Chasing a Blonde Ghost
Mapex’s 2007 USA Catalogue Error
16 May 2022
16 May 2022
Since I started the archive, I’ve been trying to track down any photos of what is described in Mapex’s 2007 USA Catalogue (or at least, the only version I can find) as the 14”x5.5” Blonde Birdseye Maple. The search wasn’t helped by the wrong catalogue number being listed – BPST455SLB – which is the correct number for the Solid Steel.
I was never able to find a single shot of the 14”x5.5” model, although I found shots of what I thought was a similar 13”x6” model. I listed that as the “Natural Birdseye”, since that’s what the seller had it down as, and continued looking.
In May 2022 I looked at the catalogue again, and suddenly realised that the lug spacing isn’t right for a 5.5”…but it is right for a 6”! Some time later after going through the files, I spotted the advert for the Blonde Birdseye in the June 2007 edition of Modern Drummer magazine…and it's actually a 13"x6". Turns out I’d spent several months chasing a ghost and my listing for the Natural Birdseye was the Blonde Birdseye I’d been looking for all that time!
Ah well. Takes the number of captured Black Panthers down by 1, but at least I can stop doing my best Pac-Mac impersonation. 👻
