1961. Black Diamond Pearl. It's a Hollywood Ace or a Student Model snare with optional "rim shot" hoops. Nice example.

been doing some more digging since my last post. It doesn't have a muffler, and spotted the date stamp of aug 1961 in the shell. The no muffler and other similarities to the hollywood ace tell me it's likely the Student Model Radio King Snare from '61. And yeah, it looks like granddad forked over the extra $4 for the upgraded rims, haha....$4. Wow.

No Radio King models in 1961.

Ok - so the stamp on the inside def reads "aug 1961" - but if they didn't make a radio king in '61, then maybe one of the following scenarios are possible:

- If they made a radio king in '62, and this one was part of that line, but just wasn't available until '62

- I've heard from someone else that most hollywood aces had the muffler, but the one catalog I found from that time doesn't mention the HAce having "internal tone control" - so either that person was wrong and the HA from that year did not have it....or....maybe they made 2 versions of the HA (with and without the muffler)?

Can anyone speculate on what the most likely scenario is?

Ok - so the stamp on the inside def reads "aug 1961" - but if they didn't make a radio king in '61, then maybe one of the following scenarios are possible:

- If they made a radio king in '62, and this one was part of that line, but just wasn't available until '62

- I've heard from someone else that most hollywood aces had the muffler, but the one catalog I found from that time doesn't mention the HAce having "internal tone control" - so either that person was wrong and the HA from that year did not have it....or....maybe they made 2 versions of the HA (with and without the muffler)?

Can anyone speculate on what the most likely scenario is?

Visible attributes of your drum (badge, throw off, hardware locations and lug screws) indicate a '61 model. The August '61 date stamp verifies that. There were no "Radio King" models in '61. Based on the descriptions in the 1960 catalog, your drum most closely matches the "Hollywood Ace" model. It could also be the "Student Model Snare" with upgraded "rim shot" hoops. Are your hoops COB? They should be. It really doesn't matter if it's a Hollywood Ace or a Student Model since they are essentially the same drum, the only real difference is the "rim shot" hoops. Both models used the same 3-ply shell and rapid strainer. FYI: There was a "Radio King" model in '62 but it is an entirely different drum than yours.

Prior to 1958 the Hollywood Ace Model was a top line offering. In '58 the Hollywood Ace became a mid level offering with a catalog description that included a 3-ply shell, rapid strainer and rim shot hoops. There is NO mention of a tone control (muffler). This same description carries through to the 1960 catalog. In the '62/'63 and subsequent catalogs the Hollywood Ace model is described and pictured WITH a tone control. There are many examples of these Ace's with a tone control. This leads to speculation that the '58-'61 Hollywood Ace may have had a tone control also. Further complicating matters is the fact that drums are often erroneously dated and that the catalogs themselves can contain errors/omissions. A further, detail oriented, study is necessary.