When you are reading this article, I'm sure 2020 will be in the rear-view mirror. I am hoping your new year has begun well and that you are safe and healthy. We are optimistic that 2021 will be better than last year in every way. This may be the year you find that great vintage drum you have been looking for and add it to your collection. I am always on the hunt for vintage drum treasures. You never know where you might find a wonderful piece of percussive history to bring you joy.
The drum set I am featuring from my collection this month is a beautiful 1960s Slingerland Gene Krupa Deluxe Ensemble 1-N set. This is a Marine pearl set with a 5" Gene Krupa Sound King chrome plated brass shell snare. The snare has eight lugs and three lines around the middle which dates it after 1965. The bass drum is 22"X14" the mounted tom is 13"X9" and the floor tom is 16"X16". This outfit remained in the Slingerland line from 1957 through 1973. My set has chrome hardware because nickel was not an option after 1960. The Set-O-Matic tom holder was introduced in 1968. This set features a Set-O-Matic which dates the set around 1968. The badges on all the drums are Niles black and gold ovals. Inside each drum is the "chocolate milk" brown paint sealer.
My wife and I went on a road trip to buy this set from a Facebook friend. He offered me this set and said he had a few other drums he was considering selling. I usually take our SUV when I go to pick-up drums, but I decided to take my convertible so we could enjoy riding down to South Georgia with the top down. When we got to my friend's home, he had the Slingerland set on the porch and also a big 26" Ludwig clear maple bass drum and 14"mounted tom there also. Along with these he had a few extra goodies that he was willing to sell as well. Well, what to do? Buy it all even if it's going to be tight in the car getting it home, that's what. My wife is a good sport, but this was trying her patience with me. I briefly thought about leaving her with my friend. No, I'm kidding, I was determined to get her and the drums home and not make the three-hour trip back to get all the drums. We were crushed in the front seats, but we made it safely back home.