My Unidentified Gretsch Kit

shaneo

Junior Member
Here it is. Straight up fusion configuration, but an odd badge, unidentified wood, a 30 degree bearing edge, and no silver sealer/inner labels have me perplexed as to what this set really is... An early Catalina Elite, perhaps?
 

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Where ever did you get this from? Perhaps it was custom built and ordered with no sealer and old style badges. Is that the original tom mounting hardware? Most interesting! That style badge ran from the early 80s to the late 90s if I'm not mistaken. Thats a long timeline. The wood is hard to tell from the pic. I would guess late 90s by the hardware. I'll look and see if I can find an old catalog.
 
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Wow! I can't find that badge anywhere! I looked through all my catalogs that go way back into the 80s. The U.S.A is missing on the sides of the hole I also checked the company website.
 
That looks like my set...I would put it at a catalina elite...which is what I purchased years ago. The badges match what I have on my kit. Even the wood bass hoops match.


Just my 2cents
 
That looks like my set...I would put it at a catalina elite...which is what I purchased years ago. The badges match what I have on my kit. Even the wood bass hoops match.


Just my 2cents
can you recall the year? I'm surprised that I couldn't find it but I am missing a few years of catalogs. I can't ever recall a square badge without USA on it. Interesting.
 
I don't know much about the Catalina elites but it seems to fit the bill. Flanged hoops, no silver sealer, USA-esque badge but no "USA" on the actual badge.
 
when this was posted in the other thread I tried going to the manufacturer website as well and did not find anything concerning them...the badge w/o the usa is what is puzzeling...interesting though that still no-one has come up with a definative answer...are they a knock off? Just putting that out there...?
 
Wow that's a beautiful finish and I really like the natural wood hoops. Sorry I can't help with the identification at all but enjoy your kit!
 
when this was posted in the other thread I tried going to the manufacturer website as well and did not find anything concerning them...the badge w/o the usa is what is puzzeling...interesting though that still no-one has come up with a definative answer...are they a knock off? Just putting that out there...?

Again, they are very much like mine which I have posted in a thread a couple below this one. I can almost certainly say that they are catilina elite.
 
interesting though that still no-one has come up with a definative answer...are they a knock off? Just putting that out there...?

That is a very valid consideration. If they were bought and sold as genuine Gretsch, they may be full blown conterfeits. The conterfeit market is a HUUUUGE global industry with a great deal of unaware participants/victims. If you think no one would fake a drum kit, I will tell you that I read a BusinessWeek article a few years ago where everyone involved unknowingly bought, sold, and installed a counterfeit ELEVATOR CAR. Who fakes an elevator?! Honestly!

The saying is: "If they make it, they fake it." Sad but true.

In this case, I hope it's a genuine Gretsch kit and some Gretsch scholar id's it no problem.
 
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