Hey sevendollars...!

Your Rogers Dynasonic in Black Onyx is approx. a 1965 given the serial number that you provided: #5683 This should have your shell make-up being the 3 ply model with 3 ply rings, and the interior should be stained a Fruitwood type color... However!... There are exceptions. Being a '65, your drum should be in the configuration I mentioned. The exception would be IF yours was of later production and featured the "newer" 5 ply with 5 ply maple re-rings. If that is the case, the interior is just cleared with a couple coats of lacquer, giving the interior a nice, warm, amber color. A quick look inside will answer that question!

The strainer on yours should be the NEW Swivo-Matic strainer and NOT the older Clockface. Easy to tell as the Swivo-Matic has a square backing and the Clockface looks like, well, a clock... it's round.

Regarding value: The wood Dynasonics have always been more sought after and more valuable than their COB counterparts. The main reason is Rogers just didn't build all that many with the wood shells... well not compared to how many COB's that were built anyway. In it's day, the wood Dynasonic wasn't all that popular of a snare drum, even though it WAS Rogers TOP OF THE LINE snare drum. They are a tad tricky to set up and get sounding correct, but once they are, look out! The drum isn't/wasn't designed for all types of playing/players either. It is truly a Jazz type snare drum owing to it's incredible sensitivity and constant snare response all without ever choking. When Buddy Rich came aboard Rogers in 1960, he really helped push and define the wood Dynasonic's popularity... simply by playing it.

The more popular wraps/colors will always bring more bucks too. WMP ( White Marine Pearl ) is hands down the most sought after/expensive... and again... we thank BR for that. Oh yeah, and Louis Bellson too!

I play Rogers drums and wood Dynasonics just about exclusively and have to say that once one understands the concept and set-up of the Dynasonic snare drum, it's the only drum you will play!

Hope this was informative and of some help!

Tommyp

thanks a lot man! i have had trouble getting the drum to sound great and have heard that i probably don't have it set up properly. It sounds choked all the time. (although that has come in handy in some reggae recordings) i am mainly a jazz drummer and would like it to sound more like what you described. the shell is definitely the 5 ply with the 5 ply reinforcers.

it looks like is indeed the swiv-o-matic throw off, of which i am missing one of the screws/bolts that hold the integrity of the throw off together. would you know where i could find one? i am growing more fond of this thing the more i learn about it. thank you very much for your help!

Hey, seven,

I just read that Harry Cangany has the range of value for a wooden Dynasonic as being between $2000.00 and $4000.00! Pretty nice drum to restore, huh? :)

If your patient, you might find a replacement throwoff or the proper repair parts needed on Ebay. Also our host, David is a source for some vintage parts.

Other than the missing part(s), what kind of condition is the drum in?

Also..You say you are a jazz drummer living in Minneapolis? Do you know Jay Epstein?

O-Lugs...

The "range" Harry Cangany put on the wood Dynasonics is pretty much correct, but like everything else, there are certain exceptions. The color/wrap has a LOT to do with what a wood Dynasonic will bring. Here's an example:

My 1966 WMP Dynasonic ( the Buddy Rich drum! ) will bring $3500.00 to $4000.00 all day long. Sevendollars, yours, in Black Onyx... ( certainly a nice color/wrap )... will bring around $1800.00, slightly more IF someone HAS to HAVE that wrap. Otherwise, the drums are identical and sound the same! It really comes down to the condition and the wrap. Also,

The Rogers parts O-Lugs speaks of that our most gracious host has up in the parts store, come from my supply. Please feel free to email me DIRECTLY and I'll see if we can get your strainer/throw up and running! My email is shown. Lastly,

I wrote a tutorial for the www.vintagesnaredrums.com site that is featured on the HOME PAGE: Setting Up A Rogers Dynasonic Have a look at this feature. It will get your drum in THE ZONE and allow you to tweak to taste, as it were. Have fun... ENJOY!!!

Tommyp

yeah i know jay, i've been checking him out since i was in high school. he's a beautiful player! i will dig around for that part. thanks for the info/advice.

jt

Please tell him I said hello! We go back a ways!