drums

BIG RED
Yeah, I know, it isn't red. It used to be. I refinished it. It is a late 70s-early 80s Slingerland drum set, with 14"x28" bass, 9"x13" rack tom, and 16"x16" floor tom. I usually use a Slingerland 6.5"x14" chrome over brass snare drum too. I've drilled and plugged many holes, and modernized the bass spurs and holder hardware. A vintage collector would hate it, but I like to have reliable gear at gigs.

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SPILT MILK - 1965 Slingerland
I bought this set from Skid Roper for $250. It was dirty, and the floor tom legs were worn, but I cleaned it up, and it was a great nearly original February '65 set with 20",12",14" and matching 5"x14" snare in White Satin Flame. It sounded really great, and I always received compliments wherever I played with it. I traded it, and a Tama Artstar II kit in black lacquer for BIG RED.

Even though it's probably worth more than BIG RED could ever be, I don't regret it. Whoever bought it from Jammin' Jersey, got a really nice set. This picture was taken at a New Years' Eve party at a Holiday Inn in 1996.

LEEDY DREADNOUGHTS
O.K., they aren't ALL Dreadnoughts, but the bass snare and floor tom are genuine wood-lugged drums from WWII. The rack tom is a bit newer (1950). I haven't found a Dread style rack tom, but I'm always looking. These drums have a wonderful warm sound. They are my favorites. I'd play them everywhere, but I don't know if they would work for "rawk." The snare is a 6.5" x14" with 6 lugs. It was probably meant to be a Utility Model.
I also have a 6.5 Broadway "player" drum in Black Diamond Pearl. It is my all-time favorite.

FRANKENROGERS

As if modifying Big Red wasn't enough, the purists probably would HATE this set. It started as a Dayton Holiday bass drum (20"), a Fullerton Powertone Floor tom (16") and 12" and 14" Fullerton 9/72 toms. They've all been refinished in a special secret coating that is strong and durable. The refinish cost me about $35 as opposed to $100-200 for drum wrapping material.

The snare is an old 8"x15" Slingerland Concert King model that used to belong to Carlsbad (CA) High School. It is from the late 1950s. I don't usually take it out with this set, but just decided to put it in this picture. I prefer to use my Leedy, my tube-lug Supraphonic or my Brass TDR.

MY DRUMS