Hi Bill!

I'm also in the process of building a BR 4x14 snare drum! I've built a few in the past, but none as good as the current one! Because I want it to come out excellent, I'm having the shell, wrap, edges, beds, and the lug drilling done by Andy Foote of drummaker.com. It's being wrapped in Silver Sparkle to match my 1967 Slingerland kit, which currently uses a matching Artist snare drum.

I'm sure that Tommyp will weigh in on this one, as it's his passion!!!

In the meantime, here are some links to current and ended eBay auctions that will answer your questions...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251186898906?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Slingerland-Rare-Buddy-Rich-69-70-Snare-Drum-MINT-/170983066989?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&nma=true&si=D%252FRmqa564Vvd%252FZcIrJbkaw6r%252Bd4%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-SLINGERLAND-PICCOLO-SNARE-60S-70S-CUSTOMIZED-/140895945179?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&nma=true&si=D%252FRmqa564Vvd%252FZcIrJbkaw6r%252Bd4%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

In each, you'll see that the butt is the one used with the Rapid strainer. While most of these drums used a muffler, many did not. Those pictured in the Slingerland catalogs in the 70's don't appear to have mufflers. I'm building mine without a muffler and I"ll most likely put multiple coats of interior lacquer, as Buddy most likely would have specified!

Another interesting fact, is that the shell depth seems to have been anywhere from 4" to 4.5"! My build will be 4".

Hope some of this helps.

Mark

I'll chime in but will always defer to Tommy. The zoomatic is a special version notched in the back by Slingerland. It is shown on the Vintage Drum Guide page. Just go to the Zoomatic section.

I had one for awhile and really liked it. I only sold it since it didn't have the original covering and needed the money for other projects. Here's the one I sold:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Slingerland-Buddy-Rich-4x14-model-177-Snare-Drum-/321024888974

I only had one stick chopper hoop. Those are a little bit difficult to find.

Good luck Bill,

Ray

Mark and Ray,

Thanks for the quick responses! This is exactly the type of information I was looking for!

Looks like I've got everything but the stick-choppers... and I'll have to think on wheter-or-not I include an internal tone control. I do have the correct one, however.

As for the actual depth, Ludwig did the same thing... I've seen Pioneer and other wood-shell SDs that are listed in the catalogs as "5x14" run much closer to 5 1/2 inches. So I think this was the norm for the era.

Mine of course will be built from a cut-down Pearl FG shell... and I could easily cut it down anywhere from 4" to about 4.5"... any thoughts on what would be best? (BTW -- even though I'm using a FG shell, I think I'm going to paint the interior as close as I can come to Slingerland's "chocolate milk" interior of the 70s...)

Thanks again,

Bill

Bill!

The "quick" answer/thumbnail sketch to your questions are:

It was not the standard throw... it was always the Zoomatic, which was also found on the upper model snare drums. The "standard" throw would have been the Rapid.

The butt.. amazingly .. is the STAMPED regular butt... not the extended. Looks like a Ludwig P32.

Tone control: The drum was built both ways Bill! Some HAD tone controls, others didn't. I have never been sure as to just HOW that was determined. I will say this though: Buddy's 4X14's had NO tone control.. and .. it seems that the LATER production models DID have them more than not.

I have both models.. EARLY production .. black/gold badge... 1969. Both these are EXACT Buddy Rich models in that they are built exactly like his were, and are also first production models. RARE! Have a look! I have other views if you need them.

I know these snares cold Bill... as a matter of fact I wrote an article that was published in Classic Drummer Magazine on this exact drum/build.

Tommyp

... and if I may answer this for you Bill:

My WMP BR 4x14 is EXACTLY 4x14.. but .. the COW model is 4.5X14, as can be seen in the pics. This was very common! The IDEAL though, is 4X14 as that is how the drum was designed/specified. Also...

It "could" be difficult/expensive finding a set of StickChoppers, especially the CORRECT ones. That said, Slingerland reversed this practice later on and started supplying these drums with StickSavers. The "Choppers" became by request later on. You could EASILY find a nice set of StickSavers and the drum would still be within build specs.

Tommyp

Tommyp,

Thank you for the added info... and I'm probably going to go with the earlier, no tone control version. Although the FG shell may warrant it... but of course it can be added later.

What about the depth? What are yours? And are yours' the painted interiors, or the natural? (I guess that may not matter, as mine will be painted anyway!)

As for the strainer, in reality the Zoomatic strainer is actually what I meant when I said standard... but to be honest, I was having an honest-to-goodness brain f*rt when I started this thread, and couldn't think for the life of me what that was called!

Thanks again,

Bill

And I now see you've answered part of my questions already in your second post!

I was thinking the Sticksavers would probably be OK...

Thanks again,

Bill

Here's the link I mentioned. Tommy does your Zoomatics have the notches cut out? Since your drums were early production, I was curious about that.

http://www.vintagedrumguide.com/drcjw/article_5_strainers_zoomatic-8.html

Thanks

Gravy!

Buenos "notches" ! Sorry... couldn't help myself. No... on the earlier Zoomatics there were no notches cut out or what was later referred to as "the idiot tab" either. These are FULL on the backside of the throw. Interestingly, the Zoomatic is an EXCELLENT thow-off, and works exactly as it was designed. It was the "drummers" that didn't quite get HOW it was supposed to function. The Zoomatic's were constantly over-tensioned causing them to either literally split in half, or press into the hoop and/or shell of the drum. Slingerland's fix was the "idiot tab" on the back, and then to actually "notch out" the back portion of the throw for more clearance. Those "mods" happened on the LATER Zoomatic's though. Mine being first production don't have either "mod"... and work perfectly! The key is in HOW you set up the snare wires to Zoomatic tension/position.

Tommyp