It looks like a Ludwig Universal Nickel over Brass. Probably from the 1920s. I just bought one and researched it. Its a Ludwig. The strainer maybe a replacement???

Go to www.vintagedrumguide.com and click on Ludwig snares. loook at the catalogues. Very collectable. I saw one sell for a couple hundred on ebay recently.

Thanks for the Reply... I was thinking along the same lines as you, it sure looks like a Ludwig to me, but the Slingerland strainer threw me off. The mounting holes for the strainer must have matched because there are no re-drill holes in it.

The date "4-11-4" and the word "Sample" are still a curiosity. Has anyone come across the last name "Fredrick" in early brass snare building? I've searched it out, but so far I have come up empty. There are a lot of websites with info on Ludwig and Slingerland, but none so far have mentioned any employee's names. He must have worked for one of them in 1904.

Does anyone else have info on snares pre- 1920? It seems like the information I found on snares all start in or around 1920 and no one mentions any snares built before then. 16 years for a proto-type seems like an awful long time before bringing a snare drum product to market in 1920...

Ha, just answered my own question... World War 1 must have taken up all the brass needed to make and market the drums. The war ends in 1919 and all the drums show up in 1920. So, in my calculations, dated "4-11-4" - this drum sat around for ten years before the start of the war in 1914. Hmmmm.

But still, why did it take so long to bring it out before the war? They had ten years to do it. Was it Copyrights? No calfskin heads? No marketing Guru?

Thanks to all and anyone else that might have some info...

I don't believe that is a date code. Looks like a 1920's Slingerland snare to me. It is not a Ludwig shell.

Ludwig was not making beaded brass shells in 1904. Or tube lugs.

Yeah, 1920 or even very early '30 Slingerland. The throw off is the obvious giveaway...also, Slingerland's shells had a "pointier" bead than Ludwig's and the tube lugs were longer.

That drum should clean up nicely...cape cod cloths for the nickel parts and some light soap and water or lacquer cleaner for the black lacquer shell.

Thanks for all your help guys... I found the throwoff in the 1941 catalog on the 6 lug "universal model" that comes in black lacquer, problem is, my drum is black lacquer and has 8 lugs. The improved "Professional Model" with 8 lugs only sold in nickel plate only. (According to the catalog.)

http://www.vintagedrumguide.com/images/catalogs/slingerland/1941-slingerland-snares4.jpg

So, I'm thinking this was a "universal model" they accidently put 8 Lugs on? and the wrong throwoff? Or just a collage of spare parts? Does anyone else know of or have any signed or "coded" brass snare slingerlands? Also, another oddity I noticed is the missing badge. There are no scratch marks or outline of a badge ever being on the drum. (Is that odd for that time period to be sold without a badge?) Thanks again for everyone's input...

Late 30's early 40's. Same as my drum just an eight lugger. FYI they didn't come with badges. Cool drum btw and they sound great!