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I may have finally found a keeper??

Posts: 109 Threads: 17

After searching high and low, I may have stumbled across a keeper this time. It seemed that I was doomed to never own a true vintage kit until now. This is what I believe to be a Slingerland Radio King from 1944 or 45????? It has the aluminum with white lettering cloud badge on the bass drum .. no other drum has a badge nor a vent hole. The color is a blue and gold Duco. It came with the original Slingerland hi hat stand complete with hi hats. Two crash cymbals an old Leedy bass drum pedal as well as the original Slingerland pedal. (Epic) I have the original snare stand but no snare.. yes I'm looking ... two upper toms as well and alot of misc hardware like clamp on L posts and such as well as a rack. Am I right in thinking this kit is worth keeping? Is it one of those it's not worth anything and never will be worth anything type sets? All of the rims read Slingerland Radio King on them and all drums have original heads which also read Radio King. Oh one more thing to mention, this kit was just used in the soon to be released Buddy Rich DVD done again by Ted Mackenzie. (I thought that was really cool) Tell me what you think. Is it more of a conversation piece or a true collectible? Thanks all. I just got it and haven't measured the toms yet, but I do know the bass drum is 28". :) I'll get some better pics later today ... this is basically just unloaded from the van. Oh if someone would venture a guess as to how much this might be worth that'd be great!!! Not that it's gonna be for sale, but I'm hoping I got a decent deal on this.

Posted on 16 years ago
#1
Posts: 1190 Threads: 86

Those will be great sounding drums...not much you can do with duco finishes other than repainting. (Wrapping them would be costly and there's a good chance heads won't fit.)

I'd put on modern heads, put the smaller tom on a snare stand or RIMS mount and the larger tom either on a RIMS mount or one of those RIMs type cradles you can get from places like drum foundry.

I would guess they're worth at least $4-500.

Nice score. Go buy a Radio King snare drum now! If you don't mind the "flakey" look, blue silver duco ones are usually around for reasonable prices.

Posted on 16 years ago
#2
Posts: 109 Threads: 17

From tommykat1

Totally awesome find. i don't know a thing about Sligerland, but it looks like you have a keeper for sure, and one with progeny.What kind of cymbals? If those are 11" Zildjian hats, they're worth some coin.

I found a stamp on the hi hats .. I can make out Turkish cymbals made in USA The name I can't really make out. It looks like it begnis with a T??? maybe a slight cleaning of the stamp is in order to reveal the name alittle better. Was there another company before Zildjian?? I'm really haveing a hard time determining if these are blue and gold or blue and silver. The toms are sometimes silver looking then if you move about 3' one way or the other, they appear to be more gold?? Same thing with the bass drum. I'm assuming the color is gold since the inlay in the bass drum hoops is gold sparkle. (unless is has faded or yellowed over the years)

Posted on 16 years ago
#3
Posts: 5173 Threads: 188

Tosco, perhaps?

"God is dead." -Nietzsche

"Nietzsche is dead." -God
Posted on 16 years ago
#4
Posts: 109 Threads: 17

From O-Lugs

Tosco, perhaps?

Ok .... I did clean the logo area, and WOW will this clean up like new. There is a crown. Underneath the crown it reads Victor then below that a J then Lapage co. then it reads Turkishstyle cymbal made in the USA. Are they anything special??

Posted on 16 years ago
#5
Posts: 1190 Threads: 86

Often the silver turns goldish...

Not that you want to spend more, but this drum would make a nice addition to your set.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1930s-40s-VINTAGE-DUCO-SLINGERLAND-RADIO-KING-FLOOR-TOM_W0QQitemZ330242189801QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item330242189801&_trkparms=39%3A1%7C65%3A10&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Posted on 16 years ago
#6
Posts: 109 Threads: 17

Thanks Rich!! I'm gonna consider it because I think the set probably came with a floor tom ..... I think. I'm no Slingerland guru so I'm not sure, but you are right!! That would make a great addition!! I'm also searching for the original snare. :)

Posted on 16 years ago
#7
Posts: 109 Threads: 17

I measured the toms and they are 13" and 14" with the 28" bass. :) This set is so cool.

Posted on 16 years ago
#8
Posts: 8 Threads: 3

From tommykat1

What kind of cymbals? If those are 11" Zildjian hats, they're worth some coin.

I just found the exact same Slingerland hihat stand at a junk shop for $10.

This post sparked my curiosity so I checked out the cymbals and they're 11" Zildjian "Bop" cymbals. Didn't know these were worth anything. Too bad they're dented to hell.

___________________________________________
Ludwig Vistalite "F" 22/16/15/13
Ludwig Acrolite snare
1960 Ludwig Pioneer snare
Posted on 16 years ago
#9
Posts: 1190 Threads: 86

From just_me

Thanks Rich!! I'm gonna consider it because I think the set probably came with a floor tom ..... I think. I'm no Slingerland guru so I'm not sure, but you are right!! That would make a great addition!! I'm also searching for the original snare. :)

Actually, it's very possible that that set came originally with just those two toms. Back then, having even one tunable tom was "top of the line".

Posted on 16 years ago
#10
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