Hi I recently bought a 1950s Slingerland snare for US$160. Being a newbie to vintage drums I have a couple of questions. Firstly, is it possible to tell just looking at the shell either externally or internally how many ply it is? I am told it is a radio king but I want to be sure.

Also it has a crack about 4 inches horizontally around the middle that goes deeper than the 2 tone duco finish into the wood. The crack does not go all the way through but is clearly visible on the outside and I want to know is there any way to fill the crack without compromising sound and prevent it from getting any worse.

Thanks for any input you can provide.

Dale