Rogers Drums

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Rogers Drums, is a drum company created in 1849 and based in Covington, Ohio. Their drums were embraced by musicians from the dixieland movement to the classic rockers of the 60s and 70s. However, the manufacturer was most closely associated with the "big band" and swing drummers of the 40s and 50s.

Rogers are probably most famous for their "Dynasonic" snare drum, which featured a number of innovations. In particular was a unique cradle in which the snare wires were supported. This meant that the wire tension could be adjusted independently of the snare tension. Dynasonics were made from about 1961 until the mid-80's, when the company was bought by CBS Musical Instruments, who had also acquired Fender Guitar and Rhodes Pianos. Dynasonics are best known for being COB - or "chrome over brass". However, there were a small number of wood Dynasonics made throughout the lifetime of the drum, which are considerably sought after by collectors. It is thought that there were only 3000 wood drums made. Other notable Rogers drums are the Powertone snares. Dynasonics, and to a lesser degree Rogers Drums as a whole, are now viewed as collector's drums. Fiberglass timpani were also manufactured for a time, the model being called Accu-Sonic.

Up until 1978, Rogers shells were 5 ply of mixed maple and poplar wood. They were praised for having a fat tonality. In 1978, Keller shells provided XP-8, 8-ply, the very first all-maple shells. This signalled the beginning for drum companies to go to heavy, thick "stadium" shells that favored attack and projection over midrange tonality. Although lauded as "the best Rogers drums ever made", the XP-8 did not curry favor with drummers that preferred the 60's and 70's sound.

1976 saw the introduction of "memriloc" hardware. This innovation was co-developed by Dave Donoho and Roy Burns. It was one of the first super-stable hardware systems.

For the growing European market, Rogers drums were also made in the UK under licence from Rogers USA. Shortly after being purchased by CBS, Rogers drums began production in the Fullerton, CA factory complex where the American Fender Guitars were also produced.

The most celebrated Rogers endorsers were Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson and Cozy Cole. In addition, other jazz luminaries like Ed Shaughnessy, Roy Burns (who helped co-develop memriloc hardware), and Bobby Rosengarden have played Rogers kits at some time in their careers, as well as Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead, Glenn Evans of Nuclear Assault,Dave Clark of the Dave Clark Five, David Garibaldi of Tower of Power,Paul Whaley of Blue Cheer, Tom Murray of The Litter and TT Quick, James Dean from the band Full Moon and Brian Downey of Thin Lizzy.

In 1983, CBS sold Rogers and Fender to a group of individuals who were running the Fender division; the new owners soon after decided to discontinue the Rogers Drums line. In the late 1990s, the Rogers name was acquired by the Brook Mays Music Company of Dallas, TX. They positioned the brand as a low-cost, but high quality import line of beginner-to-advanced drums that were sold exclusively in their chain of music stores. Many purists and collectors believed this to be insulting to the company's great reputation. However, they sold successfully as many drummers (especially younger ones) wanted their own Rogers kits. Due to various circumstances, though, the Brook Mays company was ultimately unable to continue operating their retail stores (mostly small- to mid-scale local merchants bought and managed by Brook Mays). Adding to their woes in 2005, First Act Inc., a competitor that sells its instruments at mass market retailers, sued BMMC and was later awarded $20.7 million, after claiming that BMMC falsely advertised and defamed it by sending letters to customers criticizing the quality of its instruments. In the summer of 2006, BMMC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

On August 26, 2006, the Yamaha Corporation of America announced that it had acquired the intellectual property rights to the Rogers Drum Company at the BMMC bankruptcy court-ordered auction. Yamaha recently began distributing legendary Swiss cymbal maker Paiste (one of the world's largest cymbal producers, next to the Avedis Zildjian Company and Sabian). Having purchased Rogers, Yamaha (already producing a successful electronic and acoustic drum line under its own name) seems to be positioning itself to become a gargantuan player in the percussion market.

"Opportunities to acquire a well-respected brand that is so treasured by players do not come along everyday," said Tom Sumner, vice president and general manager, Pro Audio & Combo Division, Yamaha Corporation of America. "We will use our expertise to improve on the Rogers legacy."

Yamaha displayed its new Rogers drums at winter NAMM 2007. The drums appear to be an amalgam of different Rogers eras, with some Yamaha touches. The reaction from classic Rogers fans was overwhelmingly negative.