HUGE Gretsch Custom SSB-Transition Kit! - Emerald Green Pearl

Steve plays a fantastic Gretsch kit we've lovingly called "The Green Monster", it's a whole lotta drum! A very cool custom kit with some huge killin' toms!
Some more on the kit!: • Very Cool Baldwin-Era ...
Find it here!: reverb.com/ite...
~Cymbals~
Hi-Hats - reverb.com/ite...
Ride - reverb.com/ite...
~Studio Hardware~
Kick Pedal - SONOR 2000 Series Single Pedal with a Creative Percussion Cork Hammer Beater
Hi-Hat Stand - Canopus Lightweight Hi-Hat Stand
Drum Throne - DW 5000 Series Round Seat
Check us out on Reverb!: reverb.com/sho...
Steve Maxwell's new web series takes you behind the scenes at the hippest drum shops in Chicago and New York. With product demos, interviews, informational clips, special performances, and updates on the coolest gear in town, you can't afford to miss it!
All interviews and footage are property of Steve Maxwell © 2022

[@stevemaxwelldrums]

Thanks to all for the comments. This was a fun set to play!!

[@chrish1993]

You have some pretty smooth licks yourself there sir. May the Lord bless you with health and more years of life.

[@ryanridgely7807]

Funny you mentioned Billy Cobham, I was thinking "Cobham" when I first saw the set! Thanks for tuning those toms up! Sound great, and I always love watching you play!

[@dankenton]

So great how the kit appears both green and blue depending on the light. That major pentatonic tuning is great - was waiting for some boogie-woogie motifs rolled over those toms.

[@natezaworski4913]

Steve's got the best vintage drums!

[@seppoinnanen5577]

If Simon Phillips played with Gretsch, then this would be a perfect kit for him😀

[@michaelcavazuti3270]

yES i AGREE TOTALLY!

[@ikkenhisatsu7170]

Beautiful kit. I had a Gretsch round badge kit in high school, moonglow satin flame. I sold it right before I left for the Navy so my mom could buy another piano. She had sold her old one to buy those drums for me. But I sure do miss those drums!

[@timwilsey3655]

Stunning green , fantastic playing as always Steve. The front 4 Tom's sing tuned up

[@dkovorik409]

This kit was first brought to our attention at the Vintage Drum Forum. We advised the former owner not to break up the set and we gave him Steve Maxwell's contact information. I'm glad the kit is now in good hands and will hopefully stay in the care of someone who will always appreciate it. It's a really nice kit and that color is very unique.

[@MrIliasboufidis]

it's a complex kit that articulates as one,... a rare occasion.... respex for treating it that way.

[@Killenmachine05]

An even rarer occasion, the internet bands together to do good for once!

[@stevemaxwelldrums]

Excellent! Thanks! I am glad to be able to help here. Definitely will not be broken up.

[@toddbell8493]

old man still got it

[@richiecomia3696]

Nice playing on the demo, and wow, what a nice kit!

[@Baribrotzer]

Finally - an 18" floor tom that goes "BOOM" instead of "BARF".

[@alvarocordova3664]

Oh ! dear Steve scoring big right there. Amazingly musical kit & drummer. That great Gretsch sound.

[@maddog0342]

Those drums looking amazing and sound amazing !!! Those Floor Toms...... MONSTER sound ! And that finish is fantastic . It actually has a few different shades to it depending on the camera angle. Has almost a Teal look to it from the left side ( hi hat side ) camera view. Love the video Steve 👍😀🥁

[@jobaecker9752]

Great looking and sounding! Very very nice!

[@James1623]

Absolutely love the singing quality of the rack toms! That snare is an absolute legend 😊

[@Gideonslc]

😮Wow... I'm quite jealous. That's a genius way to set that up. I'd love to own that kit and put some new medium, Aquarian Vintage II heads on it... that sounds like it's tuned for Daniel Glass, and is almost big enough for Nicko McBrain. 🤔 I would love to hear Daniel & Royal Crown Review cover of Iron Maiden's Ides of March & Wrath Child using that Gretsch kit now!

[@jrfrondelli2023]

Wow, what a kit!!! Invite Billy to come back and play it. 😁 I actually LIKE the tuning! Gretsch drums "bark" nicely at higher tunings. It's their wheelhouse.

[@stevemaxwelldrums]

Hi Pal! Hope all is well.

[@markbryant8321]

Beautiful colour 😍

[@jackenglish1041]

Beautiful Kit Steve and love your chops as well and great video all the way around. Thank you so much sir.

