1930 LEEDY 5 x 14 NOBBY GOLD “THUNDERBIRD PATTERN” BLACK ELITE “FULL DRESS” MODEL (Cat. #2720)

August 17, 2017 Mike Curotto

My good friend and local drum collector Jimmy Sisson found this gem of a drum in a little “Ma & Pa” store in San Jose, CA. Jimmy called me and wanted to show me his new find so I said “come on by”. After seeing the drum and complimenting him on his new acquisition I went into my drum collector mode and I asked him if he wanted to sell the drum to me. Although Jimmy really wanted me to see the drum he also knew that I would want to buy it...he was right! We made a great deal and here we are. This is a good ending for everyone; the store owner got the drum for a low price, Jimmy got it for a great price and I was able to double his money plus 200.00.

2007 Yamaha 40th Anniversary 6.5 x 13 "Phoenix" (#1 of 40)

June 13, 2017 Mike Curotto

”That anniversary snare is #1 of 40, and the year was 2007(2017 is our 50th). There were only 20 made available for sale in the US. It's a 13" x 6.5", 1.5 mm brass shell with a black lacquer finish, 3 mm aluminum die cast hoops, 20 strand snare wires. Model SD-4365PH, original MSRP was $1799. It is hand engraved by the same craftsman that did the high-end saxophones in Japan. The Phoenix bird with the tuning fork in its beak is the original logo that was registered in 1888 by Nippon Gakki, Yamaha's predecessor as their trademark. It was carved into the pump organs that were the first musical instruments built by Yamaha. At my request, my friends at Yamaha Japan reserved #1 for me.

1929-30 Ludwig & Ludwig 6.5 x 14 NOB Standard-Sensitive Model

May 16, 2017 Mike Curotto

In 1929 Ludwig & Ludwig offered four new snare drum models that can be found in the Fall 1929 Ludwig Drummer Magazine. The new models were the Super-Sensitive, New Era-Sensitive, Super-Power and the Standard-Sensitive Model, the drum in this article. From what I have researched it looks like the Super-Sensitive Model was around from 1929 through 1936, whereas the New Era-Sensitive, Super-Power and Standard-Sensitive Models only lasted for 1-2 years (1929-30). Super-Sensitive Models are very collectible and somewhat rare in certain instances but the other three Sensitive Models are extremely rare and, in my opinion, highly collectible.

1926-27 LUDWIG & LUDWIG 6.5 x 14 DeLUXE STIPELGOLD SUPER-LUDWIG MODEL

April 13, 2017 Mike Curotto

Ludwig introduced the new Stipelgold finish in their 1926 catalog. “The New Ludwig “STIPELGOLD” finish is a special composition producing a marvelous *“Stippled” effect in a bright golden hue. It is hard and durable, adhering tenaciously to the shell of metal or of wood.” The 1927 catalog introduces the “New Ludwigold Iridescent Display Finish”. It looks like the Stipelgold finish was short-lived, maybe 1-2 years. Aside from the 1926 catalog, the only other reference to the Stipelgold finish is at the bottom of the first page of the 1927 catalog: “LUDWIGOLD or STIPELGOLD at the same price.” So as best as I can tell by researching the 1926, 1927 catalogs and Rob Cook’s DRUM COLORS THE REBEATS COLOR SWATCH BOOK; Stipelgold was only around for one year, 1926.

Leedy Autographs of the Stars Drum Set and Snare Drum

March 15, 2017 Mike Curotto

I am not a drumset collector but when this drumset was offered to me -- a second time -- I went for it. I usually don’t buy snare drums as an investment, I love to collect them so if they are worth more money in the future that’s a good thing but if the value stays the same or goes down I honestly don’t care as it has always been more important to me to own the snare for the collection rather than worry if the drum will eventually be worth more money. This drumset was purchased as an investment, especially since the snare drum alone is worth as much as I paid for the entire drumset. Don’t misinterpret this, I paid Mike’s asking price and he was happy with our deal.

1925-28 LUDWIG & LUDWIG 6.5 x 14 12 PT. FLOWER-ENGRAVED DeLUXE MODEL

March 15, 2017 Mike Curotto

This snare drum is very well-preserved mainly because of the fact that there were only two previous owners before I purchased the drum. The shell is very clean and the DeLuxe plated hardware is also in very good-plus condition. All that was needed was a light dusting. I did clean out the tension rod threads just because I am picky. There are not many of these 6.5 x 14s around, maybe 4 or 5 that I know of.

Oddball 1951 - 1954 Slingerland 5 3/4" x 14" WMP 6 lug Radio King snare

February 14, 2017 Mike Curotto

--So why is the bottom re-ring shorter than the top re-ring? I have an idea. I seem to remember that older RK toms had 3 reinforcement rings, one on each end and the third one in the middle. Just a theory.

1925-26 LUDWIG & LUDWIG 4 x 14 SOLID MAHOGANY SUPER-LUDWIG DANCE MODEL (cat. #245)

November 3, 2016 Mike Curotto

The 4” x 14” size in an all wood, solid mahogany shell is exceedingly rare in the ‘Super Ludwig’ Model. We have seen only one other example of this drum in many years of collecting and playing vintage drums.

2008 5x14 Leedy USA Custom Shop/Craviotto solid Mahagany Relic Series Special #1

October 31, 2016 Mike Curotto

Fred Gretsch still owns the Leedy name, and several years ago I asked Fred Gretsch if we could do some special Leedy USA drums using Craviotto solid shells. I liked the idea because Leedy was one of the companies that used solid shells for their snares at various times, and I thought it would be great to do some solid shell snares made in the USA with the Leedy name, but with Johnny Craviotto's incredible shells.

