This is the "Sound King" snare drum and does have a brass shell. Being Slingerland's "bread and butter" snare drum, there were thousands of these made. I've got 3 of them and each one sounds great!

Mark

Yep.

But not a look alike to a brass one.

[ame]http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Slingerland-1960s-Aluminum-Snare-Drum-6-Lug-/201197758936?pt=Vintgae_Drums_Percussion&hash=item2ed85229d8[/ame]

I have the same exact snare. It does not look brass at all. In fact I can't see brass anywhere inside/out/witness marks/scratches etc..... The inside looks like a brushed finish or coating of some kind. I can see chrome around spots of the bearing edge underneath. If this thing is brass Slingerland sure went the extra mile to cover it up. My dynasonic is so easy to spot the brass inside the shell. But this Slingy not so much. Here's the inside and seam.

My understanding is that the three lines always indicate a brass shell. Slingerland chrome from this era almost seems drip off the drum - so you might have to file some more to be sure ...be careful....

Exactly how the one I rehabbed looks inside, including the seam. I agree to covering it up someway but I filed quite aggressively around a lug mounting hole and all I seem to see is raw aluminum, no brass color. Is there any possibility that they made some aluminum ones and everyone thinks they were brass.

I have not seen a chromed aluminum shell like that from them, only brass.

Their aluminum shells were easy to spot.

Can you get an accurate weight of the drum? We could compare it to the weight of a brass shelled version.

For comparison, my 5x14 cob Sound King weighs 8.8 lbs.

It has cob hoops, and it does have the aluminum reinforcing plates under the lug screws.

Your drum probably has cos hoops, and does not have reinforcing plates, but should still be at or above 8 lbs if it is brass.

Aluminum shell would be a couple of pounds lighter.

I've also had Slingerland Sound King snare drums with that coating. It's on so well that you couldn't see brass anywhere! If the shell is aluminum, it will be relatively light. I've weighed some shells during refurbs and here's what I've found:

My Ludwig 1970 5x14 Supraphonic: 1lb 13oz

Rogers 5-line Dynasonic 5x14: 3lb 3oz

A big difference between aluminum and brass!

As previously mentioned, I've never seen an aluminum Sound King snare drum. The earlier brass shells with round-over edges do weigh more than the later shells with flanged edges. I have a feeling that these shells may be SLIGHTLY thinner, too, as a cost-savings measure. But, they are still brass.

Mark