[@stevevorass]

You really made that kit sing!

[@Onlyfamoli]

7:13 toms look bluish, emerald green is such a beautiful color, I'd love to get some shells that color

[@CosimoKeitaCadore]

Beautiful kit, beautiful playing. Thank you.

[@doranwisner497]

Very cool set. Sounds great! BTW: Was lucky enough to see Billy Cobham and band in Seattle a couple weeks ago and sat side stage a few feet away and saw first hand and up close his prowess behind the drums, mind blowing and inspiring! I think he would love to play this kit.

[@stevemaxwelldrums]

Wow! Glad you got to see him! Unfortunately, I have never seen Billy in person. I didn’t find out about the Chicago gig until it was too late for me to make arrangements to go.

[@LuvWFT]

I have the 5 piece round badge Gretsch, same Green Pearl color....still have it, 65 I think or close to. Got it around 1975

[@thomaschesterfield9459]

A really beautiful kit. Never have I seen that colour. Must be great pleasure to play. Thank you for the share showing the customized features. This kit is a true survivor.

[@Gretschnut]

Great kit for those coffee shop gigs. LOL. Love that emerald pearl color and especially love your playing.

[@terrywalker9092]

Seen Billy Cobham in a drum tutorial in the late 80's. Such a amazing drummer. Everyone gasped when talking about other drummers. Especially when he said he had Neil Peart 's phone number! Everyone including myself wanted to be Neil.

[@MichaelDBauer]

Wow! Love Gretsch drums. That kit is amazing. I personally like the higher tuning on the rack toms. Don't put down your playing. I love the "old school" drum styles and you pull it off well. Bellson was my favorite.

[@toothnail605]

Ya gotta love Keller shells!!

[@Hawiianlion67]

HOLY COW THIS IS MY DREAM LITERALLY NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SEE A KIT LIKE THIS

[@chrish1993]

they sound great

[@jesusthesoulrebel]

Astonishing kit! Thank you man… inspiring for sure

[@keithmcmenamie1382]

Love those Gretsch!!!,nice playing Steve!!

[@tomkelsey2303]

Twenty years or more ago, a guy who played a 70s Gretsch told me clear Pinstripes were the best heads on those drums. I guess he was right!

[@hawkrider88]

Great playing Steve and gorgeous kit.

[@yaronbrecher7397]

Gretch is the Mercedes of all drums I heard it in one of the workshops in Berklee college 1975 I was impressed amyzing sound unfortunately I never had a gretch but they deserve a huge salut

[@brianglade848]

This is absolutely a gorgeous kit, wow

[@SoundsToBlowYourMind]

What a cool kit Steve!

[@John-rw2zf]

Not too shabby. Pretty impressive. You get a rock solid passing grade. No doubt about it.

[@MrMavincenz]

I'd like to hear the medium/low tuning settings...!!!

[@etilcareh]

Great musician, great playin', thank you so much !

[@buddabirne4661]

Wow, super Tuning, super Sound, great playing, thanks a Lot for this Performance !

[@itsjim2875]

Beautiful kit - great playing demo - thanks, Steve!

[@DaGretschguy]

Awesome video Steve!!!

[@edwardhaaland2310]

Good demo! No need to explain your tuning on the mounted toms, it's exactly the way I would do it & should be just normal.

[@MultiSkyman1]

Wow! What a rare beauty. Don't see many Gretsch double bass drum kits. Just really never see rock guys back then play Gretsch.

[@mickeyfinnegan7469]

About 20 years ago there was a little music shop opened up in a strip mall nearby, they mainly had used drums, and rented band instruments, one time they had a similar Gretsch kit come in, with 2- 20" bass drums, 2 pair of tomtoms, one floor tom tom in PURPLE SATIN, it was really weird... in hindsight i should have bought it on the spot!, i did buy a metal clad Ludwig parade drum there and i took it apart about 5 years ago and am "working " on it-i got two speeds-slow and stop! peace Mitt

[@BassmanSkye]

Super cool kit! Sounds great, awesome playing

[@just82much51]

Steve, that is a beautiful kit and it’s being well played. While it’s far easier to gig with a 3 piece, there is MUCH to be said for having a full tonal Tom range.

[@stevemaxwelldrums]

I agree. I am most “at home” with one rack, one floor (maybe two), one bass and snare. But, the larger kits always are fun because of the nearly endless tonal combinations. (Just as long as we don’t have to lug them to the gig and set them up!) But, back when I was in my 20s I’d take my double bass kit ANYWHERE!

