Original Zickos Demo Set

All,

I am looking for some input from Zickos fans and Vintage collectors.

I was the Production Manager for Zickos Drums throughout the 70's. From time to time someone will contact me looking for information. Recently, there was a knock on my door from someone who believed he had located the original set that was made as a demonstrator set in the very early days of the company. This would have been about the third set ever made by Bill Zickos about 1971. They were located in storage in a basement where they had been since the plant closed in the late 70's.

The current owner is not a drummer or musician and is currently considering a path for these drums and he has asked me if I thought there might be any interest out there in the set if he were to consider selling the drums.

I would like to know what you think.

The set contains 24x22 BD, 2-10x14 ST, 18x18 FT. I have attached a photo of Bill Ward playing the exact set in question during a demo.

I have also attached a copy of an article written about the company in 1973 that may have some interest to some of you

I currently own my second Zickos set. The first one which I personally picked up in Lenexa KA. was stolen. BTW, I may have picked them up from you. I love the drums but don't play them much because they are so heavy to move around and I have some physical limitations. I don't know if anyone would want them for the historical significance above the regular prevailing price but is stands to reason that some one would if advertised properly. If nothing else they should be worth somewhat more for their immaculate condition.

Yes. If you picked them up in Lenexa, I was there. We didn't have that many people pick up their own sets. It's been over 40 years, but think I may remember it

The demo set is in great shape. All original. The only thing that was ever changed was the decal on the bass drum head. The "Zickos" decal did not exist on the sets that were made in Bill Z's basement. The original sets said "Phantom" on the front head. We changed the sticker on this set at some point but I still have an original "Phantom" sticker if someone wanted to change it back.

I have the 400 series kit with (2x) 10x14" toms, 18x18" floor tom and the standard 18x22" kick that I picked up on a trade. According to the previous owner, the kit was stored in cases for 40 years after it was ordered from Bill Zickos in the early '70s by the original owner and hardly ever used during that time.

It still had the factory heads and the original hardware. I was never a fan of acrylic kits until this one. The vintage Vistalites sounded awful in my opinion but this one sounds like "real" drums to my ears. I swapped out the hydraulic heads for Evans EC2 clear/G1 clear on the toms/floor tom and EMAD2 batter with a EQ3 reso to get a bit more resonance out of the shells. I'm very happy with these heads for this kit.

I was in a band with John McGraw in the 70's, his dad helped finance the company in the beginning. We used to rehearse in the Zickos factory at night. Those were cool drums for sure.

Late8

Beautiful set. Nicely cared for. Based on your photos I would date the set 1973 to 1974

Drumnhands

I don't think we ever met. But I remember your band's equipment in the warehouse at the time.

Nice kit,great pic,thanks for posting the article also.