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Position of Set-O-Matic Mount on Bass Drum

Posts: 89 Threads: 32

Hi,

I have been working for a month or so on a set of Slingerland natural lacquer finish drums, 13/14/18/24. From the serial numbers I think they are early 70's. I've been learning as I'm doing this so it wasn't until I got into it that I realized they were originally concert toms (the small holes on the bottom of each shell showing where the trim had been attached. Various other small inconsistencies had me a little concerned but I pressed ahead and did a mahogany finish and they have come out looking pretty nice and sound great. I fixed a few bearing edges and they seem to hold their tuning nicely.

The problem I'm having is with the SOM tom mount.... it's located toward the front of the bass drum and when I hang the toms off it, you need gorilla arms to play them as they are so far away.

I figured I was doing something stupid (not unheard of) and looked at catalog scans and various pictures and sure enough most SOM mounts seem to be mounted at the front or in the middle of the bass drum. That makes sense. The bass drum spurs dictate the position of the mount.... they are at the front and point forward, so there is no way to simply flip the heads and have the mount at the front as this would mean the spurs are at the back pointing towards the player which makes no sense.

Anyway, enough rambling... a picture is worth a thousand words so here you go.

What I am doing wrong?!?

Posted on 11 years ago
#1
Posts: 5356 Threads: 87

I would just turn the mount plate around on the bass. And make the front side the rear batter. Also rotate your Set-O-Matic 180* and you'll get more angle adjustment out of it. This will bring them in close and give you the angle if desired. Yes your spurs will be towards the back but no biggie. The SOM is a wonky design but pretty solid although limited in tom position. ;)

1 attachments
SOM tom mount.jpg
66.2 kB
Glenn.

Not a guru just havin fun with some old dusty drums.
Posted on 11 years ago
#2
Posts: 5356 Threads: 87

BTW you can swap the bass drum spur brackets side to side and at least get the angle towards the front again too. You'll need to redrill 1 or maybe both holes as they are offset angled to each side. But it would be covered by the mount and inside plate. Tough call as they look pretty nice and if no extra holes yes it's a bummer to do!!

Nice kit man!!

Glenn.

Not a guru just havin fun with some old dusty drums.
Posted on 11 years ago
#3
Posts: 1342 Threads: 71

All of my Slingerland kits have the badge to the front with the lettering so it can be read from the front. I think the drum is backward. I would swing the drum around, and rotate the mount. Get another set of leg mounts and spurs and install them so the drum looks like an Avante model. The Avante models had 4 bass drum legs.

Posted on 11 years ago
#4
Posts: 89 Threads: 32

Thanks for the insights and suggestions. Going with 4 bass drum spurs sounds like the best option as it would look too weird having one set of spurs at the back of the drum. Drilling out any extra holes will give me heartburn as I spent ages carefully filling some holes that had been caused by an incorrect set of spurs at some point in the drums history but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do..... my goal when I started this was to have a super nice looking players kit that sounded good and I'm getting really close.

Posted on 11 years ago
#5
Posts: 3467 Threads: 116

From Gerald Sterken

All of my Slingerland kits have the badge to the front with the lettering so it can be read from the front. I think the drum is backward. I would swing the drum around, and rotate the mount. Get another set of leg mounts and spurs and install them so the drum looks like an Avante model. The Avante models had 4 bass drum legs.

Another alternative and less cost involved would be to put a second mount centred on the BD. also as the Avante (pictured). The mounts are easier to find and about a 1/4 of the cost of spurs and mounts. (If you were only using the one tom then the Single Setomatic post/arm would suffice as it adjusts from the ball)..

Cheers

2 attachments
set o matic.jpg
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avante.jpg
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'77 Slingerland 51N,Super Rock 24,18,14,13.. COW 8,10 Concert toms
'69 Slingerland Hollywood Ace
'75 Rogers Dynasonic 6.5 x 14, 10 lug COB
'77-78 Slingerland 6.5 x 14, 10 lug COB
'78-79 Slingerland 5 1/4 x14 8 lug COB
'79 Biman 5 1/4, Acrolite
'82 Slingerland 5 1/4 x 14. Festival COS
'84 Tama MasterCraft Superstar 6.5 x 14, 10 lug Rosewood
'98 Slingerland (Music YO) 6" 10 Lug Maple.. NOS
Zildjian, Sabian , UFIP & Paiste mix.
Posted on 11 years ago
#6
Posts: 109 Threads: 17

You may need the Super set-o-matic tom mount. It's setup for more extention.

Posted on 11 years ago
#7
Posts: 5356 Threads: 87

From grezildwiglang

You may need the Super set-o-matic tom mount. It's setup for more extention.

That's a good idea!

Glenn.

Not a guru just havin fun with some old dusty drums.
Posted on 11 years ago
#8
Posts: 109 Threads: 17

From FFR428

That's a good idea!

I had one, and it was stolen along with my hardware bag a few years ago. I did engrave my name on the under side of the mount. band3

Posted on 11 years ago
#9
Posts: 3467 Threads: 116

In this case the "Super Set O Matic" would be hanging way out front of the front hoop though.. I looked at that option but it would certainly look a bit weird..

Cheers

'77 Slingerland 51N,Super Rock 24,18,14,13.. COW 8,10 Concert toms
'69 Slingerland Hollywood Ace
'75 Rogers Dynasonic 6.5 x 14, 10 lug COB
'77-78 Slingerland 6.5 x 14, 10 lug COB
'78-79 Slingerland 5 1/4 x14 8 lug COB
'79 Biman 5 1/4, Acrolite
'82 Slingerland 5 1/4 x 14. Festival COS
'84 Tama MasterCraft Superstar 6.5 x 14, 10 lug Rosewood
'98 Slingerland (Music YO) 6" 10 Lug Maple.. NOS
Zildjian, Sabian , UFIP & Paiste mix.
Posted on 11 years ago
#10
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