Your Premier experience

drumkat

Senior Member
Hello guys n' girls. I would be interested to know what your experience is with playing, owning or listening to Premier drums.

This would include service, supply, quality of the drums and sound.

Are there many players of Premier (other than endorsers) that you know of in your country?

I could be your mates or a new, unsigned drummer.

Many thanks..
 
Hmmm....that thread died an embarrassing death!
 
Well the post came in at 8:07 AM
"Today 08:07 AM"

I don't know of ANY drummers awake at that hour, anywhere.
Let us have our coffee and coco puffs, shower, check messages, find clean shorts ... we'll get back to you.
 
Well the post came in at 8:07 AM
"Today 08:07 AM"

I don't know of ANY drummers awake at that hour, anywhere.
Let us have our coffee and coco puffs, shower, check messages, find clean shorts ... we'll get back to you.

I'm usually at work before then...
 
I have Premier Cabrias, with silver sparkle lacquer, made the last year in England before they moved production of that model to Asia. They're alright, hardware's kinda crappy, the tom mount on the bass is a very cheap design. I didn't buy a high end kit, so my expectations aren't that high. I see no compelling reason to choose them over any other brand.
 
Thanks spreggy.....thats the kind of responses i am after
 
While hunting for a 2nd kit last year, I also looked at some of the Cabrias.

Not impressed at all, I must say.

What exactly are you looking for? Entry level kit? Pro kit? ...?
Why Premier?

Patrice
 
Hi Patrice....No, I actually play a Premier Genista. I just wanted to see what sort of a presence Premier has overseas...thats all. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.
 
I would say Premier certainly dont carry the same weight as they once did.

I hardly see any new Premier kits these days. If I do see a Premier it is most certainly from days gone by and they never blow me away. Also it was Premier kits at they had at my high school. Again nothing special.

However, I read that they recently 'acquired' a prominent English custom drum company and are due a revamp over the next couple years. So that will be interesting.
 
Hi Drumkat, how are you?

I can tell you that even over here in the U.K. the presence of Premier kits has also dwindled over the past decade or so, it's very rare to see anyone using one these days.

I myself own an early eighties Premier Club series kit (five-piece); three ply mahogony with two ply re-rings, very punchy sounding kit. Of the more recent offerings from the company I also own a 14"x6.5" Artists Brass snare, which in my opinion is a very underrated and under-used drum, it's very well built and has become my "go to" snare these days.

Not sure quite what's happened to the company, but I'd be interested to see what they do in the next couple of years.

Hope you're well,

Kev
 
Own a Genista from the 90s... 10,12,16,22

Drums look and sound like a dream but the hardware that mounts the toms are kind of weak in a way that you immediately notice after having a good system. About 50 dollars USD fixed these problems.
 
Hi Drumkat, how are you?

I can tell you that even over here in the U.K. the presence of Premier kits has also dwindled over the past decade or so, it's very rare to see anyone using one these days.

I myself own an early eighties Premier Club series kit (five-piece); three ply mahogony with two ply re-rings, very punchy sounding kit. Of the more recent offerings from the company I also own a 14"x6.5" Artists Brass snare, which in my opinion is a very underrated and under-used drum, it's very well built and has become my "go to" snare these days.

Not sure quite what's happened to the company, but I'd be interested to see what they do in the next couple of years.

Hope you're well,

Kev




Many thanks Kev...yeah I am well but we are having a horrendous heat spell at the moment.

Anyways, I managed to track down the rep for Premier in Australia. This is his response to my email...



Hi Ben,



Thanks for your email and words of encouragement and love for Premier drums.



As you are now aware we are the new distributor for Premier drums in Australia.



I am currently on leave until Monday 9th January and I will call you when I returned and I’m back in the office.



We have only in the last couple of months received all of our Premier stock and hope to see two new Premier dealers in Western Australia in the near future.



