Buying and Fixing an OLD Kent Drum Set

Gear Used (affiliate links):
Austrian Audio Hi-X60 Headphones:
Earthworks DK7 Drum Mic Kit:
Lewitt DTP 640 REX Bass Drum Mic
Roc n’ Soc Drum Throne:
Tama Road Pro/ Iron Cobra Hardware:
Vic Firth Freestyle 5b Drum Sticks:
Vic Firth VKB5 Beater:
Remo Ambassador Clears:
Remo Emperor Coated:

Music used (background & playalongs):

Tools/Materials:
Ryobi Buffer:
9-in-1 Screwdriver:
Drum Key Drill Bit:
Guitar Peg Tuner Bit (will need to be modified):
-Video about modding it:
Wire Wheel for Drill:
Novus Plastic Polish:
Parts Tray:
Satin Black Spray Paint:
Spay Bottles:

Heres a drum kit thats been on the todo list for waaay too long. I actually traded a set of bass drum spurs for this kit lol, but wanted to find a floor tom for it before doing anything with it. I found a 14x14 orange sparkle MIJ floor tom that was probably the closest thing I would find to match the kit. I thought this was a Kent Vibratone, but Vibratone is actually the name and later they changed to Kent. As far as I know, a floor tom was never available back in the Vibratone days. Kent made orange sparkle drums, including floor toms, but trying to find an orphan would probably take a lifetime so the MIJ will have to do! Even though the Kent has nickel hardware and are single tension drums and the floor tom is chrome...

For the drum set restoration, I buffed the shells with Novus plastic polish, painted the bass drum hoops, removing rust from hardware by soaking in vinegar was the hardest part, but was still stupid simple. I used Remo drumheads, plus I got a goatskin head from Bovid Percussion to really tie the whole kit together, and man, that thing looks cleeeeen!

Kents were considered the poor mans Gretsch because of thin 3-ply maple shells, which is what Gretsch was doing at the time. Though, Kents quality control is NOWHERE near that of Gretsch’s haha. Still a cool little drum set! If you looking for a budget a&f drum set thats half the quality then this kit is for you! haha

I Bought an OLD Kent Drum Set - The Poor Man's Gretsch...

[rdavidr]

*Who here has ever played a Kent drum set before?*

[joeday]

This is absolutely my favorite resto you've ever done. And your playing at the end - <chef kiss>. Did you reveal some hidden mojo buried under all that gunk? I don't think I've ever seen you rip it up quite like this in any of your other resto/flip videos. These things awoke some beast in you I haven't seen yet!

[rloasby]

That kit sounds quite nice recorded, especially the snare! Great job

[jethrofloyd]

That fill at 14:13.... I'm stealing that 😂

[bigvrocks]

Kent was made about 2 miles from where I live. They were made on Military Road in Kenmore, NY. A Buffalo, NY 'suburb'. My younger brother, Paul, bought a sweet Black Pearl kit from them in the mid 60's. We went into the manufacturing facilities, etc. I also remember their Orange Sparkle kits which looked great back then. Jimmy Edwin (A great family run Business, including Mr. Edwin, Doreen, Greg & Jimmy) aka (Johnny & Jimmy) from Edwins Music, On Broadway in Buffalo, NY bought the line in the mid 70's and had parts made in Japan to build kits. Where did the time go?

[MusicShed]

Kick ass playing, great sounding kit, fun AF to watch!!

[TheLoneMutant]

For older drums, I recommend the Evans Level 360 heads. They're a bit oversized to allow the head to fit better on out-of-round drums, giving better resonance because they're not being choked fitting snugly over the bearing edge.

[Denverdarbuka]

For single tension rod tuning, really seed the reso head and stretch it out before the batter comes into play. That way you can get it up where you want it.
For natural skin, one key thing that keeps them in good shape is a bit of moisturizer/lotion. It is skin after all. Dry rot is the enemy.

[osky]

That sounded lovely. Watching your videos really makes me want to get a drum kit again. It's been over 25yrs since I last had one. I was awful but you're really inspiring me.

[TimBuell]

Hey - it’s me!!!! Haha. That Kent bass drum is literally my favorite kick drum I own now.

[ryanwilson]

It's a good day when the DIY Guru uploads

[Booskop.]

That fill at the end (15:07) is so tasty. It doesn't only looks cool, but it also sounds great!
The kit looks great too with the goat skin head. And nickel plated looks so much nicer than chrome plated, and it goes very well with the orange wrap.
Very nice episode, thanks for uploading David!

[drewsneddon]

Mind Blown! My first drum set (1972) was a very used orange sparkle Kent set, with (2) 8"x12" rack toms and no floor tom, also a 20" bass and a 5" x14" (I think) snare. They got me so excited to play that my dad took me to the actual Kent factory in Kenmore, NY and I bought an orange sparkle 14"x14" floor tom right there! This must have been maybe 1972-73??? We only live about an hour away, so my dad was good enough to take me. Haven't stopped playing since... wish I had pics, or better yet, the set...

[therealeleusis]

The bass drum head is so cool and the colors all blended so super well. Pure eye candy man!!! I've watched quite a few of your videos now and no matter what you're playing on you are able to make them all sound great and that reminded me of my high school band teacher who once told me a good drummer is one who can make ANY drum set sound good and that's the truth and I think a ton of that sound comes from the the skill of the player rather than what they're playing on. A New York street drummer can make plastic buckets and pots and pans sounds great because they play from the heart and have passion for what they do, the instrument is just a tool. Your channel is the embodiment of that truth. Obviously there are drum kits that make an already great player sound better and are so sweet to play on but I've noticed since becoming a guitarist as well and watching guitar channels that the same holds true there, a majority of the guitar tone comes the hands of the player rather than the gear. A great guitarist can make ANY guitar sound great, same for bass etc.
Anyway I really enjoy your content man, your passion for what you do really comes through and you've really inspired me to get back into drumming which was my main instrument for twenty years. Really enjoy your pursuit of the craft!!Thanks for sharing...looking forward to going through your whole Library and seeing all I've missed. Peace!!

[fastfrank-ca]

Yo David, backround has been incredible for a while now. Luv the more Jazzie styles rather than hard core Rock & Roll. Keep up the Great work 👍 😎

[BrandonMobley]

14:56 those last three fills were dope.

[xtrobitzmusic]

Fantastic restore. I was glued to the screen like watching a fireplace. Wish I could have my 1969 Rogers Londoner series sounding that good. I have been meaning to change both heads and see if can tune them up so they are not so dead.

[thatsdrummer]

That Kent kit looked exactly like the red sparkle one I got when I was 12 years old. My very first kit. I'll never forget it. Thanks for the walk down memory lane.

[CBRansom]

You don't know how to make a kit sound bad. You always tune, mic, mix, and play so well! Great resto!!

[jrfrondelli]

The kit sounds GREAT! I'm not surprised though. I've refurbished a number of Kent kits and drums over the years, and they always sound great. The way they made their shells is unique. Extremely thin maple veneer, on a roll, run through a glue bath, and wound-up like a clockspring, on a mandrel. When dry, the mandrel was popped-out, and voila!... a thin, strong multi-ply shell!!! Usually with a lot of glue residue left behind. Most of them used a "garbage wood" (back then) that we now call "Bird's-Eye Maple". It was considered junk back then, and often burned. Kent's bearing edges left something to be desired, but that, as well as the sloppy interiors, are what I rectified on the ones I refurbed. Poor man's Gretsch??? You bet!!! 😁