Its ironic this has come up now,but i just secured an orange sprkl 20,13,15,5.5 matching Kent kit in good condition for 250.00.I have to drive 3 hrs to pick it up,but...thats the cost of hunting for deals....Strange how we all seem to differ,but i think its a great testimonial to drummers..VIV,E`La Difference'

That's quite a collection.

I have a Kent snare and have to admit I'm mystified by all the interest in what appears to be an early stencil brand. Can anyone help me understand why some folks follow the brand to this degree?

Thanks.

Yes,i,d like the experts to chime in on that question also.The way i see it,and im NO expert on Kents,but there seems to be a theory that thier shells were made of one pc of maple and just rolled out for lack of a proper analysis,giving it the appearance of plies?.There qlty was hit and miss but if you got a good one,it sounds beautiful.Im having edges done on a ROP kit so i will have to wait to hear them

Also,they were an American company,short lived as they were they had quite a following.I,d imagine if they were around longer they could of been a contender,but then again,,its in the history books so we will never know.

Not sure if I qualify as an expert, but I do collect them and I can tell you why I do it.

It's partly the underdog thing. When I play out live and other drummers start asking questions, it's cool to educate them about a little known drum company which had big potential, but never quite got over the hump. Sound is also a factor and I feel that these drums, when in good condition, can stand up to any of the big name vintage drum sounds. They have a unique sound for sure and are not everyones cup of tea, but after playing and tuning several kits and snares over the last 5 or so years, I've discovered their weaknesses as well as their strengths.

Lastly and possibly most important for me, is the cost factor. Sure, I could have saved and saved and possibly gotten one nice Ludwig or Slingy kit for what I've put into my Kent's, but I like variety. Not just in size but in color. I tend to play my 22, 13, 16 kit live on most dates, but it's nice to have the other 20,12,14 kit for those gigs which might require a more jazzy or quiet sound.

As for me, I'm a lot like the guy who owns a vintage (or several vintage) Triumph motorcycles or cars. I like to tinker, I like to improve and I like to be different.

A very good drummer friend of mine owns both a 60's Ludwig and Rogers kit. He plays my Kent's all the time for rehearsals and such and he'll be the first one to tell you that these drums are the real deal. Sure I put some work into them, but that's part of the Kent deal. You have to be willing to get your hands dirty, or pay someone else to do it.

Ringo, Moon, Rich, Krupa and Bonham never played a Kent kit as far as I know... but if they had, we likely wouldn't be having this conversation right now.

For the record, Kent's are 2 ply or more (for bigger drums), not single ply. Not saying they don't exist, but I haven't seen one yet.