Powertone did not have a COS shell to my knowledge. Wasn't until the Superten I believe.

Powertone with B&B lugs sounds pretty rare. Not sure if $250 is good or not, since I have not seen one before. Might be tempted if collecting. Don't think flipping for that price would work unless 6-1/2" shell.

Thanks for the response AmosGuy!

I am pretty sure that there are some very early Steel shelled Powertones....at least thats what Rob Cook's book says. I guess that could be wrong..but he seems to know what he is talking about.

Anyway...Im not sure that is is a great deal unless it is one of these rare early drums. Just thought I would check with some of the Rogers experts on here.

Thanks again!

-Adam

No... there aren't any COS Powertone snare drums... Rogers didn't make any, despite what you read in Rob's book. Rob Cook's "Rogers Book" is FANTASTIC!, but there are errors... this is one of them. ALL Rogers Powertone snare drums were COB. I have a very early Beavertail Powertone, as does Ploughman, and both are indeed COB. I've been searching for YEARS to find a COS Powertone... ( as that would of course prove there was one at least! ) ... but to no avail... as again, they never made any. The only steel shell Rogers manufactured was the SuperTen... until proven otherwise that is!

Tommyp

Alright, so there might not be any steel ones out there. Do you guys think $250 is a deal for a B+B?

Thanks!

Ad

If none of the lugs are cracked then MAYBE it would be worth it. The main problem is it would be a display piece anyway you look at it. If they aren't cracked and you put any kind of high tension on them, they WILL crack rendering the drum pretty much useless. The only way to make one of the B&B lug drums useable on a regular basis is to use the reproduction lugs, which is an expensive proposition.

Tommyp is right on the money on this one. Rogers did not use COB shells until the Super10 days. I am not sure which is more unusual, the COB b&b Powertone or the wood version with b&b lugs. Either way, they are both few in numbers. If all is original, I don't think the price is bad at all. A wood version will set you back alot more. It is a nice collector's piece and I don't think you would ever loose money on it. Not sure if the COB is worth the xpense of repro lugs to make it playable. Your call.... I would be inclined to buy it and add it to a Rogers collection.

Thats what I am thinking. I wouldn't really be buying it to play...wouldn't put Petty lugs on it or anything. He says none of the lugs are cracked...so I would be inclined to pick it up as a collection drum.

So do you think $250 is a good price or should I offer him $200? Seems like 8 uncracked B+B lugs alone would be worth almost $200 to someone who needed them out there right? It also has the early black background strainer $100+ and tall hoops $100+ for the pair. Seems like a good deal to me.

Thanks guys!

-Ad

Adam,

Settle this for us all and do the magnet test. Use a kitchen magnet on the shell. It will have a slight pull due to the chrome, but COB will not have much attraction. Compare the pull with a steel shell, or the frig if you don't have one. You will feel a marked difference if it is brass.

If the lugs are not cracked, then I agree with Tommy and Powertone - pick it up,

As always, get the best deal you can on a drum. That being said, $250 is a very good deal for a b&b Powertone. If I was in the market for one, I would spend that in a heartbeat for a nice example.

Something else you might want to consider re the drum.... Not only were there only a few of the b&b lug Powertones made, but yours may be one of the first. I have been watching serial numbers on those drums. I currently own a blue ripple with a serial of 1125. I have had a couple of others in that same general range. The earliest beavertail Powertone I have seen is the very low 2XXX range.

The tag on the COB b&b that you are considering, is a serial number of

4XXX. At first I thought it might be a bit high for a b&b lug Powertone until I noticed that the model (Powertone) is typed in. My 1125 has the usual model name printed. Hypothetically, that could indicate that yours was one of the first ones, made before they had the labels printed up.