Making Sense of "Pearl" Wrap Patterns & Names 
© JamminSam. All rights reserved.

Let’s Correctly Recognize & Name the Different Pearl Patterns

When people are confused about two color names (i.e., white and marine – see prior section), and add on top of that three different patterns (never addressed by the drum companies), confusion WILL result. When I started this business, I had little idea of the different patterns of pearl finishes. But over the years I have learned about them. Below is a chart of the "Big Four" showing the names, actual colors, and two early popular patterns that were never really referred specifically, as listed in the drum catalogs:

Note: The "(TD)" refers to "Triangular Directional Pattern"- a category (pattern line) we have named, that has never been named (as a distinct pattern)- the name reflecting the appearance of the pattern. A link for an example of this pattern will follow in this article.

In reviewing the above chart, notice that when it came to "Black (Diamond) Pearl", all four companies had the same name (or similar), and sold the same pattern. But past this, finishes, names, colors, patterns became varied. It is the names and patterns associated with terms: "white", "marine", "sky/light blue", etc., with no real information on the pattern. And the story became even more confusing with the addition of the "Small Chip Random Pattern" that was introduced by the factory around 1980. The small chip pattern was created because resellers wanted the appearance of the mother-of-pearl in a smaller size.

The only way for you to distinguish different patterns is to view them. Below are the different categories of pearl patterns. (Note: I have never seen a collection of information [which you are now reading] in any article, and especially with the full color examples linked below.)

The most popular pearl finishes can be broken down into seven distinct patterns:

1. Small Chip Random Pattern
   Most Pearl finishes available today are made of the same pattern: a small random pattern, introduced around 1980. To change the color, the color of the backing is changed- black backing makes "Black Pearl", a white backing results in "White Pearl", etc. (or whatever one wants to call it). It is a very popular pattern. In this pattern we sell "Black Diamond Pearl" (the pattern is later, but the color is a match to the darker vintage color- which is hard to get today with higher quality, longer lasting, non-shrinking materials), "Black Pearl" (lighter in color than "Black Diamond Pearl", more of a match [to an exact match] of post 1980 drums), "Red Pearl" and "Purple Pearl" (newer colors).
   
   
2. Large Chip Random Pattern
   The large random pattern pearls are harder to find for sale, which are more vintage looking (50s-70s) than smaller patterns.  In this pattern we sell "Vintage White Pearl" and "Vintage Black Pearl (Large Chip)" – the same pattern is used for both colors – which was the case during the vintage era (see "Color & Pattern Chart" above).
   
   
3. Triangular Directional Pattern
   We have coined this term for a pearl pattern that resembles   a series of triangles with a directional appearance- running around the drum. We sell three colors in this pattern called "Vintage White Marine Pearl", "Retro Sky Blue Pearl", and "Vintage Sky Blue Pearl".
   
   
4. Multi Color Patterns (less Oysters)
   This pearl category represents multi color patterns that have a pearlized appearance, embodied in at least one of the colors. These finishes are less common, but available. We sell one of these patterns, called "Dark Abalone Pearl".
   

   Note: There are multi colored drum wraps that are incorrectly called "Pearls". To be considered a pearl finish, there needs to be at least one color in the finish with a pearlized appearance. Those wraps that do not qualify, should be referred to as multi colored solids or the Psychedelics.
   

5. Oyster Patterns
   There have been three different "Oyster" lines made over the years:
   
• The "60s Oysters"
  The first/original was actually a line of three different combinations of colors: "Black Oyster", "Blue Oyster", and "Pink Oyster". The Ludwig drum company called them "Oysters", offering all three in their 1960 catalog.  But by the next year, only offered the black finish.  However, the black pattern was was extremely popular (especially when first used by Ringo Star of the Beatles), and was sold by the company until about 1980.
  
  About five years after Ludwig started selling these finishes, the Rogers drum company decided to "get in" on the oyster action.  In their 1965 catalog, they started selling the same three patterns, but called their finishes "Stratas".  All three colors were sold in their catalogs dating between 1965-1972.  But in their 1973 catalog dropped the blue and the pink colors, and only sold the black until about 1975.
  
  The Slingerland drum company only offered the pink finish in the 1967 catalog (and only in that catalog) and called in "Pink Oyster"- going with the Ludwig term.
  
