Rogers Big R, why the hate??

bizz

Member
I understand that Rogers kits made overseas in the mid to late 80s where garbage. But as far as my research goes everything I've heard about the 5 ply Big Rs suggests they are really nice drums. I also spent some time on the youtube machine listening to samples form that era and they sound are great sounding drums. In my opinion the 5ply Rogers I have heard have a very similar sound to the 3 ply luddys and slingerlands from that era, a real nice round warm tone.

So why the hate???? Is it because of a bad reputation that particular logo gained in later years?? Is it because he badge is ugly?? I'm looking at a mid 70s rogers kit right now, but I'm a little hesitant to pull the trigger because of the stigma attached. The guy is only asking 350, and I'll be buying them as a player kit, not to resell. (I should add there is some extra holes in the kick but the rack and floor are nice) But I still like the piece of mind knowing if I need to unload a kit I'll at least make my money back. With this one I'm not so sure. Kit only comes with the rack, floor and kick.
 

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Well, I don't know how many "haters" you've encountered. Sure ain't many here. That's a great kit, for the money. After the 5 ply, the Big R went into the XP8 era. And those were the first all maple (I do believe) 8 ply shells made. Started the whole all maple craze, in 1978.​
Grab those drums, if you like 'em. Tell the haters to STFU.​
 
Well if you need a proxy hater, I'll step in. ROGERS big R are butt ugly in a generic way is the only thing I can come up with. ROGERS stigma? I don't think its going to keep you from getting gigs with that kit.

Well built, good sounding drums. For $350 that's a great deal, I would jump on it!
 
The Big R era was awesome - and I love the Big R kits. That generic look is what really gave birth to the Pearl way, you know ;)

Those are great drums at a great price - better get them!
 
I think they picked a bad time to use fence posts for spurs, which looked ridiculously clunky compared to other designs... and still do
 
The rack tom is an older Swivo-matic / script badge drum, so it didn't come with the other 2. It likely has a paper tag inside with 9/72 on it. It's missing the collet that clamps it onto a hex rod. There are adapters available that would let you mount it back on the BD if you wanted to.
BD hoops and claws are also non-original if that matters to you. The extra holes are easily plugged/hidden.

You can't go wrong for $350.
 
The rack tom is an older Swivo-matic / script badge drum, so it didn't come with the other 2. It likely has a paper tag inside with 9/72 on it. It's missing the collet that clamps it onto a hex rod. There are adapters available that would let you mount it back on the BD if you wanted to.
BD hoops and claws are also non-original if that matters to you. The extra holes are easily plugged/hidden.

You can't go wrong for $350.

The guy was real was straight up with me on whats original so I got the whole scoop. He also told me the bottom hoop and rods aren't original on the rack. Really no biggie in my eyes.

I really know nothing about Rogers drums, I'm a Ludwig guy. But I've heard comments in the past about Big R's not being worth the cost of a rewrap etc. etc. There just seem to be a stimga with that logo and I can't figure out why. Ugly is one thing, and even thats subjective, some might say the Ludwig Blue Olive badge is ugly. But lets face facts, when it comes right down to it we buy drums for the sound. And 5 ply Rogers sound damn good IMO.
 
The guy was real was straight up with me on whats original so I got the whole scoop. He also told me the bottom hoop and rods aren't original on the rack. Really no biggie in my eyes.

I really know nothing about Rogers drums, I'm a Ludwig guy. But I've heard comments in the past about Big R's not being worth the cost of a rewrap etc. etc. There just seem to be a stimga with that logo and I can't figure out why. Ugly is one thing, and even thats subjective, some might say the Ludwig Blue Olive badge is ugly. But lets face facts, when it comes right down to it we buy drums for the sound. And 5 ply Rogers sound damn good IMO.

I'd say before the demise of Rogers, the Big R logo was quite respected and prominent. When the name was sold and production went overseas (and they also started using regular-looking Pearl-type bass drum spurs) that was the beginning of the end. It was kind of a shame it went that way.
 
The big R drums are great.Those that say they aren't are confusing the later offerings with the Rogers badge,when Yamaha took control of the name,and didn't do the brand justice,by building cheap import, low grade quality drums.Those drums were Rogers in name only,and are pretty much crap.The US made Rogers are great drums and the script logo stuff is,as the experts claim,the" Caddilac of American Drums".

Steve B
 
Well I bought it, got it for 300 so there is no turning back now:)
 
I played a set exactly like this last week at a jam. They were looking beautiful and they sounded great !

This set almost changed my mind about not liking green drums.

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I think you're making up a conflict in your head there OP. There is no hate for Roger's drums. I don't care for those clunky spurs of the Big R era but they're solid drums.

I have a 20" Holiday bass drum that I'm somewhere in the process of restoring and a red sparkle snare on layaway. Love me some Roger's.
 
Hate is the wrong choice of words. But there is no denying that say a mid 70s big r will bring less money than an early 70s script. Why??? Are they not essentially the same shells?? That's the point I'm trying to make. I don't understand why these drums aren't as valuable on the market as the other American made drums from that era.
 
$300 is a great score... BTW I LOVE that green sparkle kit that was posted.
 
If the shape of the spurs is all anyone can find to hiss at...
I think design wise, they could have come up with something better. However, Rogers Memrilock was the most dependable, rock solid mounting system of its day. And, that would have advanced to something else if Rogers had survived.

The badge on the bass drum has a golden hue, it is a five digit D series badge. Built in 1975-early 76.

I like my Rogers. Big R drums.

It was a good score on very playable players drums.
 
Just got them home. I spent about 30 minutes playing them with an old pearl 70s COS snare that I bought for 25 bucks at the Chicago Drum Show. All I can say is damn 325 dollars can buy you a lot of mojo. This kit sounds outstanding, money well spent!
 
Yeah, a great player's kit for a great price. What's not to like about that?

I was a Rogers guy back in the day, had two Script/Swivomatic kits. I've alway personally preferred the look of the the script logo and the elegance of the Swivomatic hardware, over the Big R and the heavier hardware. But I'd buy a Big R kit second if I came across one. I'm always checking out yard sales that I pass, with that exact idea in mind... finding an old gem of a Rogers.

Now I'm a Ludwig guy. Ludwig did the same kind of thing at about the same time as Rogers, thicker shells, B&O badges, and the modular hardware. That's what the market was asking for.

Good luck, and enjoy the new kit.
 
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