In the MIJ world there is a tendency to lump all the drums together. Some of it is from the old myths of them being made in the same factory or a shared factory, but in reality the connections between companies was very small, even the smallest common screw seem to be a little different. This even extends to the wraps, where similar, but not the same, seems to be the rule.
Read moreStar/Tama Pearl Fantasia Snare Drum
Some of the most attractive things about the vintage Japanese drums were the great wraps. One of the most original and desirable wraps is Star’s Pearl Fantasia.
Read moreThe Snare Drum Outfit
Many of us share the introduction into the drumming world with that first snare drum, or if you are one of the fortunate ones, the “Snare Drum Outfit”!
Read moreThem Stinkin’ Badges
One of my favorite parts of the vintage MIJ drum genre is simply admiring all the badges, the styles and types and even the brands. A badge on a drum (especially a stencil) lets you know who sold it. Any kind of badging usually accomplishes at minimum the tasks of identification and advertising, and sometimes a little deception with the styling.
Read moreMIJ Sixties Fibre Gold Star Kit
Every now and then a vintage Japanese kit comes on the market with one of the “fun” wraps. For Star made drums, that would be: the Pearl Fantasia, or the Lava Pearl, or the Peacock Pearl, or what I have today, the Fibre Gold.
Read moreThe History of WhiteHall Drums by Marc Patch
Whitehall was a brand from David Wexler & Co, a company which started in 1920 as a musical instrument distributor in Chicago. The early drums in the Wexler catalog were American made by Kent, but as time passed they were all made by Pearl.
Read moreDrum History Podcast - Episode 3 - Made in Japan: The History of Stencil Drums with Marc Patch
"Stencil drums" were Japanese copies of major drum manufacturers like Slingerland and Rogers that were created in the 50's to the 80's. They feature some of the most unique finishes that you can find and have become a unique category of affordable collectors drums. They have a somewhat mysterious history, but fortunately Marc Patch has written a book documenting the history of MIJ (Made In Japan) drums and took the time to talk with me.
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