This is a question/thought after reading the post on the 13" Radio King snare drum in the vintage section.

My two cents would say that back then (20's to the 50's) there were not that many if any drummers creating or ordering custom drums. (this is just a guess) Besides endorsers and famous drummers of the time, drummers were probably "sticking" to the book and if drums were odd like this one my inclination would be that the guy making the shell is the culprit.

If the shell came out that size it was easier to leave it and push it out in to inventory then to chop the 1/2" off.

So I guess the general question, is how many drummers back then would even bother special ordering compared to today?

Unlike today and over time the process of customizing has become the way to do things, at what point in the drumming timeline was it more common to do such?

My guess and this is only a guess is that not until the 90's has it become such a custom market for special ordering drums and sizes, edges, hardware and finishes, etc..

If you think about it, each decade has had its standard sizes like the drums of the 60's and 70's then the drums of the 80's when companies went with larger sets and people followed the trend. In the 90's and 00's we have become so custom oriented.

Any thoughts on that topic?

David