yes!"
As I recall, the new (and current) "Round Badge" was showed up in the spring of 2013 with the "Earn your badge!" ad campaign.
I sold my 1981 kit to a friend a few years back. (I owned several other Gretsch kits at the time.) Two years ago he was going through some tough financial times and needed to sell the kit. I bought it back from him, but never picked it up. He'll pay me back some day when he can.
In any case, here is a photo of it with the 14" floor tom with the newer badge.
1981 Gretsch Drop-G.jpg
-Mike
"We don't stop playing because we grow old.
We grow old because we stop playing."
"I wish that my playing reminded people of Steve Gadd. But they seem to confuse me with his little known cousin... E."
"Snare drums happen."
Gretsch USA Custom 22x18, 12x9, 13x10, 14x14, 16x16, 14x5.5 Rosewood Zildjian 14" New Beats, Zildjian 20" A Medium Ride, Sabian 18" Paragon Crash, Zildjian 16" Medium Thin Crash Tama Iron Cobra Single Pedal
Pearl Masters Studio Birch (MBX) 22x16, 10x10, 12x10, 13x11, 16x16, 14x6.5 in White Mist. Zildjian A Custom Hats, Sabian 22 AA with Rivets, Stagg 20" Ghengis Ride, Dream Contact Crashes 16" & 17" Pearl P2002B Double Bass Pedal
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