[@charliecontrino1626]

Great finish! LOVE your playing Steve!

[@Chrisdrumz]

That kit is ALL I need to make my life complete

[@davidcurtis4478]

Stunning! 👍👍

[@chrisfromfrome9016]

That 16" floor tom!!!......😊

[@reginalddavis7578]

Beautiful kit! And a beautiful sounding kit! I’m a Pearl drums kind of guy, but I have a huge love Jones for Gretsch drums!

[@eddiebirkett9602]

when you lower the high ones they will sing more , awesome bass drums

[@TheRealBKSchyster]

Hi Steve!!!!! Sooooo, man what a beauty she is in all her green marine glory!!! This is too me, a perfect kit for Subdivisions from......, well from the point of you have so many available timbres on this kit, takes "soloing" to new heights!! However, I am curious, where is the original snare, was it chrome ( doubtful, ) I wanna believe it was of the same wood and associated wrap on the rest of the drumset!!! But, that isn't ridiculously important is it!??! Finally, you being a fantastic "switch gripper," I would love to see your take ( especially on a kit this size... ) On the "MOELLER TECHNIQUE!!" My dad, was one of my drumming instructors, and of course was a very traditional grip kinda guy!! Having said that, he once told me, if you want to see the combination of, "Subdivisions and the Moeller," played flawlessly with almost no effort, watch Hal Blaine!! My father, a man's man w/o any doubt, was still captivated and absolutely adored Hal Blaine and that "Wrecking crew!!" ANYWAY, KEEP ON KEEPING ON BROTHER DRUMMER!!!!!!!!!! PEACE !!!!!!!!!!🤘🏼

[@stevemaxwelldrums]

My technique is, admittedly, a weird sort of mixture of things. Moeller technique was more of a “whipping” motion for controlling the stick. The Billy Gladstone technique involves a lot of finger control. I am primarily a Traditional grip player, and in that regard I use a lot of finger control. Of course, at higher volumes finger control isn’t going to get you by because you need volume. So, in that situation you need the ability to play in a flowing way using the arms and wrists. I flip over to Matched grip here and there, mostly when playing a big kit like this. It would be hard to make it all the way around left to right on those 4 rack toms using a traditional left hand grip, so I flip it over. I am a lousy matched grip player overall, so I really only use it when moving around on larger kits. My left hand works much better with traditional grip.

[@williamperri3437]

Kit sounds awesome with the old pinstripes but I would put vintage emperors or ebony Emperor suede heads on it.

[@ThruAWiderLens]

Amazing kit, wonderful playing!

[@ivanceltichr]

Franklin said, "We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing."

[@IllinoisJonRelics]

Great playing! Beautiful kit!! 😯

[@johnthibodeaux5189]

It’s obviously a rock kit set up. Would have loved to hear it tuned not just for jazz but pop/rock as well

[@strokerwillie1190]

Beautiful..

[@davidsuprenant893]

That's a cool kit steve.

[@michaelhein5455]

I am.going to see Billy Cobham, fir the first time, tomorrow night!

[@OFLHLGZ28]

They sound great’

[@482jpsquared]

No way! Billy Cobham at City Winery in Chicago???

[@eddiebirkett9602]

great plying Steve

[@salthedrummer1]

Awesome !

[@domquinn3730]

Would of been nice to get a low tuning too like you usually do, Especially for a kit this rare. But you probably saved an entire hour with all those drums! lol

[@foreverunsaved6661]

If you like low tuning, you would love my precision custom drums, which are 5 drums larger than this kit. The good news is my drums are 10 ply shells, with no reso heads on any of them, except the 2 kicks. Therefore - they have much more of a bark to them. Unfortunately for me , my drums are all bark, and made for heavy hitting. Therefore I had to sacrifice that vintage all around sound this sweet sounding kit has. My kit is all bottom end bark with very little, if any, midrange tone.

[@NOAHCASAS]

SOMETHING KEITH MOON WOULD HAVE PLAYED 💚

[@eddiebirkett9602]

cool sounds

[@brent3760]

Steve and team, do you know when your next batch of Paul Francis' Cymbal Craftsman cymbals will be brought into the Illinois shop? Thanks!!! 🤙

[@stevemaxwelldrums]

I need to order some from Paul. Just haven’t gotten around to it as yet.

[@brent3760]

@@stevemaxwelldrums cant wait to come down to the shop and try some after you do order and get them in! I live in Sheboygan WI so I will definitely be making a stop then! Thanks for the info! Love you guys! You are all doing the world of drums such a service. Top quality stuff my man! 👍🤙🥁

[@citydrums7525]

Wow!

