[DrumBum2008]

Afternoon all

Got a Premier and trying to find out what model or what year it was made and how much its worth. I think the snare is a Premier 2000 but not sure.
Pictures below. Sorry there not best pics in world.













Cheers

[Harry]

Hi DrumBum,

Your kit looks very much like my own Premier Vintage kit.
There is quite a nice website, The Vintage Premier Drum Site, that features the catalogues from the 30- ties onwards. I think your snare literally features on one of the catalogue's picture!
My kit is a late sixties kit, it looks like the lugs etc. on your kit are the same as on my kit.
Premier did not keep a log on their series but by comparing the lugs etc. (To the catalogue's pictures) you can get close to the year of manufacturing.

Hold on to the kit though, they have the best shells ever with a beautifully bevelled sound edge on them that is part of a half inch reinforcing "hoop" that is laminated into the shells.
The quality of the cast hoops and lugs/tension rods is superb, you can imagine Keith Moon from the band "The Who" going berserk on the kit without destroying it.
Both Ringo Star, and Keith Moon had a very similar style of Premier kit.

I put an Aquarian Focus tm head on my (wooden) snare, which gives a fantastic sound, I am going to put the same heads on all my toms now also, with classic clears on the reso's.
If your kit is what I think it is, I would smother it in baby-oil, because to buy the same quality new you have to fork out big bucks!!

Cheers and happy drumming,


Harry

	Aquarian Drumheads Shop for Aquarian Drumheads at Musician's Friend

[DrumBum2008]

Thanks for the sound information Harry.
I am not looking to sell it but how much are they roughly worth?
When it gets warm here in England I am planning on cleaning it all up. I am also going to be putting some new heads on each drum cos they are abit knackered and not got the best sound in the world.
Thanks

[Harry]

Hi DrumBum,

Yes, I would defenitely stick some new heads on them, the difference is
a m a z i n g!!
I was offered 250 Ponds for my snare only!!
Cheers and Happy drumming,

Harry

[bouncingstick]

wow...that was an awesome web u suggest there harry..i once use those premier steel snare n i admit it sounds amazing..but, now the snare got broken lung and i dun know where to find the replacement. i want to use the original if i cud..

[Harry]

Hi Bouncingstick,

I found the following website a while ago, it might have even come from this forum! It is Drummaker.com - Your Complete Source for Custom Drum Parts & Supplies
These guys have a huge amount of parts. even when you would not be able to find the original part, you will still get something to fit quite well.

I hope this helps you.

Cheers and Happy drumming,

Harry

[bouncingstick]

thanks again harry

[DrumBum2008]

Cheers for the info again Harry.
Seems I got a bargain then as I bought this kit about a year ago for £200 with cymbals and everything.
What skins do you recomend on these old drums. Somebody has told me the Remo Coated Ambassadors are good. What do you recomend though?
Thanks

	Remo Drumheads Shop for Remo Drumheads at Musician's Friend

[Harry]

Hi DrumBum,

That was a very good deal!!!
As for the heads, The Remo coated Ambassadors will be fine when you use clears on the reso skins. This is sort of a classic approach.
I had those myself on my kit, I thought they were OK.
I changed over to Aquarians, which give me a better response for various styles of music.
Personally I like the Aquarian Texture Coated Heads better than the Remo's, they are more dynamic/brighter.
I use (as I mentioned before) the Focus-X on my snare, which is a textured coated Aquarian with a vented clear muffling ring under the edge of the head. This vented muffler took just enough"ring" out of my snare to be balanced.
If you still want abit of a "ring" in an accent-beat just hit it close to the rim and you still get it.
The result is amazing.
I am now totally sold on Aquarians, you have to play(and feel) the textured coating to realize how good it really is.
For brush-work it is second to none.

Anyway, it is always a very personal thing, I hear a lot of guys swearing by Evans (G2's for toms), I looked at them and played them in the drum shop and they are certainly not bad.
I am sure that you are now more confused than ever!
One thing is for sure though, those wonderfully crafted Premier shells deserve new heads!!

Cheers and happy Drumming,

Harry

	Aquarian Drumheads Shop for Aquarian Drumheads at Musician's Friend

	Evans Drumheads Shop for Evans Drumheads at Musician's Friend

	Remo Drumheads Shop for Remo Drumheads at Musician's Friend

[DrumBum2008]

Got to make my mind up wether to go with the Remo's or the Aquarians. The Aquarians sound spot on for the kit but I know that I can get the Remo's more easily where I live.
When you say 'use clears on the reso skins' what do you mean by this?
The heads that are currently on the kit are the original 'Everplay' heads and to be honest there abit crap.

Cheers

	Aquarian Drumheads Shop for Aquarian Drumheads at Musician's Friend

	Remo Drumheads Shop for Remo Drumheads at Musician's Friend