Unfortunately the last Premier distributor sold Premier to anyone in Australia without setting up key Premier dealerships, so now across Australia we are setting up key Premier dealers that stock Premier products from the Olympic series drums through to the Premier Elite series, including hardware and accessories.



I believe Premier drums will be a major player in Australian drum market, we are working with some strong Australian independent stores to achieve this.



Once again, thank you for your support.



I look forward to talking with you next week.



Best Regards

Claude Cecere



Claudio Cecere

Music Connection



249 – 251 Magill Road, Maylands 5069 | South Australia

t +61 8 8331 8920 | f +61 8 8331 8960 | m +61 0414 311 700

[email protected] | www.musicconnection.com.au
 
I had a great time playing Premier. I played the Olympic series for a few years and absolutely loved them. Always wanted to get a Genista series kit, but never did. Now I see them on eBay and wish i could afford them!!!!
 
I had a vintage jazz kit from Premier's late 60s period.
It was an unusual configuration, with a 14"x8" tom, a 20"x14 bass drum and a 16"1/4x18" floor tom (in pre-international which was annoying because I had to special order the head).
capturedcran20120122184.jpg

They were fine but I couldn't manage to get the toms tuned as I wanted, especially the floor tom.
It looked beautiful though, in its vintage white marine pearl finish. Especially I loved the lugs Art-deco design, very classy:
capturedcran20120122184.jpg


I had with it an royal ace snare, that I never managed to make it sound as I like neither. I bought some very expensive "double 10" snares for it but even then the snare didn't respond as I wanted, the strainer had some trouble (I guess the previous owner didn't take enough care of it).
capturedcran20120122184.jpg

Otherwise, the building quality was exceptional: check out this cast hoops! 50 years later, the chrome is still in pristine condition...
capturedcran20120122184.jpg

And the shell construction was very good: only 3 thin plies of birch (0.5mm overall), plus a thick reinforcing ring in beech.
Look at here the interior of the snare (with a parallel throw-off), its really quality made instruments.
capturedcran20120122184.jpg


It was supposed to be good but I'm not a fan of birch. As I couldn't get the best out of it I sold it.

I also had a piccolo snare 14"x4" in brass, but I ended up by hating its sound, it was way too high-piched and powerful to my ears. The strainer on this snare was engineered with genius: it was very simple to remove the snare when you had to (for example to tune the snare head); I wish I had this system on all my snares today.
Premier still make very good and beautiful drums and under-rated. Their new cymbal stands are gorgeous: you can switch btw. flush-base or traditional, which is also a very nice design.
 
I had a vintage jazz kit from Premier's late 60s period.
It was an unusual configuration, with a 14"x8" tom, a 20"x14 bass drum and a 16"1/4x18" floor tom (in pre-international which was annoying because I had to special order the head).
capturedcran20120122184.jpg

They were fine but I couldn't manage to get the toms tuned as I wanted, especially the floor tom.
It looked beautiful though, in its vintage white marine pearl finish. Especially I loved the lugs Art-deco design, very classy:
capturedcran20120122184.jpg


I had with it an royal ace snare, that I never managed to make it sound as I like neither. I bought some very expensive "double 10" snares for it but even then the snare didn't respond as I wanted, the strainer had some trouble (I guess the previous owner didn't take enough care of it).
capturedcran20120122184.jpg

Otherwise, the building quality was exceptional: check out this cast hoops! 50 years later, the chrome is still in pristine condition...
capturedcran20120122184.jpg

And the shell construction was very good: only 3 thin plies of birch (0.5mm overall), plus a thick reinforcing ring in beech.
Look at here the interior of the snare (with a parallel throw-off), its really quality made instruments.
capturedcran20120122184.jpg


It was supposed to be good but I'm not a fan of birch. As I couldn't get the best out of it I sold it.

I also had a piccolo snare 14"x4" in brass, but I ended up by hating its sound, it was way too high-piched and powerful to my ears. The strainer on this snare was engineered with genius: it was very simple to remove the snare when you had to (for example to tune the snare head); I wish I had this system on all my snares today.
Premier still make very good and beautiful drums and under-rated. Their new cymbal stands are gorgeous: you can switch btw. flush-base or traditional, which is also a very nice design.



