Here are the last 4 snares in my wood snare drum collection. Although I love collecting the amazing old wood snare drums that I have purchased, I have never played a wood snare live. I think it is due to my hearing loss from playing music since I was 17 years old. I can’t seem to get enough high end out of a wood snare and end up using a metal snare drum like a Ludwig Supraphonic.
My entire wood snare drum collection consists of 14 snares, including my grandfather’s 1960a Coronet red sparkle 5 x 14 snare drum. The snare came from the Eaton’s catalogue with a stand and cymbal attached to the drum. Eaton’s was a Canadian department store from 1869 – 1999. Unfortunately, I lost those accessories over the years.
1956 5.5x14, White Marine Pearl Classic Porto-Pak Snare Drum I recently purchased this drum from Donn Bennett’s Drum Vault in Seattle, Washington. Donn gave me a really good deal in exchange for some inside stories about a band called Moxy that I played with in the 70s. Donn was a big fan of that band, so when I mentioned I played with them we immediately hit it off!
Other than the 1956 Red Sparkle Porto-Pak I purchased from England, and featured in last month’s article, Donn had the only other one I had seen in the last 10 years. These snare drums are very rare.
1940-53 7x14, Black Diamond Pearl Super Gene Krupa Radio King Snare Drum. I bought this drum on eBay about 10 years ago. It has a 1 ply steam bent maple shell and the first generation clamshell strainer. These drums also came in a Duco or pearl finish with nickel or chrome hardware. In 1948 a 5.5 x14 model was added as well. The drum was in terrible shape so I bought it for a very good price. It needed to be rewrapped so I contacted my buddy Jammin Sam in Phoenix, Arizona and he hooked me up with a really nice new piece of wrap, the same pattern Slingerland used back in the 40’s. I had another friend of mine, The Drum Doctor, Greg Hohn in Toronto, Canada put it on for me. He does really amazing rewrap jobs. If you have sick drums, he’s the Doctor you need.
1948 5.5x14 White Marine Pearl Super Gene Krupa Radio King Snare Drum. I found this drum in a music store. Someone had traded it in with a bass drum and cocktail drum they were using as a floor tom. There was no bottom hoop on the snare so it was being used as a timbale. I looked on eBay for parts and was able to eventually build the drum back into the beautiful snare drum you see here. What an amazing sounding drum!! I finished it in chrome hardware with an updated 60s clamshell strainer and tone control.
1936-53 White Marine Pearl 6.5x14 Gene Krupa Radio King Snare Drum. In 1936 this 6.5x14 drum was offered only in WMP with chrome hardware. In 1937-38, Duco finish was added. Beginning in 1939, both models were offered in nickel and chrome finish. In 1940, 7” and 8” depths were added, although the 8” was catalogued for 1 year only. In 1941, 5” models were also added. My drum has a mellow yellow patina on it from years of cigarette smoke in the clubs. It has nickel over brass hardware and the top hoop was stamped with the Radio King logo twice. Clearly, that was a mistake but it only adds to the uniqueness of the drum.
Danny Bilan
Our Man in Canada