I was preparing to go to the Music City Drum Show in Nashville this year when I got a call from Brian Scoggins, the former drummer for Casting Crowns. He told me he was leaving the band and was selling some of his drums. I had been told by a mutual friend, Bill Pace, that Brian had some very nice drums. I told him that it wasn't a good time for me to be buying when I was in the selling mode. When I start getting ready for the drum shows, I start thinking about moving some stuff out not bringing more in. Nevertheless, when someone is calling with drums to sell, I'm going to listen. Brian told me he was selling his Slingerland Radio King set, and I really like Slingerland Radio Kings. I guess most collectors share this feeling with me. He said I could stop by his home on the way to the drum show and pick them up.
This set I'm featuring this month is the 1940s Slingerland Radio King set I bought from Brian Scoggins. It has a lovely white marine pearl finish. I think marine pearl looks so good on these vintage drum sets. Even if the finish "yellows" I still love the way it looks. To me, these drums are yellowed to perfection. One must consider these drums are over 70 years old. The Beavertail lugs, and all the hardware is nickel plated. The badges are beautiful brass clouds. The drum sizes are 24X14 bass drum, 16X16, and 13X9 toms, and a matching 14X5 snare. There are two cymbal mounts on the bass drum shell. The high tom mounts on the bass drum hoop with a clip-on holder. The bass drum spurs fit into a mount on the bass drum shell. The shells are 3 ply mahogany poplar mahogany with large maple re-rings. I opened the 13 tom to peek inside. The smell inside was just heavenly. The workmanship is second to none.
I didn't stop at Brian's home in Atlanta going to Nashville. I told Brian I was hoping to sell some drums at the show and have room to pick them up coming back home. I didn't have room for them coming home either, sales were not that good, but I asked my wife if we could "swing by" to see them as we passed through Atlanta. My wife was very good to go with me to the show, but now she just wanted to get home and forget all about drums for a while. I talked her into the detour, but it took us over an hour to get from the interstate to Brian's house. We went through 100 red lights , all red every time, to get there. The visit to Brian's drum studio was worth the trouble. I bought two awesome sets and two wonderful snares. Brian is a great man and I enjoyed being with him. He also brought the drums I bought almost all the way to my home so I didn't have to drive back.