[@482jpsquared]

Fantastic tuning job, Steve, but definitely too high pitched for my liking.

[@joshenck3275]

I'm sure this set has been sold, yes?

[@wjreid12]

Steve, I've seen you demo a lot of drum sets on this channel, But on this one, you seemed the most reluctant to actually stop playing.

[@nested_King]

Billy Cobham has those toms tuned about as high.

[@stevemaxwelldrums]

Hi Phillip. Yes, you are correct here. Billy tunes the toms higher. And, here’s an interesting thing: Generally speaking, I subscribe to the idea that if you need a bigger, deeper sound, you may need a bigger drum. Billy’s rack toms are often tuned quite high, but he has many of them. Just as we had here; 4 different sizes. And, the beauty of this method is that you get rebound. If you take an 8x12 and tune it to a sweet spot for the size, the playing response will be more effortless. If you try to get the 8x12 to sound like a 12x15, your batter head will be so loose that you have no rebound, so you work too hard. Another example: You take a 14x18 bass drum to the piano trio gig, but would you take that same drum to a big band, classic rock, or “metal” gig? Sometimes we have to fit the gear to the gig. Same for cymbals. My super light hand made Spizzichino 22 ride cymbal sings in a trio or quartet setting, but that cymbal would get lost on a big band or rock gig. Not enough stick definition to cut through. Billy is superb no matter what, but the way he tunes the drums also makes his playing easier. That rebound is important.

[@nested_King]

@@stevemaxwelldrums Steve-appreciate the reply! You’re so right. And as someone here suggested, the solo on that piece “Tenth Pinn” on that live album was played on a big set of yellow Gretsch-not the Fibes!

[@sammybulin]

Love the kit but why is it tuned like a marching band. Please shoot another video after you guys are done with Roto Tom thing😂

[@rollzolo]

Sea moss marine monster kit

[@nickystucco]

Is it for Sale????

[@scottlowell493]

Dig the color and sound, hate the hardware.

[@steverichdrummr]

Wow Steve, those are SO nice. You did such a nice job tuning and playing those. I really enjoyed this, even though I don't own any Gretsch drum. I think those floor toms, and the snare drum sound absolutely amazing. I did like the 4 mounted toms too. Thanks again.

[@Bucketdrummer]

Check out Billy Cobham playing "Tenth Pin". A live 1970s recording on KZbin. I thought you were going to launch into that tune!

[@stevemaxwelldrums]

I will check that out! Haven’t seen it. Thanks! Steve

[@stevemaxwelldrums]

Saw the “Tenth Pin” video. I see what you mean there. Although I wouldn’t get much past the intro! Billy in the 70s was insane. Still is!!

[@Bucketdrummer]

@@stevemaxwelldrums yeah, the power is just overwhelming! Just an endless stream of ghost notes too.

[@stevemaxwelldrums]

@@Bucketdrummer That’s exactly the thing: Billy covered the entire sonic spectrum (No pun intended). I don’t mean to offend anyone here, but today we often see players who have great speed at “FFFF”, however, the ability to perform those same licks at “pppp” eludes them. In many instances it may just be that the style of music they play doesn’t require that, so it isn’t part of their skill set. But, the beauty of Billy’s playing is that he can execute everything flawlessly at literally any volume. He has mastered his technique and still “kills them” at 78 years of age. And, as we all know, speed by itself doesn’t equate to overall musicianship. But, by having speed and control at all volume levels, you then have ample reserves that allow you to execute your musical ideas more easily. For fun, watch the You Tube video of Billy with Horace Silver. From the 60s. He’s playing a basic 4 pc kit (an Italian Meazzi kit with a pedal-tunable floor tom by the way). Great control and flowing style.

[@chrisferrandino9563]

Me want this kit🤓🤓🤓

[@evensteven8129]

intro to ‘Painkiller’ please…

[@jefferyflemister6394]

👍🏾

[@ajjy1110]

Explain the point in saying the depth of a tom first before width.. There is no point

[@drumrnva]

Older drums are often awesome. Older hardware.....not so much. 😐

[@MELONenSURPRISE]

Sound Like that of garbage cans

[@SKAVINJ]

Jesus man, have your grandson come in and play a 4/4 rock beat for like 6 seconds. Wasting time on a big-ass kit with all that skiddly-diddly-daddly-zip-bam.

[@sebastiansecivanovic4655]

Bad sound