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Been around a while but, first post

Posts: 30 Threads: 7

OK, so I've been hovering around now for around 10 months, reading and absorbing.

Because we are a family of musicians (more on my wife's side than mine) a family friend asked whether or not our son would be interested in learning to play the drums. If he was interested, then, our friend said, he would be happy to give our boy his drums from when he was a teen (he's 55).

Because of my work in recording, I knew that there was the slightest chance that these drums may sound really nice. We were told that they weren't anything special, but something that Tyler could learn to play on and that's all that mattered.

This IS going somewhere,

When we went to pick them up, our friend was in the process of preparing to take an "extra" kick drum to the garbage dump. I stopped him, said NO WAY and that we'd take it with us to make some use of it.

That kick drum I'm still trying to find some info on it. I'll post pics later as I'm right in the middle of restoring it; the hoops are, well, hooped. It's lacking it's tom mount and spurs. Just the shell, hoops, torn skins and bdage are all thats left. It was made in England and called Capri. I still can't find any info on it!

The rest of the kick turned out to be a decent find. The other WMP kick turned out to be a 20" Slingerland with copper cloud badge and cigar lugs. The snare is a Leedy Broadway Dual (full dress - it's in the photo gallery WMP with red and green dress 1937) We also have an older Premier snare (I think a 2000 or something) but it was converted into a floor tom and so is missing basically everything.

Alright, I think I've rambled on long enough. I do have one photo to upload, will take/upload more later.

LOVE THIS SITE

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Posted on 15 years ago
#1
Posts: 4009 Threads: 209

Even though its a miss matched hodge podge of a drum kit......its still waaaay cool for ANYONE'S first kit! Cool1 Whatever you do......don't get rid of those "old drums", as some people would think they just are, as seperately they are quite valuable. A 30's Radio King bass and a Leedy Broadway?? Mind Blowi just too much! I gotta pay attention on trash day more often! DOH

Posted on 15 years ago
#2
Posts: 2628 Threads: 40

[COLOR="DarkRed"]Welcome ! Great story. And I agree...if you are gonna have a set of vintage orphans, an old RK bass drum and a Leedy snare are a pretty good grouping to have ! Jump For Joy[/COLOR]

www.2ndending.com
Posted on 15 years ago
#3
Posts: 503 Threads: 29

Yeah, that's great, hope you're son takes to them.

Good save on the other bass drum.

Posted on 15 years ago
#4
Posts: 30 Threads: 7

Unfortunately, for authenticity sake, the RK bass drum went thru a couple alterations in its' lifetime. The BD hoop mount spurs were tossed at some point in time and instead, HOLES were made and the little spindly legs were attached. As well, the tom mount was placed back in the 60's too. I've been curious as to what mounted to the two exposed screw heads on the side as well as the purpose of the "cupped" washers on the front. I do have to say that it has an incredible tone. I would prefer to switch over to a non ported head..... The kick originally came with the resonant head and hoops being painted a ghastly silver. A little bit of scotch bright and elbow grease brought the hoops back to life (I did have to touch them up) The batter side head was split and the front covered again, in that paint. I noticed from the underside that you could still read Radio King. I used some acetone to clean it off. What I found underneath was another layer of paint with some black and red pinstriping and "W M jitter" painted across.

The cymbals that came with it are an 8 inch UFIP and 2, 20" Japanese made (stamped towards the center) they were bought by our friend back in the 60's.

more to come

Posted on 15 years ago
#5
Posts: 2628 Threads: 40

[COLOR="DarkRed"]Without a closeup I am only guessing but I'd say perhaps the cup washers held cymbal mounts. Likely the bass was rotated to the side by whoever installed the spurs.

I agree, the tom mount is a bummer...but it's a hecka old drum, hard for those to avoid some sorta alterations along the line. But I have seen far, far worse additions....[/COLOR]

www.2ndending.com
Posted on 15 years ago
#6
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