Rogers Dynasonic Serial Numbers

Your snare is from '67 or so, as Dan stated above. But: that is an old list, and some of that data has changed since then.

Jun 11, 2012  Re: Rogers Dyna-Sonic Serial Numbers 2800's are the overlap period for Beavertail lug introduction and phasing out of Bread and Butter Lugs, this was mid 1963.

It came to be over 10 years ago in an attempt to organize some known facts, and both Kelly Smith and Rob Cook are to be commended for their efforts - but a lot more has been uncovered since then. For the Dynasonics it's ok, but even there there are problems; there are number ranges like 03xxx/05xxx/07xxx shown - there were never any numbers starting with a zero, and 3xxx is shown as a separate range adding to the confusion. The major problem is that column where 'Holiday' is mixed in with Londoner, Constellation, Headliner, Spotlight, Starlight, Swingtime etc. It is totally misleading.

There is nothing that connects the layout of a drumkit, e.g. Londoner, to a serial number.

What had numbers were the individual drum models, i.e. Ftx global vector p3d. Holiday, Tower, Mercury, Powertone, Dynasonic etc. That comprised any drumkit.

Luxor, Spotlight and Mercury should have their own columns as well, and there should be separate columns for Powertone snares and Powertone drums after the rename from Holiday in 1970. Each of the different model drums were used in various set configurations. For example, a Londoner had a bass, 2 ride toms, and a floor tom.

All of those were Holiday drums (until 1970 when the model name was changed to Powertone to match the snares and sound more modern). Other Holiday drums built on the same day, in the same hour, would have serials in the same sequence, but these may have gone into a Constellation outfit instead. Same type of Holiday drums, different set configuration: the serial numbers having nothing whatsoever to do with set layout. To make matters worse, in that same column there is Holiday mixed with Spotlite, for example. A Holiday was a top of the line model, while a Spotlite was a low-end single-tension student model drum. Spotlight should have it's own column, although the number produced was very small. And, Spotlight was also the name of a layout which used Spotlight drums, confusing matters more.

Also, Holiday numbers went into the 50-60-70-thousand+ number range, while the Spotlight numbers didn't make it much over 1000, if at all. Same with Tower model drums whose production counts were barely 1/10 of the Holidays etc. For those who have an in-depth knowledge of all this, the chart is of some use. But to a beginner, it's very misleading.

Rob issued a second edition of the Rogers Book where a lot of information was updated and added. Not sure if that chart was fixed, though. Again, useful books, but not to be taken as Gospel as far as dating.

It is actually better to come here on DFO or over at the Rogers Owners Forum and ask for help on dating a drum. Your snare is from '67 or so, as Dan stated above. But: that is an old list, and some of that data has changed since then. It came to be over 10 years ago in an attempt to organize some known facts, and both Kelly Smith and Rob Cook are to be commended for their efforts - but a lot more has been uncovered since then. For the Dynasonics it's ok, but even there there are problems; there are number ranges like 03xxx/05xxx/07xxx shown - there were never any numbers starting with a zero, and 3xxx is shown as a separate range adding to the confusion. Click to expand.New here, so please be kind if I break an etiquette rule by mistake.

I have recently bought a big R CoB Dynasonic. Still waiting to take possession, very excited! I am interested to know its age, but the list confuses me: My serial number is D114xxx. The table shows that to be in 1976, but also shows D105xxx is in 1983, which means that mine could be an eighties one, assuming there is some sort of sequential sequence to the numbers?

Can anyone shed some light or tell me what I should look for to get an estimate on the date? Lovetheblues: you have a Big R label on your drum, correct? Not easy to date those drums as the serials tend to be all over the place. They were printed on rolls of labels which were mixed up and used in different places at the plant. The best way to do it is from some construction details. Post a couple of photos and aa couple of guys here can help you out. Roger: Bruce and I were working on a new list when he passed away.

I've never tried to contact his wife, feeling it was inappropriate in the midst of her loss. That was a number of years ago and I don't know if she still has the same address, etc. Personally, I would feel very uncomfortable asking her to look for that stuff - it's probably been packed away or even discarded. Lovetheblues, you have a Big R label on your drum, correct?