Mystery Drum
1928- Slingerland Rainbow Sprinkles Tone Flange Artist model snare
The most interesting part of this drum is the uncatalogued finish that I call “Rainbow Sprinkles”. It looks like a “coral” enamel base with multi-colored specks on top. I have never seen or heard of another Slingerland drum with this finish.
Read moreReview: New Slingerlands! 2025 Limited Edition Oxnard Era Radio King Snares
I was privileged enough to receive two very special Limited Edition Radio King first serial number 1s of 50 of the 5“ x 14“ vintage black and gold lacquer and the 7” x 14” black diamond pearl wrap snare drums. -Ed Tucker
Read moreStar/Tama Pearl Fantasia Snare Drum
Some of the most attractive things about the vintage Japanese drums were the great wraps. One of the most original and desirable wraps is Star’s Pearl Fantasia.
Read moreJapanese Heavy Metal
Sorry to disappoint the fans of X Japan and Loudness, this is all about the vintage heavy 10 lug steel shell snare drums made in Japan. These snares are often overlooked in the MIJ drum world because of all of the great wrapped wood snares overshadowing them, but these drums have their place as well, especially if you rock!
Read moreThe First Ludwig & Ludwig 1912 Catalog – by Jim Catalano
The front page of the catalog used a new technique with a cutout to show the new Ludwig metal shell snare drum in a framed setting that was actually printed on the 2nd page and shown through to the front cover.
Read more1921-22 LUDWIG & LUDWIG 4 x 14 6 LUG SCROLL PATTERN DeLUXE MODEL
I call it a “Monday Morning at the Office” drum because the scroll pattern is in every panel but there is no “Ludwig Chicago” engraving that would normally be just left of the strainer.
Read moreA Rare 1950s Leedy & Ludwig Broadcaster Snare Drum
This snare drum is a rare 1950s Leedy & Ludwig White Marine Pearl 5” x14”, Broadway model with a solid 1-ply maple shell.
Read moreWoolworth's Audition Drums
Woolworth’s did sell drums for many years, but unlike the other big department stores, they were not a catalog company by which we could document what and when they sold drums. So all we have are the drums themselves to tell the story.
Read moreFound! Elvin Jones's 75th Birthday Snare
This is the long lost twin of a personal pair of these custom made snares for Elvins 75th birthday celebration and were never available to the public. At 5” x 10” it is little piece of dynamite.
Read moreEdward Tucker’s Catalog Corner- WWII Leedy Dreadnaught
In today’s corner I present to you one of the rarest catalogs from one of the most difficult eras to find any drum catalog from, early 1940s World War II.
Read moreWFL Porto-Pak Snare Drum History
The Porto-Pak is a very special snare drum. Punchy and articulate, this 5.5 x 13 1948 – 52 WFL Classic Porto-Pak snare drum is difficult to find these days. This drum was born out of the need for gigging musicians, be bop and club players to get their drums into the taxi cabs and onto smaller band stands and still hit the spot.
Read moreThe Snare Drum Outfit
Many of us share the introduction into the drumming world with that first snare drum, or if you are one of the fortunate ones, the “Snare Drum Outfit”!
Read moreEdward Tucker’s Catalog Corner 1959-1965 Slingerland
Here is a rare Slingerland snare that has a very interesting story of metamorphosis.
It first appears in the 1959 catalog as a “New Brass Shell Snare Drum” showing in either clear lacquered brass or chrome plating.
1929 L&L Rose Standard Sensitive
I got this rare drum from Bill Wanser of Olympic Drums & Percussion. Bill also pointed out a Ludwig Drummer magazine article that places Rose Pearl at 1929, this aligns perfectly as the Standard-Sensitive model was first seen in 1929. Bill agrees that this was an uncatalogued finish, L & L obviously had the material but it was never seen in a catalog, only in a Ludwig Drummer Magazine article.
Read moreEarly Yamaha Red Ripple Snare Drum
If any of the Japanese drums of the 60’s and 70’s stand out it’s the early Yamaha drums. They projected a professional quality in all of their drums, staying away from the appearance of beginner or entry-level and also avoiding the copycat mentality. This particular snare drum is from the late 60’s to early 70’s and has that flash to it that really stands out.
Read moreA rare George Way/Advanced Drum Co. brass marching snare drum
a bass player I know dropped off a couple items that he no longer wanted. One being a brass snare shell made by the Advanced Drum Co.
Read moreA Brief History of the Butt Plate (plus some other stuff)
Photo © Christoph Hähnel (Dreamstime ID 18749883)
The coiled-steel snare wire is a wonderful invention, and a huge improvement over, uh, animal parts. But making it happen required the simultaneous invention of the snare End Plate and its introduction opened a can of worms.
Read more1934-35 SLINGERLAND 6.5 x 14 ABALONE PEARL BROADCASTER MODEL
"The Broadcaster was evidently a forerunner of the Radio King, the strainer is a very early Radio King style strainer and the lugs do not have inserts. (The tension rods thread directly into the lugs.) The muffler was the single-pad style Harold R. Dodd muffler."
Read moreVintage 1982 TAMA Superstar all Birch in Cherry Wine Lacquer.
Before these drums the interiors and bearing edges of most drums were not what you would call to the highest standards. The interior of these drums, the bearing edges and the outer shell are pure perfection, they feel like glass everywhere you run your finger, there is not a single rough spot, gap, glue, bump, separation or ripple anywhere.
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