I picked up a 1930's Leedy Reliance snare and a 26" bass drum, along with some other items that came with it. I have a thread in the Restoring Vintage Drums section that includes pictures of everything that came with it.
http://www.vintagedrumforum.com/showthread.php?t=12248
I am new to drums of this era, so please bear with my newbie like questions.
How does this drum compare to the Ludwig Black Beauties of this era from a sound, shell thickness perspective, etc.?
I realize my drum is not a black beauty and not as desireable and collectible. But, I figure this is as close to owning a vintage BB as I will come since drumming is really just fun hobby for me. Would this drum be considered Leedy's equivalent of the BB?
Were the BB shells brass covered in black paint and lacquered or was there some other part of the process?
I assume the creamish painted shells like mine would have more ring than say a chromed or nickled plated drum of this era like some of the other Leedy Reliance models I have seen. Would that be an accurate statement?
How much would a relatively rust free snare like mine be worth once it has been cleaned up and brought back to life?
I believe the tension rods may be brass. I am missing 1 and have not been able to track down any replacements and will use a new tension rod until I find a vintage one to use. I also need a hoop clip, but have found a few modern versions of those online that I can purchase.
Where can I find original style snare wires? I have no idea where to find them and haven't any luck looking online. How do the original snarewires sound to modern snappy snare wires. I thought it may be fun to try them if I can find them. A local music store suggested using Bass guitar strings. Would that be a viable plan or should I just use some snappy snares and call it a day?
I purchased a Remo Skyntone head for the batter, so we'll see how that fits and sounds. Anyone have experience with this head?
Thanks for any help, comments, suggestions, etc. I hope to have the drum in working order by the end of the weekend. I will post pics once I bring it back to life.