In 1934-5 Slingerland came out with the Broadcaster. Then oops, Gretsch said that’s our brand name, so Slingerland dropped that model name and the Radio King snare drum was born c.1935-6.
Read moreSlingerland Broadcaster? Oops, Radio King
They are still out there!!! 1963 Slingerland Gene Krupa Deluxe Outfit No. 1N
Sometimes a set just thrills you to no end and gets your heart racing, this is one of those sets. Allow me to introduce my latest addition to the Studio 3T arsenal. 1963 Slingerland Gene Krupa Deluxe Outfit No. 1N with the upgraded Solid Shell 1-Ply Radio King 3-Point Strainer Snare all in Sparkling Blue Pearl.
13”, 16”, 22”, 5.5” x 14” RK.
The definition of "vintage drum"
Vintage, classic and antique cars are classified by the states and by insurance companies. There are monetary and legal ramifications of a car's age; insurance rates, allowed usage, registration fees, etc. And, of course, resale value. Much of vintage drums' classification comes from the world of cars and antique furniture and art, not grapes or wine.
Read moreWere American Drum Manufacturers Required by Law to Use Serial Numbers During the 1960s?
Many vintage drum enthusiasts have taken advantage of the existence of serial numbers on drums as a relatively reliable tool for estimation of manufacturing dates. Many have compiled lists of drums’ serial numbers and date stamps to understand and exploit the relationship between them. Most cared little about why the serial numbers were there, but were just happy that the serial numbers were there to provide a rough tool for use in dating drums. As one learns more about how drum manufacturers used serial numbers, one begins to question the reason that serial numbers were used at all.
Read moreSung and UnSung Heroes: Tal Bergman
This month’s drumming sung-unsung hero is Israeli-born Tal Bergman.
Read moreTwo 1920s L&L White Enamel/Deluxe Super Ludwig snares
The 6.5 x 14 was another story...the shell came to me wrapped in lime green glitter contact paper. This looked – as my good friend John Aldridge would say – “as ugly as home made soap”, and it was.
Read moreLast Flight Home - Todd Sucherman's Debut Solo Album
The album is not a flurry of prog rock drum tracks as one might expect but passionate and varied pieces composed by Todd and his creative partner, J.K. Harrison, with Todd on lead vocals. There are 10 great tunes, carefully sculpted and crafted to tease our emotions and draw us in. This phenomenal debut album is available on CDs, high-definition audio (.WAV), and signed and numbered 180-gram vinyl LP’s
Read moreSolid Drum Company Snare Drum
Almost everybody in the drumming world knows the name, Johnny Craviotto, but not everyone knows the name Solid Drum Company.
Read moreStudy of Vintage Ludwig Date Stamps to Determine Frequency of Days of the Week
A fortunate byproduct of gathering information from vintage drums to create serial number-based dating guides is the large database of information about individual vintage drums which results is a great resource for other inquiries. This study looks at vintage Ludwig drums from the time when they possessed both date stamps and serial numbers to learn about production by day of the week.
Read moreCelebrity set - Madelaine Manney's '55 Gretsch Broadkaster Cocktail Drum Set
Miss Madeleine Manney was a very unique and strong woman, especially when you consider the time period in which she led her own band - quite extraordinary. I wish I had had the opportunity to not only meet and talk with her, but to witness one of her many live performances as she toured extensively in the Tri-State PA., N.J. and N.Y. area over many years. She was a celebrity in that region. I imagine she was an exceptional lady. I will keep her memory alive with the drum.
Read more1929 SLINGERLAND 6.5 x 14 ROSE PEARL/ARTGOLD TONE FLANGE ARTIST MODEL
Rob Cook’s Rebeats Color Book states that Rose Pearl was only around in 1929. 4 x 14 Tone Flange Artist Models are extremely rare. I know of only 3. I’d love to see photos of any others that may be out there.
Read more90 year old Beuscher Electro Jazz Kit found in Watford UK
Came across this beauty – a fully working example of the Beuscher Electro Jazz Kit.
Read moreVintage 1929-30 Leedy Drum Set and Traps with detailed Explanations: The Frank Gomes Memorial Drum Set
In this video. Bob takes us on a tour of what instruments a pro drummer in the 1930s would be using and how they would be played. WARNING, Bob’s voice is very low and the drums are very loud, so keep your hand on the volume knob and play sound man.
Read moreKelli Rae Tubbs' Early Drum Set Video Series, Episode 3: "Cowbells"
“If you were really fancy, you had four cowbells!”
Read moreDrum History Podcast - Episode 3 - Made in Japan: The History of Stencil Drums with Marc Patch
"Stencil drums" were Japanese copies of major drum manufacturers like Slingerland and Rogers that were created in the 50's to the 80's. They feature some of the most unique finishes that you can find and have become a unique category of affordable collectors drums. They have a somewhat mysterious history, but fortunately Marc Patch has written a book documenting the history of MIJ (Made In Japan) drums and took the time to talk with me.
Read moreThe Most Celebrated Drum In History?
The Gladstone name ranks right up there with all the drum innovators in history, Ludwig, Leedy, Way, Strauss, etc, but he also has the distinction of being a world class snare drummer. Even the not so humble Buddy Rich claimed he was the best.
Read more1926 Ludwig All-Metal Separate Tension Drum
I acquired this drum a year ago as just a shell with one lug, throw and butt plate attached. It was riddled with countless dents and headed to the trash, luckily I was in the right place at the right time to rescue i
Read moreDrum History Podcast - Episode 2 with Joey "Boom" Mekler - Exploring WW2 Metal-Ration Drums
For a moment in time, it was ILLEGAL to use more than 10% of metal per drum for drum making in America! The result is a fascinating collection of beautiful drums that feature wooden lugs, hoops, pedals, and hardware...most famously Slingerlands "Rolling Bomber."
Find out the reasoning behind this quirk in our nation's Drum History, as we discuss this and much more with war-era drums expert, Joe Mekler, a.k.a. "Joey Boom" of the Delaware Drum Show!
Read moreKelli Rae Tubbs' Early Drum Set Video Series, Episode 2: "Chinese Cymbals"
A series on the transition of drum sets with host, Kelli Rae Tubbs. The history-rich videos discuss the components commonly found on the early drum set used ...
A series on the transition of drum sets with host, Kelli Rae Tubbs. The history-rich videos discuss the components commonly found on the early drum set
Read moreLate 60s Made In Japan Pearl Seamless Phenolic Kit
In the 1969 catalogue the "President” kit was the only one to show a rectangle badge with the words president on them. They also said Pearl and Japan. These President kits were built till 1973. They still offered great looking pearl wraps such as this Tiger Eye white pearl, marine pearl and gold grain pearl. I love the oyster pearl wrap. Based on this information (warp/badge/lugs/metal bass drum hoops) I put my kit somewhere in the late 60s/early 70s.
Read more