Dave Brandt, drummer for, The Echo Falls, is the proud owner of an early 1960s Gretsch "round badge" 4 piece drum kit (midnight blue in color). He took some time out from working with the band to chat about this little piece of drumming history he owns.

Tell me about the early 60s "round badge kit? What is it made of? How does it sound? Where did you get it?

It was made in one of those great Gretsch factory buildings you see going over the bridge to Brooklyn. The shells have 3 or 4 maple plies. I got this kit at a used drum shop in New York City. It was really beat up when I got it with chewed up edges, plies coming apart, missing pieces, etc. But that's how I could afford it at the time. Then I did a lot of work restoring it.

Tell me a little about the sound of the kit and why you like it? What sort of drummers would appreciate this kit?

The sound is what is so special about this kit. If you like 50s-60s jazz and funk records, and also Mitch Mitchell and Charlie Watts, they used kits like this. The sound is crisp, woody and kind of hollow. The fundamentals are warm and very resonant with mellowed overtones. The sustain in the toms is incredible.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of having an older kit like this?

The main benefit is the special sound from these drums. They're great for gigging because the hardware is very light and portable and they attract attention. here are some unique details about how the shells and hardware were made, and the quality of the wood which give it such a special character. Also, as the wood ages it dries and the sound just gets better and better.

I use old old Ludwig Speed King hi hat and kick pedals which have a flat pedal and a solid metal piece where the chain would normally go. This design allows me to rock my foot and use my heel to push the hats, or the kick beater back up. I love feel and extra control I get from these pedals. You can't get a hihat with that kind of action anymore to my knowledge. The old felt kick beater sounds way better than anything I have found new.

As for the drawbacks, I'd say that It takes a bit of extra care and attention to detail to get this kit dialed in but it's totally worth it. Also, if something breaks or wears out it's hard to get parts. I'm kind of uptight about letting other bands use it at shows which has been a problem on occasion.

Any problems with the kit? Any maintenance concerns or anything like that?

Mounting new heads is a challenge because the shells are slightly larger than modern specs, so it takes longer for heads to break in and more tuning to get the sound good. I have to be careful of the wood kick drum hoops they can get damaged pretty easily. However, once things are set up I have no problems and very little maintenance or tuning is required. Sometimes the hardware has problems, but I have made a lot of little modifications so it works really well for me. Might not work so well for someone else.

Tell me about the cymbals you use with the kit? Why these cymbals? Do they particularly compliment this set?

Yes I have a mix of older Zildjian cymbals, including some "old K" and "old A". My ride is a K heavy ride I've had since high school and it has a beautiful dark tone. Once again I find that age mellows and darkens the sound. Also, in past times cymbals were made much thinner than they generally are today, so they are perfect for playing acoustic music. They sound rich and cool at the same time. So I think they are very complimentary to the Gretsch kit.

I know on some of these vintage kits it is the color that makes one kit more valuable than others (or so I have been told). Is this true? Is there any difference in the kits because of color?

There are some kits with outrageous laminates that reflect the light in amazing ways like a hologram. I actually have another old Gretsch kit that is "Aqua Marine Flame". That is definitely a looker, and a rare color. I think some of the fancier laminates can get discolored with time and scratches show up more easily. So they are more sought after in good condition. I have seen Midnight Blue kits before so I don't think it is one of the rarer finishes.

I think the laminate, or lack of, does have some impact on the resonance and sound but it's pretty subtle. I'm not that concerned about it. When I first got the kit I considered removing the laminate and doing a wood finish because I like the natural element and to remove any impediment to vibration. But these old laminates are just too cool, and also I learned that the wood underneath will not always looks great.

Tell me anything else you think is special about this kit that I haven't elicited yet?

I just love having a bit of history to play, and I love the subtleties of the sound. There was a period in the last century of about 50 years when American instrument factories mostly in Chicago and New York had it going on. They did a lot of innovation and experimentation. I don't think there will ever be a time like that again with the quality of the methodologies and materials they used.

I have a 1930s Deagan No. 145 vibraphone, a 1930s Deagan No. 64 Imperial marimba, 1960s Gon Bops congas and bongos. I use those all with The Echo Falls. I also love old tube stereo equipment, old surf boards... The same types of distinctions are true with all of them. It's the subtleties of the feel and sound that are so extra sweet. I'm not a collector - I use it all and I aspire to do more with less. But it seems I'm a bit of a purist or just plain old fashioned when it comes to these things.