Absolutely brilliant....thankyou so much for the pics
 
Hey man, I recently read about the Aviation Series snare. Available in three models, thick shells are comprised of individual outer and inner plies of oak with a whopping 21 plies of naturally eq'd birch. They are aptly named the Hurricane (14x5.75), Spitfire (14x6.25), and Lancaster (14x7.25). They take their names from three darlings of the Royal Air Force who, with ethereal grace and deadly efficiency, thwarted the Nazis’ attempts to invade the Mother Country. The three Wing'ed Ladies (as I refer to the RAF's big three), were also tools in the used in countless strategic offensives, counter attacks, bombings (particularly the four-engine Lancaster), close air support for ground troops (namely the single-seat Hurricane), dogfights, and terrorizing enemy bombers (those last two being the Spitfire's specialty). Never denounce the Spitfire in front of a Brit. My brother at a ww2 museum in London made that mistake, when we were 14. After I explained that he must show the utmost respect, that the Battle of Britain is one that evokes a sense of triumph and national pride, yet it is a topic that many there are sensitive to (with good reason... when the Nazis began bombing England, particularly London, they had 9/11 almost once a week). He kept saying "nah, the Spitfire sucked" and a 20-ish Brit and I said, "it saved England", then he'd said, 'WE saved England." I asked him to be more respectful, and said, "this isn't just a museum, but a memorial to all those who paid dearly to transform England's darkest moments into her Finest Hour." My grandpa (who i didn't know was behind me) gave me a pat on the back and said, "a man's character reveals itself in small moments like these. I'm proud of you for your knowledge and understanding. I knew you wouldn't spoil this." An elderly Englishman, who flew Spitfires, overheard me too, and was almost in tears!! the three of us spent hours talking. he showed us around town as well. lovely memories.

http://drumset.premier-percussion.com/catalogue/drumset/british-collection/aviation-series-2
 
Hey man, I recently read about the Aviation Series snare. Available in three models, thick shells are comprised of individual outer and inner plies of oak with a whopping 21 plies of naturally eq'd birch. They are aptly named the Hurricane (14x5.75), Spitfire (14x6.25), and Lancaster (14x7.25). They take their names from three darlings of the Royal Air Force who, with ethereal grace and deadly efficiency, thwarted the Nazis’ attempts to invade the Mother Country. The three Wing'ed Ladies (as I refer to the RAF's big three), were also tools in the used in countless strategic offensives, counter attacks, bombings (particularly the four-engine Lancaster), close air support for ground troops (namely the single-seat Hurricane), dogfights, and terrorizing enemy bombers (those last two being the Spitfire's specialty). Never denounce the Spitfire in front of a Brit. My brother at a ww2 museum in London made that mistake, when we were 14. After I explained that he must show the utmost respect, that the Battle of Britain is one that evokes a sense of triumph and national pride, yet it is a topic that many there are sensitive to (with good reason... when the Nazis began bombing England, particularly London, they had 9/11 almost once a week). He kept saying "nah, the Spitfire sucked" and a 20-ish Brit and I said, "it saved England", then he'd said, 'WE saved England." I asked him to be more respectful, and said, "this isn't just a museum, but a memorial to all those who paid dearly to transform England's darkest moments into her Finest Hour." My grandpa (who i didn't know was behind me) gave me a pat on the back and said, "a man's character reveals itself in small moments like these. I'm proud of you for your knowledge and understanding. I knew you wouldn't spoil this." An elderly Englishman, who flew Spitfires, overheard me too, and was almost in tears!! the three of us spent hours talking. he showed us around town as well. lovely memories.

http://drumset.premier-percussion.com/catalogue/drumset/british-collection/aviation-series-2


Those snares are amazing! They are true monsters....they must have serious cutting power! Many thanks for sharing.
 
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