MusicRadar

Each month Rhythm Magazine tracks-down and checks-out vintage gear in order to marvel at a bit of drum-making history.

Here we take a look at three classic phases in the 90 year history of legendary British drum manufacturer Premier…

First up, this splendid Premier chrome-clad kit was put up for sale at the 2009 National Drum Fair by Cris Thomas of Talkin’ Headz drum shop in Woburn Sands, Milton Keynes.

The kit has had just one very careful owner, Pete Obee, who bought it new from the Luton Music Centre around 1974. Pete says the kit is an Elite, which was Premier’s top pro line in the 1970s alongside the more famous Resonator.

The original set comprised the 22x14-inch bass drum with 13x9-inch and 14x10-inch rack toms and 16x16-inch floor tom. The 12x8-inch tom was added a year or two later, while the snare drum was bought earlier and is a 10-lug Hi-Fi from the 1960s.