  Today the Pearl drum company has exclusive rights to the black pattern (in a non-shrinking material) and  is only available through them on a new drum set.
  
• The "Bowling Ball Oysters"
  Around 1980 a more distinct pattern arose that was a "closer knit" pattern, with brighter colors, that was very popular with drummers at that time (and today). This line was made in two color combinations called "Black Oyster" and "Blue Oyster". Today, this black oyster is used by more drummers, and is especially popular with "Beatle" tribute bands, than the original line (even though Ringo’s set was of the 60's/original pattern). This pattern/line has been available for about 25 years, and far more sets have been wrapped with it than the earlier pattern. However, the blue pattern of this line, never gained any substantial popularity. Even today, as rare as one of these sets are, there is little interest in them- the bottom line, it’s appearance was never that appealing to drummers.
  
• "Retro Black Oyster"
  To understand how this wrap came to be, we need to go back a few years. We sold the "Bowling Ball" style oyster pearl through the 1980s and 1990s, and on occasion heard customers (and those who bought from other companies) having problems with the wrap.  The core problem was the "shrink factor" of the wrap – shrinking after installation.  And this shrinking (over time) resulted in seams giving way, and shrinkage from the sound edge – a better wrap needed to be developed. A new wrap was developed by the factory for Jammin Sam, which we call "Retro Black Oyster Pearl". This finish was the first ever non-shrinking "Oyster" developed. The appearance combined the wider vintage pattern of the 1960s, with the brighter colors of the later more popular "Bowling Ball" oysters. Also, in the pursuit of this endeavor, a serendipity happened: the first actual 3-D appearance in a "Oyster". One of the first customers who bought our new retro "Black Oyster" years ago, summed it up saying, "This wrap is better than the original." The problem with the original oysters was that the color was rather dull, and the problem with the later "Bowling Ball" oysters was that the color lines were too narrow – there was really no 3-D appearance. But with the "Retro Black Oyster", the best of both worlds became available, and without shrinking problems.
  
  
6. Onyx Pattern
   Three colors were sold by the Rogers Drum Company in the 1960s. They were Red Onyx Pearl, Blue Onyx Pearl, and Black Onyx Pearl, but Rogers only carried the Blue Onyx wrap over to their 1970s catalog. Not only do we sell those colors, we have added a new color called Blue/White Onyx Pearl. 
   

   Note: The Slingerland Drum Company sold these patterns (only in the blue and gray colors) between 1967-1976. They called them "Agates", but their term did not stick.
   

7. Ripple Pattern
   The Ripple pattern is the only pattern listed that we do not sell. The Camco Drum Company in the 1970s sold two Ripple finishes (blue and black) before going out of business. Also, from 1960 to 1967, the Rogers Drum Company sold three of these finishes, "Wine Red Ripple", "Steel Gray Ripple", and "Sky Blue Ripple", but dropped the sky blue in 1964. The Slingerland Drum Company sold Blue Ripple and Red Ripple in 1967, and later dropped the red from their 1969 catalog. The pattern has never been very popular and we rarely get a call for the pattern. Because of that fact, we do not offer it.

Note: Other patterns have been available at some point, but we are only focusing on the most popular ones. Other patterns include Ludwig’s "Strata" ("Gold", "Blue", "Bronze", "Ruby", "Lemon", "Avocado" [1969 catalog]- not to be confused with the finishes that Rogers called "Strata").

Note:  The finishes called "Citrus Mod", "Mod Orange", and "Psychedelic Red"  (offered by the Ludwig in the early 1970s) are sometimes called "pearls", but are actually multi-colored solids.  We categorized these finishes as the "Psychedelics."

We hope from reading this article, that you have gained some clarification of terms and have become an informed consumer. Our aim is for all of us to be more informed about this subject, and  to converse with each more correctly. Thank you for taking the time to read this article.  If you have any comments, please contact us.

Note: If you have any vintage drum catalogs, we may be interested in buying them to add to our resource library.

[Home] [Site Map]

Please contact us with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 1982 thru 2007 Sam Barnard   Phoenix, Arizona


Web Site design, maintenance and Search engine optimization
Web Site Redesign 2002