Trying to piece together a Keith Moon Premier kit

thebigguyconnor

Junior Member
I am kind of unsure as to whether premier still makes a kit similar to one that Keith would have played on around 1970 (the leeds kit specifically, with chrome wrap).

19700214_leeds_km.jpg


I know that he used Paiste Giant Beat and 2002 cymbals around this time (he used Zildjian later on). What kit should I get either new or used that is most like that kit guys?

Thanks!
 
From what I heard, Premier is basically out of business. Hope that's not really the case. I always liked their stuff.
However, even if they aren't OOB, I'd highly doubt that you'd be able to special order something like this. They haven't used those type of lugs in a long time.
The only thing close would be a Pictures Of Lilly kit they put out a few years ago.

Best bet is to check eBay for nice individual drums, or a good kit and some pieces and re-cover.
Or, find any kind of condition Premier kit with those lugs, use the lugs, and get shells drilled edged and covered the way you want.

There's a few sites that have the specs on Keith Moon's kits. Just google for that.
I think the 3 front toms were 9x13 (or 8x13).
Could have had 2-16" floor toms, or 16-18.

Neal Smith from Alice Cooper used to have a running contest with Keith to see who had the most drums in their kit. I always thought that was funny.

Good luck!
 
Well, Moon went through a lot of drum kits, and the specs were subject to change.

And many kits Moon has been pictured with were not always his, because the Who used a lot of rental kits on the road, especially when in America.

Karl is on the right track. You'd be better off looking at ebay for a several older Premier kits, then re-wrap them to match.

If you look at what Keith is using at this time, all his rack toms are the same size (14").
His kit was essentially two drum sets put together.

As for cymbals, while Keith did like Paiste, he used whatever he could get his hands on. He never had a formal endorsement during his career (although he apparently signed one with Paiste right before he died). He switched between Zildjian and Paiste all the time, depending on what he could get (and the rental aspect comes into play again).
 
I am kind of unsure as to whether premier still makes a kit similar to one that Keith would have played on around 1970 (the leeds kit specifically, with chrome wrap).

Thanks!

At the time of the picture posted, Moon was playing 3x 10" x 14" Toms mounted with Rogers Swiv-o-matic hardware; his bass drums were 14" x 22" with a special bracket designed to keep them together (angled hardware between them); 3x 16" x 16" floor toms (one to his left and two on the right); and a Ludwig Supraphonic snare (402).
 
My local drum store (Drums 2 Go in Orlando, FL) has 2 used Premier kits. One is a fairly big kit. Both looked to be in good shape. I don't know much about Premier kits though so you'd need to contact them.
 
At the time of the picture posted, Moon was playing 3x 10" x 14" Toms mounted with Rogers Swiv-o-matic hardware; his bass drums were 14" x 22" with a special bracket designed to keep them together (angled hardware between them); 3x 16" x 16" floor toms (one to his left and two on the right); and a Ludwig Supraphonic snare (402).


Close but no cigar, Keith used 3 of the size 8 x 14 mounted toms not 10 x 14 " - Premier did not make a 9 x 13 or a 10 x 14 tom during this period.- he was also very fond of Gretsch snare drums. The special bracket linking th two bass drums together is correct and he did use Rogers Swivomatic tom mounts and was known to use a Ludwig Supraphonic on occasion but as I stated earlier he preferred Gretsch snare drums.

There was a seller on EBay that had an exact copy of Keith's red sparkle kit with the three 8 x 14 mounted toms and 2 x 16 " floor toms.

Some of his most famous kits were the white kit with the copper hardware ( no in the posession of Zak Starkey -ringo's son) and the pictures of Lily kit that Premier had made a reissue of before they fell on hard times. Personally I founf the pictures of lily kit to be quite ugly, but this is just my personal opinion.
 
+1 on the drum sizes of the Keiths double headed Premier kits.3 - 8x14 toms.He did also however use a Ludwig Supraphonic LM 400 5 x 14 a lot of the time.If you google WHOTABS ,you will find a detailed list of all the equipnent used by the Who.

Steve B
 
Last edited:
There's a shop here in Denmark, and they sell premier kits, which is kinda what the shop does best, sells premier kits. That is what they're "known" for atleast.
But, it's new sets, so i can't help you. But i don't think they're OOB then. Can't be sure if the shop has them stored in huge amounts somewhere though.
 
I wonder if the poor goldfish who were swimming about in his toms are still alive (see Isle of Wight Festival dvd 1971?) .
 
Here's my Moonie kit that I am in the process of assembling. They sound awesome and look cool as hell.

Lee
 

Attachments

  • collage sm.JPG
    collage sm.JPG
    49.9 KB · Views: 5,152
Here's my Moonie kit that I am in the process of assembling.
Indeed, they do look cool.​
TBGC ... these kits/drums are out there. Just watch eBay. I picked up a 1975 Premier "Baron" kit, just a few weeks ago. 24" kick, 18" floor tom, 13, 14, 15, 16 concert toms. For $970. Just be patient. Might take you a year or more to assemble all the right drums ... but it can be done.​
 
Great job.Love those old Premier kits.It seams they may have gotten their act together and will start selling drums again,even in the US.I hope they bring back those beautiful lugs

Steve B
 
Thx. Still a work in progress. Using the Rogers Swiv-o-matic hardware for the toms, ala KM. Have Lokfast stands and 250s kick pedals. Working on some replica mounting plates, and I need to move the kick spurs on the kick drummers right; this is an older late 60s kick with the spurs mounted lower. Should mount like the kick on drummers left, which is a 70s era mahogany shell.

Lee
 
Not trying to hijack the thread, but someone mentioned that Keith Moon never did any endorsements.

Curious as to why not. Anyone know?
 
Not trying to hijack the thread, but someone mentioned that Keith Moon never did any endorsements.

Curious as to why not. Anyone know?

My first thought when I read this is probably that the companies didn't let him become and endorsee becomes of his destructive habits! lol
 
Not trying to hijack the thread, but someone mentioned that Keith Moon never did any endorsements.

Curious as to why not. Anyone know?

I said he never had a formal cymbal endorsement for most of his career, although he apparently signed one with Paiste right before he died.

He did have a Premier drum endorsement from approx 1965 on.
EDIT: Keith in Premier adds:
http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/gear/drums/drumsendorsements.html

As to why: While endorsing drums goes back to the 1930's, endorsements were not as common prior to the late 70's/early 80's as they are now. One might have a drum or a cymbal endorsement, but drummers didn't necessary endorse a handful of products. The concept of endorsements probably rarely crossed his mind, and with the way he destroyed gear, few probably sought him out. When The Who were on hiatus, Keith wouldn't touch his drums, so again, endorsements most likely weren't on his mind.

It was once drum magazines came into being around the time of Keith's death, and them MTV made it so bands gear could be seen on TV a few years later, that companies started taking putting logo on products and having high profile drummers endorse products became more of the norm.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top