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I finished this snare this week ---

http://tinyurl.com/yog6vo

Pre-war Windsor brass shell, original lugs and rods, strainer and butt plate. I raised the lugs on rubber washers so modern heads/hoops could be used. Sadly, the shell has a diameter of 13 1/2", I have a new calf batter head but no flesh hoop to have a snare side head made. I tried a couple of heads from 50's Olympic snare shells, but they were around 13 3/4" diameter. The conversion was pretty straightforward, adding the washers to lift the lugs but finding long imperial mount screws took some digging. The strainer is a bit flimsy, but it works with a bit Heath Robinson knottage.

It's very bright, quite a lot of 'ring' and has a distinctive 'vintagey' timbre but still has a modern tone - fab rim shots!

www.blenheimdrums.co.uk
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Posted on 17 years ago
#1
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Cool, Mike. I like the shell and lugs...not sure about those rims. Did it originally have single-flange and clips? I will say...between the patina on the brass shell and the old lugs and the black rims, it takes on a certain distinction that looks pretty good. If it's too ringy even with a calfskin batter head, then you might consider a snare side 'slunk' calfskin and old style snare wires (I mean the old ones that you lace through all the holes in the strainer.). I have an old favorite Sherwood snare drum that was built in 1953 and it really wouldn't be anything all that special to anyone else...It always sounded good no matter what heads I put on it...but I decided I would put some real calfskins on it. I had to have the batter head custom-fit because the shell was slightly large. The snare side head was slunk and very thin -yet thicker than plastic)...Long story short, it's exactly the way it would have been sold back in 1953. The calfskins give it an unparalleled warmth -vintage-y....like one would expect...and yet when the calfskins are tuned up a bit, they bring the sound into a more modern realm. But, it's the FEEL of the calfskins that charms me. After playing plastic heads all my life, the calfskin feel is almost...therapeutic!

Anyway...nice drum. Looks good!

"God is dead." -Nietzsche

"Nietzsche is dead." -God
Posted on 17 years ago
#2
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When I got the drum, it had all the original parts, the only part missing was the flesh hoop for the snare side head. Slunk heads are hard to get here because of the 'source' and the moral implications. The hoops are single flange and are stamped witht the 'Windsor' logo, the claws are all present too. The plan was to use contemperaneous parts, wires aren't too much of problem, but the snare side head was the killer.

I am becoming a fan of calf heads, but speaking practically, there's little chance of me using it in 'original' condition, so rather than letting it stand on shelf, at least in it's 'enhanced' state, it will earn it's living!

I was going to use gold plated hoops....................Cool

www.blenheimdrums.co.uk
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Posted on 17 years ago
#3
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Mike,

The drum is a beauty. There's nothing wrong with a multi-generatinal player. I think the black hoops were a nice touch. Day glow green could be cool too. Or better yet, how about Statue of Liberty vertegri.

No just joking, it really is a handsome item. Nice job.

Gary

Gary

Dix Hills, NY

http://s231.photobucket.com/albums/ee19/sabshga/

http://www.myspace.com/garysabshon

Posted on 17 years ago
#4
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