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The first vintage & Custom Drum Magazine, since 1988
This is an 8“ x 14“ Slingerland Model 156 Super Gene Krupa Radio King snare drum in Black Diamond Pearl. Very special thanks to Brooks Tegler for his wonderful document explaining everything about this drum! Also, thanks to Mark Cooper of coopersvintagedrums.com; a great, educational vintage drum site.
Read moreI never saw one of these in person and I never imagined I would ever own one, I’ve been looking for years.
Well, one popped up online and I couldn’t believe my eyes.
“I like the smaller bass drums, although I look better behind a larger one. It's all bout the look, you know. Ringo looked good behind a 20" bass drum, but Abe Laboriel Jr. would not look good behind a 20" bass drum.”
Read moreA series about the sound effect instruments used in silent films 100 years ago, at that time known as "moving pictures," with host, Kelli Rae Tubbs and special guest, William F Ludwig III. The
Read moreThe early 6.5 X 14” Black Beauties have increased in demand and value. Of these, the 6-lug engraved Ludwig & Ludwig Black Beauties are some of the earliest and rarest.
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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 moreSometimes 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.
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 moreMany 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 moreThis month’s drumming sung-unsung hero is Israeli-born Tal Bergman.
Read moreThe 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 moreThe 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 moreAlmost everybody in the drumming world knows the name, Johnny Craviotto, but not everyone knows the name Solid Drum Company.
Read moreA 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 moreMiss 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 moreRob 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 moreCame across this beauty – a fully working example of the Beuscher Electro Jazz Kit.
Read moreIn 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 more“If you were really fancy, you had four cowbells!”
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"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.
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