The Slingy I stripped is a ten lug. Sorry I haven't pm'd anyone back regarding offers, I'm broke as an old Dodge truck right now and was mainly asking what cool bang for your buck snares are out there so I can be a little more focused on Ebay dream searches or the possibility of one coming up locally.

What are the differences between COB, COS and aluminum?

Is that a Zoomatic strainer I have?

[IMG]http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u216/46chief/Photo62.jpg[/IMG]

Yup!...and Sound King lugs, all you need is the shell & you're in business. There's a really good tutorial on the Vintage Drum Guide about re-building the Zoomatic (by adding a tensioning spring) to help eliminate the "pull dents" caused by over tensioning the throw.

Here's the link.

http://vintagedrumguide.com/zoomatic_strainer_repair.html

As far as the difference between the 3 alloys, not a whole hell of a lot unless you've got a really good mic on one. All have great sensitivity & projection. Aluminum, being the softest of the 3 alloys, sounds closer to a wood shell, Steel, being the hardest, is the brightest (think Chad Smith/Chili Peppers) & Brass, falling somewhere in the middle, is the best of both worlds!...Brass also has a natural "Musical" tone & is my personal favorite. BUT, like I said the difference is very subtile, I've been playing for over 40 years & still can't tell the difference in these shell materials when I hear someone play live!

This is just my :2Cents: Get the one that makes smile the biggest! Yes Sir

I think you can play Rock, Blues and Funk on just about anything. It depends what kind of sound you are looking for. IMHO it is more what you do with the drum. I am currently playing an early -60's Pioneer and loving it

Aluminium is very wood like, and you can work with it using wood tools!!!

Unless it's someone with a very, very distinctive sound, I am like you- can't tell the difference when someone else plays it live!!!

Thanks all, looks like I'm on the hunt for a 10 lug 5X14 SK with hoops. Maybe I'lll get lucky and find one for for 8 lug dollars. Now if I can get this habitat survey done instead of drum dreaming and web surfin, I can spend some more $$ on drum gear.

I'm curious if I should try and hammer out the old shell dents, and see if I could get it back to round. sorry no pics I left the shell back home in the barn.

What have you got to loose? Go to Harbor Freight & buy a few rounded auto body working tools, rubber mallet, brass hammer & a curved rubber sanding block & have some fun. If the shell you have is toast, then use it to practice on...that's what I did. You also need to make you a bean bag thingy for the underside of the shell so it has room to re-shape. I made mine using a cloth sack filled with cheap white rice...after that just play around with it!...just basic "cold forging". I also use these same tools with some beat-up Paiste Signature Thin China's I bought cheap because they were all bent up & no one bid on them...have come up with some very interesting sounds! It's actually a lot of fun...just make sure you move in very small steps until you get the hang of it, especially with Aluminum & Brass, these alloys move in an outward direction much faster than Steel does. I've been messing aound with this for a couple years now & have gotten to the point that I can smooth out dings & scratches from plated brass hoops & lugs with a small brass hammer & keep the plating intact...but it's a slow, gentile procedure. Most of all, is the sense of accomplishment that you feel when you don't have to pay someone else for these type things & knowing that you did it yourself! Walking