Big Leedy Snare - Page 1 - Vintage Drum Forum

Hello,

I'm new to vintage drums, and this board. I have just come across a Leedy 8.5 x 14 (it might be 8 x14) that was given to me. The badge says Leedy Elkhart, Ind. The snare strainer is the standard Leedy, but it has an extension on it, which can be extended by loosening the thumb screw and sliding it up or down. I don't see the advantage to this, I always leave it in the down position. The butt plate is very standard, a bar with two screws and a plate. It has Broadway standard 8 hole hoops on it, and an original skin on the snare side. The finish is a dark hunter green near the hoops which fades to a tanish color around the center. The shell has reinforcing hoops, but I don't know what ply shell it is. It is a natural finish on the inside. The finish is very good, minor cracks, but the laquer (if that's the word) is still intact. (It isn't flaky or anything)It didn't have any snares on it when I received it, but I replaced them because I use this drum in my band because it sounds so good. It has an old case. I don't know if it is original. It is a black "hardshell"(I don't know what the material is) It is almost like the fiberglass cases of today. It has a leather handle. The two halves of the case are the same depth, only one fits inside the other to form a tight fit.

I'm just wondering what year the drum is/what model/andy history behind it because I get so many questions about it when I play shows. Thank you!

-Matt Dale

PS-sorry for no pic, I dont have a digital camera. Maybe I can borrow one sometime soon for this thread.

Hello, Matt.

The drum sounds like it is a Leedy Broadway Standard with an 8" deep shell...circa late 30's-early 40's with a green/gold lacquer finish. I did not see this color option listed. They only list a black/gold lacquer. Could there be a chance that the black lacquer has faded a bit and the greenish undertones have come out?

The shell is likely a 3-ply wood shell made from a thin inner and outer ply of real mahogany and a relatively thick core-ply of poplar...plus a pair of solid maple reinforcement hoops. The bearing edge would be shaped in the vintage roundover style. All these factors add up to the bigger "fatter" sound of those drums

I have been told that that extension handle on the throwoff is to facillitate the throwoff to be either engaged or disengaged by using a drumstick "on the fly" so-to-speak.

When brand new, your drum probably sold for around fifty dollars!!! Today to a Leedy collector = ?????

If at all possible you could get some pics, I could probably nail the information down more accurately, but these guesses are definitely in the park.