Nothing wrong with a differing opinions johnny, that's what makes the world go round, and keeps the forum interesting. I hope you watched that little video I posted before, because it does look like this is much more than just a business deal, and the DW family truly look honored to own the name.

Your fears aren't completely unfounded though. I was, and still am really, a newbie to the drumming world, and I almost bought a Slingerland kit that I thought was an American made, but turned out it be Chinese. I had no idea they ever made them overseas, so I almost got taken due to my naitivity. I've learned an awful lot since I've been on this forum, but many drummers don't come here, so they may never learn what's what in the drum world.

I think the main reason behind the purchase may be a love for vintage American drums on the part of the owners of DW. If I were extremely rich I might have looked into buying the brand, not because it necessarily made any business sense but to save it from oblivion or worse. I'm sure there are others who feel the same.

As far as "flooding the market" time will tell if that is in DW's plans for the brand. My guess is it isn't, but that is essentially what Kaman did with Gretsch after signing their distribution deal around 2000 and it hasn't seemed to had much effect on the value of the vintage drums. If anything it brought them up a bit as more younger drummers became familiar with the brand. If anything I'd expect the same thing to happen to vintage Slingerlands, which are typically undervalued these days. I think that would happen unless DW puts the name on low grade junk, which I can't imagine them doing, given my first point. Besides this has already been done to the Slingerland name on more than one occasion, including by the original company near the end of its life, and the name has endured.

I dunno....DW certainly did well by using the old Camco designs. But honestly, I think the drums, themselves have almost reached the point where the basic design isn't going to change. Every finish, wood, type and drumhead material you can think of has been done. So the idea of DW resurrecting a famous drum name is probably just because they can and because there's not much else new in the way of drum ideas coming down the pipe anytime soon.

Having said that, I don't really care for DW drums...maybe BECAUSE of all the choices they offer. I can't warm up to any of them because there's just no singular identity to them. And I don't like the old Camco style round lugs, either. I do like my old 5000 pedal....love it, in fact.

I'm certainly curious to see what they come up with but I likely won't buy into any of it...probably.

K.O. made a good point. I don't know if Fred Gretsch sold the Leedy name or is just licensing the name to people making some snare drums.

I'm sure there's a chance of people being duped, but I hope DW uses certain features that would tip off anyone thinking the new drums were vintage. There's no way of knowing what DW will do, but my prediction is, they'll discontinue their line of Classic series kits, and maybe their Performance series as well.

At the 2007 NAMM show, I had a conversation with John Good about the Performance drums, and he was already a bit regretful that the company had even started making them. He said to me, "We sell more of those than anything else we make by two to one, and I wish that wasn't true." The Classic series drums feature the old Slingerland style rolled bearing edges and wide re-rings if I'm not mistaken, so I know DW has respect for those features we like on old Radio Kings.

The bottom line is, let's wait and see what DW does. I'm sure they'll do the right thing.

I own and regularly play a variety of kits, each for a specific genre of music:

60’s Gretsch Round Badge (great drums)

60’s Rogers Cleveland (great drums)

70’s Ludwig Jazzette and Downbeat (great drums)

DW Collectors Series (great drums)

If I needed another kit, I’d be happy to consider and welcome a new set of Slingerlands into the mix, assuming they too sounded great and filled a need. Nobody’s going to buy a new American-made kit of this magnitude without playing or at least hearing it first. If you love the sound, look, feel and vibe and can afford it, how is that getting hoodwinked into buying something you regret later? But then, I’m probably weird in that I have yet to sell a single drum or a cymbal ever in my lifetime. So to some, it’s solely about playing and enjoying a musical instrument - not always about resale. And from a pure marketing standpoint, I doubt that the hardcore vintage drum collector/trader is the target market for these new Slingerland drums anyway.

I look forward to seeing what they are all about.

gwm just posted the statement below. I think that it is so true. I also think that DW upper management is fully hip to this. In my post-gigging life, I've become a collector/trader. My performing days are all behind me. No matter how authentic to the Slingerland drums of the mid-twentieth century the DW-made Slingies will be, the collector/trader types will not be their target customer....UNLESS that collector/trader is an active player who likes the vintage Slingerlands very much.

"And from a pure marketing standpoint, I doubt that the hardcore vintage drum collector/trader is the target market for these new Slingerland drums anyway".

As far as I can tell theres only one Debbie Downer here and you know who you are johnnyringo. But I think the real motivation in his opinion was revealed when he said, “ I'll wait for one of you guys to waste your money on a dw Slingerland and report back when you try to sell and lose a bundle.“ So in other words this is really about resale value? Im sorry but that doesn’t sound like “brand loyalty” to me! My opinion is that buying drums based on what you can sell them for in the future is a waste of time and energy. I like drums for playing not flipping. I’ll use my time practicing and gigging thank you.

That being said, I’ll br looking for Radio King single ply shell snares (and maybe eventually full sets which would be a very different make up than the current DW/Gretsch offerings), marching drums and the educational market in general. That is where real money can be made and DW currently has nothing in that area.

Bring 'em back!!

My first kit was a 70's Slingerland stage band and later added on Slingerland drums, that I still own. Also, I have a 60's stage band, and various snare drums, so I don't see myself buying a new Slingerland, but for the people who want brand new drums more power to you. Buy them because DW knows how to build drums. Buy what you like...

I only brought up the resale to make a point. If these new kits are 2 grand wouldn't it be wiser to spend that money on an authentic Slingerland?

I too gig and practice on my own, but I'm not rich and try to spend my money wisely. That's another reason I never buy a new kit.

Look, all I'm saying is there are plenty of vintage Slingerland kits out there, it's not like they've all gone missing.