1920s-30s DUPLEX 5 x 14 “ARTIST MODEL” ALL METAL ENGRAVED/GOLD PLATED BLACK JEWEL (CAT. #410-A)

October 11, 2016 Mike Curotto

As of this writing there are now five known Duplex engraved Black Jewel snare drums. The previous four Black Jewels are on pages 36-43 in my book: VINTAGE SNARE DRUMS, THE CUROTTO COLLECTION VOL. I. There is another way to look at this Black Jewel situation. Of the five Black Jewels only two actually have the name “Black Jewel” engraved on the shell so one could argue that there are only two Black Jewels in existence at this time, the one on pgs. 36-37 in my book and the drum in this article. Noted drum historian and black/engraved snare drum expert John Aldridge is of the opinion that the “un-named” drums are also Black Jewels so I am going with John’s evaluation. I have included a photo of the other 4 Black Jewels.

1938-40 Slingerland 5x14 Nickel Over Brass Artist Model Radio King

August 2, 2016 Mike Curotto

This snare drum was sold to me a Radio King. As I started to get into the restoration I noticed that there are no extension brackets or any drilling for extension brackets.

1920s - 30s? L&L? 5x14 NOS/NOB 12 lug "Rat" snare drum

June 30, 2016 Mike Curotto

Here’s another very weird snare drum that has been in my restoration queue for some time. This drum reminds me of those Desert *Rat Buggies that are put together with all sorts of non-matching, weird parts, rusty body parts and who knows what else.

1923-25 Ludwig & Ludwig Wood Black Beauty

June 3, 2016 Mike Curotto

All these years I had thought that the hardware was the DeLuxe (copper plated/gold lacquer) plating but as I began this restoration I discovered that the hardware is gold plated.

200- Drum Workshop 5x14 Solid Aluminum/Titanium Electroplated Prototype (#778626)

March 20, 2016 Mike Curotto

This drum was born on June 25, 2009. The hardware was chrome plated but could have been brushed nickel. A gentleman approached DW with an idea about a new type of plating called titanium electroplating. I have seen photos of this type of electroplating on custom cars.

1925-30 Leedy 5x14 #704E Black Elite Model snare drum - not engraved

February 4, 2016 Mike Curotto

Here’s the latest snare drum to enter into the collection. This drum was willed to me by a good friend who had passed away a few years ago. My friend’s wife was ready to sell some of his snare drums and she told me that her husband had specified that I was to be contacted in order to help her sell the drums. The drum in this article was originally found in “as is” condition in an antique store many years ago by my friend’s mother. The drum is in 100 % original factory condition.

F. Baron snare drum, circa 1930s

September 8, 2015 Mike Curotto

F. BARON was a music store located in Paris, which existed in the 30/40 years. Very little information exists, but they created a brand "CONTINENTAL Paris New York", drums and snare drum which are so rare.

Seimatone Chromatic Snare Drum -@1948

September 7, 2015 Mike Curotto

with this snare, only two tuning knobs are necessary to adjust the tension, one by a head ! The internal chromatic system is very complex but works perfectly, and allows you to change tone while playing

1935 Ludwig & Ludwig 6.5 x 14 Gold Sparkle (Flash)/Classic Gold Standard Model

August 3, 2015 Mike Curotto

Here’s another snare drum fresh from the 2015 Chicago Vintage Drum Show and now in the “Bun E. Carlos wing” of the Curotto Collection. I got this one from Bun E. Carlos.

1947-50 METJAZZ Snare Drum

July 1, 2015 Mike Curotto

Here’s the latest snare drum to enter the collection. I got this drum from Emmanuel Giraudon who owns Oldrums in France (www.oldrums.fr).

1935-36 Ludwig & Ludwig Silver Anniversary Black Beauty

May 25, 2015 Mike Curotto

By Mike Curotto

1935-36 LUDWIG & LUDWIG 6.5 x 14 SILVER ANNIVERSARY BLACK BEAUTY

Hi all,

Here’s another snare that I was able to add to the collection...fresh from the 2015 Chicago Vintage Drum Show. I got this drum from Joe Luoma, he had one to spare so we sealed the deal over the phone 3 weeks prior to the Show and culminated the deal at the Show. Thanks goes to Joe for helping me to add another cool and very rare drum to my collection. Joe’s drums are always pristine so this was an easy cleaning.

The SHELL:

The “sparse” later 1930s 10 pt. floral engraving pattern is clean and in good shape. The black nickel is also in good condition with some normal “freckling” that is to be expected on an 80 year old drum. I just gave the shell a minor cleaning with some lemon oil and all is good.

The HARDWARE:

Around 1932 Ludwig changed their Artgold (bright copper plating /gold lacquer) DeLuxe hardware option to Classic Gold (brass plating/ yellow gold lacquer). The Classic Gold on this snare drum was in very good condition and only needed a basic cleaning. The threads on the tension rods needed the most cleaning. One side of one of the tapped Imperial lugs was stripped but my good friend Al Schneider, The Drum Doctor, did his magic with a 12-24 Heli-Coil and as I’ve mentioned before, do not let stripped “Anniversary” lugs be a deal killer, there is a fix, a 12-24 Heli-Coil is the correct fix.

Of-the-era calf heads (note the tone control stamp on the top head) and James Snappi wires rounded out this simple cleaning.

Silver Anniversary Black Beauties are extremely rare, there are only 5 known at this writing and every one is different but I do realize that there is always the possibility that there are others out there. Be sure to weigh-in if you see or hear of another Silver Anniversary Black Beauty out there in vintage drum land.

Here’s a list of the 5 known Silver Anniversary Models: