Yes. I had one. That particular specimen was a dud. I play on 16" and 18" bass drums regularly, so I know it's not that I just didn't like the size.

Sweet - looking drum, BTW! Looks sturdy as all get out!

Nice looking drum. I love the 17's. I've had three. All were WFL and Ludwig center lug drums. I still have the maple and the Gold Sparkle 17's. I plan on doing a blue olive badge 17" with separate tension and some point. Great size!

Mike

How much of a premium is it for the custom-sized heads?

I often wandered about a 17" Bass Drum because I'm not much a fan of 18's and 16's don't really cut it either. Something in between always seemed like it would be perfect.

That is truly beautiful. Nice job. All the hardware looks modern except the faucet T-rods. Are those new repro rods or are they actually vintage?

Mike

What is the depth of the Slingerland?

Here are some answers: The drum is 12" deep. The Rods are from a 60's Rogers bass drum, and the brackets are new. And, yes, the drum is rock solid. I played a Country gig with a mic in the reso hole, and it sounded great. I even got compliments from the sound guy. But I have to admit, my 20" Premier bass has a better all around sound. Before you guys posted, I thought I was the only drummer with a 17" bass except for the guy in L.A. Everyone around here (Salt Lake City) has never heard of that size. It's nice to know I'm in good company. Hey, Caddywumpus, what brand was your 17? Just curious.

Oh, I forgot to answer the question about the cost of the 17" heads. Offhand, I'm not sure but they didn't seem too expensive at the time. The drum came with a calfskin head, but I opted to not use it. I remember the old days when only calfskin heads were available, and they were a pain -- nice sounding, but a bother to keep tuned. Now you can guess at my age, but I'm not telling :) Besides, I still play gigs 2 to 4 times a month in 3 or 4 different bands -- Big Band, Rock, and Country. And I can vouch for music keeping a person young.